The Worcester Area VE Team will be holding an amateur radio test session for all license classes at Kaven Hall, Room 115, Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Thursday, October 2, 2014 at 6:30 PM. Normally the exam session is the third Thursday of January, April, July and October but WPIWA has requested this session a couple weeks early. The session is open to the general public.

If you have never registered with the FCC's ULS system and received a FRN number, please read the notice in the Read More link below.

We will try to provide a talk-in on the 145.310 / 449.025 W1WPI repeater. It is recommended that if you are not familiar with the WPI campus that you print out and bring with you the campus map.

Please bring:

• AN ORIGINAL AND A PHOTOCOPY of your current license and any CSCEs or other paperwork you are submitting
  
• A basic calculator
  
• Two forms of state acceptable ID (one must be a picture ID)
  
• $15 exam fee (if check, payable to "ARRL VEC")
  
• Pen or pencil

The photocopies of your paperwork are very important as we must submit a copy of your records to the ARRL VEC if you are successful.

Any questions regarding this session can be directed to Matt Brennan NM1B or John Ruggiero N2YHK.

NOTICE ABOUT PRIVACY CONCERNS - FCC REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

Some amateurs have been concerned over the FCC's requirement for your Social Security Number (SSN). The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, Public Law 104-134, requires all federal agencies to collect Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) from all persons doing business with the agency. This includes all applicants and holders of FCC licenses. For an individual, your TIN is your SSN.

It is suggested that all applicants register in the FCC's Universal Licensing System to obtain an FCC Registration Number (FRN) prior to attending a VE session. When you register for an FRN, your SSN will not be disclosed to the public and it must be given only once. You may then use your FRN in place of your SSN on all future applications, including the Form 605 you will complete at the VE session. The Commission has taken several steps to ensure the privacy of your SSN. Electronic registration on the Internet is accomplished using the FCC's secure Web server.

To register for an FRN, go to http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls and click on REGISTER. Once you obtain your FRN, write it down and bring it with you to the VE session. Be sure to keep a record of your FRN and password for future use. If you do not register before the VE session, you will be required to provide your SSN on Form 605 at the VE session in order for your application to be processed.

Fellow Members,

I find myself in need of a few extra amateur radio operators. I'm involved with a regional Emergency Planning Committee called Tri-EPIC. We are having a "Show and Tell" on next Saturday (9/13). It will be combined with the Cops and Kids car show at Southbridge Municipal Airport.

Surrounding towns will be bringing their apparatus (trucks, trailers,etc), MEMA should be there as well. Being the communications aspect, they would like a operational radio set up showing how ham radio complements emergency operations.

I don't really have much to show off. I only have 2m equipment, which I'd be glad to set up. If you are available and have a hf radio, I think that would be a much better presentation. I'm not sure where we will be in the airport yet, so I'm not sure on power or trees. There is a meeting Tuesday morning if anyone willing to help out would like to attend. If I get some hands, we can do it kind of like a field day.

Please contact me if you would like to assist in this effort.

Alan R. Jeskey, KB1PWR

Hello Team,

We're looking for 12-15 volunteers to help with communications for a bicycle ride in Wayland on Sunday, September 28th. Some stations will need to be in place as early as 6:30 AM, with the last stations securing around 4:00 PM.

More information about the event is available on the event website.

If you're interested, please send me an email and what equipment you have available. VHF or UHF handhelds will work, some stations with mobile rigs will be helpful.

Thanks,
Rob KC2EMA

CT ARES Region 2 has invited multiple amateur radio emergency communications groups from the area to work with them in providing amateur radio support for this year's "Jamboree On The Air" activities at BSA Camp Pomperaug in Union, CT. Over 300 Boy Scouts will be attending the event in CT, which simulates a hurricane scenario. Our team will be involved with supporting this event.

Events involving amateur radio will include antenna building, search and rescue using transmitter hunting techniques, and the setup, demonstration and instruction of amateur radio stations running under the K2BSA call sign. The event will require 8 amateur radio stations which will each need to be supervised and supported by licensed amatuer radio operators as each will have groups of 5 scouts cycle through them every hour.

Beyond amateur radio events, the Scouts will be learning about shelter building, first aid, damage survey and map reading, fingerprinting, potable water and other such skills required during a large scale emergency or disaster event.

Although this is a multiple day event for the Scouts, amateur radio activities will be featured on Saturday, October 18, 2014 from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM. There will be setup periods available late day Friday as well as early Saturday before event start. The camp is located just south of the CT/MA state line off of Route 84 at 1174 Buckley Highway, Union, CT 06076.

From our point of view, it will be similar to Field Day in that multiple stations will be deployed in a short amount of time to support a simulated emergency event. However, there are some differences in that instead of the primary focus being on operations, our primary focus here would be on mentoring, support and teaching the Scouts as they operate the bands. Additionally, our normal Field Day setup has been at the Radio Room for a very long time now so this is a chance to sharpen our field deployment skills once again.

Please contact President Ben Holmes NB1H for more information or to sign up for this event. Include whether you can provide radios, emergency power or related equipment for the event or transportation to the event for others.

More information can be found on the CT ARES Region 2 website. It is also suggested that amateur radio operators review the BSA's Guidelines for Amateur Radio Operators at JOTA.

The WECT executive board will be meeting today at 7PM. The meeting will be held at WPI in the Campus Center Chairman's Room. Parking should be available along Salisbury St. The executive board is always looking for help from the membership planning public service events and team meetings. The Exec Board meetings are open to the entire WECT membership, so any team member interested in becoming more involved with the team is encouraged to attend.

The WECT General meeting will be held this Wednesday 7/30 at WPI in Kaven Hall Room 204. This building is adjacent to the large parking lot on Boynton St. During this meeting we will hold elections, so it is important that all team members make an effort to attend. There will be a separate email with information on elections.

Following elections, we will have some test equipment available for anyone wishing to "tune up" a radio or antenna. We will have two service monitors and an antenna analyzer available. Any other team member who has any test equipment available is welcome to bring it. The membership meeting is open to the general public although only WECT members can vote in the election cycle.

We will try to provide a talk-in on the 145.310 / 449.025 W1WPI repeater. It is recommended that if you are not familiar with the WPI campus that you review the campus map.

Thanks,
Ben NB1H
WECT President

The Worcester Area VE Team will be holding an amateur radio test session for all license classes at Kaven Hall, Room 116, Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Thursday, July 17, 2014 at 6:30 PM.

If you have never registered with the FCC's ULS system and received a FRN number, please read the notice in the Read More link below.

We will try to provide a talk-in on the 145.310 / 449.025 W1WPI repeater. It is recommended that if you are not familiar with the WPI campus that you print out and bring with you the campus map.

Please bring:

• AN ORIGINAL AND A PHOTOCOPY of your current license and any CSCEs or other paperwork you are submitting
  
• A basic calculator
  
• Two forms of state acceptable ID (one must be a picture ID)
  
• $15 exam fee (if check, payable to "ARRL VEC")
  
• Pen or pencil

The photocopies of your paperwork are very important as we must submit a copy of your records to the ARRL VEC if you are successful.

Any questions regarding this session can be directed to Matt Brennan NM1B or John Ruggiero N2YHK.

NOTICE ABOUT PRIVACY CONCERNS - FCC REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

Some amateurs have been concerned over the FCC's requirement for your Social Security Number (SSN). The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, Public Law 104-134, requires all federal agencies to collect Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) from all persons doing business with the agency. This includes all applicants and holders of FCC licenses. For an individual, your TIN is your SSN.

It is suggested that all applicants register in the FCC's Universal Licensing System to obtain an FCC Registration Number (FRN) prior to attending a VE session. When you register for an FRN, your SSN will not be disclosed to the public and it must be given only once. You may then use your FRN in place of your SSN on all future applications, including the Form 605 you will complete at the VE session. The Commission has taken several steps to ensure the privacy of your SSN. Electronic registration on the Internet is accomplished using the FCC's secure Web server.

To register for an FRN, go to http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls and click on REGISTER. Once you obtain your FRN, write it down and bring it with you to the VE session. Be sure to keep a record of your FRN and password for future use. If you do not register before the VE session, you will be required to provide your SSN on Form 605 at the VE session in order for your application to be processed.

WMA ARES Section Emergency Coordinator John Ruggiero N2YHK is looking assistance with this season's Massachusetts State Triathlon in Winchendon at the Lake Dennison Recreation Area on Sunday, July 13 from 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Assignments will vary but will generally include various checkpoints along the route, start and finish line, and shadowing the triathlon coordinators. Times involved with each of the assignments will vary as well. More details on the triathlons are available on the Max Performance website.

The event is back to one day this year, which will be busy with 600 registered. The expanded course will continue, down into the center of Gardner. This means our communications plan will involve using a variety of systems on both 2m and 70cm, including deploying portable repeater systems.

For more details on the amateur radio assignments or to sign up contact John N2YHK.

WMA ARES Section Emergency Coordinator and WECT Member John Ruggiero N2YHK is looking for amateur radio assistance with the New England Season Opener Triathlon at the Hopkinton State Park on Sunday, May 11 from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Assignments will vary but will generally include various checkpoints along the route, start and finish line, and shadowing the triathlon coordinators. Times involved with each of the assignments will vary as well. More details on the triathlons are available on the Max Performance website.

For more details on the amateur radio assignments or to sign up contact John N2YHK, and let John know if you have UHF equipment with DCS / DPL when you sign up.