Hello Team,

We're looking for 12-15 volunteers to help with communications for a bicycle ride in Wayland on Sunday, September 29th. Some stations will need to be in place as early as 630AM, with the last stations securing around 4PM.

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

The Worcester Area VE Team will be holding an amateur radio test session for all license classes at Kaven Hall, Room 204, Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Thursday, September 26, 2013 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.

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 18, 2013 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 Gil Hayes WK1H 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 14 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.

Our annual elections were held during Field Day, and the team has elected members to fill the positions of Vice President, Secretary, as well as two director positions.

The results are as follows:

Vice President - Ben Holmes NB1H
Secretary - Jeremy Giguere AB1SD
Director - Mike Fagan KI6RKZ
Director - Brad Miller KB1TDP

All have been elected to a two year term beginning on the 1st of July.

Congratulations to all the newly elected!

73,
Rob Capizzio KC2EMA
WECT President

Field Day is on its way!

Mark your calendars for June 22 and 23. If you are an amateur radio licensee (regardless if you are a member of our team or not) and would like to participate in our Field Day activity, please sign up using the online form. Our event will be at the National Guard Building at 50 Skyline Drive in Worcester.

Our open house for the general public will be from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Saturday June 22. If you don't have an amateur radio license, please feel free to come up at that time to check out our team, station, and operation. You'll even have the opportunity to get on the air and make some contacts yourself! No sign up is required for people that don't have an amateur radio license, just come up and we'll be happy to show you around!

More details can be viewed on our Field Day 2013 information page. This year our Field Day Event Coordinator will again be Mike Fagan KI6RKZ. Any and all questions relating to our Field Day event can be sent to him.

See you at Field Day!

Hello Team,

Difficulties securing a regular meeting location have resulted in a an altered meeting schedule this year. In order to get things back on track and prepare for Field Day and elections on June 22nd, the team will be meeting on June 13th at 7PM in the First Congregational Church at 1070 Pleasant St. in Worcester.

Since the team hasn't met as a whole in quite some time, this upcoming meeting will be a potluck, if possible please bring a food item to share with the team. (Please let me know if there is any equipment or facilities you require for this).

The major topics of this meeting will be:

• Nominations
  • VP
    
  • Secretary
    
  • Two directors positions
  
  
• Field Day
  • Location
    
  • Roles
    
  • Equipment

With regard to Field Day, we are currently looking for team members who would be willing to bring their equipment to the site (Radios, Computers, etc.) as well as people who would like to be responsible for some role that day (setup, cooking, one of the radio stations, PR, etc.). If you are interested in any role in particular, or do not know which role you would like to fill, please contact me.

The upcoming meeting marks the 10th anniversary of the team, with our potluck dinner as the celebration!

73,
Rob Capizzio
KC2EMA
WECT President

WECT Member and Northbridge / Whitinsville RACES Officer Rick Roberts KB1SIL is inviting the amateur radio community and general public to attend SKYWARN Training on Tuesday May 21, 2013 from 7:00 PM to approximately 10:00 PM. It will be held at Alternatives, 50 Douglas Road in Whitinsville.

The session is open to the public at no charge. Amateur Radio Operators, Emergency managers, police, fire, and other first responders are encouraged to attend. Everyone age 16 and older who stays to complete the training will be able to become trained NWS weather spotters.

The training session includes a two-hour thirty-minute computer-based presentation, which discusses the development of thunderstorms, the criteria for "severe" thunderstorms, as well as the cloud features associated with severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Additional information will be presented about winter storms and proper snow measurement and reporting of river, stream, and urban flooding and rainfall measurements. The session will also present the procedure for reporting weather information to the National Weather Service. Safety procedures for the various forms of summer severe weather (severe thunderstorms, tornado and lightning), winter storms, and flooding will also be covered in the training session. Anyone attending should bring a pen or pencil and bringing a notebook is optional.