At the January 2024 WARA meeting, guest speaker Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, did a wonderful presentation on HF Mobile. Fred’s slide show is available here; it includes links to some excellent online resources for this aspect of ham radio. One of AB1OC’s mobile HF antennas ..read more

The Waltham Amateur Radio Association held a Holiday Meetup on December 13. It was our first since 2019, and was also our first at Great Wall Restaurant in Bedford. Our old venue, Sichuan’s Garden in Waltham has closed. It was nice seeing people in person that we normally only talk to over the club repeaters. In addition to nice food and conversation, we also had a raffle ..read more

After a 3-year hiatus, we are excited to announce the Waltham Amateur Radio Association’s Holiday Meetup! It’s a chance to enjoy good food, great company, and share our passion for amateur radio. Date: Wednesday , December 13, 2023 Time: 6:00 to 8:00 PM Venue: Great Wall Restaurant, 609 Great Rd, Bedford, MA 01730 Cost: $32 per person (includes Chinese buffet and one ticket for the raffle) (Cash bar available) This is the perfect opportunity to meet other radio enthusiasts, swap stories, and maybe even win a prize in our raffle. Whether you’re a seasoned ham or new to the hobby, you’ll find a ..read more

The November 29 Waltham ARA meeting will be fully remote. W6BSD, Fred Cirera, has graciously offered to present again, this time on amateur radio folklore. In his presentation “Myths and Fairytales”, he involves the audience, asking them questions and requesting their thoughts on each slide. This can lead to some pretty interesting discussions. Join us online via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2695622043?pwd=WEJwSkhYYWtyZndjbitJQXFFNWY4dz09 Meeting ID: 269 562 2043 Passcode: 362611 One tap mobile: +13126266799,,2695622043#,,,,*362611# US (Chicago) +16469313860,,2695622043#,,,,*362611# US Find ..read more

The September 27 Waltham ARA meeting will be fully remote. Eliot, W1MJ, will give a technical presentation about the design of his “fox” – an automated transmitter used in hidden transmitter hunts. W1MJ Second-Generation Fox Join us online via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2695622043?pwd=WEJwSkhYYWtyZndjbitJQXFFNWY4dz09 Meeting ID: 269 562 2043 Passcode: 362611 One tap mobile: +13126266799,,2695622043#,,,,*362611# US (Chicago) +16469313860,,2695622043#,,,,*362611# US Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kvk7xrZVv ..read more

ARRL Field Day, June 24-25, 2023 For this year’s ARRL Field Day on June 24-25, the Waltham ARA partnered with the Montachusett ARA (MARA). We operated from the summit of Mt. Wachusett in Princeton, MA in Class 3A (3 transmitters, in the field on emergency power). We also operated a “Get on the Air” (GOTA) station for new hams, future hams, and Technician class operators. Over 1,000 contacts were made with other FD participants around the country, and in a few other counties, including an FT8 digital contact with New Zealand. GOTA Coach Ned, W1NED, coaches GOTA operator Izzy, no call yet Field ..read more

he Waltham ARA is partnering with the Montachusett ARA (MARA) for Field Day, June 24 – 25. We will operate on the summit of Mt. Wachusett in Princeton, MA. Setup will begin at 9 AM on Saturday, the 24th. We hope to have enough participation to support 3 HF stations and a VHF station, providing plenty of opportunity for phone, CW, and digital operation from 2 PM Saturday until 2 PM on Sunday. There will also be a “Get on the Air” (GOTA) station for new hams, future hams, and any Technician class operator. If you are interested in being fed for the weekend, for a cost of $20, please let us know ..read more

Hidden transmitter hunting, also called fox hunting, has enjoyed a resurgence in the Boston area over the past few years. It is an activity that combines amateur radio, exercise, fresh air, and puzzle solving. It can even be turned into a family activity. The online Waltham ARA meeting on Wednesday evening, April 27, 2022, featured a fox hunting program, with the goal of bringing new people into this activity. Eliot W1MJ, Jeff AC1JR, and Pat K1PJW shared their experiences – what works, and what doesn’t work – and answered questions. While some fox hunters use fancy equipment, we described how ..read more

Eric Balles, W1ENB, has answered our call for leadership, offering to serve as President of the Waltham ARA. Eric was licensed in 1994, and upgraded to Extra class in 2021. He operates QRP with an FT-818 on hiking and bicycle outings, and uses an IC7300 at home. Being mostly retired from work now, Eric has more time for volunteer activities, including communications support for community events, and now offering to take the helm at WARA. A longer bio about Eric will appear in the Summer issue of PHI. We still need candidates for the open Vice President and Secretary positions. These are 1-year ..read more

Officer Elections at the May 25th Waltham ARA Chime (online) meeting came up short of candidates. We presently have no President, Vice President, or Secretary.    For the club to continue to function,  we need members to volunteer and assume a little bit of extra responsibility.  These are 1-year positions, with an option to run for re-election.  Anyone interested in any of these positions should contact Rich Comer, K1RBC, at rich.comer@live.com. Filling the role of president is of course vital. The main responsibility is chairing monthly meetings (or delegat ..read more