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President's Message
FARA has three new members this month! Welcome to W1NXP, Nathan, from Westborough; KB1HFM, Rich, from Marlborough; and K1RJZ, Rick, from Marlborough. We hope to see all of you at future meetings.
One of our new members is Rick Zach, K1RJZ, owner of a commercial tower in Hopkinton. Rick has a repeater on 443.025 MHz located on this tower -temporarily being rebuilt - and is turning this system over to FARA. Rick is also supplying the temporary location for our 145.61 MHz Packet Cluster system at his Hopkinton tower. The 443.025 MHz system should be operational in a month or two and will be linked to the 147.15 MHz repeater. Needless to say, FARA appreciates everything Rick has done and is thrilled to have Rick as a new member of the Club.
Our Fall FARA Flea is only days away. November 4 is the big day. We have lots of tables reserved and it looks like another sell-out. Bev is still looking for a few more volunteers. Call her if you're interested. Free admission to the flea for all volunteers.
As I write this, Steve, AA1IZ, our Vice President, is operating the club station, W1FY, during the CQ World Wide DX Contest. This is one of the big world wide contests of the year. It is a great opportunity to work DX and a lot of fun. I hope to see more use of our club station during the winter contest season. Watch the FARA reflector for future contest dates. I encourage anyone who has never operated in a contest to come to the Shack and give it a try. We will supply a tutor. Don't let your Technician license hold you back…..anyone can operate the station as long as a appropriately licensed operator is in the room.
At our last FARA Board meeting, we decided to form committee to formalize our public service and emergency service efforts for the Metrowest communities served by the FARA membership. Our goal is to establish relationships with the various Metrowest towns and provide communication services when needed. This month's meeting will feature a discussion on emergency preparedness and the relief effort in New York City. It should be interesting. I hope to see you there.
Bob, W1RH
Courtesy Key to Ham Radio Future, FCC Official Says
By Sharon Machlis Gartenberg KC1YR
The greatest threat to amateur radio comes not from rule-breakers, but rude, thoughtless operators, an FCC official told the Yankee Clipper Contest Club's October meeting in Worcester.
"You're using billions of dollars worth of spectrum," said Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, special counsel for amateur radio enforcement. "You have to operate with this in mind, and you have to operate every day assuming the whole world is listening."
Now that commercial services and some national governments are anxious to acquire scarce frequencies, it's critical for ham radio operators to show that we're using the resource responsibly. It's hard to argue at international meetings that U.S. hams need more SSB space on 40 meters, he noted, when many who covet our frequencies hear some of the immature arguing taking place.
Hollingsworth urged those in attendance to be mindful of not interfering with other operators, even in the heat of contesting, and not to engage in any on-air war of words. "Sometimes the very best response is none at all," he said. "You just can't
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