For more complete information you can log onto the Waltham Amateur Radio Association’s web site at:

There are flyers being circulated at most amateur radio events and flea markets in the area as well. Our key contact & chairperson for this event is:

Seller check-in begins at 9:30 AM and sale commission is 15% of the selling price with a $1.00 minimum and a $30.00 maximum . The rules are that whatever you bring that does not sell, YOU MUST take back with you when you leave. Sellers should label all of your sales items with a brief description, your name and your call sign. The decision of the auctioneer is final and buyers must pay immediately after the sale, in cash.

The Waltham Amateur Radio Association’s web site has a new and easier to remember web address! Yep, that’s right….. Santa came early this year and gave us an address that even his eight tiny reindeer can find without a map. See if you can remember this… and tell your friends.

Next chance you get, bookmark this site on your favorite browser and you’ll be guaranteed to have, at your fingertips, almost any bit of information you might need about amateur radio.

The site opening page includes easy to navigate buttons which will lead you to the Waltham club site, the on line version of Prospect Hill Intermod (including back issues), links to members and friends web sites and an evolving "gallery" of historical photographs of WARA events. There’s also plenty of space for navigation buttons to accommodate easy access to special event information.

The WARA club site, which is administered by Eliot, W1MJ, contains up to the minute information about the club, it’s repeaters, "how to" information, directions to club meetings and regular updates to keep you informed about upcoming and just happened events. The site also has many useful and interesting linked sites, which you can visit. Don’t forget to visit Eliot’s first web site "Amateur Radio – The Best Of The Web"! You’ll also find membership information and forms AND instructions on how to use the ’64 emergency auto-patch.

Welcome to Fall, and back to the routine of life after many of us enjoyed the summer and vacations. The Waltham Amateur Radio Association has an auction approaching very quickly and the club will need many hands to help with this activity. This is the only fund raiser that the club does all year, please find some way that you could help. It may be handing out flyers at some event, setting up, breaking down, talk in or any other job that comes along… More details are available elsewhere in this newsletter.

Over the past few months, the club has had a variety of speakers and programs that you the members have requested and we will need to have a few more ideas for the coming months. Please contact one of the officers of the club and let them know what you would like to have as a program. I thank all of the members who have brought forth ideas for the past months. I know I have enjoyed all of the previous speakers and look forward to the next few.

Now, officers will be elected in December at the club meeting, if you are interested in being an officer, please let one of the present officers know or the nominating committee which should be appointed at the October meeting.

Looking forward to seeing all at the Auction and the meetings..

73's

Ann, KA1PON

In December, I wandered into a room in the Xerox campus in Webster, NY armed with a calculator and a pencil. I walked out about 1 hour later with one of the best feelings in my life. I got my ham license.

Ever since Jr. High School, I had been an avid listener. I was able to tease my friends after hearing that they got locked out of their houses. It was fun. I was mostly interested in how things worked, how things got done. I mostly listened to Newton Police, and the Newton Fire Department, and an assortment of other frequencies; I can't really remember what they were.

Like many of us, I started out by getting involved in CB radio. This was

a rather neat thing for me, and I would stay up late listening and having conversations with people like Crazy Lady, Ranger, Double L, Gunsmith, and a whole bunch of other people on Channel 2, mostly residents of Newton, Waltham and surrounding towns. Getting my ham ticket was always one of my dreams, and I was finally able to realize that dream thanks to a bunch of people at the Rochester Institute of Technology, in Rochester, NY.

Thanks to John Arney, WB3LHI for taking the time to teach and guide me.

Also thanks to David Rea (KB2YQE), Andy Waracka (KB0WJO), Seth Seeger (N1XSY), probably some of my best friends in the world. They all put a ton of pressure on me to get licensed, and I finally did. (Oh, and Seth, thanks for the ride to the exam :-)

On Wednesday, December 23rd of this past year, I looked my call up on QRZ's new ham listing, and found my call, KB1DOX. Ironically, it was the same day as my birthday. I had asked my dad earlier in the month to get me a radio for Christmas/B-Day, and told him what I wanted. My dad purchased the radio, and gave it to me on that day. It was at this point, where I took the opportunity to key up on the Waltham Repeater, which I had been listening to on a borrowed HTX-202 from the RIT club (K2GXT). There had been tons of times that I wanted to key up and put my $.02 in, and I finally had the ability to do it.

Things really changed from that point on. I met a whole ton of people who were very diverse and always had something to say about something. It was probably the only place where you would hear an intelligent discussion on nuclear physics, or car air bags. If you could dream it, it would be discussed. These conversations appear to happen every day on 64, and it's probably one of the coolest repeaters in the area. I haven't been able to find another with the same type of knowledge base and such a diverse group of people; All of which were always willing to let me join in and put forth my $0.02 worth. I was quite depressed to return to Rochester, and have to leave most of you behind. I miss the conversation the most. During this past summer, I have gotten the opportunity to meet many of you, and exchange words on several occasions. Sadly, I have not been able to meet everyone.

Running the traffic nets was another great experience for me. After listening to police, and fire agencies on the radio, I had always thought about how I could do stuff so much better. Well, it's tough when it's field day, and you have about 35 people checking in, and they all have at least 1 piece of traffic going somewhere! But, for the most part, I don't think I left anyone out. I also got to get introduced to another great group of people like Jim (WA1TBY), Bill (NZ1D), and Mike

(N1IST). Thanks to you all for making it a wonderful experience.

I really have enjoyed being part of the community, and all of you have made me feel especially welcome, and have always brightened my day. I will miss you all greatly while here at school, but I know I always have a wonderful group of people to return to when I return to the Boston area.

Take care everyone and best of 73's!

Publisher - Eliot Mayer, W1MJ

Editor - Ron Perry, N1USS

Production - Steve Gilbert, K1SG

Circulation - Ann Weldon, KA1PON

President - Ann Weldon, KA1PON

V. President - Kip Shustack, N1AUP

Clerk - Andy Donovan, WA1GEP

Treasurer - Andy Donovan, WA1GEP

Asst. Clerk - Jim Finlay, N1HCF

Asst. Treasurer - John Antes, KB1EB

Well, he's one of many who attended and had a great time at this summer's WARA cookout at Mike and Jeannie's in "sunny Mendon". John can be heard often on '64 making folks smile with his long list of jokes and stories. He's also co-net control of the "'64 Medical Net" with Whitey, W1UZZ!

Hello to all and thanks for all of the support over the years.

The Crotched Mountain Amateur Radio Club and Kathy Pate Memorial station continue to serve students with disabilities, broadening their communication horizons and giving them positive role models from whom to learn.

It has been several years now since KA1IYR was heard again on the air, after Kathy passed away. For the last couple of years KA1IYR has been on the air 24 hours a day with an internet/amateur radio gateway here at Crotched Mountain. Some of our students here have used the gateway with the help of volunteers to establish pen pals with amateurs around New England. Access can be obtained either via radio on 145.63 Mhz or by telnetting into the gateway to the address gw.ka1iyr.ampr.org. For info on how to telnet, contact Chris, N0CUH at

At the present time CMARC has one volunteer who opens up the shack every Monday from 3:15 – 5:30 PM for students. His name is Bob, KB1BOD, and has been helping out for over a year and a half now. He loves working with the students to help them use amateur radio or even to practice typing on a computer if that might help them to improve themselves and eventually get them interested in amateur radio. The students typically operate 2 meters since the noise level is easier to deal with. Bob tries to get on 146.64 regularly to give WARA members an opportunity to talk with the students.

Tom, W1FJE, keeps our computer system up and running. We currently have 4 computers, one is the gateway, another is IPNH with the user port on 145.63, a third is operating on a MARS frequency to provide a link to

the MARS networks and a fourth computer is setup for student access.

Students can telnet from their group home to the CMARC terminal to read packet mail and to leave mail for sysop approval and forwarding. This allows them to operate without an amateur present, since they do not activate radios, but leave their mail in a queue for later review.

CMARC will be hosting a 220 repeater beginning mid-September. It will be on 224.76 MHz. Matt, AA1JD a new volunteer needed a home for his repeater and was willing to locate it on Crotched Mountain and join the club. It is a voice repeater. Give it a try.

We’re always looking for more volunteers. If you ever have some time, maybe once a month or even a one time deal. We’d love to have you participate. KA1IYR is only on the air when someone volunteers to come to the shack and turn on the radios. The students love most anything that anyone is willing to share with them. If interested, contact Chris, N0CUH at

or

or

The spirit of KA1IYR lives here at Crotched Mountain.

Chris

After a fairly quiet May and June, SKYWARN was quite active on the Waltham Repeater, during the month of July and early August.

On Tuesday July 6th, SKYWARN was pressed into action as a large line of severe thunderstorms held together and pushed eastward from Southern New Hampshire and Worcester County Massachusetts. The line was capable of wind gusts from 60-80 MPH and large hail. Rob, KD1CY, was at NWS Taunton for this activation.

Bill, N1VUX and Bill, KB1CIE acted as net controls on the Waltham repeater during the height of the rush hour traffic. Many reports of large branches, trees and wires down were received in towns such as Boxboro, Wakefield, Beverly, Carlisle and Bedford. Nickel sized hail fell in Wilmington and more trees were downed in Newton.

Relays to SKYWARN nets on the Haverhill and Danvers repeaters were received through the Waltham repeater. Later that night, after 8:30 PM, more severe thunderstorms would move through the area prompting formal activation as Bob, K1ODW found wind damage with trees and wires down in the Holliston area. This activity would then move south into the Norfolk County area and the net was allowed to stand-down.

On Friday July 22nd, SKYWARN was activated after 11 PM for activity which was occurring in Southern New Hampshire where penny sized hail was reported. As the activity moved into Northeast Massachusetts, many reports of lightning damage were received via the Haverhill SKYWARN folks through the Waltham Repeater. Bill, N1VUX, and Bill, KB1CIE were monitoring the Waltham repeater along with Rob, KD1CY at NWS Taunton until 3 AM. Some wind damage was reported in Billerica by KB1CIE after a survey of damage once the storm had passed.

On Saturday July 24th, another long duration and very active SKYWARN activation took place. A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado, or a super cell, tracked through Rockingham County New Hampshire and headed straight for Essex County Massachusetts. Severe thunderstorms that produced hail to

golf-ball size in Connecticut raced Northeastward towards Middlesex County. Major wind damage was reported in the Peabody, Danvers, Middleton area with dime sized hail reported in Haverhill, Littleton, Newburyport, Saugus and Peabody. Quarter sized hail was reported in the Acton and later in the Peabody area. Wakefield also had wind damage as did Tewksbury as large branches were downed in those areas. All of this damage and hail occurred in the 5-7 PM time frame.

Later that evening more severe thunderstorms would pass through the Essex and Middlesex county regions with winds measured to 60 MPH in Groveland with trees and wires reported downed in Amesbury. Also reported on the Waltham Repeater later that evening in Norfolk County in Dedham were wires down as a severe thunderstorm passed through that area, and pea sized hail in Wrentham. Net controls that evening were Bill, N1VUX, and Bill, KB1CIE. Jeff, N1FWV was a chaser mobile along with Keith, N1HLK. Steve, N1VDX and Jim, KA1BSH were also active on the Waltham and Haverhill Repeaters. There was a tremendous number of Amateur Radio spotters who checked in with extremely valuable reports to National Weather Taunton, that evening.

On Sunday July 25th, more severe weather would pound Eastern Massachusetts and the Waltham SKYWARN group was again activated.

Carl, N1FYZ was at National Weather Taunton and would later be

followed by Rob, KD1CY. By 1:45 PM, severe thunderstorms were bearing down on Eastern Massachusetts, dime sized hail was reported in Sudbury and Framingham. Large branches were downed in Wayland with dime sized hail in Harvard and Weston. Dime sized hail was also reported in Newton and Brighton. All of these reports were in a 1:45-2:45 PM time frame.

Later that afternoon more reports of small hail were received out of Littleton with pea sized hail reported out of a second set of weaker cells that formed in that area. Also 1/8" hail was reported in Weymouth. Net controls again were Bill, KB1CIE and Bill, N1VUX.

SKYWARN would be activated again on Wednesday July 28th when warnings were issued but no reports of severe weather were received that day. Bill, N1VUX, and Alex, KB1DOX were on frequency for that event.

SKYWARN was pressed into action again on Friday July 30th as an isolated severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Middlesex County. Lightning damage and leaves being blown down were reported in the Bedford area but no other damage was reported. Jeff, N1FWV activated the net, and Bill, N1VUX was also on frequency.

Finally on Thursday August 5th, Jeff, N1FWV, again activated SKYWARN for the Middlesex County region as pea to dime sized hail fell in the Waltham area and wind damage was reported in the Watertown area with trees down in the 2-3 PM time frame.

A HEARTY THANK YOU TO ALL, AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS AND SKYWARN SPOTTERS, who made these nets a HUGE success! A special thanks to all those who cooperated while the nets were conducted and to the Waltham Amateur Radio Association repeater trustee for the use of the wide area coverage 146.64 Waltham Repeater for SKYWARN. National Weather Taunton is tremendously appreciative of this fine effort in Eastern Massachusetts.

73,Rob-KD1CY.

ARES SKYWARN Coordinator for NWS Taunton

The W.A.R.A. repeaters are free and open for everyone to use. HOWEVER, repeaters have expenses, just like you and me! Your membership and participation will help to support the repeaters as well as keeping you informed on club activities and other aspects of amateur radio, through our newsletter. There is a membership form at the end of this newsletter as well as on our web site at

W.A.R.A. publishes a periodic newsletter called "Prospect Hill Intermod". Would you be surprised to know that we're ALWAYS looking for contributions? Probably not…. So write in and let us know what's up! Your input can be technical, humorous, personal thoughts, stories or photographs. Whatever you'd like to share with us is just fine. If you'd like to contribute to our next issue, please contact our editor, N1USS (Ron Perry).

You can also catch Ron on '64 on a regular basis.

"PHI" is available on the W.A.R.A. web site, on the internet at our new web address:

We are working on a new photo gallery as part of our new web address and server. This gallery is slated to be an historical retrospective in photographs, news articles and personal stories of the Waltham Amateur Radio Association.

If you have photographs of past club events and activities, members or equipment, please contact either Eliot Mayer, W1MJ or Ron Perry, N1USS and we'll arrange to borrow your items to scan for the site. If you have already scanned photos, you can email them to:

We think that it will be fun to collect and preserve items of our history and to share them with our friends on the internet. We hope you'll agree and help us to assemble these things.

Just a reminder that we'll be holding our 1999 election of officers at the December club meeting.

A nominating committee will be formed at the October meeting and their names will be posted on our web site, for your information. You can contact one of them or any current club officer if you're interested in running for an office.

For the listeners of the Waltham '64 repeater, you have listened to the Heavy Hitters Traffic Net at 10:30 PM, nightly. Many of you are aware of what it is all about, but there are a lot of new folks who listen and wonder how it works. What follows is a thumbnail sketch of the National Traffic System (NTS).

NTS is a public service which Amateur Radio has which allows anyone to send a radiogram anywhere in the U.S. or Canada.

Through a series of nets, the message is relayed along the way until it gets to the destination area.

When checking into a net you will declare what traffic you have, in any. The net control station will announce what traffic is being declared and some station that can call you message in on a toll free basis will deliver your message on the telephone.

Let's follow a message as it makes it's way from Southern New England to Arizona. First we will put it on a local net, such as the Eastern Mass and Rhode Island two meter net on the Boston "23" repeater or the Heavy Hitters Traffic net on the Waltham "64" repeater. A liaison station on that net will take that message and insert it into a Section Net which covers Eastern Mass and Rhode Island. Since this message is going beyond this point, it is declared as "through" traffic. A liaison station will collect the "through" traffic and bring it to the next net, the First Region Net. On this net we have stations from each New England State represented. Since this message is going beyond New England, it is again declared as "through" traffic. A liaison station will take this traffic up to the next net, the Eastern Area Net. On this net we will see representatives from the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 8^th regions, plus the Eastern Canadian Net, the Central Area Net and the Pacific Area Net. Since Arizona sits in the Pacific Area, the message is relayed to the Pacific Area Net representative. This representative will have a separate schedule with a station from the Pacific Area when they will swap any traffic they might have. The Arizona message will be funneled down in a similar way as it was sent out of this area (through "area", "region", "section" and "local" nets).

The time period between all of these nets is either a half or 3/4 of an hour, so this message would arrive in

Arizona only three hours after it started its journey

When sending traffic over the system, it's important that you supply as complete an address and phone number as possible to provide for easy delivery of the message at the delivery point. If this information is incorrect or incomplete it will be difficult or impossible to deliver the message.

If you have any questions about the National Traffic System, you can check in on either of the Boston area traffic nets to ask your questions. The Boston 2 Meter net is at 8:00 PM, daily, on the 145.23 repeater. The Heavy Hitters Traffic Net is at 10:30 PM, daily, on the 146.64 repeater.

73's,

Jim Hatherley, WA1TBY

Eastern Mass. Section Traffic Mgr.

We have added yet another feature to our club web site. It's a page of web addresses which are created and maintained by our members and their friends. Many are personal, some contain references and links on amateur radio and others are general and informational. There are a few, which we're aware of, on line now.

FCC Form 610 has faded into history and has been replaced with the new Form 605 and it’s accompanying Schedule "D". In addition, you’ll now have to supply your social security number to the FCC in order to apply for a new, upgraded or renewed amateur radio license. Form 605 is the "Quick Form" application in the Ship, Aircraft, Amateur, Restricted and Commercial Operator and General Mobile Radio Services. Schedule "D" is for additional data which relates directly to the amateur radio service.

You have a choice. You can wait until you go for renewal, upgrade or a new license to include your social security number or you can submit it now by either completing and submitting new Form 606 or by going on line to the FCC web site using this web address:

Then you will have to click on the TIN/Call Sign Registration button and fill in your information. This site has an excellent set of help notes, explanations and "Frequently Asked Questions" which will help you through the completion of the form.

You can obtain a copy of Form 606 from the FCC’s Forms Distribution Center at telephone number 1-800-418-FORM (3676) or from the web at:

The completed form should be either faxed to (717) 338-2693 or mailed back to the Federal Communications Commission, Information Technology Division, Attention: Kathy McLucas, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245.

Form 605 can be a little confusing to complete because it’s designed for general, not just amateur radio, use. I recommend that you either take the time to read the on line instructions or down load the forms, which include these same instructions.

Form 606 is also confusing for some and it includes excellent instructions as well. Also, there have been a lot of questions regarding the legality of the FCC requiring that you register your social security number with them in order to apply for, renew or upgrade your amateur radio license. The first part of Form 606 explains the "how, why and wherefore" of this, very clearly. AND YES, it is perfectly legal.

You can, also, get help in completing these forms by calling the FCC Public Service Division at (202) 418-0200.

There have been some excellent articles, recently, in most of the popular amateur radio publications on this topic. I recommend that you look them up and check them out.

The Waltham Amateur Radio Association meets on the last Wednesday of each month (except July and August) and all are welcome to join us, regardless of whether or not you’re a member.

There is an informal supper meeting at 6:00 PM (usually at Bickford’s in Waltham). Listen on the ’64 repeater to find out exactly where folks are gathering, just to be sure. Talk-in and directions are always available for the asking on ’64.

The regular meeting begins at 7:00 PM and is held at Artisan Industries at 73 Pond Street in Waltham, MA. Talk in is always available on ’64.

Directions to the meeting are:

From 128, take exit 26 which is route 20 east (the big rotary exit).

Stay on route 20 E for about 1 mi.

Turn left on Bacon Street (between the Exxon Station and McDonald’s).

Turn right onto Pond Street.

Artisan Industries in about 0.5 mi. on the left.

Turn into Artisan Industries, go through the gate and turn right.

The meeting building is straight ahead, but turn right again and into the parking lot, to park.

First, let’s all extend our congratulations to two of our fellow "hams" on their recent marriage. All of our best to Rich Meuse (NC1V) and Patricia Allen (KE1GD). (Funny, haven’t heard them on ’64 as much since they got hitched!)

Also, our recent past president, Eiot Mayer (W1MJ) will be getting married to his fiance, Irina, in October.

We wish all of our best for their continued happiness.

Eliot & Irina on a ski trip