The Waltham ARA will once again have its annual holiday party at the Great Wall Restaurant, 309B Great Road, Bedford, MA. It will be on December 16, 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Save the date! Reservations are not required. Just bring $35 cash to cover the buffet with tax and tip..
At the September 30, 2026 meeting of the Waltham ARA, our own Roger Coulson, WA1NVC, made a presentation about Digital Voice Modes. He explained the differences between the various modes being used on VHF and UHF repeaters, and also introduced us to a new HF digital voice app, FreeDV. He has made his presentation available here:
A free, weekly, 3-hour Amateur Radio Operating Class on Zoom will begin on Thursday April 2 and run through June 18. Sessions will be 2 to 3 hours long beginning at 6:30 PM EDT. Typically, two topics are covered per evening. The presenters will be folks very experienced in the various subjects.
A detailed syllabus will be published before the classes begin. Attend them all, or any that you like, but you must register for the classes. To receive registration information, contact Rol Anders, K3RA at roland.anders@comcast.net.
Subjects will include:
All About Operating–A general Introduction
Amateur Radio Organizations–Local to International
Ham Radio Operating Awards
DXing-History and Tips from the Experts
QSLing-How to get that needed confirmation for DXCC or WAS
VHF/UHF Weak Signal Work and “Roving”
Image Operating–Slow Scan and Fast Scan TV
Remote Station control over internet
Learning CW in the no-code era
Digital Modes–From RTTY to FT8 and beyond
Contesting–How to get started, tips for the beginner and intermediate contester
Logging Software–What’s available, how to use
Propagation–A general intro to HF Propagation with emphasis on the declining phase of the current solar cycle
Amateur Satellites–How to get started
Portable (backpacking) operation and POTA–Tips from an expert
Setting Up a Modern (or not so modern) HF Station
Lightning Protection and Grounding
Traffic Handling
Public Service, Emergency Communications
Today, the Waltham ARA’s 449.075 MHz repeater was upgraded to a new repeater, a Motorola Quantar.
It now supports both analog FM as it always has, along with P25 digital voice, in keeping with our 146.64 and 927.1375 repeaters.
For those with P25-capable radios, the NAC is 075. Please configure your radio for mixed-mode receive.
[Edit: It is 075 hexadecimal, which is the standard way NACs are expressed. I had erroneously indicated it was 075 decimal previously.]
For those with analog radios, if you are hearing the buzzing noise of P25 users, you should ensure your radio is set up for tone squelch on receive (88.5 Hz, same for transmit and receive). Please look at your S-meter or momentarily listen in carrier squelch mode before starting a QSO, to ensure one is not already taking place in P25.
The Waltham ARA has lost one of it “movers and shakers”. Rich Comer, K1RBC, passed away this morning after a prolonged illness. Rich became WARA Treasurer in 2016 and generously donated his time and skills to the club until very recently. He held the club together during a low point during and after the COVID pandemic even though he had moved to northern NH and joined a local club there. In addition to his Treasurer duties, Rich has been sending out meeting reminders, shared his pro Zoom account for WARA meetings, arranged holiday gatherings, and more. Rich will be greatly missed for all of his contributions to keeping WARA running, and for his kind approachable style. – Ned W1NED and Eliot W1MJ
The WARA holiday party was held for the third time at The Great Wall Restaurant in Bedford, MA, on Wednesday, December 10, 2025. Fifteen WARA folks attended. Good food, good company!
Geno W1GNO was the lucky winner of our raffle for a $100 DX Engineering gift certificate.
The WARA holiday party will once again be held at The Great Wall Restaurant, 309B Great Road, Bedford, MA. It will be on Wednesday, December 10, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. Good food, good company! Please bring $32 cash for the buffet (includes tax and tip).
We will have a raffle for a $100 DX Engineering gift certificate.
We continue to meet online.
Zoom Meeting Info
Time: 7:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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
Terry Stader, KA8SCP, made an excellent presentation about Emergency Communications (EmComm) at our April 30, 2025 meeting. He explained how radio amateurs assist with EmComm, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), Skywarn, and more.
Here is Terry’s presentation:
WARA held its holiday party at The Great Wall Restaurant in Bedford, MA for the second time on December 11, 2024. Good food, good company!
