[TANSTAF1]

There are 25 clubs affiliated with the ARRL near my home in the Boston metropolitan area. There are 57 in MA listed below. Anyone have a recommendation of good ones preferably south or west of Boston?

HAM RADIO CLUB NAME CALL
-------------------------------------------------- -------
ACTON-BOXBORO AMATEUR RADIO CLUB W1ABR
ALGONQUIN AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
BARNSTABLE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB K1PBO
BILLERICA AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY
BOSTON AMATEUR RADIO CLUB W1BOS
BRISTOL COUNTY REPEATER ASSN W1ACT
BSA VENTURE CREW 510 NE1C
CAPE ANN AMATEUR RADIO ASSN W1GLO
CAPEWAY RADIO CLUB OF MA W1ZST
CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS AMATEUR RADIO ASSN W1BIM
CHELMSFORD HIGH SCHOOL AMATEUR RADIO CLUB KB1NAY
COUNCIL OF EASTERN MA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
CROCKER PUBLIC SERVICE GROUP K1HHP
FALMOUTH AMATEUR RADIO ASSN K1RK
FEDERATION OF EASTERN MA AMATEUR RADIO ASSN
FRAMINGHAM AMATEUR RADIO ASSN W1FY
FRANKLIN COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB KB1BSS
GENESIS AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY N1ZIZ
HAMPDEN COUNTY RADIO ASSN W1NY
HARVARD WIRELESS W1AF
HP/AGILENT AMATEUR RADIO CLUB W1HP
MARCONI RADIO CLUB W1AA
MASSASOIT AMATEUR RADIO ASSN W1MV
MINUTEMAN REPEATER ASSN
MITRE BEDFORD AMATEUR RADIO CLUB W1ON
MOHAWK AMATEUR RADIO CLUB N1WW
MOHAWK CONTEST CLUB WW1DX
MOUNT TOM AMATEUR REPEATER ASSN W1TOM
MYSTIC VALLEY AMATEUR GROUP N1MV
NASHOBA VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB N1NC
NATICK HIGH SCHOOL RADIO CLUB K1NHS
NEEDHAM AMATEUR RADIO ASSN
NORFOLK COUNTY RADIO ASSN W1AGR
NORTH EAST WEAK SIGNAL GROUP W1RJA
NORTH SHORE RADIO ASSN KB1CDG
NORTHEASTERN UNIV RC W1KBN
NORTHERN BERKSHIRE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB K1FFK
NORWOOD AMATEUR RADIO CLUB K1JMR
PATRIOT DX ASSN
PENTUCKET RADIO ASSN K1KKM
PILGRIM AMATEUR RADIO CLUB WA1YFV
POLICE AR TEAM OF WESTFORD MA WB1GOF
QUABBIN WIRELESS ASSN N1NJ
QUABOAG VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB K1QVR
QUANNAPOWITT RADIO ASSN W1EKT
SOUTH SHORE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB WA1GHL
SOUTHEASTERN MASS AMATEUR RADIO ASSN W1AEC
STURDY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AMATEUR RADIO CLUB W1SMH
THE ZL SPECIALS K1ZL
WALTHAM AMATEUR RADIO ASSN W1MHL
WELLESLEY AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY W1TKZ
WHITMAN AMATEUR RADIO CLUB WA1NPO
WOMEN RADIO OPS. OF NEW ENGLAND
WORCESTER EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS TEAM WE1CT
WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INST WRL W1YK
YANKEE CLIPPER CONTEST CLUB AJ1I
YOUNG AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS KB1EGF

 

[PLA]

Just an idea

Look at the ARES/Races page on your state emrgency management site and see what clubs are listed. Then go talk to them.

 

[SouthernOutdoorsman]

Ask them questions, see if they are active.

To many clubs now are just a bunch of old people sitting around chatting about politics not even touching a radio.

You will enjoy an active club much more.

 

[prepperintraining]

Just an idea

Look at the ARES/Races page on your state emrgency management site and see what clubs are listed. Then go talk to them.

+1 Yep, ARES/RACES clubs will be the busiest and best for info in an emergency.

 

[Hamster]

The Sturdy club in Attleboro is an community active club

 

[TANSTAF1]

The guys who administered my exam recommended the Boston Amateur Radio Club (BARC).

I don't mind talking politics - but what I need is someone to tell me what really to do or not as I passed the test by memorizing the correct answers to a lot of practice exams on QRZ. A very high percentage of those Q & A's do not tell me the things I really need to know about using a handheld.

 

[crazy]

I'd go for this one. WOMEN RADIO OPS. OF NEW ENGLAND. That looks like the club with all the womens.: Why not just visit the clubs before you join? That's what I did. They were a good group, so I joined. I also took my class there as well as my test. We talk politics there, but it's obvious that I am the right winger in the group. We still respect the others opinion, even though we all know that I'm right.:

 

[TANSTAF1]

Are you a woman? I am not. How can you have joined and taken classes with them if you are "West of the Mississippi?"

But thanks for pointing that one out to me.

 

[crazy]

Are you a woman? I am not. How can you have joined and taken classes with them if you are "West of the Mississippi?"

But thanks for pointing that one out to me.

LOL. Nope, I'm a male. What's wrong with picking a club that's all women? I'm on the other left coast. I just meant that you should check out different club to see if you fit.

 

[TANSTAF1]

I have no problem with it, but my wife might.

 

[PLA]

Well except for encouraging a divorce, all good advice

 

[TANSTAF1]

I've heard that this hobby can be expensive for some, but I did not realize it could be that expensive.

 

[HanzoSteel]

I've heard that this hobby can be expensive for some, but I did not realize it could be that expensive.

Its only as expencive as you want to make it. :upsidedown:

 

[prepperintraining]

The guys who administered my exam recommended the Boston Amateur Radio Club (BARC).

I don't mind talking politics - but what I need is someone to tell me what really to do or not as I passed the test by memorizing the correct answers to a lot of practice exams on QRZ. A very high percentage of those Q & A's do not tell me the things I really need to know about using a handheld.

Each radio is different, so the owners manual will be key in telling you about the features of your radio. As far as learning how to transmit/receive the best advise I can give you is to listen to the bands. If there is a "Net" that is part of the National Traffic System in your area, you will see the correct way to communicate, especially in emergencies. Otherwise, listening to the day-to-day conversations will give you the best idea as to radio etiquette and routines.

 

[PLA]

Google Altoids box radios

You can be up and running on HF Morse for WAY under $100

Or you can burn your kids inheritance in 1 trip through Ham City

Be smart, buy what you need. And occasionally maybe buy something you want as well.

What to do. Best advice I can give on that. Buy Ham Radio for Dummies. There is a bonus chapter which is worth the book price online. It covers EXACTLY what each button, switch and knob on the radio, what its supposed to do, and what it really does. Its printed out in my 3 ring binder with my license and band plan. It uses the names the factories do, and with that chapter and your owners manual you can learn your radio MUCH faster.

As far as what direction you want to go, HRD is a good source for ideas too. It covers briefly most of the HAM universe, you pick out what you want from the list.

I recomend the EMCOMM and Emergency power for EMCOMM from ARRL. The multitude of EMCOMM sites online are a good start. The majority of ARES?RACES use 2m exclusively.

Look into ARES/RACES
ALE
PACKET/Pactor/ and digital comms- these are great for dicreet comms, but dont beat ALE by a long way.

Decide what you want to do, monitor or get involved and inside the intel loop.

 

[TANSTAF1]

PLA,

I only understood about 10% of what you wrote.

I was initially in for under $130 with my Wouxun, but I got on eBay yesterday and added a programming cable, AA battery pack, car charger, headset, and went to my local electronics store (You Do It Electronics)( which unfortunately is less than 1/2 mile from where I work) and got a SMA-F to BNC-F adapter cheaper than I could get on eBay. I am kicking myself now as I am pretty sure I threw out the SWR meters I sued to have. About the only thing I want to add is a good packable antenna (like a dipole) but I have to figure out how to have one that can be repeatedly and easily lengthened or shortened to work on different bands.

When my wife sees the Amex bill I might be getting a divorce even if I don't join the all female radio club.

Before we got married I had a long whip antenna for my CB that was bigger than my MGB. And at our first house, I had a 20 foot CB antenna but that was in rural Maine. I would have to sleep with one eye open to try to get away with such things these days.

Hopefully my Wouxun will arrive today so I can at least listen (my name/callsign is still not in the FCC database). I did download the manual, but I will have to print it off so I can read it this weekend.

 

[PLA]

PM inbound

 

[crazy]

PLA,

I only understood about 10% of what you wrote.

I was initially in for under $130 with my Wouxun, but I got on eBay yesterday and added a programming cable, AA battery pack, car charger, headset, and went to my local electronics store (You Do It Electronics)( which unfortunately is less than 1/2 mile from where I work) and got a SMA-F to BNC-F adapter cheaper than I could get on eBay. I am kicking myself now as I am pretty sure I threw out the SWR meters I sued to have. About the only thing I want to add is a good packable antenna (like a dipole) but I have to figure out how to have one that can be repeatedly and easily lengthened or shortened to work on different bands.

When my wife sees the Amex bill I might be getting a divorce even if I don't join the all female radio club.

Before we got married I had a long whip antenna for my CB that was bigger than my MGB. And at our first house, I had a 20 foot CB antenna but that was in rural Maine. I would have to sleep with one eye open to try to get away with such things these days.

Hopefully my Wouxun will arrive today so I can at least listen (my name/callsign is still not in the FCC database). I did download the manual, but I will have to print it off so I can read it this weekend.

How is that any different than everything else in life? I spent $100 for my radio. By the time I added the extra battery, AA battery pack, mike, programing cable and software, I was at $185.

I have guns where I have more money invested in magazines than I do in the gun.

 

[TANSTAF1]

Hey, I think am still under you by about $20 for the radio and accessories.

As for guns, I think that adds new meaning to "midnight special."

 

[crazy]

# 1 x Wouxun Dual Band HT - 2 Mtr/220 - UPGRADED 99.95
# 1 x USB Programming Cable - With Software CD Included 14.75
# 1 x Wouxun 1700mAh Li-ion Battery Pack 24.00
# 1 x Wouxun AA Battery Case 9.00
# 1 x SMA Double Female 2.29
# 1 x Wouxun Speaker Microphone 15.75
# 1 x Wouxun Headset Microphone 6.75




subtotal: $172.49
Shipping: $12.95
Grand Total: $185.44