X

HCRA’s Amateur Radio License Class – April 2016

HamRadioClass

Hampden County Radio Assocation Amateur Radio License Class
April 2016

Are you or do you know someone who’s interested in amateur radio? Do you want to upgrade your license? The Hampden Country Radio Association (HCRA) is holding classes and study groups for those interested. With a combination of these classes and at-home studying, it’s possible to make it happen. Learn from experienced instructors who are active within the amateur radio community who are willing to help you along the way.

CLASS HAS ALREADY PASSED. 
We now have 13 new techs, 1 new Tech+General, 5 New Generals and 1 New Extra. Class had a 97% pass rate. Next course will be planned for the Fall (Sept/Oct) 

Thank you to those who signed up 

Dates:

Wednesday April 27th, 2016 – 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Thursday April 28th, 2016 – 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Saturday April 30th, 2016 – 9:00am to 3:00pm
VE Session: Saturday April 30th, 2016 – 3:15pm (Walk-Ins Welcomed)

Where:
Holyoke Medical Center Auxiliary Conference Center
575 Beech Street, Holyoke MA, 01040

Cost: FREE/$15 Exam Fee

Classes open to anyone and everyone interested in obtaining or upgrading their amateur radio license.

Our classes consist of two weekday night classes and one full Saturday class with an examination following the course. Due to the short amount of time, it’s up to the candidate to do most of the studying at home before attending the classes. The classes will cover the exam questions, provide some details about the questions and help you to better understand the material needed to pass the exam.

Even though it’s not required, it’s suggested that you purchase and use the latest edition of ARRL’s Ham Radio License Manual (Level 1/Technician) to study. Other alternatives can be found online like KB6NU’s No-Nonsense study guides (FREE For Tech/General). It’s best that you study and learn as much as possible before attending the classes.

We’re also having study groups for those who are interested in upgrading their current license to general or extra class

If you’re interested in these classes or study groups, please contact the following or fill out the form below.

Jeffrey Bail (NT1K)
NT1K@arrl.net
P.O. Box 562
Agawam MA, 01001

 

Ham Radio Classes Coming Soon

 HCRA Amateur Radio License Classes

HamRadioClass

webhrca

CLASS FINISHED. CONGRATS TO THE NEW HAMS

Are you or do you know someone who’s interested in amateur radio? Do you want to upgrade your license? The Hampden Country Radio Association (HCRA) is holding classes and study groups for those interested. With a combination of these classes and at-home studying, it’s possible to make it happen. Learn from experienced instructors who are active within the amateur radio community who are willing to help you along the way.

Dates:

  • Wednesday Nov 19th, 2014 – 6:00pm to 9:00pm
  • Thursday Nov 20th, 2014 – 6:00pm to 9:00pm
  • Saturday Nov 22nd, 2014 – 9:00am to 3:00pm
  • VE Session: Saturday Nov 22nd, 2014 – 3:15pm (Walk-Ins Welcomed)

Where:
Holyoke Medical Center Auxiliary Conference Center
575 Beech Street, Holyoke MA, 01040 (Click Here For Directions)

Cost: FREE/$15 Exam Fee

Classes open to anyone and everyone interested in obtaining or upgrading their amateur radio license.

Our classes consist of two weekday night classes and one full Saturday class with an examination following the course. Due to the short amount of time, it’s up to the candidate to do most of the studying at home before attending the classes. The classes will cover the exam questions, provide some details about the questions and help you to better understand the material needed to pass the exam.

Even though it’s not required, it’s suggested that you purchase and use the latest edition of ARRL’s Ham Radio License Manual (Level 1/Technician) to study. Other alternatives can be found online like KB6NU’s No-Nonsense study guides. It’s best that you study and learn as much as possible before attending the classes.

We’re also having study groups for those who are interested in upgrading their current license.

If you’re interested in these classes or study groups, please contact the following or fill out the form below.

Jeffrey Bail (NT1K)
NT1K@arrl.net
P.O. Box 0484
West Springfield MA, 01090


CLASS FINISHED. CONGRATS TO THE NEW HAMS
Please note that this class is finished. The form will be available for those interested in obtaining or upgrading their license. We will inform you when a new class is available. 

Error: Contact form not found.


Please Press The Submit Button once. It will appear there is an error but the form will be submitted.


 

[mapsmarker marker=”1″]

FCC Decides Not to Adopt New Rules Affecting 902-928 MHz Band

ARRL Bulletin 13  ARLB013
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  June 12, 2014
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB013
ARLB013 FCC Decides Not to Adopt New Rules Affecting 902-928 MHz Band

The FCC has terminated a longstanding proceeding involving the
902-928 MHz (33 centimeter) band. In 2006, the FCC, in WT Docket 06-49, proposed rule changes to encourage development of the Multilateration Location Monitoring Service (M-LMS) – a terrestrial service for location of objects and tracking. Amateur Radio is secondary in the band to federal radiolocation systems, industrial, scientific and medical devices, federal fixed and mobile systems, and the M-LMS. This week, the FCC, with little fanfare, concluded that proceeding. The notice can be found on the web in PDF format at, http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2014/db0610/FCC-14-79A1.pdf
.

“Based on the record before us, and on recent developments pertaining to M-LMS operations in the 902-928 MHz band, we conclude that the various proposals for wholesale revisions of the applicable rules do not merit further consideration at this time,” the FCC said.

Commenting on the 2006 proposal, the ARRL expressed concern about increasing noise levels in the band. “This ‘kitchen sink’ of allocations is acceptable from ARRL’s perspective, provided that the noise floor is regulated, in terms of aggregate noise levels from unlicensed devices,” the League said. “The high power levels permitted in this band in particular bear careful watching, lest the allocated radio services, including federal systems, suffer decreased utility of the band.”

After the FCC last June gave consent to Progeny LMS to begin commercial operation of its M-LMS in the upper portion of the
902-928 MHz band, the ARRL worried that a portion of the band could become less useful to radio amateurs in urban areas. “Progeny is deploying a wide-area positioning system to provide more precise location services in areas where Global Positioning System (GPS) and other existing services may not work effectively, particularly indoors and in urban canyons,” the FCC explained at the time.
Progeny’s location service is designed to operate on approximately 4 megahertz – about one-half of the M-LMS portions of the band between 919.750 and 927.750 MHz – where Progeny holds licenses.

While M-LMS operations, at least on paper, have a higher priority than unlicensed Part 15 devices on the band, Progeny had to demonstrate through field testing that its network would not cause “unacceptable levels of interference” to such Part 15 devices as cordless telephones and baby monitors. This was a result of an FCC policy to promote “co-existence” in the band, while not elevating Part 15 devices to co-equal status with M-LMS systems.

In his June 2012 “It Seems to Us…” editorial in QST, ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, pointed out that effectively setting unlicensed services such as Part 15 at a higher priority than licensed services “is the reverse of the usual situation in which Part 15 devices are at the bottom of the pecking order.” Federal (military) radiolocation and ISM Part 18 devices are at the top of the 902-928 MHz food chain. Sumner predicted that operations such as Progeny’s “will pose some new challenges for amateurs in a band that is already impacted by other users.”

The latest FCC action will not affect Progeny’s M-LMS deployment. In terminating the 2006 proceeding, the Commission said it had concluded that Progeny could commence commercial M-LMS operations “within the framework that the Commission initially had established to promote the co-existence of M-LMS operations and unlicensed operations in the band.”

Ham Radio Classes – Coming Soon

test11

The Hampden County Radio Association will be holding an Amateur Radio Technician Class along with General and Extra Study Groups at the Holyoke Hospital Auxiliary Conference Center (auditorium), 575 Beech Street, Holyoke, Mass. This classes and study groups are open to everyone of all ages and affiliations.

There will be three different meeting dates:
Class #1 – Monday, January 13, 2014 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Class #2 – Monday, January 20, 2014 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Class #3 – Saturday, January 25, 2014 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

VE Exam – Saturday, January 25, 2014 at approximately 3:00 PM

Attendance is NOT taken. If you can’t make the Monday evening dates, just come on Saturday. These condensed meetings are presented with the assumption that individuals will study and take practice tests on their own outside of class time. Our goal is to provide experienced ham radio operators (elmers) to be used as resources when going over the questions and answers that may be on the test.

There is no charge for the class/study group, but the purchase of the ARRL License Manual ($29) is strongly suggested. Internet links to other resources will be provided. ARRL License Manuals can be ordered for delivery at the first class by contacting John, kx1x@arrl.net.
The cost to take the test is $15 per attempt.

The license, after passing the test, costs $0 and can be renewed for $0 every 10 years. Two forms of ID are required, including one picture identification.

Questions? Email John/Kx1x, kx1x@arrl.net

[mapsmarker marker=”4″]

HCRA Meeting Location - Holyoke Hospital

W. Brookfield Technician Class a Great Success!

Today’s Technician class was what you would call an “unbridled success”. HCRA’s instructor group consisting of John/Kx1x, Nick/K1MAZ, Frandy/N1FJ, and myself along with VE help from Al/N1AW and Rich/N1KXR managed a 100% pass rate. At the end of the day seven new Technicians have joined our ranks. Adding to the success was Rob/N1NTE upgrading to Extra while waiting for his family to successfully take their Technician exams.

Without doubt much of the class success can be attributed to great preparation. All the students had read and reviewed the texts, taken practice exams and came prepared with questions about  the more difficult parts. It was truly a pleasure working with them and we hope they enjoy their new hobby.

My thanks goes out to all our HCRA members that helped put smiles on faces today – that’s truly what this club is all about!

’73…
Jim/KK1W

 

Technician Class this Saturday – April 27th

As previously reported John and I will be hosting a ‘One Day’ Technician Class this coming Saturday. More details about the class are here.

Special thanks to all the folks that have volunteered to help with instruction – we’re really looking forward to your involvement. One thing missing was the time/location of the class as that was being decided at the time the first message went out. So, here it is!

One Day Technician Class (and VE session)
West Brookfield Senior Center
73 Central Street
West Brookfield, MA 01585

Time: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
There will be a lunch break around noon, VE exams will begin around 3:00 PM.

The class is free to anyone that wants to attend. There is a $15 ARRL VEC exam fee if you want to take an exam.

If you’ve been studying and want to join the class for review come on over. We have plenty or room and would love to have you. Want to help clarify some of the material for the students? We can use your help too. Don’t stay home this Saturday, come over and join the fun!

See you Saturday…

John/Kx1x & Jim/KK1W

Help needed for Technician Class on April 27th

Hey folks,

John/Kx1x and I are looking for help with a one-day Technician class to be held on April 27th, 2013. This was a small class planned as a ‘one-day’ intense session for a handful of students, but it has morphed into a twelve student extravaganza!

Yep, the class consists of a dozen ‘highly motivated’ and prepared students and our goal is a 100% pass rate – hopefully we can accomplish our goal. Or need is for a few more instructors to help with reviewing the material, answer questions from the students that need clarification and guide some interactive, on line exams. We’re also looking for anyone desiring to help with the test session immediately following the class.

You need not commit a whole day, if you can give the students an hour of your time it will be a great benefit. Think about it, would YOU want to listen to either John or me for six hours? See, we don’t need your help, the students do!

Class starts at 9:00 AM and the VE session is planned for 3:00 PM. Class location is at the Senior Center in West Brookfield, MA

If you have a few hours to help a dozen folks get their ham ticket please contact either John or I at our email addresses or on the HCRA facebook page. Let’s show how HCRA can make a difference in our fine hobby!

’73…

John/Kx1x & Jim/KK1W