Category: Club News

In light of Maine State POTA Day coming up in two days (Saturday, May 16), the opening question to accompany introductions was, “Do you have a favorite location to operate portable.” While many EAWA members enjoy POTA, the responses were as varied as the number of parks in our area. Regarding the Maine State POTA Day, we were reminded that while many operate on 20 meters, we are more likely to contact others in Maine on 40 meters.

The business section of the meeting offered several noteworthy items. Barbara KC1SSY, the Emergency Coordinator for Hancock County, announced that there will be EmComm exercises in the fall that we may participate in. Andrew W1AXS, Hancock County EMA Director, gave an update on the new facilities which are currently under construction.

Two major club events have occurred since the last meeting, thus After Action Reports were on the agenda. The annual Symposium, held April 18, was a great success. (See article here.) The topics presented were of general interest, and the presenters were able to speak to the new operators as well as the experienced operators in the room. Many thanks go to the team of volunteers, headed by Jeff KA1DBE. The annual Sea of Blue Walk/5k/10k, held April 25, was also a great success. (See article here.) Everyone felt the Emergency Communications Team worked well together and performed excellently throughout the exercise. Again, many thanks to the team of volunteers, headed by Matt KC1VLH, Joan W1DLC, and Barbara KC1SSY. The Race Coordinators, Matt & Sue Heel, expressed their sincere thanks to the club.

Phil N1EP, the ARRL Section Manager for Maine, surprised Jeff KA1DBE by presenting him with the Maine Ham Radio Operator of the Year for 2026 award. Congratulations to Jeff! Anyone in the local and regional ham radio community knows Jeff is among the most active, dedicated, and generous amateur radio operators around. There will be a separate article sharing more of Jeff’s radio experiences and accomplishments coming soon.

The remainder of the meeting focused on the detailed planning of the upcoming Field Day weekend, June 27-28. The exercise has two primary themes. It serves as an opportunity to invite the public to learn about amateur radio while the stations are in operation, and if they choose, to get on the air with the help of a mentor to guide them through the process. It also serves as a challenge to clubs to try as many ways as possible to send radio waves through the air while totally off-grid, and to maintain those efforts as much as possible for a full 24 hours.

Field Day set up starts on Friday, June 26, at 10am at the Trenton Elementary School. Everything — from tents to tables, generators to radios to antennas — must be set-up in the parking lot and ball fields. Saturday, June 27, begins at 8am with any last minute set-up, educational and safety meetings, and a quick lunch. The 24 hour operations period starts at 2pm on Saturday. Many club members will be wearing club t-shirts, which Barbara kindly coordinated, ordered and shared at the meeting. (There are a few left, contact Joan W1DLC or Barbara KC1SSY for purchase.) Across the 24 hours, EAWA members and friends, and members of the public will come and go. The task of taking everything down and cleaning up the space will begin around noon on Sunday, June 28.

There will be a press-release, information to share, and many announcements coming over the next several weeks. If you have any questions, please contact:
*Field Day Coordinator, Jeff KA1DBE
*CW Captain, Rob W8HAP
*SSB Captain, Bob AB1EP
*Digital & Satellite Captain, Jeff KA1DBE
*GOTA Captain, Joan W1DLC
You may also contact our information officers, Dick W1KRP and Marion W1GRL, for press releases and other information.

For a group that sees each other frequently, whether it is at radio events or the Clandestine Coffee gatherings on Wednesdays, we still seem to have much to talk about before and after the meetings. Looking ahead, our next meeting is scheduled for June 11. All members and friends are invited to bring favorite radio “gadgets” to share with the group. This is always a fun meeting. We hope to see you there!
Written by Marion W1GRL

The April club meeting started in the traditional way, with introductions and a question: What is your favorite radio to use? Responses ranged from “my first radio” to “the radio that works” to radios known for their excellence. Among the meeting highlights was the EmComm report given by Barbara KC1SSY. She and several other EAWA members and friends participated in an emergency exercise that simulated radio responses to hurricane damage. The exercise, named “Angry Moose,” involved the local receiving and sending of precise information across 4 counties.

We also had several people bring in books, magazines, and lots of small equipment items for the Lend and Learn Library.

Jeff KA1DBE reviewed the plans for the upcoming ham radio symposium to be held Saturday, April 18th, from Noon to 4:00, titled, “Focused Communications: Choosing the Best Tools” (see details here). The event includes 5 presentations, numerous information tables, a 50/50 raffle and door prizes, and light refreshments. All proceeds go the facility, Meadow View Apartments. The symposium has been well-publicized in the local press and the ARRL Letter, as well as through many regional nets. Jeff requested that all presenters and those helping with set-up be on site at 10:00am. It would also be a great help to have volunteers to assist with the clean-up afterward.

Barbara KC1SSY and Matt KC1VLH reviewed the plans for our EmComm operations for the Sea of Blue Walk/5K/10K (see website) on Saturday, April 25. There will be 6 communications stations, staffed by EAWA members and friends, ready to relay information to the Net Control. Everyone involved in the EmComm operations should be at the Neighborhood House in Northeast Harbor at 7:30am for an organizational meeting. The walk starts at 9:30 and the races at 10:00. Any hams who would like to observe the process are welcomed to attend.

We are never without things to plan and activate! On the horizon we have the New England QSO Party on May 2 and 3, the Maine-Wide POTA Day on May 16, and of course, Field Day on the weekend of June 27 and 28. As the weather gets nicer it’s time to get all your gear prepped, your calendar filled, and most of, get on the radio!
Written by Marion, W1GRL

The March meeting started with introductions and the question, “Do you have a spring antenna project planned?” Responses varied between new projects and repairs stemming from a snowy Maine winter. As usual, there were many reminders and announcements. This year the EAWA will have club tee shirts for Field Day. Look for details in email regarding cost and payment. Please direct any tee shirt questions to Barbara KC1SSY. Also, there was a gentle reminder to those who have not paid their 2026 dues to get in touch with our treasurer, Joan W1DLC.

Planning is well underway for two big annual events. First on the calendar, the symposium is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, from noon to 4pm. The theme for this year is Focused Communications: Choosing the Best Tools. Volunteers are needed for early set up and the clean up afterward. Please direct any symposium questions to Jeff, KA1DBE. The second event is the emergency communications for the Sea of Blue Race, happening Saturday, April 25. Communications volunteers should arrive at the Neighborhood House for an organizational meeting at 7:30am. Final details for both events will be discussed at the next club meeting, April 9. Please direct any Sea of Blue communications questions to Joan W1DLC.

The program, presented by Marion W1GRL, was titled “CW Practice Tools for Beginners and Operators.” She began with a brief demonstration of learning techniques for those in the audience who had not yet tried leaning CW (aka Morse Code). She then highlighted several tools, focusing on the recordings at the Morse Code Ninja website, the app Morse Mania, the webpage Morsle.fun, and software program Morse Runner. All of these tools can be simplified for the beginner, or made more challenging and helpful to the most proficient of operators. She encouraged listeners to review the Morse Code Ninja Resources page for an exhaustive list of practice tools.

The meeting was well attended and peppered with lively conversation. EAWA members and friends, mark your calendars and plan to be a part of the many upcoming events. For those who are just getting to know us, the symposium is a great way to learn more about current ham radio topics and get to know the EAWA — we hope to see you there!
Written by Marion W1GRL

The February meeting started as all club meetings do, with introductions and a question: How many America250 W1AW/x stations have you worked so far? Responses ranged from 0 – 7. Following the usual business items, the discussion turned to Winter Field Day. The solar weather disturbances, and cold temperatures and wind at ground level, were real challenges this year. You can read some of the accounts in the story, “Putting the “Winter” in Winter Field Day” here.

A second major topic of discussion was the upcoming Annual Ham Radio Symposium scheduled for April 18, noon to 4pm, at Meadow View Apartments (see map here). This year the focus is on cutting edge tools and tech for ham radio. The agenda is taking shape in terms of speakers and hands-on demonstrations. Light snacks will be provided. Help is welcomed to assist in the set-up and the clean-up of the event. More details will be provided at the March club meeting. For readers who have never attended the annual symposium, browsing the story of last year’s event will offer some insights (read story here). If you have questions or suggestions, please contact Jeff KA1DBE (good on QRZ or use the Contact Us feature of this website).

The final major topic of the evening focused on recruiting EAWA members and friends to participate in the Emergency Communications for the Sea of Blue Autism Awareness Walk/5K/10K, to be held Saturday, April 25. The club provided similar services last year, which was the the first partnering of the EAWA and the Sea of Blue. You can read about last year’s event, “Teaming Up for Success” here. This year’s needs are the same: approximately 15 radio operators (we can use more!) working in pairs along the route and managing net controls in the communications trailer. Hams will meet around 7:30am for an organizational meeting (with coffee and treats!), confirm location assignments, and comms checks. The official activities start at 9:30am. EAWA members and friends are encouraged to participate in any of the silent auctions or other festivities and to partake of the wonderful lunch snacks and treats.

Check this website for more information on the items mentioned above, and other upcoming events such as the YL POTA planned for March 8, International Women’s Day. The EAWA always has something to look forward to!
Written by Marion W1GRL