Category: Club News

The October club meeting started as they always do, with introductions and a question: Are your antennas ready for winter? Most said ‘yes,’ but everyone acknowledged that Maine weather is unpredictable. 

The business meeting included several key announcements. Barbara KC1SSY, acting in her role as Emergency Coordinator for Hancock County, shared details of upcoming SET (Simulated Emergency Test). Scheduled for Saturday, October 24, the exercise will involve local nets across several counties. An email will be sent out with further details. 

Stan W1BOY announced an information and planning meeting for the upcoming Fabbri Special Event to be held in August of 2027. The meeting, open to all interested, is scheduled for Sunday, November 8, at 12:15pm, during the Weekend Session. 

John KQ1P, the club President, reminded us of an ongoing discussion regarding estate planning for our radio equipment. He encouraged us to leave instructions for loved ones regarding what to do with our equipment after our passing. As the EAWA may be the recipient of equipment, from an estate or other type of donation, it’s important that we have a clear process for moving forward with items given to us. He shared some examples of procedures we may adopt, and asked us to give some thought to our preferences moving forward.

The program for the meeting was a detailed overview of the emergency communications plans for the MDI Marathon, to be held Sunday, October 18. Barbara KC1SSY and Joan W1DLC are the organizers and club liaisons to the larger group of emergency personnel involved. The EmComm team includes more than EAWA members, and some of those operators joined us. A special thanks goes to those from Hancock, Penobscot and Waldo counties who attended. Barbara started by pointing out that many of the recommendations and suggestions from last year’s After Action Report were incorporated into this year’s procedures. She then covered many important topics, including locations for stations, equipment needs, radio communication protocols, weather options, and personal comforts such as food and water.

If you are serving as an EmComm participant, you should have received an email from Joan with several important attachments. Barbara will send more information by email soon. Two important items to keep in mind: (1) be at your location and ready for Net Control roll call at 7:30am, and (2) wear your orange EmComm t-shirt and hoodie (runners are told to look for the people in orange if they need help).

If you have not contacted Barbara about participating, the window has closed on the opportunity to be officially on the team. Don’t despair! There are many ways to join in club events and learn more about the EAWA’s role in area emergency communications. The previous article, Fall Back into Ham Radio (click here), and our Regular Events page (click here), offer many ways for you to get involved.

Written by Marion W1GRL

The September club meeting started as usual, with introductions and a question: Are you equipped to run your home station on back up power? Most of the answers were “yes,” with energy sources ranging from large batteries to solar power to generators. The business part of the meeting progressed quickly through several important announcements and discussions.

Barbara KC1SSY shared some of the preliminary planning notes for the MDI Marathon, to be held on Sunday, October 18th. Approximately 14 additional volunteers are needed for several communications points along the route. This is a great way to practice emergency communications procedures and share ham radio with the community. If you are a first-time volunteer, you will be paired with an experienced volunteer. Contact Barbara (via QRZ) or use the “Contact Us’ form on this website if you’d like to be a part of the event. 

Barbara also shared that there will be a state-wide Emergency Communications Exercise held on Wednesday, September 16. If you are on local or regional nets, you may hear, “Exercise, exercise, exercise” followed by information regarding a fictitious event. 

Once again, Jeff KA1DBE will coordinate the annual Ham Radio Symposium held in April. Jeff asked that club members and friends share with him ideas for presentation topics. This will help as he starts identifying potential presenters.

New this year, Stan W1BOY will coordinate the planning for Fabbri Special Event Stations, celebrating 110 years since the commissioning of the Otter Cliffs Radio Station on August 28th. The attendees were excited about the event, to be held on the exact anniversary day, Saturday August 28, 2027. Discussions ranged from operating as a small, POTA-style event to something similar to Field Day. Stan will share information on upcoming meetings for those interested in planning and operating in the event.

After a quick intermission that included home-made treats, we moved to the program for the evening. Barbara KC1SSY shared an overview of items recommended for personal emergency preparedness. She began with considering all the parts of your radio that may not work in an emergency, prompting us to think about back-ups. She then progressed to the environment for the radio and antennas, emphasizing potential damage from wind, rain, and lightning. She also mentioned the need for grounding and the capability to set-up and use a portable and/or mobile station quickly in an emergency. 

The presentation then shifted to a wide range of topics, moving from personal safety concerns to issues affecting your home, family, pets, and others who may depend on you for assistance. Topics here included a 3 day supply of food and water, first aid supplies, fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and copies of financial papers. Her discussion also included ‘psychological first aid,’ highlighting the stress everyone would experience during an emergency.

The September club meeting was packed with useful information, both in terms of planning for club events and planning for personal or regional emergencies. Almost everything we do as a club prepares us for the emergency that we hope never comes. Whether it is the bonds we develop by coming together for coffee, nets, and meetings, or the information shared in the programs and annual symposium, or the club efforts at Field Day and the upcoming special event — all of these things will help us be at our best if needed in an emergency. 

If you are just learning about our club, please explore the website, particularly the “Regular Events.” You are always welcome to join in, whether you have a license or not.
Written by Marion W1GRL

The August meeting began with introductions and a question: How many antennas do you have at your QTH that you actually use? Now, as usual, the frequent reader would expect a summary of the responses. This club meeting was not usual in that seven active members, including yours truly, were not at the meeting but rather at the Northeast HamXposition in Marlboro, Massachusetts. The information below was pulled from the excellent minutes from our Secretary/Treasurer, Joan W1DLC. (Thanks Joan!)

For the program, John KQ1P set up his 20/40 meter vertical/tripod antenna system and discussed its pros and cons. The discussion then focused on the specifics of radials and the counterpoise wire(s). Mike WE8HAM discussed the use of the Wolf River Coils and the Faraday Cloth. Rob W8HAP demonstrated the Gabil antenna tripod.

There were some important announcements. The dates for the Weekend Sessions were announced, with the first on Sunday, September 13, from noon to 4:00, at Meadow View. These are open sessions designed for hams assisting hams with any project or troubleshooting. You can find a detailed description, the dates for all of 2026/2027, and a map on our Regular Events page.

The September meeting will be a Lend and Learn Library month. Twice a year we encourage those attending to look around for any books or items they would like to give away or lend out (no selling). Perhaps you have two or three of the same item, such that you might give one away? Do you have ham-related books that you would be willing to lend or give away? To be clear, the Library is not the program, but happens informally prior to and after the meeting. We have found this to be a successful way to make another ham’s journey a little better.

If you haven’t attended a club meeting in a while, we’d enjoy catching up with you! The business meeting starts at 7:00 and lasts 30-40 minutes. Following a brief break, we begin the program for the evening. We have Zoom access if needed. Perhaps we’ll see you next month?
Written by Marion W1GRL

As usual, the meeting started with introductions and the question, “What is your favorite mode to operate?” Most responses were Phone and CW, with an added nod to FT8 and RTTY. The primary topics on the agenda were a review of Field Day and looking forward to upcoming events. (See our Field Day post here.) We did take time to share our performance in the 13 Colonies Special Event. Many of those present had a clean sweep!

The Field Day review began with the highly anticipated summary of our points. Our 2026 performance was our best in 5 years, with an estimated point total of 7,150 points. This is a 24% improvement over last year! Points come from QSOs, but also from educational, safety, and outreach efforts. We hit most of the bonus opportunities, with only two missing.

The After-Action Review portion of the meeting was structured such that station captains reported, then everyone had a turn to share. The focus was on (1) things that went well, (2) areas of improvement, and (3) suggestions for next year. Many comments focused on the cooperation and perseverance of operators and trouble-shooters. Remarks also focused on local visitors and first-time HF operators. In terms of improvements, the attack of Murphy prompted much discussion of additional pre-testing of equipment and back-up plans.

The other major topic of the meeting was looking forward to upcoming events. Among those mentioned were:
**July 11, Saturday, Hermon Hamfest (website)
**August 1, Saturday, Maine State Convention & Hamfest (website)
**August 14-16, Friday-Sunday, Northeast HamXposition (website)
Several club members will be at all of these events. For those attending the Northeast HamXposition, consider joining the “Downeast Maine” banquet table on Friday and Saturday evenings. Club member and Hancock County Emergency Coordinator, Barbara KC1SSY, announced an upcoming exercise on September 16th from noon to 8pm called the “Maine Strong” event. Details will be announced later.

There is a sense of pride and accomplishment as we move on from our largest, most complex event of our calendar year. More than any other activity, Field Day brings our community together in the most basic ways. Across 3 long days, we share food, equipment, knowledge, encouragement, the love of ham radio, and the desire to be the best we can be, should a disaster strike. It won’t be long before we are planning for 2027. It’s amazing what this small, dedicated group of amateur radio operators do across the year! If you haven’t been involved, perhaps you’ll join us soon!
Written by Marion, W1GRL

If you are looking for the “Invitation to Field Day,” it’s the story below this one. (Click here for quick access.)

If you are looking for a review of the June club meeting, then you are in the right place! As everyone’s attention is on the upcoming Field Day event, the opening question was, “What is your favorite part of Field Day?” Responses varied from “when everything works,” to the time spent with other hams, to “working CW at 3am.”

Later in the program the Field Day Coordinator, Jeff KA1DBE, went over more of the details and reminders for the special weekend. Things are falling into place! Thanks to the Station Captains, Rob W8HAP on CW (Morse Code), Mark W1ABY on SSB (Phone), Barbara KC1SSY on 6 meters (Bonus Station), Jeff KA1DBE on Digital & Satellite, and Joan W1DLC on GOTA (Get On The Air station, open all visitors, including children). Also, thanks goes to the team of people working on the publicity, including Dick W1KRP, Barbara KC1SSY, Bob AB1EP, Matt KC1VLH, Alex KC1ZBO, and Marion W1GRL. All those attending received printed copies of our Field Day flyer and new club business cards featuring our website address.

Also in preparation for Field Day, Barbara KC1SSY passed out the new club t-shirts! Many thanks goes to Barbara for taking this process from first thoughts to completion!

As spoken by Steve KD1O, with an enthusiastic round of applause, the EAWA would like to formally thank Phil N1EP for his many years as the ARRL Maine Section Manager. Phil has been active in his role, visiting clubs and events, informing all of us on ARRL happenings, and encouraging us to participate in ARRL activities. Although we will sorely miss Phil’s leadership, we are happy that he now has more time to enjoy this wonderful hobby!

The program for the evening was “Bring A Favorite Gadget for Show & Tell.” Among the variety of items were a 3D printed toroid holder for winding, home-made box shade for the radio during POTA, battery boxes, nano VNA, antenna analyzer, Leatherman multitool, 22yr old Alinco HT, mini microprocessor-controlled capacitance/induction meter, coax connector kit, and a drone attachment for dropping fishing line over trees for antenna set-up. Perhaps the most unexpected item presented was a hula girl brought in by Jeff KA1DBE. She was the mascot of the W4UG (Virginia Beach ARC) Digital/Satellite Station. When Jeff returned to Maine, she came with him to reside in his ham shack.

As summer arrives, there are many fun ways to incorporate radio time into outdoor activities. Here’s to a successful Field Day, fun on-the-air activities, such as Tiles on the Air and Parks on the Air (POTA). We hope to see all the club members, friend, guests, visitors … we hope to see everyone who is interested in radio at our Field Day event! Details are in the story below.
Written by Marion W1GRL