Your Preview of This Month’s Edition
🏆 President’s Message – Doug Bruce, N1WRN, celebrates the arrival of his “Holy Grail” QSL card from Bouvet Island (3Y0K)! Plus: the September 2nd meeting returns to hybrid format, meaning the Free Stuff tables are back. Doug recaps Hamvention and looks ahead to NearFest October 2-3 in New Boston, NH. Club Elections are coming in November – Doug confirms he’s stepping down after 5 years as President.
🎙️ September Meeting (Hybrid): “Ham Radio Maps and Charts” – Guest speaker Anthony Luscre, K8ZT, returns to BARS with a presentation on maps and charts for ham radio. A 40+ year amateur radio veteran with over 115,000 QRP contacts and a DXCC total exceeding 328, Anthony is also ARRL Ohio Section Youth Coordinator and has presented over 500 sessions since 2020.
⚓ Feature: Nantucket Lightship Activation Report – Wayne Geiser, KC1ONM, reports on the August 15th activation of LV-112 for International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend. Seven operators logged 138 unique contacts in under 5 hours, including two lighthouses and DX to Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Denmark, UK, and the Netherlands!
🏕️ Feature: Final Thoughts on Field Day 2026 – Field Day Coordinator Tim Carter, K1DC, shares a full narrative recap of the event at Nan’s QTH – from storm-delayed antenna raising to a visit from ARRL New England Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI. Final score: 1504 points! Please complete the Field Day survey to help shape next year’s event.
📚 Learning Opportunities
- Weekly Technician Licensing Course – Free 7-session class via Zoom starts September 3rd
- Linux and Ham Radio Class – Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ, returns with his hands-on Xubuntu class, 4 Tuesdays starting Sept 15
- Women’s Ham Radio Technician Class – Online via Zoom, Sept-Oct 2026 schedule now available
- Monthly PIXIE Net – Last Wednesday of each month on netlogger.org
📻 Announcements
- EchoLink now available on the BARS net via W1MRA-R/HUB1 system
- VE Sessions: No August session; next one September 10th
📅 September Contest Calendar – Andy Wallace, KA1GTT, highlights a packed month with Tennessee, Colorado, Texas, Iowa, New Hampshire, Washington, Wisconsin, and Maine QSO Parties, plus the ARRL September VHF Contest, North American Sprint CW, and CQ Worldwide DX RTTY Contest. Time to check those antennas before fall and winter!
📡 Photo Feature: Antenna Farms Up High – Dwight Dwain shares aerial photography of two Middlesex-area repeater towers, including Signal Hill in Marlboro. Plus more military and maritime-themed QSL cards continuing last issue’s ships collection!
✅ Club News
- Membership: 133 members, 35 renewals still needed – remember, unpaid dues mean no vote at the November elections!
- Treasury update: two renewals plus a donated HRO-500 sale
- Saturday breakfast gatherings continue at Stelio’s
Plus: HamStudy.org exam tips, Zoom Elmering, recurring CW contests, and an AI-generated (and occasionally hilarious) secretary’s report!
The complete September 2026 BARS Newsletter is now available. See you at the Church on September 2nd!
BARS – Billerica Amateur Radio Society
News For and By BARS Members
Editor: Marla Wallace, WA1GSF
