BEARS Hibernate in Summer? The BEARS do not hold monthly meetings in July and August, although they continue their schedule of informal breakfasts twice a month. Watch this web site for notices of BEARS events that are added.
The BEARS of Manchester are a group of licensed Amateur Radio Operators who maintain amateur band repeater radios on Box Mountain in Vernon. We also provide radio communications as a free public service to local groups who request our help. The BEARS are an affiliated club of the American Radio Relay League. Our chartered purpose is to provide public service, emergency communications, help educate new operators and encourage the maintenance of a pool of skilled radio operators upon which our community and nation can draw in time of need. To that end, we hold classes and FCC-sanctioned license exam sessions; participate in skill-building contests; participate in emergency drills with many public safety agencies; and practice our art and skill during charitable events such as the Manchester Thanksgiving Day Road Race, the Hockanum River Canoe and Kayak Race, and many other public events throughout the year.
BREAKFAST - Saturday August 7, 8 am - Mitchell's, Hartford Turnpike, Vernon The BEARS will hold an informal breakfast so members can meet in person and newcomers to the hobby of Amateur Radio can come to ask questions. Find out how to study, take free classes, find a license exam session, which equipment to get, where to get it, and how to operate it. These breakfasts are filled with tall tales about ham radio, lots of good advice, and congenial sociality. All are welcome, but PLEASE RSVP by Friday August 6th so we can give the proprietor a head count. RSVP to Jonathan Allen, Vice President of Culinary Affairs, at K2KKH@arrl.net.
Breakfast Aug 7, 8 am at Mitchell's
Please RSVP to K2KKH@arrl.net no later than Friday Aug 6.
This event is pay-as-you-go, so all are welcome and you do not need to be a club member or even a licensed amateur radio operator.
Calendar of BEARS events Please submit calendar items to the webmaster for posting. The following are sanctioned BEARS events:
August 7 - Breakfast at Mitchell's, 8 am, 1237 Hartford Tpke, Vernon. Please RSVP to K2KKH@arrl.net. Directions: Take I-84 exit 67, north on Rt. 31, then turn left on Rt. 30.
Calendar of local amateur radio-related events
These events are NOT sanctioned BEARS events, we're just listing them here as a convenient reminder for amateur radio enthusiasts, regardless of what club memberships they hold.
August 1 - Cruisin on Main. The Manchester CERT team provides radio communications and side street monitoring for this large-scale classic auto show along Main Street in downtown Manchester. Contact Don Janelle, N1DAJ, to volunteer.
August 14 - RASONHamfest, Gales Ferry, CT
August 15 - The FLEA at MIT, Cambridge, MA
Ausust 22 - New NoBARC, hamfest in The Berkshires, Adams, MA
August 27-29 - Boxboro Hamfest and New England Division ARRL convention, Boxboro, MA
Local Nets of interest to BEARS
BEARS Traffic Net - Sun thru Fri, 9:15 PM on the 145.110 - PL77, all checkins welcome, with or without traffic. Net Manager, Rusty Hack NM1K
Manchester Emcomm net, Tues & Thurs at 7pm. 145.330 repeater. Net Manager, Ray Gagnon, KB1JJX
Vernon Emcomm net, Tues. at 7PM, 145.110 - PL77. Net Manager, Richard Phelps, K1SW
ARES Region 3 net, Monday 8pm, 147.345. Net Manager, Richard Claing, W1RGC. For all hams in and of the 41 towns in Region 3. NOTE: net may use EDH or other alternate repeaters.
Skywarn Weather Net, 9pm Thursdays, various repeaters
NARL INFO net, Thursdays at 7:30 pm on 145.450. Net Manager Steve Ewald, WV1X
Nutmeg VHF NTS Traffic net, weeknights 9:30PM, ICRC's 146.880 repeater with PL of 77. Net Manager, K1HEJ
Explanation: All frequencies are in Megaherz. A + or - sign indicates a 600KHz repeater offset for 2 meter repeaters. You should listen on the listed frequency, but shift up or down as indicated when transmitting. PL refers to Motorola's "Private Line," which in other brands of radios are designated as "Tone" or "CTCSS" or "Tone Encode/Decode".
The "BEARS of Manchester, Inc." amateur radio club meets monthly in Manchester, Connecticut, USA.
BEARS Hibernate in Summer?
Breakfast Aug 7, 8 am at Mitchell's