Police Amateur Radio Team
of Westford, Massachusetts
An ARRL Special Service Club
WB1GOF
Welcome to PART of Westford, an ARRL Special Service Amateur Radio club serving Eastern Massachusetts! We have monthly meetings, breakfasts, kit-building sessions, and many operating and social events throughout the year, and we welcome everyone with an interest in Amateur Radio, whether licensed or not.
Our diverse membership has interests ranging from public service support and community outreach, to radio contesting, equipment construction, radio fox hunting, and more. In fact, it is the diversity of our interests that has kept the club strong and vibrant throughout its 45+ year run.
If you have an interest in ham radio but don't know how to get started, please join us at one of our club meetings, either in person, or online. To get on the invitation list for our meetings, including a link for the video-conference, just join our email group (instructions at the bottom of this page).
It's easy to become a PART member. Just scroll to the bottom of this page to the "Join PART" section and fill out an application.
Click on the menu tabs at the top of this page to learn more about us.
Our diverse membership has interests ranging from public service support and community outreach, to radio contesting, equipment construction, radio fox hunting, and more. In fact, it is the diversity of our interests that has kept the club strong and vibrant throughout its 45+ year run.
If you have an interest in ham radio but don't know how to get started, please join us at one of our club meetings, either in person, or online. To get on the invitation list for our meetings, including a link for the video-conference, just join our email group (instructions at the bottom of this page).
It's easy to become a PART member. Just scroll to the bottom of this page to the "Join PART" section and fill out an application.
Click on the menu tabs at the top of this page to learn more about us.
Club News
- PART's Field Day activities are featured in an article in the Acton Exchange. You can read it here.
- Congratulations to PART members Bob, W1IS, and Bob, KC1DSQ, on the publication of their article: An All-Band 160 Meter OCF Antenna, in the August 2025 issue of QST! This design won first place in the 160 Meters, LF or VLF category of the 2024 QST Antenna Design Competition.
- Congratulations to Peter, N1CEO, on attaining membership in CWops! Members in this group have demonstrated proficiency in CW at a speed of at least 25 WPM.
- The presentation on Field Day 2025 preparations is posted here.
- The presentation "40-Meter Direct Conversion Receiver" given by Adam, AA1N, and Andy, KB1OIQ, at the May 2025 PART meeting is posted in the Club Presentations tab.
- Congratulations to Andy, KB1OIQ, for achieving Eight-Band DXCC!
- Congratulations to Andy, KB1OIQ, and George, K1IG, for achieving the ARRL DXCC Challenge!
- Congratulations to Ginny, KC1TJE, on her upgrade to Extra Class!.
- At the February 2025 PART meeting, there was a presentation on HamClock and several members bought Raspberry Pi-Zero kits that were subsidized by PART's kit-building fund, The photo above shows a few of the members who bought kits. Slides from this meeting are posted in the Club Presentations tab.
- PART member Wayne, AG1A, is a featured guest on the January 29, 2025, episode of the bi-weekly HamNation video podcast. Wayne is interviewed about the home seismograph he built that recorded the earthquake that occurred off the coast of Maine last week, but then he also discusses his ham radio activities, horses, and of course, his DeLorean. You can view the show at this link; Wayne’s interview starts at the 43:40 point.
Club Meetings
Weekly Two Meter Net
Every Sunday 8 PM
146.955 (-) pl 74.4
Echolink: WB1GOF-R
Every Sunday 8 PM
146.955 (-) pl 74.4
Echolink: WB1GOF-R
Monthly club meetings are conducted in-person at the Cameron Senior Center, and online via the Webex video conferencing system. A link for joining the meeting is sent to everyone on our email list a few days before the meeting. Join the list and attend a meeting no matter where you live!
Upcoming Meetings:
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Field Day Summary
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Field Day Summary
Nightly 10 Meter Net
Every night (especially Wednesday) there's an informal rag-chew on 28.400 MHz SSB. If you don't hear anyone, put out a call and see who's there!
Every night (especially Wednesday) there's an informal rag-chew on 28.400 MHz SSB. If you don't hear anyone, put out a call and see who's there!
WB1GOF Repeater Status
There are three WB1GOF repeaters: a 2 meter analog repeater, and two D-Star repeaters. For full info on repeater frequencies, access, new antennas, and coverage, click here.
To monitor the WB1GOF analog repeater on your computer or smartphone, click here.
To monitor the WB1GOF analog repeater on your computer or smartphone, click here.
All repeaters are operational
Echolink is up
Join the WB1GOF D-Star users group here.
Join the WB1GOF DMR users group here.
Please send signal reports to repeater@wb1gof.org
Heavy Weather and Emergencies
During periods of heavy weather (snowstorms, blizzards, hurricanes) and public emergencies, monitor the WB1GOF 2 meter analog repeater (146.955 -, pl 74.4) for information.
All hams are encouraged to get SKYWARN training. For information on SKYWARN and SKYWARN training, click here.
All hams are encouraged to get SKYWARN training. For information on SKYWARN and SKYWARN training, click here.
Upcoming Events
Northeast HamXposition
The Northeast HamXposition (a.k.a. ARRL New England Division Convention) organizing committee has confirmed the dates for the 2025 convention: August 21-24, 2025. Noted QRP-er Tom Witherspoon, K4SWL, will deliver the keynote address on Saturday morning, and the Saturday night banquet speaker will be the HamSCI leader, Dr. Nathan Frissell, W2NAF. As usual, there will be a flea market, license tests, and many forums. Tickets are on sale now.
The HamXpo will need volunteers to help with setup, parking, ticketing, speaker coordination, and more.
For more information and to purchase tickets, check out the HamXpostion website here.
The Northeast HamXposition (a.k.a. ARRL New England Division Convention) organizing committee has confirmed the dates for the 2025 convention: August 21-24, 2025. Noted QRP-er Tom Witherspoon, K4SWL, will deliver the keynote address on Saturday morning, and the Saturday night banquet speaker will be the HamSCI leader, Dr. Nathan Frissell, W2NAF. As usual, there will be a flea market, license tests, and many forums. Tickets are on sale now.
The HamXpo will need volunteers to help with setup, parking, ticketing, speaker coordination, and more.
For more information and to purchase tickets, check out the HamXpostion website here.
License Training & Testing
The ARRL Learning Center on YouTube now offers online training for the Technician class license. This series of videos features Dave Casler, KE0OG, QST’s “Ask Dave” columnist, who leads viewers through The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual. These videos supplement the manual and provide an overview of the sections you’ll be studying, along with a few videos on how things work. The Technician training videos are available here.
Several organizations offer both in-person and online testing for Amateur Radio license exams. Click on the links to these websites for details:
Several organizations offer both in-person and online testing for Amateur Radio license exams. Click on the links to these websites for details:
- HamStudy has a listing of sites around America
- WM7X offers online testing
- MIT Radio Society offers in-person and online testing
- Billerica Amateur Radio Society offers in-person testing
- MMRA offers in-person testing at several locations in Marlborough
Join PART
Would you like to become a member of PART? You can fill out the application and mail it to: PART of Westford, PO Box 503, Westford, MA 01886, or you can join at any PART club meeting.
Annual Dues
Annual Dues
- Full member: $25.00
- Family membership: $30.00
- Full-time Student member under 25: Free
- Senior member (over 64): $15.00.
- Associate member (non-Hams only): $10.00
- First year free for anyone first licensed less than a year prior to joining!
Subscribe to PART Email
PART uses Groups.io for club email and notifications. Groups.io gives us a lot of capability to manage email to members, and additionally provides space for files, photos, and even a wiki. Signing up and using the system is easy; go here and request to join. Be sure to put your call sign on the request to join.
ARRL Membership & Renewal
Does your ARRL membership expire in the next three months, or are you interested in joining ARRL (The National Association for Amateur Radio) and getting all the benefits? If so, fill out this application and bring it to the next PART meeting along with your ARRL dues payment. Joining ARRL or renewing ARRL membership through PART helps support our club.
PART Supports These Organizations
Westford Food Panty
The Westford Food Pantry provides services for individuals and families in the local community and surrounding towns with emergency, short and long-term needs for quality fresh and dry foods along with personal care and household items. You can donate food at five drop-box locations in Westford and at the Food Pantry itself. For a location list, go here.
The Westford Food Pantry provides services for individuals and families in the local community and surrounding towns with emergency, short and long-term needs for quality fresh and dry foods along with personal care and household items. You can donate food at five drop-box locations in Westford and at the Food Pantry itself. For a location list, go here.
Do you want to get an Amateur Radio license and participate in the world's greatest hobby? The American Radio Relay League licensing website is the place to start (click here), then come to a PART club meeting to get more information!
PART of Westford
PO BOX 503
Westford, MA 01886
PO BOX 503
Westford, MA 01886
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