W E C A

Serving the Public through Amateur Radio and Serving Amateurs since 1972

Westchester Emergency Communications Association

PO Box  831 Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591-0831

Listen to WECA's 2 meter repeater on 147.06.

Download the latest free Ham Radio License course flyers.

Please send any comments or to join WECA to membership@weca.org

Please refresh your browser (by pushing F5) when viewing this site to see the latest updates

2024 WECA Events 

Summary of upcoming events

Please see our listing below
    - One Public Service event is left through 12/31/2024.
- Winter 2025 Field Day in late January.
- General meetings on the second Monday each month at 7 pm (subject to   change).
- WECA Board meetings on the forth Monday each month at 7:30 pm.
- Continuous Ham Radio license FREE prep classes from September thru May   on Tuesday nights.
- Monthly VE testing.
- FM & DMR access on multiple VHF/UHF bands.

Interested in joining WECA?

WECA is a Ham Radio club located in Westchester County, NY about 25 miles north of New York City.  Currently the group holds monthly via Zoom (no meetings in July and August).  Please click here to download an information brochure about the club.  If you would like to join WECA, then please click here to download a membership application form and click here to download our Repeater Use Policy. These downloads require that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader (a free download from Adobe) on your computer to read, fill out or print these documents.  Member applications may be sent in electronically to Membership@Weca.Org or via USPS mail for processing.  If you recently attended a WECA sponsored Ham Radio License preparation class or took a Ham Radio exam with a WECA VE, please contact the instructor and VE proctor about a possible free one year membership with the club. If you have any questions about the club, then please send email to Membership@Weca.Org.  

If you would like to donate to WECA or pay your membership dues via PayPal, please click here to be directed to the WECA portal within PayPal.  2024-2025 Dues were expected by September 18, 2024.  Dues not received by November 10, 2024, will be dropped from the club roster, lose access to online meetings, and lose email auto forwarding sent to your callsign@weca.org email address. Please renew your 2024-2025 dues TODAY!

Upcoming Member meeting dates for 2024

We will continue to have zoom meetings and "in person" meetings at the County Center in White Plains where Old Tarrytown Road and Central Avenue intersect and via Zoom.  WECA Board meetings will continue as Zoom meetings.  Zoom meeting credentials are sent to WECA members who have WECA email addresses about a day or so in advance of the online meeting. 

The following are the meeting dates which are on Monday nights at 7pm for the general session and  Board meetings are at 7:30pm.

If you would like to make a presentation to our Amateur Radio group, please send email to Membership@Weca.Org.

Our next WECA General meeting will be on Monday, November 11, 2024

We will have our next WECA General Session meeting on Monday, November 11, 2024 at 7:00 pm via Zoom. The presentation is TBA, so please stand by and check this page for updates.

WECA members are invited to attend and Zoom credentials will be sent to members within 24 hours in advance of the Zoom meeting.

Upcoming public service events

Please see the Public Service Events calendar for 2024 "in person" public service events.  As always, volunteers are needed to fill the communicator positions at these events.  Please contact Kathy / kc2vct@weca.org with any questions or suggestions.

Free Ham Radio exam preparation classes

All  exam prep classes are currently planned to be offered both in person within the Fire Training Center classroom and virtually using the Zoom app

WECA conducts an Amateur Exam preparation classes began in September for technician, early January 2024 for Extra Class, and General Class sessions ending in mid May.  The preparation classes are held every Tuesday evening from 7 to 9:15 PM.  You are invited to attend any or all of WECA’s training classes even if you are not planning on taking the test.  You just may want to learn more about a particular subject from our excellent instructors!  Please join us anytime.  For more details, please see below.

Please contact Larrie:  W2UL@Weca.Org  for access information or send email to membership@weca.org.

VE Testing - now in person at 4 Dana Road, Valhalla, NY

We are pleased to announce that in person Ham Radio (VE) Testing sessions are given at the Fire Training Center.  The Fire Training Center is located at 4 Dana Road in Valhalla, NY.  Future Ham Radio tests will be given IN PERSON on the second Thursday night at 7pm.  Please contact Bob Casino /  N2GDY for more information about future sessions.  Bob can be reached at  N2GDY@Weca.Org.

Check  out  the  Ham  Radio  Equipment  for  Sale!

The family of Stan Rothman WA2NRV (SK) has asked the Board and Simon / KD2DOE to liquidate his Ham Equipment.  Please visit the website https://www.weca.site which catalogs the equipment for sale and the suggested price.  You can purchase the items you want and pay via Stripe using your credit card.  You and Simon (KD2DOE) will then find a time for picking up the equipment at Stan's home in White Plains.


If you have any questions before the purchase, please contact Simon KD2DOE (at) weca.org.

Upcoming Free Ham Radio License Preparation Classes

All classes are currently planned to be offered both in the Fire Training Center classroom and virtually using the Zoom app. 

The dates may change slightly from the dates posted below.

Have you ever thought about becoming an Amateur Radio “Ham” operator?  Here are some great opportunities to learn about Ham radio and to study for your FCC license with seasoned Ham radio operators as your teachers and mentors!

The Westchester Emergency Communications Association (WECA: www.weca.org) is proud to sponsor free Ham Radio License courses. Come take your first steps and join the exciting world of Amateur Radio. Enjoy talking to other Amateur Radio Operators, near and far!  Want to experiment with new technologies that utilize computers interfaced with radios?  Would you like to join forces with county government and local volunteer organizations as Amateur Radio Operators for Emergency Communications assistance and Public Service events? Take your first steps by joining us for this interactive course taught by a team of knowledgeable Amateur Radio Operators with a passion for their subjects.


What you missed at a previous WECA GENERAL meeting

 Membership Director Peter Johnson / N2TFC reminded the group that five membership renewal notices beginning in August 2024 have gone out to the group for the 2024-2025 membership year.  About 80% of the membership have responded and renewed. The final notice will go out on or around November 1, 2024.  Members who have not renewed by November 10 will be dropped from the roster and no longer have access to Zoom meetings, and automatic email forwarding. Please RENEW TODAY and contact membership@weca.org with any questions or comments.


WECA instituteD a Repeater Acceptable Use Policy

Over the past few months there have been some Hams using the WB2ZII repeater systems in an inappropriate manner.  As a result, our Board of Directors have created the "WECA Repeater Acceptable Use Policy" which illustrates how all our repeater systems shall be used by all.  Please click here to download this document.

Please review the policy and if you have any questions, comments or hear users that do not comply with this policy, please send email to TWIT@Weca.Org.

WECA has DMR on 438.7125 / 433.7125

WECA now supports both analog FM and DMR on 438.7125. Don't know what DMR is? Please click here to learn about this new amateur radio digital mode.  If you have questions about DMR and our repeaters, please contact Dwight / N2FMC by sending email to n2fmc at weca dot org or Steve / KD2OFD by sending email to KD2OFD at weca dot org.

An excellent DMR presentation in PDF format by KD2OFD.  Click here

Instructions how to create a DMR "code plug" -  click here.

Public Service Events

WECA's 2024 Public Service Events

Below are the planned Public Service events that WECA members can participate in for 2024.

If your not-for-profit organization needs free communications assistance with a foot race or walk event in Westchester County, NY , please send email to PublicService@Weca.Org.

Are you a local Ham near Westchester County, NY and are interested in helping out with Public Service Events? If so, please contact our Public Service Director by sending email to PublicService@Weca.Org.

Public Service Operators Needed!

Please contact Kathleen O'Keefe / KC2VCT if you would like to participate in the upcoming Public Service events that WECA helps by supplying Ham Radio communicators. Operators are needed for other upcoming events. This is the best possible emergency preparedness training for Ham Radio communicators available, so please send email to Kathy / KC2VCT at  PublicService@Weca.Org and volunteer!

Please welcome our newest WECA members

Call sign Name Location
KB2JLC Jim Valhalla
K2QMT Stan NYC
KE2AJH Gary Yonkers
KD2ZCH David Staten Island
KB2NXE Jan West Harrison
KD2ZNS Eileen Pearl River
WA2ZOR Bob White Plains
K2AZN Eli New City
ND2W Henry White Plains
AD2GR Peter Tarrytown
KE2CER Skip Tarrytown
K1MBL Marc Harrison
AD2HL Bob Hartsdale
N0BUG Dan Mamaroneck

WB2NHC is on YouTube!

 Tom Raffaelli / WB2NHC and the involvement of Ham Radio Operators helping the Red Cross was featured in a YouTube video.

To view this video, please click here.

Want to learn about RFI, Ferrites, Baluns and Audio interfacing but don't have time for a class?

Dwight Smith / N2FMC has found an interesting and downloadable publication that is continuously updated by the author Jim Brown/K9YC.

Click here to view or download this treasure trove of information about RFI, Ferrites, Baluns and Audio interfacing.

Want to learn about "Return Loss"?

OK, so what is return loss? Click here for Wikipedia's answer. So how good is that feed line and much power is really getting out of the cable to the antenna? Any faults with the cable or connectors? Is there really an antenna connected? Finally, what is being reflected back down the line as loss?

Dwight / N2FMC has found a few URLs that discusses and calculates Return Loss.

Here is a link that discusses the math, please click here.

This link compares SWR to Return loss in a chart, please click here.

Another SWR chart link, please click here.

And finally an online Return Loss calculator, please click here.


Traveling abroad and want to use your US Ham license during your trip abroad?

Please read this document created by the FCC DA-11-211 to help explain the process of using your Ham callsign in "CEPT" countries in Europe.

See the latest ARRL Letter - lots of headlines!

Issues going back to 2000 can be viewed by clicking here.

Having troubles using the WECA Repeater system?

Sometimes due to summer band conditions, distance repeaters can be heard on our 2 meter repeater frequency of 147.060 MHz. Once someone in greater Westchester County keys up on the input using a PL of 114.8 Hz, the distant repeater interference subsides. This is normal (especially in the summer) and many times you may hear a Connecticut repeater located in the northeast corner of the state or sometimes a Philadelphia repeater can be heard as well.

But, if you have been having troubles using the repeater system or are hearing interference, please send email to Repeaters@Weca.Org detailing the trouble or interference that you are experiencing. Our Repeater and Technical Directors will quickly look into the problem.

Please welcome our 2024 - 2025 Officers & Directors

At the 6/10/2024 virtual and in person meeting at the County Center, the following Officers & Directors were elected into office. 

President - Simon Rosenberg / KD2DOE

Executive Vice President - Bill Bohnenberger / KA2OFM

Vice President / General Counsel - Michael Weitzner / N2EJI

Treasurer - Andy Farber / N4OOX

Secretary - Mike Kassel / N2NI

Director at Large - Josh Klempner  / W2BRA 

Digital Modes - Henry Heine / ND2W

Education Director - Larrie Sutliff / W2UL

Emergency Services Director - Steve Pendzuk / KD2OFD

Engineering Director - Bob Wilson / N2DVQ

Membership Director - Peter Johnson / N2TFC

Newsletter EditorVery much needed!

Public Service Director - Kathleen O'Keefe / KC2VCT

Publicity Director - Noah Levine / KC2DVT

Repeater Operations Director - Dwight Smith / N2FMC

Social Activities Director Steve Pendzuk / KD2OFD

Directors and honorariums appointed by the board

Trustees - Tom Raffaelli / WB2NHC for (RACES) WE2EOC & N2SF,
Bob Wilson / N2DVQ for WB2ZII, and Kevin Duffelmeyer / KD2PDL for W2ECA

 County Liaison - Michael Volk / W2MKV

President Emeritus - Bill Bohnenberger / KA2OFM

Webmaster / CIO - Peter Johnson / N2TFC

 If you have any questions for the Officers & Directors, please email them with your questions by sending email to their call sign @weca dot org email address.

The WECAgram Newsletter is always online

WECA's monthly newsletter about Ham Radio events, projects and its local members in the greater Westchester County, NY area located about 20 miles north of New York City.  Newsletter Editor needed.  If interested, please send email to membership@weca.org.

Do you have something for the WECAgram? Please send your article to The WECAgram Editor by sending email to WECAgram@Weca.Org.

Past issues of The WECAgram


Looking for special Ham Radio related websites?

WECA member Dwight Smith / N2FMC has found a bunch of web sites containing ham radio related information. Please click here for a list of "Dwight's Sites". If you have any technical or Ham Radio related sites and would like to share these sites with others, please send email to sites at "weca dot org".

2024 meetings , lists, dates and calendars

Please click here for the 2024WECA meeting list

Please click here for the 2024 Ham Radio testing dates

Please click here for the 2024 Public Service event calendar

Found - old WECAGRAMS!

Nick / K2ZVI (SK) found some old WECAGRAMS while cleaning one day to share with the newer members. Please click on any date below to view these found treasures!

February 1980                August 1981                  September 1987              January 1988

If you have some old WECAgrams that could be "PDF" scanned, please send email to Peter / N2TFC - webmaster at weca dot org

WB2NHC - Tom Raffaelli was awarded Ham of the year!

Tom was first licensed in 1964. His interests then, as now, were in experimenting and building radio devices. Tom married Jeanne Fyfe in 1966. They moved into a three room apartment in the Bronx. Due to space limitations Tom operated exclusively on the VHF and UHF bands. In 1970, with two children in tow, Tom and Jeanne moved to a home in Thornwood New York. Beam antennas, verticals and wire dipoles soon sprang up on the roof and in the yard. In 1979 Tom joined the New Rochelle Communications Club and soon after that the Westchester Emergency Communications Association (WECA). He was elected Vice President of WECA in 1985 and President in 1987, and served for seven years. WECA doubled its membership under Tom's leadership, strengthened its affiliation with Westchester County's Office of Disaster and Emergency Services and initiated an affiliation with the Westchester chapter of the American Red Cross. He expanded the club's  Field Day event and grew WECAFEST, the club's hamfest event into a major "must attend" event. Tom is now Director of Emergency Services.

Tom served as President of TSARC for several years and resolved several long standing coordination disputes and established a coordination waiting list for all bands. Tom taught many Amateur Radio license classes over the years bringing more than 50 people into the hobby. Tom began volunteering at the New York City Marathon in the mid eighties and is currently the ham radio supervisor at the Family Reunion area.

Tom was instrumental in establishing extremely strong relationships between WECA and the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services and the American Red Cross. Both of these organizations are providing funding and support for maintenance of WECA's communications vehicles and equipment as well as providing meeting space and training facilities. Tom recently retired from the County of Westchester as its Director of Radio Systems. Tom continues to build on the strong ties between RACES, WECA and the county government while helping to bring state of  art communications facilities to the county's public safety departments.

Amateur of the Year Award Sponsored jointly by:

 The Peconic Amateur Radio Club

and

 Westchester Emergency Communications Association - WECA

As printed in the Hudson Division Awards Diner pamphlet from November 12, 2005

Don't know what Ham Radio is ?

The Ham Radio hobby has made it ! Well, now there is a "Ham Radio for Dummies" book on the market. Available in many book stores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble for $24.99 or less.

So, where were you in '72 ? When WECA was born !

On the first Friday night in early April 1972, five men met in Tarrytown, NY at William T. Knott's (former W2QGH/ K2AVP-sk) home to form what is now the Westchester Emergency Communications Association (WECA). Fifty one years ago these middle aged "family" men were Ham Radio hobbyists who decided to start this club "for the continuation of the Civil Defense Radio network in Westchester County, NY". Meeting minutes from those early gatherings can be read by clicking here

WECA thanks John von Sneidern, Jr. / K2GTY for copies of those notes "from the beginning" of WECA and Efrem Acosta / W2CZ for organizing this historic project.

Comments (good/bad)? Please let us know by sending email to membership@weca.org.