Greetings everyone, welcome to "Dale's Tales"
for January 2018.
Here is the Great Lakes Division RECAP OF 2017:
From the OHIO SECTION:
January started getting all of our 1,700 Ohio ARES
members to complete the four ICS courses (IS 100, 200, 700 and 800). As an
incentive, we include Statewide credentialing through the Ohio Department of
Homeland Security and free statewide liability insurance coverage through Ohio
Responds. Our end of year numbers show 620 ARES members completed, with a total
training of 5,732 courses taken thus far.
March, ARES Operators were called to staff several
Emergency Operations Centers during a communications failure in northeastern
Ohio when the 911 / MARCS system went down. ARES filled the gap with
DMR and analog communications to the needed emergency centers.
August, we had an EF-1 tornado in Trumbull County, and
major flooding in Findlay that resulted in a lot of property damage to homes
and businesses in both areas. Our ARES groups were activated to help with
communications and relief efforts. Hurricane Harvey hit Texas and a few of
Ohio’s ARES folks were tapped to go and help with the communications and relief
efforts.
In September, we had several of Ohio ARES folks sent to
assist with communications and relieve efforts in Florida and Puerto Rico.
November, Ohio had an outbreak of 17 tornadoes with 12 of
our counties being affected. They ranged from EF-0 to EF-2 in size. Many houses
and outbuildings were destroyed. Our ARES groups were activated in numerous
counties around the state to help with communications and relief efforts.
December 12th, our Southwestern Ohio ARES group in
Cincinnati was called upon to help with communications during a million-dollar
update to the City of Cincinnati’s 911 system. Our ARES teams were ready and on
station when the cutover to the new system came on board. It was a smooth
transition, and luckily everything went as planned with no hiccups.
From the KENTUCKY SECTION:
Executed a smooth transition between outgoing SM Alan
Morgan, KY1O and the incoming Section Manager Steve Morgan W4NHO.
The Kentucky Section had representation by the KY SM at 7
of 12 Hamfests in KY, with plans in place to attend more in 2018.
The Kentucky Section initiated a monthly news column
which includes the recognition of the ARRL Affiliated Club of the Month. KY will continue to build our Winlink network in Region 1
& Region 2.
The expanding DMR Network now covers KY from Owensboro to
Paintsville and Northern KY to Bowling Green. We now have 30 to 40 checks-in on
our weekly net.
Had excellent representation for the Western KY Eclipse
with Frankfort and statewide communications in August.
The KY Section will continue to rebuild our relationship
with Frankfort Emergency Management Authority and with the incoming new
management of Barry Sanford. Cecil
Dennis is serving as liaison for Auxcom.
Working with SEC to refill existing vacancies of selected
EC, DEC and ASEC across the Section, while working toward developing a KY State
Convention or KY ARES Conference.
From the MICHIGAN SECTION:
In Michigan, we have followed through with our pledge as
part of PA 556 (PRB-1 language codified into state law early in 2015) to
form an Antenna Advisory group made up of representatives from the Michigan
Municipal League, the Michigan Township Association, a representative from the
Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) and ARRL
representatives. The first meeting of this group was held in May 2017 at the
Michigan State Police Headquarters in Dimondale, MI with said representatives
in attendance.
The Michigan Section presented the first annual Great
Lakes HamCon at Michigan International Speedway in early October. This event
was made possible by 21 Michigan Amateur Radio Clubs banding together to make
it happen. Attendance was 11-1200 and the 2018 event is on the drawing board,
scheduled for October 6 & 7, 2018.
Michigan, with assistance from DHS/OEC held its first
AUXCOMM training session and updated a database of actual deliverable
capabilities as requested by FEMA. MI Critical Incident Management System
training session was held that focused solely on the needs of amateur radio
operators
The MI State Emergency Operations Center was activated
for four statewide exercises and over two dozen ARES members assisted public
safety officials monitoring infrastructure around the Mackinaw Bridge during
the annual bridge walk. During flooding in central Michigan, ARES members
assisted local emergency management with damage assessment, inundation
prediction and reporting.
MI ARES is working on preparing input to the Statewide
Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP), a forward-looking document that
will drive investment over the next 3-5 years. ARES has been working with the
state planner on better incorporating amateur radio into the state's emergency
communications plan.
Michigan's SEC John McDonough WB8RCR has been appointed
interim chair of the FEMA Region V Auxcomm committee.
AS YOUR GREAT LAKES DIVISION DIRECTOR I am honored to
continue to serve the hams of the Great Lakes Division, I must take this moment
to thank Larry Camp WB8R who has chosen to retire from the Michigan Section
Manager Position after service for 6 years.
His accomplishments are recognized by all as he has served his Section
well. Jim Kvochik K8KJ assumes the
position as MI SM today, Jan. 1, and will serve on an interim basis until a
special election is held later in the year.
My thanks go to all of our Section Managers for the
outstanding jobs they have been doing.
Sometimes the job can be tough, sometimes difficult decisions must be
made, but by and large the hams in the Great Lakes Division have the best
interests of Amateur Radio at heart and are very supportive of all of the
groups that comprise the ARRL Field Organization. This whole organization works because of our
volunteers. We are all doing this for the love of ham radio, and as
we move into 2018, we can expect more opportunities and exciting new ventures
to come before us. Thank
you all.
TOM'S COMMENTS:
Comments from our Vice Director Tom Delaney W8WTD
The end of the year can provide an opportunity to look
back, as well as forward. Lots of people
will be making “New Year’s resolutions” to do something or not do something in the coming
year. I’ve never found that very
helpful. Instead, I like to focus on the
continuity of efforts to reach a goal.
So, today, I want to look at 2017 and remember some of the events while
also looking ahead.
Hamvention was held in Xenia this past year. Congratulations to the planners who had
little to go on and who had to re-invent everything. Yes, there were a few hitches, but overall, Hamvention
was as successful as most of the past 50-some iterations. And from the reports of the new building and
other changes, it sounds like Hamvention will once again be the place to be in
mid-May.
And a promising start was made for the first-ever GL
Hamcon in Michigan. There’s room for
improvement, but the number of pleased “customers” and the large facility
should help it become a great venue in the years to come.
Then there are the efforts throughout the US, and within
the Division, to educate, train, and motivate new hams. I’m pleased that I’ve been able to make some
contributions through the committees I serve on, but the more important work is
being done by every ham who conducts a class, serves as a VE for exams, and in
particular, serves as a mentor for new people coming into the hobby. In various forums conducted at hamfests, I’ve
been very happy to see how many of you agree with the ARRL efforts to grow ham
radio, both by improving the educational materials, and focusing on potential
changes in the licensing system that we might request.
That’s where the real work will be for next year. Let’s look at our efforts of 2017, and try to
move them forward even more in 2018.
73, Tom W8WTD Vice Director, Great Lakes Division
STATE CONVENTIONS:
In even numbered years, the Great Lakes Division's three Sections host
their individual State Conventions. If
your local hamfest is interested in serving as the host for your State Convention
in 2018, your club should contact your Section Manager and request to serve as
the sponsor. State Conventions normally
encompass special forums, can request guest forum speakers from ARRL and often
hold recognition Banquets and special programs. Having a convention also
means additional attendance beyond that normally expected
at a regular hamfest.
HAMFESTING: We
have approximately 65 ARRL hamfests each year in the Division. I do encourage each Hamfest Chair to register
early for ARRL Sanctioning. Be sure to
invite your ARRL Officials as soon as your date is set. Here is the current Great Lakes Division ARRL
Sanctioned Hamfest Schedule covering the next couple of months. These swaps have received their sanctioning
approval from ARRL HQ at the time of this publication.
1/14/18 SCARF
Hamfest Nelsonville, OH
1/28/18 Hazel
Park Hamfest Madison Heights, MI
1/28/18 Tusco
Hamfest Strasburg, OH
2/3/18 HARA
Hamfest Negaunee, MI
2/10/18 Cherryland
Hamfest Traverse City, MI
2/18/18 InterCity
Hamfest Mansfield, OH
2/18/18 Livonia
Hamfest Livonia, MI
3/3/18 Cave
City Hamfest Cave City, KY
3/4/18 NOARS
Hamfest Elyria,
OH
3/17/18 Crossroads
Hamfest Kalamazoo, MI
3/17/18 MOVARC
Hamfest Gallipolis,
OH
3/18/18 Toledo
Mobile R.A. Perrysburg, OH
Be sure to check your Section's news pages for the latest
local happenings, club and net information.
73,
Dale Williams WA8EFK
Director
Great Lakes Division
