October has traditionally been the month is which the ARRL's Simulated Emergency Test (SET) takes place. This year was not exception as the three Sections that comprise the Great Lakes Division, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio, each held their SET events. It is permitted to hold a SET on a weekend convenient for the participants and that's exactly what we did. There is a scoring system in place that encourages community contacts and messaging, and strives to introduce new players into the process. This also allows Amateur Radio Emergency Service® ARES® groups a means to compare one year's efforts against others.
I hope your SET went well, I hope something broke and I hope everyone gained some knowledge about work-arounds and improvements that can pay off in a real emergency situation. Innovative ideas abound when something does not go as planned and it is a time to recognize those lessons learned to everyone's advantage. A "Hot Wash" or more properly, an After Action Review, is a mandatory finish for any exercise. This is the time to self-examine all phases and doing it immediately after the closing of the exercise insures that all of the details are clear in the minds of the participants. It is not the time to be critical of anyone, but only of the events that took place with carefully considered ideas of how to do better next time.
My thanks go out to all who helped. These can be huge and complex events and it takes a lot of thought to insure that there is a place for any ham that wants to play. I hope everyone had that opportunity. I often think about the contributions that some of our special parts of ham radio can offer in an emergency. We normally recognize the EMCOMM folks who are close to this every day, but traffic handlers are also key players. And who can you call on when HF communications are tough? The DXers and contesters, who have well designed stations and antenna systems and regularly copy those very weak stations. And they do it so effectively through intense QRM. Of course an active ARES Emergency Coordinator, through the local ham clubs' contacts, knows the community's available resources and can call upon the added expertise when it is needed.
Emergency Communications has served as an entry point for many newcomers to amateur radio as it combines with the desire for community service.
ARRL is in the process of searching for a new national Emergency Communications Director to guide ARES and strengthen its future. This new Director will work with our served agencies at the national level, to build on existing relationships, renew Memoranda of Understanding and collaborate with the ARRL Field Organization to insure their needs are met. Currently, the Emergency Communications / Field Services Committee (ECFSC) is in the process of updating the ARES Plan that was approved by the ARRL Board in January of 2019. The ECFSC was created by the ARRL Board to coordinate the ARES as well as the other Field Services activities that report to our Section Managers.
This task of updating and adjusting a plan is not easy. For example, there is a need for common training levels to allow mutual aid when personnel are being over extended. Yet, there are portions of the country where training can be an issue because of extensive travel conditions - think Alaska where one must often fly to get to the next community. It is true that remote learning advancements resulting from the Covid-19 Pandemic have allow some adjustments, but there remains the need for personal contact and familiarization for those individuals that must serve as a team. Other unique situations must be considered and evaluated, most relate to specific geography but some must accommodate variations in ethnicity and language. What a potpourri this country is.
A SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING SCHOLARSHIPS. The ARRL Foundation Scholarship Program opens TODAY.
The ARRL Foundation scholarship application period for the academic year 2022-2023 opens on November 1st and ends on December 31, 2021. The Foundation issued $550,000 in scholarships for 2021-2022 and for the academic year 2022-2023 there has been a significant increase in the number of large dollar scholarships available thanks to a generous contribution from Amateur Radio Digital Communications, Inc. (ARDC).
For the academic year 2022-2023, 130 scholarships will be offered totaling $900,000! There are twenty $25,000 scholarships, four $15,000, seventeen $10,000 scholarships, nine $5,000 scholarships as well as dozens of $1,000 and $500 scholarships. The descriptions of the scholarships available are on line.
http://www.arrl.org/scholarship-descriptions
It is also very easy to apply as the scholarship application is on line.
http://www.arrl.org/scholarship-application
Since only amateur radio operator students may apply, the chances of being selected for a scholarship are good. It would be a shame to miss this opportunity. Since 1973, the ARRL Foundation, with the generosity of many donors and the hard work of a long line of dedicated Foundation Directors, has had a positive impact on the lives of many young amateur radio operator students. Being awarded an ARRL Foundation scholarship could mean the difference in whether a student can pursue their education in 2022-2023 or not.
Thank you.
Dr David Woolweaver K5RAV, President, ARRL Foundation
SCOTT'S STUFF: Comments from your ARRL Vice Director Scott, N8SY.
Fall is definitely here. The leaves are turning colors, the squirrels and chipmunks are making nests in your attic and there is a cold bite to the morning air to cool your coffee down. Are you ready for what is coming next? I will remind you that Christmas is just 55 days away! I hope you are working on your Christmas lists.
November is Sweeps month, both CW (November 6-8) and Phone (November 20-22). I have always loved this contest, especially when I had the perfect call for it. My old call was KC8SS. That call sign got me into more pileups than I could count. I will be on both the CW and Phone contests so listen up for me.
Ok, let us get serious for a minute. Where is your ham shack located? Is it in the basement, garage, or outbuilding? Most generally ham shacks are not in the living room and as such, heating devices for your shack are usually some sort of a supplemental heater/furnace and that is why this next paragraph is so important to talk about now that the weather is getting colder. I want to talk to you about Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning.
First, let me describe what Carbon Monoxide (CO) is. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is the poisonous gases emitted from carbon fueled heat sources (i.e... gas or fuel oil furnaces, wood burning fireplaces or stoves, kerosene, or propane heaters). I could go on, but you get the idea.
Carbon Monoxide is colorless, odorless and it will kill you if you breathe very much of it in. How does this gas kill? It migrates into the blood stream and replaces the oxygen in your blood with the Carbon Monoxide. Once it invades your blood stream it will be with you for an exceptionally long time. In fact, most of your life! Just ask any firefighter about that. That is where a Carbon Monoxide “CO” detector comes into play. These little devises are inexpensive (usually around $20) and can really save you and your family’s lives. Buy one or more of them now (if you don’t already have one) and use them!
Hey Affiliated Clubs, have you looked to make sure that someone has filed your annual report with ARRL? This is one of the most common mistakes that I hear about from club officials, they either did not know, or just thought someone else had taken care of this. Please, check your club’s affiliation record annually. Oh, and those clubs that have been - or are currently Special Service Clubs, make sure to check on your renewal date for that as well. Since the SSC is renewed on a 2-year basis, this is even more forgotten about. Both renewals are quick and easy to do online.
ARRLs YouTube channel, ARRLHQ, has launched a series of amateur radio Technician-class license courses. This series of videos features Dave Casler, KE0OG, QSTs “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 will be studying, along with a few videos on how things work.
Notable November dates – November 2nd is election Tuesday throughout the country. November 7th is the return of standard time. Yes, you shift an hour of time, but you gain that hour of sleep you lost in the spring. I have already mentioned the dates of Sweepstakes and of course Thursday, November 25th is Thanksgiving.
That is going to do it from here this month. Stay safe and “Catch Me On The Air”!!!
--73, Scott Yonally N8SY, Vice Director, Great Lakes Division
HAMFESTING:
Here is the current listing of Great Lakes Division ARRL Sanctioned hamfests for the remainder of 2021. Please note that all are subject to change, so please stay current by checking the sponsoring club's web page before making your travel arrangements. Be sure to invite your ARRL Officials as soon as your date is set.
If you club plans to request ARRL Hamfest Sanctioning, they should do so well in advance of the planned Hamfest date, as this allows adequate time for QST Listings. QST announcements require a 3 month lead time.
If a swap is cancelled or the date is going to change, please notify ARRL HQ.
2021 Great Lakes Div. ARRL Sanctioned Hamfest calendar. Please feel free to reproduce and publish in your local Club Newsletter, with credit to the source.
11/06/2021 - CANCELLED - Grant ARC Hamfest, Georgetown, OH
12/04/2021 - Fulton Co Winterfest, Delta, OH
12/05/2021 - L'Anse Creuse Swap, Troy, MI
EARLY 2021 Planned events:
01/16/2022 - SCARF Hamfest, Shade, OH
01/23/2022 - Hazel Park Swap, MI, location to be announced
03/13/2022 - NOARS Winter Hamfest, Elyria, OH
04/19/2022 - Cuyahoga Falls, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
For the latest detail on regional hamfests, check the ARRL web page at:
http://www.arrl.org/hamfests-and-conventions-calendar
73, Stay safe. Get out there and test Cycle 25!
Dale Williams WA8EFK
Director
Great Lakes Division
wa8efk@arrl.org
73, Stay safe. Get out there and test Cycle 25!
Dale Williams WA8EFK
Director
Great Lakes Division
wa8efk@arrl.org
