Greetings, welcome to "Dale's Tales" for August, 2022.
We begin this month's column with the news that our ARRL
Section Manager
for Kentucky has retired from the position. Steve Morgan W4NHO has served Kentucky well over several terms as SM. We now wish him the very best as he sets off to other endeavors - also assuring us that we will continue to hear him on several regional traffic nets. Steve, our sincere thanks for a job well done.
In the meantime we have the Kentucky Section Manager's position open and are searching for individuals who are interested in serving. The Job Description is posted on the ARRL Web site at: http://www.arrl.org/section-manager. It may seem like a lot of detail but having served for 9+ years in that capacity, I personally feel it was the very best job in the ARRL. One has the opportunity to be creative, exercise new programs and watch them come to fruition. As a team leader, the SM can mentor his staff and watch them innovate and generate new ideas to make the ARRL Field Organization grow, prosper and become more effective.
Any KY ARRL member who is over the age of 18 and has held uninterrupted ARRL membership over the last two years is eligible for the Section Manager position. I will be pleased to discuss the details with any interested party and you may feel free to phone me at the number listed for me on page 15 of QST.
Your ARRL Board of Directors met in mid July. Among the many formalities and reports, included was the interim report from the EC-FSC, the Emergency Communications - Field Services Committee which I chair. We introduced a couple of new measures that were accepted and passed by the Board. One was to formally continue the member service of hosting the "arrl.net" e-mail forwarding system. This is a widely-used and well recognized member benefit and we want full assurance that it will continue as such. Another motion allows for the acknowledgement in our Silent Keys QST Listing of the SK's service in the US Uniformed Military Service. In the meantime, this committee is currently focusing at implementing creative ideas for improving the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), the National Traffic System (NTS), our Amateur Radio Clubs and improving communication and interaction between our geographic Divisions and the individual Sections within those Divisions.
Another early outcome from the EF-FSC is the promotion of new club services which are being introduced and phased into service in addition to the already in-service increase in rebates for ARRL Affiliated clubs for recruiting new ARRL members.
The ARRL Board also recognized two Great Lakes Division radio clubs for their work in their local communities. The Motor City Radio Club was honored for their 90 years of service for the hams in Metro Detroit and the general public of that region. The 75th anniversary of ARRL Affiliation for the Cambridge Amateur Radio Club called for them to be honored for their outstanding contributions to the public and ham radio in the Cambridge, Ohio area. Both will receive plaques from the League and the commemorations were met with applause from the ARRL Board.
Other actions by the ARRL Board will be reported to you when the official minutes are approved.
SCOTT'S STUFF: Comments from your ARRL Vice Director Scott, N8SY.
Welcome to the "dog days of summer"!!! Yes, it’s hot and muggy all over the Great Lakes Division, but that hasn't seemed to slow down anyone from attending a hamfest lately. Attendance at hamfests seems to be as large or larger than the pre-pandemic days. I can truly say that our division has a very healthy and hearty appetite for getting out and mingling with others in the amateur radio world for sure!
Let's shift gears...
As you know, Dale and I attended the Board meeting recently. The Thursday before was spent in the
EC&FSC meeting all day!
Yes, Dale and I had our hands full with a very large agenda for the committee that we both are on. The meeting lasted all day, and I am happy to report that we got a lot accomplished, and you’ll be hearing about some of those items that came from that committee in QST and ARRL Letter soon. That evening was spent in an informal meeting to discuss other ARRL items of interest for the Board. Of course, Friday and Saturday are exclusively reserved for the actual Board meeting itself and yes, it took all day Friday and all morning Saturday before we got things wrapped up. I will say this, there’s a lot more to these Board meetings than meets the eye. I find these meetings a lot like watching C-Span and the activities of our Congress. Yes, there’s lots of friendly discussions (politicking) going on in every corner of the room between opposing views. But in the end, it all seems to come together for the betterment of the membership and amateur radio!
Shifting gears again...
QST is now offering a column for radio clubs.
Clubs are the backbone of the amateur radio community. Whether you are a part of a special interest or general club, its members are the community that you serve. In the same way that every ham is different, each club is also different. Not every club will offer the same programs and projects to their member community.
QST’s newest column, "Club Station," is a space
for clubs to share their practical ideas about what has helped lead them to
their success.
If your club has developed a creative way to get around common challenges, the ARRL wants to hear from you! They have published author guidelines that are geared toward "Club Station." Want more information on how to submit an article? Go to: https://www.arrl.org/qst-club-station-guidelines-and-profile-form. All clubs are welcome to participate.
Shifting gears again...
Is your ARES group getting ready for S.E.T.?
The Simulated Emergency Test (S.E.T.) is October 1-2 and next to Field Day, one of the busiest times for ham radio! Is your ARES group or club already in the planning stage yet? If not, it should be, like Field Day, S.E.T. demonstrates to our served agencies what amateur radio is really all about, communications.
OK, shifting down to come into the pit... Now, for all the contesters out there. August has many contests just waiting for you to do. If you are interested in just having some fun, here is a link to a schedule of all the contests for the month of August... https://www.contestcalendar.com/fivewkcal.html
That is going to do it from here this month. Stay safe and "Catch Me On The Air, at a meeting or hamfest!!!"
73,
Scott Yonally N8SYGreat Lakes Division
Here is the current listing of Great Lakes Division ARRL Sanctioned hamfests through October 2022. 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.
Please feel free to reproduce and publish in your local Club Newsletter with credit to the source.
ARRL Sanctioned Hamfests through October 2022:
08/06/22 - Columbus Hamfest, Columbus, OH
08/06/22 - UP Hamfest, Rapid River, MI
08/13/22 - Letcher Co, Hamfest, Whitesburg, KY
08/13/22 - Cincinnati Hamfest, Owensville, OH
08/20/22 - GM ARC Trunk Swap, Shelby Twp, MI
08/21/22 - Letcher County, Whitesburg, KY
08/28/22 - Seaway, Port Huron, MI
09/10/22 - GRAHamfest, Grand Rapids, MI
09/10/22 - CMARC Hamfest, Okemos, MI
09/10/22 - Greater Louisville Hamfest, Shepherdsville, KY
09/10/22 - Ashtabula Hamfest, Pierpont, OH
09/11/22 - Findlay Hamfest, Findlay, OH
09/17/22 - Richmond Hamfest, Richmond, KY
09/17/22 - Mound ARA, Miamisburg, OH
09/17/22 - GMARC Trunk Swap, Shelby Twp, MI
09/18/22 - Adrian Hamfest, Adrian, MI
09/24/22 - KY4ARC Hamfest, Paintsville, KY
09/25/22 - Cleveland Hamfest, Berea, OH
10/01/22 - Gaylord, Gaylord, MI
10/08/22 - Central Kentucky, Lexington, KY
10/15/22 - Muskegon Color Tour, Muskegon, MI
10/16/22 - Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, MI
10/22/22 - HARA, Negaunee, MI
10/30/22 - Massillon, Massillon, OH
If you club plans to request ARRL Hamfest Sanctioning,
you 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 your swap is cancelled or the date is going to change, please notify ARRL HQ.
For the latest detail on regional hamfests, check the ARRL web page at:
http://www.arrl.org/hamfests-and-conventions-calendar
73,
Dale Williams WA8EFK
Director
Great Lakes Division
wa8efk@arrl.org
