Greetings, welcome to "Dale's Tales" for August, 2023.
We in the ARRL Great Lakes Division have just entered a new election cycle for the offices of Director and Vice Director. It has been my honor and privilege to serve our Division as Vice Director for 4 years and Director for these past 9 ½ years. These years have been educational, very interesting and rewarding. It is however, time to pass the baton. I have chosen to make this my final term on the ARRL Board and in January, step back, relax and do some things for Judy and Dale.
Nominating petitions are now being accepted by ARRL HQ for the positions of Director and Vice Director in the Great Lakes Division.
This remaining year is slightly more than half over and we still have much to accomplish. The Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee, which I chair, is leading the charge for a complete upgrade to the National Traffic System®, radio club activities are getting additional Headquarters support with some new programs under consideration, ARES® improvements continue with new HQ Staff leadership and ARRL received the official invitation and has become a member of the national SAFECOM program.
Your input over these few years has done much to shape the changes in our programs, hopefully bringing them closer to you and your local needs and requirements.
The summer ARRL Board meeting was held July 21 and 22. As we were faced with a personal family emergency, Scott, N8SY filled in for me at the ARRL Board meeting, as called for the ARRL By-laws. We communicated regularly during this time and Scott was well versed on the various agenda items under consideration.
The Board faced the formidable task of the League's financials and how to best handle the increasing costs of doing business - without cutting services to our members. We have had only 2 increases in dues over the past 22 years and with inflation at or exceeding a compounded 3% per year, some difficult decisions had to be considered. We polled the membership, giving everyone the opportunity to consider the options and comment appropriately. The poll response was in excess of 20,000 members. ARRL Members can view the tabulated poll response at: https://www.arrl.org/dues-survey.
President Rick Roderick K5UR has some words to say regarding the dues changes as voted by the Board: http://www.arrl.org/member-bulletin?issue=2023-07-23 and as one member put it, "...I can’t understand those who are going to “walk” because of a $10 increase. That’s the price of two PL-259 connectors!..."
SCOTT'S STUFF: Comments from your ARRL Vice-Director Scott, N8SY. - June Edition
Whoa... That’s how I feel right now. Yes, I got to sit in the front row at this last ARRL Board of Directors meeting filling in for Dale.
It was an experience for sure. One that I have to say that I will never forget.
Shifting Gears... I know that the dues increase is on everyone’s mind right now. Did we really need to do it or could we have held off another year or two. Believe me when I say that every detail about the need for this increase was discussed, and then re-discussed, and then re-re-discussed.
I can tell you from my own observations it wasn’t an easy decision for any of the Board members to come to. But a decision was made and my heart and mind tells me that it was the right decision. From all the discussions that I was involved in, it was truly the only real option that we have to keep your ARRL strong and vibrant for years to come.
I was in a discussion with my daughter tonight over these rising costs and she told me that my grandson’s Boy Scout dues are $120 per year and they have an additional charge if they want to receive "Boys Life" which is their equivalent to QST. Wow, that made me stop and really think about how little this increase actually is compared to other non-essential activities that we all do... The increase brings us just a freckle under $5 per month. Yes, I hear you on having a "fixed" income, so are a lot of working folks. Many of which haven’t seen a raise in their paychecks since before COVID hit. Trust me, that was a topic that was discussed in great detail... how this would affect YOU.
I feel confident that our Great Lakes Division folks will understand the need and do what they can to support this increase.
Shifting gears again... QST is now offering a column for clubs called "Club Station." 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. The column has a lot of great information about how to run, organize and be a part of a local club. I challenge you to take a good look at this column every month and see if there isn’t something in it that you can take to your next club meeting to make it more interesting and inviting to new members.
Shifting gears again... Is your ARES group getting ready for S.E.T.?
The Simulated Emergency Test (S.E.T.) is October 7-8 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.
Shifting gears to come into the pits... Whelp, that’s going to do it from here this month. Stay safe and "Catch Me On The Air" at a hamfest or your next club meeting.
Hey, don’t forget to participate in your local club’s activities!!!!
It’s important to be a part of your club and ham radio, and not just a reporter.
73,
Scott, N8SY@ARRL.ORG
Vice Director
Great Lakes Division
HAMFEST AND EVENT LISTING:
Here is the current listing of Great Lakes Division ARRL Sanctioned hamfests and Special Events through October of 2023.
08/05/23 - Columbus Hamfest, Grove City, OH
08/05/23 - UP Hamfest, Rapid River, MI
08/12/23 - Cincinnati Hamfest, Owensville, OH
08/12/23 - GMARC Trunk Swap, Shelby Twp, MI - NS
08/19/23 - Portsmouth Hamfest, New Boston, OH
08/20/23 - WARA Tailgate Swap, Cortland, OH
08/27/23 - Seaway Trunk Swap, Port Huron, MI
09/09/23 - Letcher Co KY ARC Hamfest, Whitesburg, KY
09/09/23 - Greater Louisville Hamfest, Shepherdsville, KY
09/09/23 - GRAHamfest, Wyoming, MI
09/10/23 - Findlay Hamfest, Findlay, OH
09/16/23 - Hiawatha ARA Swap, Negaunee, MI
09/16/23 - Richmond Hamfest, Richmond, KY
09/16/23 - GMARC Trunk Swap, Shelby Twp, MI - NS
09/17/23 - Adrian Hamfest, Adrian, MI
09/23/23 - CMARC Hamfest, Okemos, MI
09/23/23 - Gaylord Hamfest, Gaylord, MI
09/23/23 - BARA Trunk Sales, Berrien Center, MI
09/24/23 - Cleveland Hamfest, Berea, OH
09/30/23 - KY4ARC Hamfest, Paintsville, KY
10/07/23 - Central Kentucky, Lexington, KY
10/07/12 - Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, MI
10/14/23 - Muskegon Color Tour, Muskegon, MI
10/28/23 - Hazard, Hazard, KY
10/29/23 - Massillon, Massillon, OH
Please post this listing in your club's newsletter and announce the swaps on your local nets. Talk them up. Let's fully support all of our hamfests in every way possible. It means success for everyone. "NS"
indicates not ARRL Sanctioned, due the annual limit on Sanctions.
Be sure to invite your ARRL Officials as soon as your date is set. If your ARRL Affiliated club plans to request Hamfest Sanctioning, you should make that request well in advance of the scheduled Hamfest date, as this allows adequate time for QST Listings. QST announcements require a 3 month lead time. To be fair to our Division's clubs, the Great Lakes Division policy is to offer a club ARRL Sanctioning for a limit of two hamfests/swaps in any given calendar year, and they must be four months apart. 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
