Greetings, welcome to "Dale's Tales" for October, 2023.
At two recent Hamfests, I had questions about the proposed changes to the 60 Meter Band. There was no update available at that time, but that has now changed.
On Friday September 29, the FCC published in the Federal Register Notice of the 60-meter Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted last April. This sets the comment deadline as October 30, and the reply comment deadline as Nov. 28. You may now submit comments to the FCC supporting ARRL’s request for a 100-watt limit and continued access to the 4 channels that otherwise will be deleted. The FCC’s Notice on the 60-meter matter is ET Docket No. 23-120 at paragraphs 37-53, link:
https://tinyurl.com/43dyjekf.
As this announcement was released late on Friday it is suggested that interested amateurs monitor the ARRL web pages for updates.
ARRL will continue to advocate to maintain the 100-watt limit for 60 meters, continued authorization for the four channels outside the WRC allocation that are being used today, and adoption of the new 15 kHz allocation with the same 100-watt power limit. Your support of this position in your comments to the FCC would be helpful.
Great Lakes Division Director Election. The electronic ballots have been sent out and the mail ballots should soon be in your mailbox. You may use either, your choice - only one will be counted, of course. I chose the electronic route and my vote was acknowledged by ARRL in just a few short minutes.
Please, your vote truly does matter. It is important that you make a carefully considered decision and cast your ballot.
License Renewal Help: ARRL produced a helpful video in September about license renewal. It had 4000 views in the first 4 days. Titled "How to RENEW your FCC Amateur Radio License", it takes you through a step-by-step process of renewing and covers all of the new requirements for filing. It is accessible at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI8nmjRJjg4
Club Services: https://www.arrl.org/library-resources contains the directory of available ARRL Videos for use as programs at your club meetings. These videos are great introducing new modes, services and tech topics. This library of topics will be expanding as more material becomes available. Check it out.
SCOTT'S STUFF: Comments from your ARRL Vice-Director Scott, N8SY. - October Edition
Wow... Where did September go? I’ve had a blast going from Kentucky, where we had a really great hamfest and ARES Summit. To just about all 4 corners of Ohio to even central Michigan, visiting with all of you at club meetings and hamfests. It’s been absolutely great getting to meet new friends and remembering those great times with old friends for sure. I even took a trip out to Connecticut to help with the latest Section Manager training as well !!
Shifting Gears... I want to let you all know about a really great program that can help your club get money. It’s called the Club Commission Program that the ARRL has expanded. Want more details on this? There’s a great new video that was produced for ARRL by Anita Kemmerer, AB1QB in the ARRL Learning Center. This video is about 21 minutes long and goes step by step through the process of how to get this all setup for your club. If your club isn’t doing this program, why not? It’s FREE money.
Here's the URL... https://learn.arrl.org/webinars/?pathPage=%2Farrl%2Fcourses%2F52440
Shifting gears again... I’ve heard from some of you out there that you are having a terrible time finding, and then downloading the digital QST Magazine. So, I want to say that there’s a video that helps members navigate our digital magazines. This video is helping our members get more out of their digital magazine experience. ARRL members all have digital access to four high quality magazines: QST, On The Air, QEX, and NCJ. If you have questions or concerns about how to get the most out of the digital editions, this new video on the ARRLHQ YouTube channel will help walk you through it.
If you download the ARRL Magazines app for Android or iOS, ARRL will send a notification to your device when a new edition is available for reading. The video may be viewed at the following link:
https://youtu.be/vmZflC2IUIs
Special Recognition goes out to the following Great Lakes Division Clubs for reaching a milestone anniversary.
75 Years
CLARK COUNTY ARA - Ohio
Adrian Amateur Radio Club – Michigan
50 Years
Kentucky Mountains ARC - Kentucky
Crawford County ARC – Ohio
25 Years
Medina County Amateur Radio Club - Ohio
Central Ohio Operators Klub - Ohio
Capital City Repeater Assn – Ohio
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?
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 Yonally N8SY
Vice Director
Great Lakes Division
N8SY@ARRL.ORG
HAMFEST AND EVENT LISTING:
Here is the current listing of Great Lakes Division ARRL Sanctioned hamfests and Special Events through December of 2023. As usual, there are no Hamfests in November.
10/07/23 - Central Kentucky, Lexington, KY
10/07/23 - Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, MI
10/14/23 - Muskegon Color Tour, Muskegon, MI
10/28/23 - Hazard, Hazard, KY
10/29/23 - Massillon, North Canton, OH
12/03/23 - Fulton County Winterfest, Archbold, OH
12/03/23 - L'Anse Creuse, Troy, MI
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
