- ARRL Seeking EmComm Manager
- Tech Class Question Pool Updated
- How to get News Published and Broadcast
- 2011 Great Lakes Division Convention
- Congratulations
- Board of Directors to Meet
- The GLD in Print
- Tentative Schedule
+++ ARRL Seeking EmComm Manager +++
The ARRL is accepting applications for the open position of Emergency
Preparedness and Response (EPR) Manager. The job is based at ARRL HQ
in Newington, CT. The successful applicant will represent the League
with government and non-government emergency and disaster response
organizations and partners for planning, continuity and operational
purposes.
Requirements for the position include holding a General Class or higher
amateur license, having a minimum of 5 years experience in ARES(r) or
equivalent and hold a Bachelor-level or higher degree. For further
requirements and a description of the EPR Manager position. Interested
amateurs should follow the instructions on the Internet notice to
apply.
+++ Tech Class Question Pool Updated +++
Unless you plan to take the Technician class license examination before
July 1, 2010, don't use study guides based on the question pool that
became effective July 1, 2006. The 2006 pool will be replaced by a
2010 question pool effective July 2010. The 2006 pool and study
materials used for it are useable for Technician exams to be given as
late as Jun 30, 2010.
Beginning July 1, 2010 Tech exams will be based upon the 2010 question
pool. This pool will be available to the public in early January.
People wishing to obtain a printed copy of the pool or a study manual
based on it should watch for announcements in ham publications or on
the web. Of course, www.arrl.org and ARRL bulletins will be a good
source of information on these.
+++ How to get News Published and Broadcast +++
We often hear it said that people do not know what Amateur Radio is and
what amateur operators do. As often as not, this is true. The
question this situation poses is "how can we amateurs overcome this
situation."
The answer to the question is "publicity" or "public relations (PR)."
We need to have local amateurs tell the story of modern Amateur Radio
to the public and to officials. We need to get "press" and "broadcast"
coverage for what we do.
How can we get this coverage? Who can get this coverage for us? The
answer to these questions is, "us." This is a task that principally
needs to be performed by us in the field. We are in the best position
to know what is going on in local Amateur Radio circles and who is
doing it. Unless the situation is big enough to gain the interest of
regional or national news media, no one can to the task better than
someone where the activity is being held.
As is true of so many things in life, getting good PR requires a little
knowledge -- a little. Most local print and broadcast media want to
include local residents in their stories. It is local people who read
and hear the stories. Local people want to know what is going on in
their area. Local people buy the newspapers and the goods advertised
in them and over the broadcast media.
It is up to us, though, to prepare the news we give to the media in a
manner that increases their likelihood of using it. As time goes by,
it is becoming increasingly important that we know what the media want.
Doing this is not difficult. Even so, it requires that we learn how
to "market" the Amateur Radio stories we want to tell.
ARRL PR manager Allen Pitts, W1GGP has developed a self-teaching course
to show us how to get publicity for ham radio activities. This is the
new ARRL PR-101 course. Following the information contained in this
course, any reasonably literate amateur can learn how to get good press
for Amateur Radio.
ARRL's PR-101 course is designed to train Public Information Officers
and others in promoting Amateur Radio and ARRL through the new media.
Some Section Managers have been so impressed with the course that they
are requiring their Public Information Officer appointees to take it.
To learn how best to obtain good press coverage for ham radio
read about PR-101.
+++ 2011 Great Lakes Division Convention +++
The Great Lakes Division Cabinet has begun to think ahead to a 2011
Division Convention. We would like to hear from groups or clubs that
may be interested in sponsoring this event. The Division Cabinet is
composed of the Division Legislative Action Chair (NB4K), the three
Section Managers (KY4Z, KY; WA8EFK, MI; KI8GW, OH), the Vice Director
(KI4LA) and me.
At this time, we are looking for a sponsor for a convention that may be
a stand-alone convention (not associated with an existing hamfest) or a
convention associated with an existing hamfest. The Cabinet is also
open to suggestions that may include keeping the convention at a fixed
location and date.
Please contact me (k8je@arrl.org) for further information if you are
interested in discussing sponsoring the convention.
+++ Congratulations +++
To Bonnie Viele, N8MCX who was elected to her fifth term on the
Hubbard, OH city council. Husband Jerry, W8JV is one proud guy.
+++ Board of Directors to Meet +++
The Annual Meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors will be held January
15 and 16. The meeting will be held in Windsor, CT which, as is true
of Newington, is a suburb of Hartford. Major committee meetings will
be held at ARRL HQ on January 14.
If there are topics you would like me to discuss while in Connecticut,
please let me know. Send your thought to me at k8je@arrl.org.
+++ The GLD in Print +++
Joel Thurtell, K8PSV and the Ohio Michigan Indiana Kentucky (OMIK) ARA
shared part of p. 93, in the December issue of QST. Joel's book "Up
the Rouge!" was published by Wayne State University press. It
describes his canoe trip up the Rouge River.
The OMIK Scholarship Fund presented a $1,000 check to Caitlin Grey of
Wadsworth, OH. The OMIK radio club was founded at Wilberforce
University, Wilberforce, OH in 1952 by students from the four states.
Incidentally, many members of the Tuskegee Airmen of WW 2 fame became
members of OMIK.
On p. 24, Verle Willingham, K8VW of Fenton, MI reported the demise of
the Firebird ARC. This was a GM employee Amateur Radio club that had a
run of 48 years.
Chris Castle, KI4BOQ, of West Van Lear, KY received ink on p. 83 for
being named to the All-State Choir as previously mentioned in Words.
Jetstream USA ads: Did you know Jetstream is a Great Lakes Division
(Southwestern Ohio) company? Any guesses as to which retail business
owns Jetstream?
An oops. Matt Severin, mentioned last month, is N8MS and is from Eau
Claire, MI -- not K8MS from Traverse City. Thanks to Bill Wheeler,
W8JBA for correcting the error.
+++ Happy New Year +++
On behalf of ARRL and myself, I wish each of you a very Happy and
Prosperous New Year. May 2010 prove to be the best year ever for you.
+++ Tentative Travel & Hamfest Schedule +++
Hamfests in the following list have received ARRL sanctioning as of
press time. These and other events for which a Great Lakes Division
representative is scheduled to attend are identified with the
representative's name.
5 Jan: Coshocton Co. 50th Anniv. presentation - Jim
8 Jan: Dayton ARA, presentation - Jim
11 Jan: Director Teleconference -- Jim
12 Jan: GLD Cabinet Telecon -- Gary, SMs, NB4K, Jim
14 Jan: A&F Committee, Newington, CT - Jim
15-16 Jan: Board of Directors, Windsor, CT - Gary, Jim
17 Jan: Hazel Park Hamfest, Hazel Park, MI
17 Jan: Sunday Creek Hamfest, Nelsonville, OH
31 Jan: TUSCO Hamfest, Strasburg, OH
6 Feb: HARA Swap & Shop, Negaunee, MI
7 Feb: NOARS Winter Hamfest, Lorain, OH
11 Feb: SW Ohio DXA presentation - Jim
13 Feb: Cherryland Hamfest, Traverse City, MI
14 Feb: Midwinter Hamfest, Mansfield, OH - Jim
21 Feb: Livonia Swap n Shop, Livonia, MI
6 Mar: Mammoth Cave Hamfest, Cave City, KY - Jim
20 Mar: Michigan Crossroads Hamfest, Marshall, MI -- Jim
3 Apr: ARGYL Hamfest, Lowell, MI
3 Apr: Lincoln Trail Hamfest, Elizabethtown, KY
17 Apr: Milford Swap & Shop, Highland, MI
18 Apr: Cuyahoga Falls Hamfest, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
25 Apr: Athens Hamfest, Athens, OH
14-16 May: Hamvention(r), Dayton, OH - Gary, Jim
19 Jun: Milford Hamfest, Milford, OH
20 Jun: Monroe Hamfest, Monroe, MI -- Jim
8 Jul: Mahoning Valley ARA, presentation -- Jim
16-17 Jul: Board of Directors, Windsor, CT -- Gary, Jim
25 Jul: Portage Hamfair, Randolph, OH
22 Aug: Cambridge Hamfest, Cambridge, OH
11 Sep: Greater Louisville Hamfest, Shepherdsville, KY -- Jim
18 Sep: Central KY ARS Hamfest, Richmond, KY
ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio
- S. 1755 Reported from Committee
- Congratulations:
- Amateur Radio: An Emergency Communication Service?
- The GLD in Print
- Two GLD Sections have PRB-1 Bill in Legislatures
- Operating Courtesy
- ARISS going Strong
- First Waiver goes to Kentucky
- New Canadian Driving Laws Effect Visiting Hams
- Commercialization of Amateur Radio Webinar -- follow-up
- Mental Meanderings
- Tentative Schedule
+++ S. 1755 Reported from Committee +++
The US Senate version of The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
Enhancement Act of 2009 was reported by voice vote from the Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The next stop is the
Senate floor.
Stand by for information on how you can help move this bill forward
through the full Senate. S. 1755 and companion bill HR 2160 in the US
House are the first steps toward overcoming excessively-restrictive
codes, covenants and restrictions (CC&Rs)in real estate contracts.
These CC&Rs ban amateurs from erecting antennas in ever-increasing
numbers of private housing developments in the US.
HR 2160 still needs our support. Please write to your representative
in the US House of Representatives urging him to support this bill.
+++ Congratulations: +++
* To Chris Castle, KI4BOQ of West Van Lear, KY who was named to the
Kentucky All-State Choir for the third consecutive year. He is a
senior at Johnson Central High School and is the son of Ron Castle,
KI4NM. Great job, Chris.
* To Ken Massie, WN8F of Ironton, OH who received the Great Lakes
Division Director's Achievement Award for his long-time service to
Amateur Radio and the community in the southern Ohio area. Thanks to
Fred Jones, WA4SWF of Louisa, KY for making the presentation on my
behalf.
* To Kirk Swallow, W8QID of Cincinnati and John Meyers, NB4K of Butler,
KY for being accepted into the ARRL A-1 Operators Club. Each of these
became new members by being nominated by two existing members.
Information on the A-1 Operators Club.
+++ Amateur Radio: An Emergency Communication Service? +++
FCC's statement that Amateur Radio is not an emergency communication
service created furor among a number of amateurs. They heatedly insist
Amateur Radio is an emergency communication service. I understand what
they are saying, but I disagree with them. To call the great service
we love and enjoy an EmComm service short changes it. Ham radio is
much more than an EmComm service.
The basis and purpose of Amateur Radio as the FCC lists them in Part 97
are:
"97.1 Basis and purpose . . . fundamental purpose as expressed in the
following principles:
"(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to
the public as a voluntary, non-commercial communications service
particularly with respect in providing emergency communications.
"(b) Continuation and extension of the amateur's proven ability to
contribute to the advancement of the radio art.
"(c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur rules which provide
for advancing skills in both the communication and technical phases of
the art.
"(d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio
service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts.
"(e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability to
enhance international goodwill."
Section 97.1 identifies four purposes for Amateur Radio. Only one of
these relates to EmComm. By definition, Amateur Radio is more than an
EmComm service. Realizing this fact does not detract from ham radio as
an important provider of emergency communication support to the public.
It merely allows us to realize the broader value FCC places on our
service.
+++ The GLD in Print +++
December QST, p. 57: GLD member Richard Arnold, AF8X of Clinton
Township, MI is in print. His 2-page article describes moving from
using a straight key to semi-automatic and automatic keys to operate
CW.
Last month, I missed mentioning Matt Severin, K8MS of Traverse City, MI
who participated in the 2009 Teachers Institute Advanced Satellite
Workshop. Matt's picture is on p. 76 of the November QST. I also have
misplaced a reference to an article in a recent issue of QEX by another
GLD member. Sorry.
+++ Two GLD Sections have PRB-1 Bill in Legislatures +++
Both the Michigan and Ohio Sections have PRB-1 bills in their
respective state legislatures. The Michigan bill, Michigan HB 5556,
and the Ohio bill, Ohio HB 212, need member support. To learn how you
can help make Michigan and Ohio members of the growing group of states
to adopt PRB-1 legislation, please contact the PRB-1 committee
managers. These are PRB-1 Committee Project Manager Len Todd, N8AGS
(n8ags@arrl.net) and Ohio State Project Manager Steve Katz, N8WL
(n8wl@arrl.net).
The Michigan bill; the Ohio bill.
A companion bill to Ohio HB 212 will be introduced into the Ohio Senate
within a few days.
These bills are very passable. Work is needed to get this done. Over
50% of the states in the US have already passed similar bills. None of
these bills add costs to local or state budgets. They simply will put
the provisions of FCC PRB-1 into state law. Doing this will make it
much more apparent to local governments it is illegal summarily to ban
the amateur antenna structures or to exercise excessive control over
their height. Passing the state "PRB-1" bills will put existing
federal "law" into state law.
Please contact your Michigan and Ohio state legislators by mail, fax,
e-mail, telephone or in person to ask them to support these bills.
+++ Operating Courtesy +++
Our ability to drive on streets and highways in reasonable safety
depends on orderly driving practices by our fellow drivers and us. Our
ability to conduct day-to-day business depends largely on basic honesty
between other people and us. So too, our ability to operate and enjoy
Amateur Radio depends on mutual courtesy between our fellow amateurs
and us.
To exist in harmony with each other, we need to respect the needs and
rights of each other. When it comes to this, all that is needed it to
observe the Golden Rule -- Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you.
It is unfortunate that too many hams overlook the Golden Rule. Instead
they fail to observe good operating practices and FCC regulations when
operating. This occurs most noticeably, but not totally, during
contests and DX pileups.
I refer to the bad operating that occurs when in their eagerness to
compete, contesters or DXers thoughtlessly transmit on top of ongoing
QSOs. Equally bad is when a member of a scheduled net or QSO acts as
though the frequency belongs to them and barges into another QSO,
contest or DX pileup to claim the frequency by brute force. Either
situation represents poor operating practice -- and maybe a flagrant
rules violation.
There are gray areas associated with QRM. These gray areas often occur
as propagation shifts. As this shift occurs, distant,
previously-unheard stations may come into range . . . right on top of
an ongoing QSO or net.
When propagation shift results in QRM, which station is at fault?
Neither, probably. The situation is an act of the propagation gods.
Yet, much of the time we hear one or both stations complain ad nauseum
about the discourteous behavior of the other guy who suddenly started
to QRM. Never mind that the other guy may have been on frequency for
at least as long as the other operator.
A mature operating attitude is all that is needed to resolve
coincidental QRM such as this. Someone probably should QSY.
If you are a net control or net manager, the message is that the net
does not own a frequency; any frequency. Most NTS nets of which I am
aware understand this and act accordingly. Members of a few other nets
sometimes seem to be uneducated about this fact and often try to
capture "their" frequency by stomping all over (technical term) other
operators.
Courtesy is a free, readily-available commodity. It should be
exercised more frequently and more fully.
+++ ARISS going Strong +++
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program is
going strong. Updates about earth-ISS QSO scheds and other aspects of
the program are sufficiently plentiful to cause ARISS team mentor
Charlie Sulfana, AJ9N to send bulletins about the program on a weekly
or semi-weekly basis. Members who attended the Great Lakes Division
Symposium this past September will remember Charlie as one of the
presenters at this gathering.
Information on the ARISS program.
+++ First Waiver goes to Kentucky +++
The first waiver granted by FCC to allow employees to communicate via
Amateur Radio on behalf of their employers was issued to the Kentucky
Department of Communications Affairs, Robert L. Stephens, Emergency
Communications Supervisor. Bob is Amateur Radio licensee WA4CMO. The
waiver granted a single, 9-hour exception to Section 97.113 of the
Commission's rules.
As stated in part in the FCC letter of waiver,
"This letter grants your request . . . for a waiver to permit certain
Amateur Radio Service licensees who are employees of the Commonwealth
of Kentucky to transmit communications on behalf of their employer
during an upcoming government emergency drill."
The emergency drill for which the waiver was granted was a "major
Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Exercise."
A recent FCC Public Notice stated that waivers to 97.113 may be granted
only for individual government-sponsored drills and only following
submission of written requests that detail the drill and its
participants.
+++ New Canadian Driving Laws Effect Visiting Hams +++
In looking into the impact of the new Ontario law that requires
operation of mobile, two-way radios to be hands free, it was learned
that Quebec also has a law that impacts Amateur Radio. In Quebec,
driving while holding a hand-held device with a "telephone function" is
outlawed. This is true even though the telephone function is not being
used. There is no exemption for amateurs.
In Ontario, the new, hands-free law applies immediately to
non-residents. Ontario residents are granted a 3-year grace period
before the law is enforced. These new laws appear to be consistent
with Canadian-US treaty regarding Amateur Radio.
Finally, Manitoba has passed a hands-free law that is not yet in force.
Enforcement will begin only after detailed regulations have been
completed.
Thanks to Marsha Fleming, N8FE of Oak Park, MI for obtaining much of
this information from Richard Ferch, VE3KI of Ontario. Rich is Vice
President, Regulatory Affairs of the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC).
The RAC is the national organization for radio amateurs in Canada.
+++ Commercialization of Amateur Radio Webinar -- follow-up +++
The October webinar was great. ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD
and ARRL Regulatory Manager, Dan Henderson, N1ND discussed Section
97.113 of the FCC rules, including the recent Public Notice that
clarified this section. Several excellent questions were asked by
participants. Nearly 1000 joined in this online seminar.
Audio of the presentation can be downloaded at www.atldiv.org/training.
A CD that includes video is also available through the site. The cost
of the CD is only $5 plus $2.41 shipping to total $7.41.
Thanks to Atlantic Division Director Bill Edgar, N3LLR for hosting this
event and for opening it and other webinars to GLD members.
+++ Mental Meanderings +++
Two brief points --
Club Newsletters: I enjoy reading club newsletters. If your club is
sending me its newsletter by USPS, this is fine. However, if the
newsletter is also published online, please save money by e-mailing it
to me or notifying me where I can find it. If your newsletter is not
being sent to me, I will appreciate being added to your distribution
list.
Reprinting from Weaver's Words: Feel free to reprint from this
e-newsletter. The only requests are that the reprint remains faithful
to the context in which it was written and that Weaver's Words be cited
as the source. This request is to help ensure that personal statements
I make in it are not viewed as official ARRL Board policy.
Finally, I hope each of you and your families had a very nice
Thanksgiving. I wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah or any
other occasion you may observe.
+++ Tentative Schedule +++
Beginning with 2010, activities scheduled to be attended by a Division
representative will be listed on this schedule as soon as attending
them is set. In addition, all ARRL-sanctioned hamfests in the Division
will be listed three months in advance of their scheduled month.
1 Dec: Cincinnati FM Club Dinner - Jim
6 Dec: l'Anse Creuse ARC Hamfest, Mt. Clemens, MI
14 Dec: Director Teleconference - Jim
8 Jan: Dayton ARA presentation - Jim
11 Jan: Director Teleconference - Jim
14 Jan: A&F Committee, Newington, CT - Jim
15-16 Jan: Board of Directors, Windsor, CT - Gary, Jim
17 Jan: SMARS Hamfest, Marshall, MI
17 Jan: SCARF Hamfest, Nelsonville, OH
31 Jan: TUSCO Hamfest, Strasburg, OH
6 Feb: HARA Swap & Shop, Negaunee, MI
7 Feb: NOARS Winter Hamfest, Lorain, OH
11 Feb: SW Ohio DXA presentation - Jim
13 Feb: Cherryland Hamfest, Traverse City, MI
14 Feb: Midwinter Hamfest, Mansfield, OH - Jim
21 Feb: Livonia Swap n Shop, Livonia, MI
6 Mar: Mammoth Cave ARC, Cave City, KY - Jim
20 Mar: Michigan Crossroads Hamfest, Marshall, MI - Jim
20 Jun: Monroe Hamfest, Monroe, OH - Jim
11 Sep: Greater Louisville Hamfest, Shepherdsville, KY - Jim
If most of your active ARES members wear several hats, it can stretch a small volunteer group thin when an emergency occurs. This is true of most ARES (and other) organizations. But it can also be an advantage. More agencies can learn about you, there is built-in cross-training, and opportunities can open up that would not otherwise be available.
About noon on Friday, September 4, an autistic younger teenage girl disappeared from school. She had disappeared once before and had been found hiding in the school. This time an internal search turned up nothing. About 1430 a full search of the Radcliff, Kentucky, area was begun by several fire departments, a local K-9 group, and others.
At 1700 the American Red Cross was asked to provide support for the large number of searchers. Four volunteers in two ARC vehicles and one private pickup truck left for the Radcliff Fire Station 1, which was being used as the command post for the search.
Among the ARES volunteers were Dave VanderMolen, AI4VF, and Shelby Ennis, W8WN. After the first round of food had been provided for the searchers, a call came in on the Elizabethtown repeater from an additional K-9 crew that was coming in from a neighboring county. It was learned that most of the arriving crew were radio amateurs and that they would not have any communications with the CP except via their Amateur walkie-talkies. At this point VanderMolen and Ennis decided to set up an Amateur station at the fire department/CP.
VanderMolen had a collapsible 10-foot pole, two-meter ground plane, mobile rig and AC power supply in his truck, so it was quickly set up outside the fire station. While it worked well, it soon became evident that it would be inadequate. The visiting K-9 crew, now out in the field, could not communicate back to their head person at the CP. And surprisingly, even with the good ground plane, VanderMolen and Ennis also could not communicate reliably with the searchers. (Two other ARES members were out as heads of two of the SAR groups, but their communications were adequate).
Meanwhile, Lora Ennis, WD8LPN, had requested that several other operators from the area go on standby as it appeared that the search would continue all night. John Mahanna, KC4CQT, who lived only a few blocks from the fire station, had a 60-foot tower and good equipment plus experience, so he was asked to take over the relaying. This worked well, as he could copy all of the searchers.
About 2200 it was decided that the search would have to continue all night, and arrangements were made by the many groups and agencies to keep searching. But about an hour later one of the dogs picked up a good trail, and the young lady was quickly located in good condition.
Everything was secured. The Hardin County Amateur Radio Emergency Communications group had been very helpful, thanks to having two ARES members on the scene with the American Red Cross and having KC4CQT living nearby.
But this wasn't the end of the story. Only 24 hours later another young teenage girl in another area of the county ran away from home. The fire department in charge of the search (a different department) realized that they did not have any portable equipment with which to maintain adequate communications from the command post, which was set up in one of the county schools, so they immediately called AI4VF for assistance. As VanderMolen drove to the area about 0130 Sunday morning he put out a call on the local repeater and raised Leon Priest, N4TFK, who immediately went on standby to see what would be needed.
VanderMolen discovered that two public safety frequencies needed to be monitored, but needed appropriated equipment. Priest, however, reported equipment available in the Severns Valley Association's Southern Baptist Disaster Response trailer. (VanderMolen, Priest, and Ennis are also members of the SBDR, as well as ARES and ARC). Priest and VanderMolen soon had two radios and two antennas in operation. Later that night the girl returned home, and the local SAR groups were happy to get some rest.
Since then two of the area fire departments have asked ARES to be put on their official emergency response lists.
Weaver's Words - Happy 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009