In this issue:
-> REALLY HOT OFF THE
PRESSES
-> AFFILIATED CLUB
COORDINATOR REPORT
-> FROM THE SECTION
EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
-> FAR SCHOLARSHIP INVITES
APPLICATIONS
-> FROM THE PIC
-> 2015 ARRL OHIO SECTION
NEWSLETTER CONTEST RULES
-> FROM THE SECTION
TRAFFIC MANAGER
-> OUT AND ABOUT IN
SOUTHEAST OHIO
-> SOUTHWEST OHIO HAPPENINGS
-> FROM THE TECHNICAL
COORDINATOR
-> FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT
LIAISON
-> FROM THE EDUCATIONAL
OUTREACH ASM
-> FROM THE SCOUTING ASM
-> LET'S TALK
-> FROM THE OFFICIAL
OBSERVER COORDINATOR
-> FROM THE “SARGE” (W8SGT)
STATE OF OHIO EOC
-> SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS
IN OHIO
-> OHIO HAMFEST CALENDAR
****************************************************
REALLY HOT OFF THE PRESSES..
---------------------------------
Gary Wodtke Update:
From.. Nick Pittner, K8NAP - SGL
On March 11 the Ohio Supreme
Court issued an entry denying the request of the Village of Swanton to hear an
appeal from the order of the Sixth Appellate District dismissing the Village’s
appeal in the Gary Wodtke antenna case. As is normally the case, there was no
opinion with the order. But, the Court’s website contained a notation that only
one Justice, Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor would have supported the appeal.
The Supreme Court’s order
should end the long-running litigation between Mr. Wodtke, WW8N, and the
Village of Swanton concerning Mr. Wodtke’s request for a zoning variance to
permit him to erect a tower and antennas in his yard. The Village zoning
authority denied his variance request and he sued. After the signing of H.B.
158 into law, the Common Pleas Court issued judgment in Mr. Wodtke’s favor. The
Village appealed but the Court of Appeals determined that its appeal was
outside the permitted time limits and dismissed it. The Village then sought to
have the Ohio Supreme Court review that dismissal.
The March 11 order ends the
Village’s available appeals in that case and should result in the Common Pleas
Court’s order in Mr. Wodtke’s favor as being the final, deciding order in the
case. Ironically, the Village had sought to raise the issue of Home Rule
superiority addressed in this month’s Section Journal article in its appeal to
the Court of Appeal. Looks like that issue will have to await another case,
another time.
Congratulations to Gary
Wodtke from all of us in the Ohio Section.. We thank you!!
****************************************************
AFFILIATED CLUBS COORDINATOR
REPORT
--------------------------------------------------------------
By: John Myers, KD8MQ - ACC
Hi everyone,
Wow, what a difference a month
makes! The weather has warmed up, and the snow is disappearing! Spring’s almost
here, so it’s time to start planning for some club activities.
I was recently tuning around
on 40 meters, and happened upon K8PI, running a special event station for PI
day. K8PI is the club call for the Dial Radio Club. Some members had opened up
their shacks up to some fellow Hams who either don’t get on HF very often, or
are unable to from their home QTHs. It was a spur of the moment thing, and
voila, they had a club event. Sometimes that’s all it takes. In talking to Ed
(I didn’t get his home Callsign), I could tell he was excited about some of the
new things their club was doing.
While club meetings are a
necessary part of most clubs, I believe it’s the extra-curricular activities
that keep things interesting. The types of activities vary from club to club.
But, some events can interest a broad section of your membership. The upcoming
NVIS Antenna test that Ohio ARES is promoting is one such example. It can apply
to contest, and general interest clubs as well as clubs who are more Emcomm
related.
Most clubs seem to have a lot
of fun participating in ARRL Field Day. This is great. There are also some
other local contests here in Ohio which lend themselves well to that type of
operating; namely the Ohio QSO Party in August, and a couple weeks later the
Ohio State Parks on the Air Contest.
I’m not trying to make
everyone into contesters. The point is to get everyone out of the meeting room,
and into socializing while enjoying Ham Radio. Rent a pavilion at a park, or
invite folks over to your house, and operate from your shack, or your back
yard. Just remember that the most crucial gear for any portable Amateur Radio
operation are grills, coolers, and lawn chairs. A bonfire? Even better! So, now
you have the fixins for a class A Ham radio event. Those who want to operate
can operate. Those who want to socialize can socialize. There’s something for
everyone!
Last year, my home club held
a NAQP-RTTY picnic at my QTH. We cooked out, and socialized for most of the
evening. Those who wanted to try out a new mode gravitated to the shack, where
we were set up for the NAQP-RTTY contest. We only made a handful of QSOs, but
that only tells part of the story. It’s fair to say that everyone seemed to
have a great time socializing. Yes, spouses were invited, and encouraged to
attend.
I could also mention the
Highland ARA who holds a monthly Saturday Brunch at the Hillsboro McDonalds.
They aren’t the only ones. Canton ARA, Silvercreek ARA, the list goes on. They
all do a regular brunch.
That’s all it takes; thinking
outside the meeting room!
Looking at the latest numbers
from the affiliated clubs database has me encouraged. Back in December, we
began sending out monthly e-mails to clubs who were close to, or past due in
renewing their annual reports. The number of clubs who are current with the
league has gone from 49% in December, to 72% as of March 14th. This is just
awesome! Thank you to all who have responded by updating their club information
with the league.
We’ve seen a jump in special
Service Club renewals over the same period. Since the first of the year, we’ve
gone from 9 Special Service Clubs to 12. The number of Special Service Clubs in
arrears has dropped as well. Again, I’d like to thank all who have renewed, and
gotten current.
So, this means, I’ll stop
hammering you on this subject, right? Not on your life! There are advantages to
keeping up to date, and I don’t want to lose any clubs over what’s likely a
clerical issue. Again, if you have any questions, ask me. E-mail me at kd8mq1@gmail.com, or call me. My phone
number is on the ARRL-Ohio Website. If you do call, be prepared to leave a
message, and I’ll get back to you.
You’ve likely seen the
announcement that Amateur Radio in the US has hit a new High. We are now at
726,275 Hams as of the end of 2014. There were 33,000 new licenses issued last
year. Now the question is what are we doing to make them active club members?
Lastly, I’d like to
congratulate the Cuyahoga Falls ARC who just had their 75th anniversary of ARRL
affiliation on March 1st.
Let’s look at what some of
the clubs around Ohio are doing:
Dayton – Dayton ARA seems to
be in full Hamvention mode, planning for Amateur Radio’s biggest weekend. But,
their latest newsletter has pictures from their Santa Event a few months back.
Members of DARA brought Christmas a bit early to about a dozen kids at the Children’s
Medical Center in Dayton.
The Portsmouth RC is but one of many clubs sponsoring VE exams. They recently had one gentleman drive down from Wooster to pass his test.
Delaware ARES is raffling off
three Honda EU2000i Generators. More information can be had at www.delares.org/raffle/.
The West Central Ohio ARA
appears to be getting involved in Kit building, with WSPR Radio kit being
mentioned in their latest newsletter
From the Mt. Vernon ARC’s
latest newsletter, we learn that their technician class has just graduated 13
New Hams.
In the Portage County ARS
Newsmagazine”, we see that several hardy souls braved the sub-zero wind chills
during last month’s Freeze Your Acorns Off Special Event. Yours truly was
described as a lunatic for engaging in this event. I did not argue the point.
And finally, my Home club the
Alliance ARC raffled off a Yaesu HT at our last meeting. Field Day planning has
begun, as well as several “extra-curricular” activities over the warmer months
of the year.
And that’s all I have for
this month. Remember to “Think Outside Of The Meeting Room”!
Till next time, 73 DE KD8MQ
****************************************************
FROM THE SECTION EMERGENCY
COORDINATOR
----------------------------------------------------------------------
By Stan Broadway, N8BHL
It’s All About Relationships
Amateur Radio has always been
able to claim credit as the first “Social Media”. In addition to actually
developing and building our radio gear, the early radio hobby afforded the
chance to actually have a conversation with people, and get to know new friends
anywhere in the world the Ionosphere would allow. Radio sport has changed over
the years- precious few still build their gear, and today’s commercially
available ham rigs (or radioputers) don’t offer much of a chance to dig in and
make our own repairs. But some things remain. On the air, there are still
plenty of opportunities to actually get to know someone. Back in the 80’s, I
always favored RTTY because most contacts were great conversations, with humor
and a friendship that the brotherhood of radio promoted. These days, while I
hear plenty of obviously long-term friendships on other modes, the computer
PSK31 modes can offer a chance to just sit and chat with someone. And that’s
the thing- it’s what makes our hobby special.
Carry that over to our club
meetings. Radio clubs are great social opportunities! I have been blessed to be
a part of one of the great clubs, DELARA, which has a wide variety of expertise
and interests. But at the core is a relaxed, satisfying sense of friendship. It
is a pleasure just to enjoy their company! I talk often about that sense that
you get walking into a fire station, where that crew has been on duty together
for years- through enough nerve-rattling, life-shattering events that they know
each other well, and would do whatever it takes to help their brother
firefighter. I believe there should also be that same sense of brotherhood in
our local ARES organizations. I have seen many ARES groups over this past year
and most have that same sense of confident, trusting “family”.
We need to recognize our
‘Primary Directive’ – to serve our neighbors with communication whenever we’re
called. And we need to recognize what makes us capable of carrying that out –
frequent, high-caliber training and practice. The days of “Call me if you need me”
are GONE! But we also need to appreciate what should develop as we carry out
that mission- a great sense of ‘family’ and confidence in our fellow ARES-ers
because we realize we’re all in this together. Make it a point to enjoy the
people you work with, and keep your focus on both the mission, and the people
who carry it out!
And the Relationships
Continue
One of the EC’s primary
duties is to cultivate working relationship, even friendships, with the
Directors of the agencies we serve. Pro-active representative of ham radio, and
the willingness to go beyond just operating radios all go toward putting ham
radio at their service as technical advisors. We’re doing it right when the
Sheriff asks some of the ham techs’ advice on refurbishing a comm vehicle. That
type of relationship is great for all concerned, especially our neighbors and
residents of the county!
Time to Get to Work!
I did notice a high
percentage of counties who skipped any activity this past month – no net, no
meeting. I completely understand taking a bitter cold, snowy meeting off. But a
terrible thing happens when we don’t continue to train- and you can guess what
that encompasses. I always struggled to find something for a net that involves
discussion and group participation. Those nets are especially good just to make
contact with each other, get used to how we all operate, even if they’re short.
But meeting nights—now, there’s where the [insert common saying, “rubber/road”,
paydirt, etc here]. Training does NOT have to be limited to the latest
rendition of “how to operate a radio net” (although that’s a good topic.)
Consider the agencies with
whom you partner, and take your ARES group through their procedures! The whole
idea is this: if we understand how the EOC operates, we’re better able to serve
them in doing our communications part. If we understand the methodology behind
SAR (search and rescue), we can be of much more help if we’re tasked with
assisting a search or comms for a SAR team. You get the idea. But this ability
and skill won’t just happen because we happen to think about it- we need to
hold training and get down into the operation.
Some ideas:
Net operating (structure and
construction)
WebEOC
fldigi
Red Cross shelter operation
CPR
Missing person searches
SAR operations
SAR building marking
Mass Casualty triage
Flood tabletop
Winter storm tabletop
Ice Storm tabletop
Disaster operations
How the dispatch center
operates
Training in operating
MARCS/800 system radios
I’m sure in your area you can
add some more topics that pertain to you. Most agencies will be happy to
provide training for you. But every ARES member can help make it happen!
Here’s How You Do it!
As an example, I just
received this report from Dave, KD8NZF, who was principal in organizing a
long-term power outage tabletop. I couldn’t be more pleased!
We held the tabletop last
Saturday morning and despite the horrible weather in our area, had 25 hardy
souls join us. I think I mentioned we are a younger group, starting our third
year. It has been interesting to watch changes in who is attending our events,
even over this short period. Initially we primarily saw established hams
attending, but recently things have been changing. For this event, roughly half
those attending had never been to an ARES workshop and were new to Ham Radio. Additionally
they were coming more from a preparedness background in general. One part of
the group was a prepper club, two other parts were faith based groups active in
emergency response. We have had a noticeable uptick in interest from the faith
based groups starting last year. Just curious if you are seeing a similar
trend?
Anyway, the event went very
well, and was also attended by the manager of the Trumbull 911 center. During
the discussion he even commented that this was making him think about his own
operation. Stands for itself as a great example of what to do on a cold
winter’s day! Nice work!
Welcome A New DEC
We’re getting down to it for
the April 11 All-Ohio ARES Conference! Don’t wait to go to the website and
register! We can’t afford to exceed the room limitations- after all, this is
the Fire Marshall’s own building! We’re looking forward to seeing you all
there! And, I hope you’re working on the
NVIS antenna plans for April 25!
I would like to formally
introduce our new DEC for District 5. Then again, you in that area don’t need
an introduction to former Summit County EC Dennis Conklin, AI8P. Dennis has big
shoes to fill from the retiring Jim Aylward, but Dennis has hit the ground
running already! He, too, has some very creditable emergency chops, so you all
are in very good hands, indeed! This is going to be fun!
Hold on, friends! Spring is
just around the corner…if it hasn’t been swept to the ditches by a snowplow.
Thank you for everything you
do!
73, Stan, N8BHL
****************************************************
FAR SCHOLARSHIP INVITES
APPLICATIONS
------------------------------------------------------------
The non-profit Foundation for
Amateur Radio (FAR) invites applications for the Amateur Radio-related
scholarships it administers. These academic awards are sponsored by individuals
and by Amateur Radio clubs across the US. The FAR scholarship application
process is open to Amateur Radio licensees worldwide. For 2015 FAR is administering
67 scholarships worth an aggregate $125,500. The list includes 36 Quarter
Century Wireless Association scholarships worth a total of $77,000 for 2015
(these require a recommendation from a QCWA member). Individual awards range
from $500 to $5000. Applications are due by March 30, 2015.
The preferred method to apply
is to enter the required information into the electronic form on the FAR
website. Information entered on the form goes directly into an encrypted,
password-protected PDF file that is available only to the review committee. Raw
data are not stored online. Applicants will have an opportunity to print their
applications and to edit them.
The application cannot be
downloaded and completed, however. Applicants who are unable or unwilling to use
the online application should contact Dave Prestel, W8AJR. FAR may be able to
provide an alternate form of the application.
Official or unofficial
transcripts may be submitted but are not required; it is preferred that these
documents be scanned into PDF files, if they are to be submitted via e-mail.
Schools that prefer to mail paper copies should send them to FAR Scholarships,
PO Box 911, Columbia, MD 21044.
Visit the FAR Scholarship
Information page or contact FAR, if you have questions about the 2015
scholarship application process.
****************************************************
FROM THE PIC
--------------------
By John Ross, KD8IDJ
The Pamphlet factor...a
couple of weeks ago I received a copy of the Canton Amateur Radio Club's W8AL
pamphlet...and I was blown away! The pictures below don't really do it justice,
but it's a great piece of work.
I've created a lot pamphlets
and brochures...talked to a lot of groups about the importance of
promotion...and this pamphlet meets all the criteria of something special. Each
club has their own way of communicating with potential new members, current
members and the media...all are unique and successful in their own right. The
Canton Clubs' pamphlet is well written with clear information that would appeal
to new hams and even current hams thinking of "getting back in the
action!"
Dennis Moriarty, K8AGB, is
the Club's PIO and he routinely mails 10-40 of the pamphlets every month. He
also includes a one page list of current and upcoming activities that might be
of interest. Club member Scott Duncan, KK8D, owns a printing business so the
club's pamphlet is printed on good stock and in several colors. But any club
can be capable of turning out a great looking pamphlet. Ask your members for
help, for contacts and for references. I'll bet it's easier than you think to
turn out a pamphlet that has the WOW factor. And, the best thing you all have
in your favor...Amateur Radio...it's a great and growing hobby! Congratulations
to the Canton Amateur Radio Club...ask them to send you a copy!!!
Show Us Your Shack...speaking
of Dennis Moriarty K8AGB, here's a beautiful picture of his recently renovated
ham shack.
On the bottom shelf of an old
book case: Hallicrafters SX24, just like the first factory made shortwave
receiver he purchased at the age of 15 in 1956 for $65. He used the SX24 during
his Novice years and as tunable IF for 6 & 2 meter converters during his
Technician years. The SXS24 is currently being restored. Next is a pre-owned
Kenwood TS-480 SAT with a MFJ 969 tuner connected to a G5RV wire antenna. The
TS-480 is also connected to a "GAP" Challenger 31ft elevated feed
vertical.
On the middle shelf: RCI 5054
DX all mode 6 meter connected to another MFJ 969 tuner for a 6 meter Ringo
Ranger fastened to the house chimney. Then there is a 12 DC power supply and a
Radio Shack HTX-100 10 meter sideband radio...also connected to a MFJ 969 and
tuner and a 10 meter Ground Plane Vertical.
On the third shelf, in
between the two MFJ tuners is an ICOM IC-2720 2 meter and 440MHZ connected to a
two-band gain mobile mag antenna mount stuck on the chimney bird screen!
Also you might notice the AC
line voltage meter as well as a DC voltmeter. This feeds the Kenwood TS-480,
ICOM-2720, RCI 5054 and the Radio Shack HTX-100...all powered by a 12 volt
sealed battery under the operating table. That battery is charged by a unit
from Harbor Freight!
Finally, the BIRD Wattmeter
is feeding the GAP 31ft vertical; two handheld units are normally scanning the
local area simplex and repeater frequencies; on top of the bookcase is a
Bearcat high band scanner for local Railroad traffic and a weather radio.
Great job Dennis...remember
everyone to send me a picture of your shack with a brief history and
description.
Newsletter contest...3 months
to go! WOW...the first three months of this year have gone by already...and now
only three months until the June deadline for this year's Newsletter Contest
entries. Keep them coming. I read them all and I know the judges will have a
tough time picking the winners!!
PIO's ON THE AIR...by the
time you read this I hope to have a plan for a monthly PIO net! We have great
talent among the PIO ranks here in Ohio and I can't think of a better way to
share our knowledge and experience than use the medium we promote every
day...Amateur Radio!
73, John, KD8IDJ
****************************************************
2015 ARRL OHIO SECTION
NEWSLETTER CONTEST RULES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here the rules for the 2015
entries:
A.) An eligible newsletter
must be regularly published at least four (4) times per year by an Ohio Amateur
Radio organization. The Ohio Section Journal and the newsletter for any club
that the current PIC is affiliated with are not eligible.
B.) Each organization
submitting a newsletter for the contest must enter at least two (2) issues
starting with January 2015 for judging. All Amateur organizations that have
regularly been sending newsletters to the Ohio PIC are automatically entered
(as long as these publications qualify under rule A, or C if applicable).
Unless you are automatically entered, the deadline for entries is Tuesday, June
30, 2015, and all entries must be in the hands of the Ohio PIC by that date.
C.) Electronic (Web based)
produced newsletters may also enter. Non-amateurs, in the Public Relations
industry will do the judging. They will be judging on style (15%), content
(35%), service to membership (35%), and clarity of presentation (15%). Style
means newsletter design of all pages. Content means amount of useful
information contained in the newsletter. Service to members means amount of information
using individual members' names. Clarity of presentation means readability of
the newsletter including accuracy of English grammar.
D.) No entries can be
returned and all decisions of the judges on content and eligibility are final.
The Ohio PIC only serves to certify entries, to provide the judges with
entries, and to announce their decisions only.
E.) The decision of the
judges is final.
Like last year we are keeping
our Honorable Mention categories. It allows the judges to award special and unique
efforts.
****************************************************
FROM THE SECTION TRAFFIC
MANAGER
---------------------------------------------------------
By: David Maynard, WA3EZN -
STM
I have decided to once again
review the necessary steps to severe weather survival. The Spring Severe
Weather Awareness Week and the Ohio Statewide Tornado Drill was held this
Month. I am going to quote (copy) some information form this website http://www.weathersafety.ohio.gov/TornadoFacts.aspx
since I cannot do as good a job as this website has done, thank you State of
Ohio.
If you need more information
just Google Tornado and you can also be overwhelmed with the information
available, the stories being told and the pictures of the total destruction of
businesses, homes and communities. Final Words: PREPARE NOW!!
Useful links:
>>Tornado Facts..
As the severe weather season
approaches, take some time during Severe Weather Safety Awareness Week to make
a safety plan for your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Planning
ahead will lower the chance of injury or death in the event severe weather
strikes.
Tornadoes develop from severe
thunderstorms. They are usually preceded by very heavy rain and/or large hail.
A thunderstorm accompanied by hail indicates that the storm has large amounts
of energy and may be severe. In general, the larger the hailstones, the more
potential there is for damaging winds and/or tornadoes.
The most violent tornadoes
are capable of tremendous destruction with wind speeds of 250 mph or more.
Damage paths have exceeded the width of one mile and 50 miles long. Tornadoes
generally move from southwest to northeast, but have also been recorded
traveling in any direction. The forward speed of a tornado varies from 30 mph
to 70 mph.
Peak tornado season in Ohio
is generally April through July, and they usually occur between 2 p.m. and 10
p.m. Last year, though, an EF1 tornado occurred in Fairfield County at 6 in the
morning - which proves that tornadoes can happen at any time, during any
season.
>>Fujita Tornado Damage
Scale - By Category
The Enhanced Fujita Scale is
a set of wind estimates (not measurements) based on damage. It uses
three-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a judgment of eight
levels of damage.
Enhanced Fujita Scale
OPERATIONAL EF SCALE
EF # = 3-Second Gust (MPH)
0 = 65-85
1 = 86-110
2 = 111-135
3 = 136-165
4 = 166-200
5 = Over 200
NOTE: Prior to February 1st,
2007, tornadoes were rated according to the “F” (Fujita) scale rather than the
newer “EF” (Enhanced Fujita Scale). Click on the Storm Prediction website http://www.spc.noaa.gov/efscale/ for
additional information regarding the “F” and “EF” scales.
> Tornado Safety Tips
whether practicing in a
tornado drill or sheltering during a warning, the Ohio Committee for Severe
Weather Awareness encourages Ohioans to DUCK!
D - Go DOWN to the lowest
level
U - Get UNDER something
C - COVER your head
K - KEEP in shelter until the
storm has passed
* Take responsibility for
your safety and be prepared before a watch or warning is issued. Meet with
household members to develop a disaster plan to respond to tornado watches and
warnings. Conduct regular tornado drills. When a tornado watch is issued,
review your plan – don't wait for the watch to become a warning. Learn how to
turn off the water, gas and electricity at the main switches or valves.
* Despite Doppler radar,
tornadoes can sometimes occur without any warning, allowing very little time to
act. It is important to know the basics of tornado safety. Know the difference
between tornado watches and tornado warnings.
* Tune in to one of the
following for weather information: NOAA Weather Radio, local cable or
television (Ohio News Network or the Weather Channel), or local radio stations.
* If you are a person with
special needs, register your name and address with your local emergency
management agency, police and fire departments before any natural or man-made
disaster.
* NOAA Weather Radio has
available an alerting tool for people who are deaf or have hearing impairments.
Some weather radio receivers can be connected to an existing home security
system, much the same as a doorbell, smoke detector or other sensor. For additional
information, visit: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/info/special_needs.html
* The safest place to be
during a tornado is a basement. If the building has no basement or cellar, go
to a small room (a bathroom or closet) on the lowest level of the structure,
away from windows and as close to the center of the building as possible.
* Be aware of emergency
shelter plans in stores, offices and schools. If no specific shelter has been
identified, move to the building's lowest level. Try to avoid areas with large
glass windows, large rooms and wide-span roofs such as auditoriums, cafeterias,
large hallways or shopping malls.
* If you're outside or in
mobile home, find shelter immediately by going to the lowest level of a nearby
sturdy building. Sturdy buildings are the safest structures to be in when
tornadoes threaten. Winds from tornadoes can blow large objects, including cars
and mobile homes, hundreds of feet away.
* If as a last resort you
cannot quickly get to a shelter, get into your vehicle, buckle your seatbelt
and try to drive to the nearest sturdy shelter.
* If you experience flying
debris while driving, pull over and park. If you choose to stay in your
vehicle, stay buckled up, duck down below the windows and cover your head with
your hands, or find a depression or ditch, exit your vehicle and use your arms
and hands to protect your head. Never seek shelter under highway overpasses and
bridges.
Tornado Loss Prevention Tips
The following steps are
suggestions that homeowners should take before a tornado or other natural
disaster occurs to assure speedy and hassle-free recovery. The Insurance
Information Institute has a web tool that makes conducting a home inventory a
breeze. Now you can catalog your possessions online, room by room. Once
completed, you can add items and photos to a thumb drive for easy access.
Maintaining a comprehensive inventory will come in handy, should you need to
file a claim or reevaluate the amount of insurance you carry. It's good for
renters, too. Visit http://www.knowyourstuff.org
to get started.
> Home Coverage and
Preparedness Tips
* Tornado losses are most
often covered by the "windstorm peril" under the homeowner's
insurance policy.
* Check with your homeowner
insurance agency to assure adequate coverage is provided by the policy. Notify
the insurance agency of any additions or improvements to the home.
* Consider purchasing the
replacement cost coverage endorsement for the home and its contents. It would
give the option to rebuild or replace damaged property at current costs rather
than depreciated values.
* If you experience a
storm-related loss to your home that is covered by your insurance, notify your
insurer in a timely manner, as required by your policy.
* Home Inventories Assist in
Settling Claims
* Videotape, photograph or
compile a written inventory of your home and belongings.
* Keep the inventory off
premises in a bank safe deposit box. The inventory will provide a record for
you and the insurance company, should a loss occur.
* Update your inventory every
time you move or every two to three years.
> Written Inventory Tips
* Go through each room of the
home and list every item. Include the purchase date, price and model numbers.
* Include professional,
written appraisals of antiques, jewelry and other costly possessions.
Visit http://www.ohioinsurance.org/renters_insurance/images/inventory.pdf
to download a sample of a personal property inventory form.
> Video or Photo Inventory
Tips
* Pan the camera around the
room to capture all items. Obtain close-ups of expensive items such as jewelry,
china and furs.
* Consider grouping items for
easier inventory.
* Narrate the video by noting
purchase costs and dates. Include model and serial numbers for appliances and
electronic devices.
> Auto Coverage and
Preparedness Tips
* If there is threatening
weather, shelter vehicles to prevent damage from winds, flying debris and hail.
* Vehicles are protected
under the "other than collision" (comprehensive) portion of an auto
insurance policy, if damaged by windstorms or hail.
> After the Loss -
Insurance Tips
* Photograph any damage and
inventory losses. Photos will assist when settling claims.
* Secure property from
further damage or theft and save related receipts, since many insurers will
reimburse for these expenses.
*If required to seek
temporary housing due to a covered loss such as a tornado, check your policy
for "loss of use" coverage. Many policies cover such expenses up to a
stated amount.
What about your family? Here
are some items you can do now to be prepared in the future.
Sit down with your family
members and decide how you will get in contact with each other in an emergency.
Once you figure this out,
document the contact information on both a master sheet and on wallet sized
cards to be carried by all family members. This document will become your
“Family Communication Plan” and it will form the cornerstone of your family
emergency plan. It will list all family members, their date of birth, and other
important information. Include a photo for each person as well as any important
medical information. Also include a contact number for an out of town contact
person.
Determine a meeting place
where you will meet in the event you cannot get home. This may be your
workplace, the home of a parent or relative, your church or even at a school if
there are children involved. Whatever you decide, you will need at least three
possible locations.
Determine the best evacuation
routes from your home or workplace to the safe meeting places. Then take the
route and make sure it is accurate and that you understand the directions.
Prepare a list of all
workplaces along with the address, telephone number, and closest evacuation
location in the event getting to the pre-designated meeting place is not
possible. Also prepare a list of all
schools that are attended by your children along with the address, contact
names, and telephone numbers. Contact the schools now to learn about their own
emergency evaluation policies and procedures.
Prepare a list of your
doctors and your veterinarian along with their telephone numbers. Include a
list of medical conditions and prescription medications that are being taken.
Prepare a list of your
insurance policies, including the carrier, the telephone number for claims, and
the policy number itself. Include health insurance, homeowners or rental
insurance, life insurance policies.
Be aware, however, that phone
lines and cell service may not be functional following a catastrophic disaster.
Although a valuable tool, do not count on your phone to be the sole mode of
communication following a disaster. If you text, you might want to consider a
“texting tree”. Texting is usually available even when cell service is down.
Store all of the information
you have carefully compiled in multiple locations. For example in a
preparedness binder, On a flash drive that you carry with you, In your desk
drawer at work or in an email attachment sent to yourself at one of the email
services that you use.
73 for now, David, WA3EZN
****************************************************
OUT AND ABOUT IN SOUTHEAST
OHIO
------------------------------------------------------
By: Lyn Alfman, N8IMW - Assistant
Section Manager (SE)
February was a hard month for
me to get around because of all the snow since I live out in the countryside
where they do not maintain the roads very well. Ergo, I missed the Mansfield
hamfest. Let’s hope spring is on its way.
A Scout leader friend, Matt
Murphy, KB8BEW, had put a mutual amateur friend of ours in for an ARRL award,
which he was to receive as a surprise in Zanesville on February 21, but again I
was unable to get there because of the weather. However, Section Manager Scott
Yonally, N8SY, managed to get there to present Billie Dickson, WB8TRK, with the
first award for ARRL Amateur Service to Scouting in the Ohio Section and the
Great Lakes District and ninth nationwide. But little did Matt know that he had
also been put in for the same award. So, Matt Murphy received the second award
in Ohio and the Great Lakes and tenth nationally. Boy was Matt surprised!
Congratulations to Billie and Matt! You received well-deserved awards. Also,
thanks to Matt Murphy and Scott Yonally for capturing the event in video and
photos, so I and others could “be there” for the big moment. I’m proud of my friends and club mates.
I attended the Cambridge
Amateur Radio Association, the Muskingum Valley Ham Radio Club, the Zanesville
Amateur Radio Club, and the Muskingum County ARES meeting. The Guernsey County
ARES meeting, also scheduled for February 21, was cancelled due to the weather.
I also participated in two amateur radio exam sessions. But, unfortunately, I
will be unable to attend the Mid-Ohio Valley ARC and the Jackson County ARC
Hamfests, due to a scheduling conflict. Hopefully, they will be successful
events!
I’ve been promoting the 3-day
Homeland Security AUXCOMM course, which you can sign up for on the Dayton
Hamvention website. There is room for only 50 qualified students. See the
website for prerequisites. I took the course in the fall of 2012 at the Ohio
EMA. There were twenty-two students and two instructors. Sonny Alfman, W8FHF,
District 9 DEC; Guernsey County AEC Larry Dukes, KD8QYV; and former SEC Matt
Welsh, W8DEC, were also in that class. I recommend it to all ARES members,
especially the leadership.
With the onset of spring,
hamfests seem to appear like flowers on a warm, sunny day. Here are a few
coming up in SEO: Mid-Ohio Valley ARC—March 28, Gallipolis; Portsmouth RC—April
4, Portsmouth; Jackson County ARC—April 25, Jackson; and Athens County
ARA—April 26, Athens.
I’m looking forward to the
ARES Conference at the State Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg on April 11. If you
plan to attend, you need to register now on the Ohio Section web site: www.arrl-ohio.org.
73, Lyn, N8IMW
****************************************************
SOUTHWEST OHIO HAPPENINGS
---------------------------------------------
From: Kitty Hevener, W8TDA -
Assistant Section Manager (SW)
Congratulations to OH-KY-IN
member, Robert Gully, AK3Q, for taking first place in the 2014 ARRL
International DX contest Kentucky section single operator low power Phone
class. He scored 67,710 points. Robert commented that he never dreamed he would
win anything because his station is so modest. He hopes his success will be the
encouragement others need to try contesting.
OH-KY-IN is currently
offering technician and general license classes. The classes began on March 16th
and will run through April 13th. For more information, visit www.ohkyin.org
University of Cincinnati’s
Amateur Radio Club (UCARC) president Andy, ND8D, reports that the University
Funding Board approved a budget of $500 to purchase a Yaesu DR-1X System Fusion
repeater through Yaesu’s Installation and Upgrade program. The system fusion
repeater will replace the UCARC’s Icom RP-1520 repeater and remain on 147.06
MHz UCARC recently started a net which meets the first and third Thursdays of
the month on the 147.06 repeater. The goal of this net is to encourage club
members to interact with the Cincinnati amateur radio community. Members of the
UCARC are encouraged to rotate the net-control duty to become familiar with net
structure.
The dial Radio Club, K8PI,
held its inaugural celebration of international PI Day on 3.14.15. There was no
calorie counting for this “PI”! The primary mode of operation was SSB and
occurred on 3.14. For information about obtaining a commemorative QSL card,
visit http://www.qrz.com/db/k8pi
THE HAM BEHIND THE CALL SIGN
I hope this new human
interest feature will help you get to know your fellow hams and the unique
talents they bring to our hobby.
At age 9, Jason (KD8ZYR) is
perhaps the youngest ham in the greater Cincinnati area. He earned his
technician license in November 2014 and is already working on his general. Jason
“JJ” credits his father, Jason, (KD8YMD) for introducing him to our hobby. Jason
commented that given his son’s interest in science and technology, ham radio
just seemed like a natural fit.
Jason is especially
interested in ham radio in space. He also enjoys using Echolink to talk with
fellow YACHT members. According to its website, this group exists to “expand
the horizons in the field of contesting along with general and advanced ham
radio techniques, and to foster a greater appreciation of the role they play in
the overall hobby of amateur radio, as well as giving kids a challenge and
enjoyment.” For more information visit www.qrz.com/db/KG8CX
73, Kitty, W8TDA
****************************************************
NOTES FROM THE TECHNICAL
COORDINATOR
----------------------------------------------------------------
By: Jim Yoder W8ERW - TC
Last month I addressed our
concerns with the recently policy change at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
that now requires us to provide proof of our FCC Amateur License each time we
renew our special Amateur Radio license plates. With the Help of State
Government Liaison Nick Pittner K8NAP, we (Nick and I) will be coordinating our
effort to respond to this unfortunate change in policy. I would like to solicit
your help as well in documenting any hardships this has caused including
additional costs, trips to a Deputy Registrar office out of town and postage,
fees that were incurred to complete your vehicle registration and keep those
Amateur Radio special plates.
I will also be talking to my
State Representative to begin exploring a legislative means to eliminate this
hardship for all Hams in Ohio who proudly display their Call Sign on their
vehicle license plates. BMV has indicated the only viable solution for us is to
pursue a legislative change to the Ohio Revised Code that incorporates our
situation. This also affects others who have special plates that require proof
of the association represented by their plates. I doubt that we will be alone
in seeking some correction and I do feel that our situation is unique and in
need of a solution that protects our interests and the integrity of the special
plate program. What we have now does neither including the intent of the law.
I ask that you email me w8erw@arrl.net, with your information on how
this change has caused you additional expense and inconvenience. I will use the
information to demonstrate the need to secure a legislative change to the
current process. The more weight we can add to our cause, the better our
position will be with the legislature.
You have read my efforts here
in the OSJ several times to recruit Amateur Radio talent to add to our list of
Technical Specialists. I'm still looking to add members to our team. In order
for all of us to remain relevant it is especially important that we have a
group who is fluent in the many new technologies that are both here now and
emerging in our hobby. The digital modes are increasing in popularity and one
day soon we will surely see wide acceptance of digital voice on our HF bands. We
must be ready to address this challenge and have individuals who possess the
necessary experience and skills to assist fellow Amateurs in the Ohio Section.
Technical Specialists are
those fellow Hams who have volunteered to be a resource in the Section by both
assisting other Hams and providing that expertise to club meetings etc. To be
sure, there is a learning curve for all of us and although you may not feel
that you are the go to person just yet, your help in pushing this information
out to the masses is still needed. We
are all learning and as we continue, that is never likely to end. If you enjoy
talking to people and enjoy giving back to our hobby, you do possess the basic
skills to become a Technical Specialist. The ARRL web site has a lot of
information available on the role of a Technical Specialist as well as the many
other station level appointments available to those wishing to serve at the
Section level. Here is a direct link to the page: http://www.arrl.org/technical-specialist
We also have a new
appointment to announce. Jason Bowman WG8B from Bellbrook has joined the team
and will be assisting with putting together some documentation on the digital
modes. OHDEN manager Gary Hollenbaugh N8JBB will be working with Jason to get
started on this much needed project. Jason's background and experience in
writing documentation will be much appreciated. Our neighbors in the Michigan
Section are also currently working on a similar initiative. We will be looking
to partner with them and perhaps expand this effort to include Kentucky and
make this a Great Lakes Division project.
So, once again, I ask if you
are interested in serving as a Technical Specialist and you have some
experience in either putting together good documentation and/or presentations
to assist in providing training to fellow Amateurs, we would like to hear from
you.
Section Emergency Coordinator
Stan Broadway N8BHL perhaps put it best. Amateur Radio should be fun. Although
we serve the public in many ways through ARES and other means, we do so with a
sense of balance. Family responsibilities and those to our employers cannot and
should not be ignored in favor of our Amateur Radio interests. There are others
as well that we must allocate our time to that are important to maintain our
sense of balance. This too applies to our volunteer activities including
appointments within the Section and even higher. We all give what we can and
pursue a direction that provides for this balance. We are all better Hams when
we do so. Amateur Radio is fun and as we volunteer that should remain a worthy
objective.
Your Ohio Section leadership
will be visible at many of the upcoming Hamfests. Stop by and say hello. We are
interested in hearing from you and always invite your comments and suggestions.
As a part of the ARRL Field Organization, our mission is to support you and
represent your interests.
Earlier last year, ARRL
invited comments relative to possible changes to the HF band plan with respect
to the digital modes and CW. The March edition of QST will contain a summary of
proposed changes. Amateurs are asked to look over the proposal and are invited
to take part in a survey that will seek additional input into the proposed
recommendations. Here is your chance to be a part of any changes that will
ultimately be made to the band plan(s).
Thanks and I look forward to
seeing and talking to many of you throughout the year,
73, Jim, W8ERW
****************************************************
FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT
LIAISON
-----------------------------------------------------------
By: Nick Pittner, K8NAP - SGL
(Ed. Note.. this article was
written prior to the outcome of the Gary Wodtke court case was finalized..)
Recent Developments May
Affect Your Antenna Rights
We’re going to take a short
detour this month from the anticipated discussion about the Ohio antenna law
and discuss instead, a recent Ohio Supreme Court decision that may have an
impact on how the new antenna law will be applied. The case, State ex rel.
Morrison v. Beck Energy Corp., Slip Opinion No. 2015-Ohio-485, was decided on
Feb. 17, 2015. Also, the case has absolutely nothing to do with antennas. It
deals with fracking and, in particular, the right of cities to regulate
fracking through the use of zoning ordinances. So, you’re saying “what does
that have to do with amateur radio?” Well maybe quite a lot, and here’s why.
Ohio has a provision in the
State Constitution called the “Home Rule” provision for cities and villages. The
Home Rule Amendment to the Ohio Constitution, Article XVIII, Section 3 states,
“Municipalities shall have authority to exercise all powers of local
self-government and to adopt and enforce within their limits such local police,
sanitary and other similar regulations, as are not in conflict with general
laws.” The exact extent to which this provision empowers cities to enact local
laws that conflict with state law has been an ongoing subject of judicial
review for many years and was the focus of the Morrison decision.
Morrison involved Beck
Energy, a drilling company that wanted to frack within the city limits of
Munroe Falls. Beck had completed an exhaustive approval process to obtain
authorization by the State of Ohio to conduct its drilling operation and had
received that approval. However, the city of Munroe Falls had a separate
approval process as part of its zoning code, and drilling was prohibited until
that process was completed and zoning approval received.
Beck began drilling based on
its state approval and without having gone through the Munroe Falls zoning
process. The city sought an injunction in the Common Pleas Court to stop Beck
from drilling. Beck opposed the injunction on the grounds that its state permit
was all that was necessary and that the state regulatory scheme for fracking
preempted the city’s right to regulate fracking. Nonetheless, the common pleas
court granted the injunction. However, the court of appeals reversed, and the
case was accepted for review by the Ohio Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court held that
the city lacked the authority to regulate fracking in this case because the
statewide interest and the state law governing the approval took precedence
over the city’s Home Rule powers. The Court affirmed that the Home Rule
amendment granted cities the “broadest possible” powers, but only in matters
that were strictly local and not impinge upon matters of statewide interest. The
Court applied a three-part test to determine when a local ordinance must yield
to state law: “[a] municipal ordinance must yield to a state statute if (1) the
ordinance is an exercise of the police power, rather than of local
self-government, (2) the statute is a general law, and (3) the ordinance is in
conflict with the statute.” Citation omitted.
The city argued that the
State fracking law was not a “general law” because it could only be applied in
those areas of the state where fracking could take place, and those were
limited to areas in the eastern and southern parts of the state. The court,
however, made short work of that argument, holding that all that is required is
uniformity of rule, rather than uniformity of application and the state’s
fracking regulation was a uniform law throughout the state.
Now, to what this means for
us. You may recall that the Ohio Municipal League opposed the passage of H.B.
158 on the grounds that it interfered with the Home Rule powers of cities. Further,
the Village of Swanton has offered up the same argument in Wodtke v. Village of
Swanton (still pending for decision in the Ohio Supreme Court). This decision
clearly articulates the right of the state, by statute, to supersede local
zoning ordinances in appropriate circumstances. But, as we noted above, it has
nothing to do with amateur radio, and it was decided by a narrow, 4 to 3,
margin with Justice O’Donnell concurring only in the judgment.
Given that both the FCC and, now, the State of
Ohio have recognized amateur radio as an important state-wide public service
asset, the State’s interest in preventing unreasonable restrictions on amateur
radio antennas is every bit as significant as the State’s interest in
regulating fracking and municipal zoning authorities should afford radio
amateurs the “reasonable accommodation” required by state law. Perhaps this decision will dissuade the
Municipal League in its efforts to support unreasonable municipal zoning
regulation of amateur radio antennas, but if it doesn’t, it will add another
facet to the defense of the Ohio antenna law, should that ever become
necessary.
73, Nick, K8NAP
****************************************************
FROM THE EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH
ASM
-------------------------------------
Anthony Luscre, K8ZT
Calling All Teachers-- ARRL
Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology
As part of our ARRL
educational outreach to schools through Education & Technology Program,
each summer the ARRL offers multiple sessions of the Teachers Institute on
Wireless Technology. This is an expenses paid professional development seminar
in locations throughout the U.S.
The Teachers Institute has
provided teachers from elementary school to the university level with tools and
strategies to introduce basic electronics, the science of radio, space
technology and satellite communications, as well as weather science,
introduction to micro-controllers and basic robotics in their classrooms. The
curriculum is designed for motivated teachers and other school staff who want
to learn more about wireless technology and bring that knowledge to their
students.
For more information visit http://www.arrl.org/teachers-institute-on-wireless-technology
or contact me at k8zt@arrl.net.
Please pass this information
along to any teachers that are not hams but interested including Radio
Technology in their classrooms.
73, Anthony, K8ZT
****************************************************
FROM THE SCOUTING ASM
--------------------------------------
Scott Hixon, KC8ITN
Things have been a little
quiet on the radio scouting front the last couple months. There has been some
camping over the winter, a Winter Klondike or two, but not near the activity
there is once the flowers start to bloom and the trees begin to bud. Or is
there….
One of the things I try to do
with this article each month is to let you know of radio scouting opportunities
that are going on around the section and ideas on how to get a radio scouting
event going. Being in the Simon Kenton Council, Ohio Valley District, I know of
the events going on around here. But when it comes to other councils and
districts in the Ohio Section, I need a flashlight because I’m in the dark!
I have mentioned it in past
articles but I think it deserves repeating. If you have a scout event going on
and amateur radio is going to be part of it, let me know and I will put it in
my article. What better way to ensure your scouts will make some contacts then
to “advertise” your event! By posting the times, operating frequencies, modes,
etc. you have a lot better chance of making someone is out there to reply back
to your scouts (especially during bad band conditions). It doesn’t make a
difference if it’s a council Camporee or just a troop campout, if radio is
going to be there, let me know!!
And while we’re on the topic
of troops, radio scouting is not gender specific! Radio scouting is also for
Girl Scouts!
Even though my daughter
Nicole, KD8GEX, was a girl scout many moons ago, I’m ashamed to say I know
nothing about the Girl Scout program ( except that I LOVE Girl Scout cookies!
Samoas are my favorite!) . So if you are involved in Girl Scouts and have an
event involving ham radio coming up, let me know and I will post it for all to
see!
So remember: Girl Scouts,
Brownies, Boy Scouts, or Cub Scouts, Radio Scouting is for EVERYONE! Get the
kids on the radio and have some fun in the process. They are our next
generation of ham radio operators…
Until next month, stay safe
and make a difference in someone’s life!!
73, Scott, KC8ITN
****************************************************
LET'S TALK
----------------
From: Scott Yonally, N8SY -
Section Manager
Hi Gang,
Wow.. Can you believe this
weather?? I don’t think I can ever remember a winter this bad..!! At least it’s
now starting to get a little warmer and the snow is melting a little. We even
had a day where the temperature reached above 50 degrees!! I’m hoping that by
the end of this month I’ll be able to get my motorcycle out of storage and
start riding once again.. Oh well, I do have one redeeming thought for all of
you.. Spring is just a couple of days away!! Ok, enough of the weather stuff..
Let’s get to the meat of this article..
I’ve really been active in
getting around the state to do presentations. I’ve handed out a number of
Affiliated Club Charters, both new and renewed, and I even got to hand out one
Special Services Club certificate this past month. I’m glad to see that a
number of clubs are now starting to get the idea that you have to update your
club’s records EVERY year to keep current, and to make sure that your club
doesn’t revert back to being considered “inactive.” It’s a really simple
process to update your clubs records, so there’s really no reason why any of
the “inactive” clubs need to be classified as such. Just go to the League
website and type in club affiliation in the website search box in the upper
right-hand corner.. from there, just scroll down the results page until you
find what fits.. (New or RE-New).. You do the same for the Special Services
Clubs as well.. Just type in SSC in the website search box and scroll down to
you see what applies to you.
I was extremely privileged late
last month to be able to present to two of our outstanding Boy Scout Leaders
with a brand new award from the ARRL. It’s the Community Organization (Square
Knot) award. The ARRL and Boy Scouts of America had introduced this new award
just last December and I’m very proud to say that I gave out just the 9th and
10th of these awards presented in the entire country. Needless to say, they
were the FIRST and Second persons in the Great Lakes Division and Ohio Section
to receive it. The recipients were both from the Muskingum Valley Council #467.
Please congratulate Billie Dickson, WB8TRK and Matthew Murphy, KC8BEW on
receiving this newest award. Pictures of the presentation are posted on the
photo gallery. I’m very happy and proud of both of these recipients.
Do you have a Boy Scout
leader that might qualify for this award?? Here’s the link to see what it
takes.. http://www.arrl.org/news/boy-scouts-recognize-arrl-amateur-radio-service-to-scouting-award
Are you getting those emails
from the Great Lakes Director or Section Manager? Now, for those of you who may
not want to go to all the bother of checking your account with the League, or
you are just not League members, you still have a chance to get these important
emails. All you have to do is to “Opt-In” to receive them. There’s a link to do
this on the Ohio Section website, it’s on the bottom left corner.. For your
convenience, here’s a direct link to it:
http://arrl-ohio.org/forwarder/forwarding.html. I urge all of you to make sure
that everyone, regardless of whether they are a League member or not, get
signed up for one of these options. You can always “Opt-Out” at any time if you
feel this is not what you were expecting. But, who in their right mind would
want to miss out on anything coming out of the Great Lakes Director or the Ohio
Section Manager?
The Ohio Section Website..
You can find the Ohio Section Website at: http://arrlohio.org.
If you don’t have this website set as your home page, I urge you to do so. This
website is one of the exceptions to the rules.. It changes all the time. It’s
never stagnating, and I would highly recommend that you check into the website
at least 3 times per week or more if you can. Yes, it does change that much!
Ohio's Speaker Bureau.. Need
a speaker for your club meeting? I’m available. Please, feel free to give me a
call. I’ll do my very best to be at your function.
**Have you noticed?? There’s
another NEW – one question – questionnaire on the Ohio Section Website once
again. It changes about once every couple of weeks or so. It only asks one question
and it will take all of about 5 seconds for you to answer it, and you can see
how your answer stacks up with others instantly. Oh, by the way, there’s also a
one question questionnaire on the Great Lakes Division website as well. Why?
Because Dale (you know him don’t you?? He just happens to be our Great Lakes
Director) would like to know how you feel about the question posted there.
Why the questions? Dale and I
want to know how you feel. This is YOUR way of letting us know how you’re
thinking. Yes, this is very important to both of us. WE represent YOU, and
we’re asking how you feel about something. How often is it that you’re asked for
your opinion on something in Ham Radio? Usually you’re just told how it will
be!
Also new on the Ohio Section
website main page is a Twitter window. It’s a window directly to the W8SGT
(Ohio EMA) Twitter account. In the past months it has been very difficult to
find where W8SGT is operating for their weekly net. They started out trying to
use just a couple of published frequencies. They quickly found out that 80
meters is just too crowed to nail down one particular frequency. Thus the need
to let everyone wanting to check in to the nets on Tuesday night at 7:15pm just
where they are.. Thus, the need to be able to update everyone quickly to go
with the ebb and flow of the enormous amount of traffic up there. The Twitter
window allows you to see just what frequency they are using at any given time.
This also allows you to quickly see if they are on at other times too. Just go
to the Ohio Section Website and look on the left side column.
Now on to the stats for
Ohio.. We are not as bad as it may seem on the surface, but we could be much,
much better. Right now we have 99 “Affiliated” clubs in Ohio. Now on the
Special Services side of things we definitely need to give this some attention.
We have just 12 clubs up-to-date. Now, to get to “Special Services Club” status
you’ve had to work even harder to make it, don’t throw it all away. Get the
paperwork submitted. Again, I can’t stress this enough, it’s so simple, just
fill out the annual report. If you need help, just ask. Your ACC – John Myers,
KD8MQ, or myself will find time to answer your questions and help you get that
all valuable annual report filled out.
Are you a member of the
ARRL?? If you aren’t a League member, this is a great opportunity to become
one. Want more information on how to join? Here’s the link: http://www.arrl.org/membership-levels.
There’s even a 90 day FREE trial that you can apply for if you’ve never been a
member.. Got questions about being a member or what the League is all about?
Send me an email.. n8sy@arrl.org I’ll be
happy to call or write to you or even call you if you’ve given me your phone
number. We can even have coffee if you’d like.. and I’ll buy!!
Last item..
Ok.. I know that I push the
website and website edition of the Ohio Section Journal a lot.. I’m even sure
some of you think it’s way tooooo much. But, the main reason for pushing this
so hard is that it’s where all the news is.. Yes, I know that there are some
who don’t even own a computer and won’t own one either, and that makes me very
sad. Not that they won’t own a computer, but they are missing out on so much
that’s going on because of it.
There was a time, yes a long
long time ago, that we had no website and the Ohio Section Journal was in paper
form only. Yes, with the Section Journal in paper form you could hold it, fold
it and even throw it away if you wanted to.. and it was even sent via snail
mail! Now I’m sure that a lot of you remember those times. But, what you may
not have known was just how much money was spent on that paper edition. It was
a lot.. Way more than anyone would have guessed I’m sure. Not only that, but it
was only sent out quarterly.. Yes, just 4 times per year, and that was it. And
it was sent to only to around 1,000 people. Now I know that sounds like a lot
of folks, but the text version that you receive now is sent to over 3,600
folks, along with 900 from what I have on the Ohio Section ListServer, and
totals a whopping 4,500 people that are receiving it today. Over 4 times what
used to get it years back!! And… that’s just what is emailed.. Now with the
more than 19.06 GB per year bandwidth used, 177,166 pages viewed per year and
finally 749,410 hits per year that we get from the website, I’d say we’re
getting the news out to far more folks than we did just 6 years ago. And at a
far less cost.. In fact, the cost is 0 (zero).. Thanks to the internet it’s
free. And, you get it not when the United States Postal Service decides to
deliver it to you, but almost as soon as I send it out you have it to read. I’d
say that’s pretty fresh news, wouldn’t you?
Now, why the two versions of
OSJ? Well, the “TEXT” version, the one you get from the League, it’s text
because that is the only way that the League will accept it, in a “TEXT”
format, and I simply follow up with the same format for those who have opted to
receive it from the Ohio Section ListServer..
After I took over as Section
Manager I decided that I wanted to bring back some of what was missing from the
original version of the Ohio Section Journal. That is… pictures, graphs /
charts and items of that nature, along with new things like hyperlinks that can
take you directly to something on the web, movies and all the neat advances
that we have at our disposal now. This type of innovation is, after all, what
made the OSJ what it was back then, “The leading authority for news for hams in
Ohio.” No other Section in the country was doing what we were with the OSJ at
that time. I and thank Joe Phillips, K8QOE and Ron Griffin, N8AEH for that!!
They were the innovators of the most advanced news distribution vehicle of the
times.. Yes, once again Ohio was a trend setter for sure.
Now since then the internet
has proliferated to a point that even the F.C.C. has even conceded that it’s
the way of the future and should never be throttled, I figured it was time we
bring back what was missing from the OSJ that made it what it was.. Is the
website version the same as the “TEXT” version? Mostly, but you have to
remember that with the ability of putting pictures / graphics and such in the
OSJ via the website version, it’s not quite the same.. It is much better, it
much richer and in depth than what a “TEXT” version could ever be.
Will we ever be to a point
where we can have just the website version.. It’s very doubtful. I say that
because we have other groups of folks out there that you cannot forget and
leave behind. One of those groups are folks that are not sighted. A number of
them around the state rely on the text version to keep themselves abreast of
what’s going on, just like you do.
But.. for those who CAN
connect to the web version, I very strongly encourage you to do just that..
Become a loyal user and reader of the website version.
Did you know, with a little
“cut and paste” on your computer you can make the OSJ a paper version very
easily. I’ve done this many times when I know that someone in a group that I’m
going to speak at cannot get this wonderful version of the OSJ. It’s a great
feeling to be able to hand someone a printed version of the OSJ when I know
that they have no other way of getting it. How about it.. have you tried to cut
and paste it so that you could print it off? Let me know your results. I do
want to hear from all of you about your experiences and how I can try to enrich
them a little more.
That’s going to do it this
month from here.. I hope to see all of you at the various hamfests or meetings
soon and who knows; maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones to get a “mug” on me.
Oh, by the way, the mugs are now filled with some extra surprises..
Have a question? Feel free to
give me a call or write to me. My email and phone number are always listed on
the Ohio Section Website http://arrlohio.org as
well as on page 16 of QST..
73, Scott, N8SY
****************************************************
FROM THE OFFICIAL OBSERVER
COORDINATOR
-------------------------------------------------------------------
From: John Perone, W8RXX
Here’s the February 2015
report overview from the reporting OO’s in Ohio:
Total Hours = 760
OO cards sent = 4
Good Guy Cards sent = 3
Did you know that there are
more than 750 OO’s throughout the country? There are..!! Would you like to
become an OO? Please, if you do, contact me or the Section Manager about it. We
will be happy to fill you in on what all it takes to become one of the “Amateur
Auxiliary.”
73, John, W8RXX
****************************************************
FROM THE “SARGE” (W8SGT) STATE
OF OHIO EOC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
By Gayle Adams, W8KWG
Who Will Be Our Future Hams?
Have you ever thought of who
would be our future hams? Right now is a good time as any to think about it. First
we have our Scout troops, youth groups from various organizations and the like.
Why am I broaching this subject?
I am suggesting that we need
new and fresh ideas. Yes, I don’t like all the digital stuff, but the future
hams will take to it like a duck takes to water. Nothing will replace phone or
CW, the good stuff. New digital modes will continue to be developed by guess
who? Our future hams.
W8SGT is hosting a Cub Scouts
presentation on April 11, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. There will be 20-30 first- and
second-graders and some parents, whose curiosity meters might be pegged—60
over!
If you know Scout troop
leaders in your area, invite them to a club meeting and give them a
presentation about your club, the basics of amateur radio and how it is used. This
might pique their interest into earning a radio/communications badge. You might
demonstrate to them how to make a contact via amateur radio, and give them a
chance at the mic, too. W8SGT participated last year in Operation Thunderbase
in May and made many contacts via HF.
Elmering these new and
budding hams is a very important task for us who have been in the hobby for
quite some time. I myself have been in the Amateur Radio Service for 6 years. If
you know someone who is really interested in ham radio and he/she keeps asking
you questions, why not get them a Technician Class manual to study from. They
may want to continue up the ladder.
Who will be our future hams? It
might be someone you know in a Scout troop. It might be your next-door neighbor
who has seen you operate an HT. Keeping the Amateur Radio Service in a
“well-oiled state” is our job. Pass it on!
73, Gayle, W8KWG
****************************************************
SPECIAL EVENTS STATIONS IN
OHIO
---------------------------------------------------
04/25/2015 | Parma Radio Club
3rd Annual Earth Day Celebration
Operating on Power from the
Sun 1300Z-2200Z,
W8PRC, Cleveland, OH.
Parma Radio Club. 14.245
7.195 . QSL.
Parma Radio Club, 7811
Dogwood Ln, Cleveland, OH 44130.
QSLs appreciated. http://parmaradioclub.webs.com
./././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././
05/23/2015 | WBCCI Region 4
39th Annual Rally
W4B, Mansfield, OH.
Wally Byam Caravan Club
International Region 4.
7.225 +/- QRM. Certificate.
David Brett, 40 Edgewater Dr,
Youngstown, OH 44514.
Celebrating the 39th annual
rally of Airstream Owners
in Ohio, Michigan, and West
Virginia
****************************************************
OHIO HAMFEST CALENDAR
--------------------------------------
03/28/2015 | MOVARC HamFest
Location: Gallipolis, OH
Gallipolis Christian Church
4486 State Route 588
Sponsor: Mid-Ohio Valley ARC
Gallipolis Christian Church
4486 State Route 588
Sponsor: Mid-Ohio Valley ARC
./././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././
04/04/2015 | Portsmouth Radio Club Hamfest
Location: Portsmouth, OH
17th Street Armory, FKA the Portsmouth National Guard
Armory,
2313 17th Street in Portsmouth.
Sponsor: Portsmouth Radio Club
./././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././
04/11/2015 | Cuyahoga Falls ARC's 61st Annual Hamfest
Location: Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Emidio & Sons Party Center
Sponsor: Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.cfarc.org/hamfest.php
./././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././
04/25/2015 | Jackson County ARC Hamfest
Location: Jackson, OH
Family Life Center
Sponsor: Jackson County Amateur Radio Club
./././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././
04/26/2015 | Athens Hamfest
Location: Athens, OH
Sponsor: Athens County Amateur Radio Association
Website: http://ac-ara.org/
****************************************************
eof..