[ARRL-OK] Oklahoma Section News for March 2011

[Kevin ODell]

Here you go everyone!!


Oklahoma Section News - March 2011

 

Upcoming Hamfests

 

 

April 2nd – Durant Tailgate Fest

April 2nd – Hanging Judge Hamfest, Ft. Smith, Ark.

April 2nd – Ham Expo, Belton, Tex.

May 20-22 – Dayton Hamvention

June 10-11 – Ham-Com, Plano, TX (ARRL National Convention)

July 29-30 – Oklahoma City Ham Holiday

October 21-22 – Texhoma Hamarama, Ardmore, OK (ARRL West Gulf Convention)

November 5 – Enid Hamfest

 

Hi Everyone in the Oklahoma Section!!

 

First of all, lets talk about hamfests……

 

WOW!  Roland Stolfa KC5UNL and I had a great time out at the Elk City hamfest.  As, always, there were lots of great folks and wonderful fellowship.  The League forum was very well attended with a good exchange of information….we even gave away a number of goodies, if you weren’t there, you missed out.  I would like to say thank you to those guys and gals that work so hard to put that fest on….and from what I heard the noon lunch was GREAT!

 

On to Green Country…….again WOW!  What a great event, as usual.  Lots of vendors, both commercial and flea market.  I even picked up a new dual band antenna and a memory keyer kit.  Dr. David Woolweaver, K5RAV our Division Director was in attendance and even though I didn’t let him talk during the forum (lot’s of stuff to cover) he got to connect with a lot of hams on a one on one basis.  Stacy Rogers, KK5SAR, Assistant Director was also in attendance taking care of a lot of duties at the booth.  I had a great time meeting new folks and getting reacquainted with others. (Pictures for both Elk City and Green Country are on the Section News page on the League website)

 

http://www.arrl.org/Groups/view/oklahoma

 

The forum had a great turnout with a lot of stuff to discuss.  First we announced that Charles Goodson, KC5UEG has stepped down from the SEC position to ASEC.  I have appointed Mark Conklin, N7XYO the new SEC.  Mark has a lot of experience in EMCOMM and will do a great job.

 

We discussed HR 607 and how we need to respond.  You can go the League website and find out the current status and how to write your congressman to protest the bill in it’s current form.

 

We also discussed some ARES information.  There will be 2 levels of ARES membership in Oklahoma.  Associate Member and Full Member.  The Associate Member only needs to have a license and a willingness to help.  They need to sign up on the League website and the ARES Oklahoma site as volunteers.

 

We are going to start issuing ARES credentials.  Only Full Members of ARES will be eligible to receive these credentials.  In order to qualify as a Full member, you must send us confirmation of your having completed ICS 100, 200, 700 & 800, have a DPS Amateur Radio Identification number and approval of your EC or DEC.  We are still working out the details on how this will work operationally and will let you know very soon how it will all work.

 

These credentials will be readable by OHP and recognized by pretty much all of the state agencies.

 

More to come later!!!

 

As far as upcoming hamfests……….Durant is always fun with some GREAT Jambalaya made by Joe White’s lovely wife.

 

Ham-Com will be the ARRL National Convention.  There will be a large contingent from HQ there, so come meet some of the folks that work for you everyday.  The guest speaker at Ham-Com will be Riley Hollingsworth.

 

Oklahoma City Ham Holiday is always a good fest and this year I understand they are having a Friday evening Banquet!! (I’m always up for food)

 

Texhoma Hamarama will be the West Gulf Division Convention with Mike Corey, Emergency Communications and Preparedness Director from HQ scheduled to be here.

 

Then Enid is the traditional end of the hamfest season the first weekend in November.

 

Other Stuff……..

 

The Viking Radio Club in Lawton is staying busy with a lot of events including Radio in the Park.  If you get a chance, check them out.

http://www.w5ks.org/blog/

 

Anyone interested in becoming a Public Information Officer for their club or ARES, contact Lloyd Colston, KC5FM,   kc5fm at aol.com   to join the PIO ranks, you do have to be a current ARRL member and you have to complete the PR 101 course which is now on-line for free.  Even if you aren’t interested in becoming a PIO, the course has a lot of great stuff to help you get the word out on your local amateur radio doin’s.

 

If you are into Twitter and Facebook,  Lloyd also has Twitter and Facebook sites for the Oklahoma Section…….check them out as well.

 

 

Keep the info coming……the more stuff I get, the more fun this is!!

 

73,

 

Kevin O’Dell N0IRW

Oklahoma Section Manager