[BCVHFA] 2005 OHIO SECTION CONFERENCE

[K8CM]

From: ARRL Web site <memberlist at www.arrl.org>
Subject: 2005 OHIO SECTION CONFERENCE

KATRINA/DIGITAL DEMO/AWARDS/BPL/OSSBN ALL FEATURED AT THE 2005 OHIO SECTION 
CONFERENCE, SEPTEMBER 18, IN COLUMBUS

By Joe Phillips, K8QOE
Ohio Section Manager


The annual Ohio Section Conference, at the Ohio EMA headquarters in 
Columbus, had a full house - 90 attended and participated. Ohio Section 
Manager, Joe Phillips, K8QOE, opened with a brief period of silence for the 
victims of Katrina and recognition of the work of amateur radio operators 
to date.

Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator, John Chapman, WB8INY, started the full 
agenda with updating all emergency (ARES) news - beginning with the ARRL 
starting a new national ARES Newsletter - and encouragement for local ARES 
units to apply for Homeland Security grants.

Ohio Official Observer Coordinator Rick Swain, KK8O, made two award 
presentations "for Meritorious Service" and updated everyone on the status 
of the OO program in Ohio. Then he gave a digital mode demonstration by 
playing the sounds of various digital modes and challenged the audience to 
identify the signal.

Great Lakes Division Director Jim Weaver, K8JE, updated all the ARRL news 
including the Grassroots Lobbying program. He gave a detailed list of ARRL 
Headquarters response to Katrina.

SEC Chapman returned with a full account of Ohio ham radio operators who 
are responding to the Gulf Coast recovery from Katrina. Included were 
television accounts of ham radio's newly found notoriety due to work in the 
flood damaged area.

Public Information Coordinator Scott Yonally, N8SY, announced the three top 
winners in the 14th annual Ohio Ham Radio Newsletter Contest and gave the 
statistics about the contest. This competition not only recognizes award 
winning work of newsletter editors but keeps track of the progress of all 
who enter.

What followed was the most popular event of all, the annual Section 
Conference PIZZA LUNCH. Here everyone gets to socialize and exchange ideas 
on the progress of ham radio all over our state.

After lunch, Section Manager Joe Phillips, K8QOE, announced the 12th member 
of the Allan Severson, AB8P, (SK) Memorial Award - Assistant Section 
Manager, John Haungs, W8STX, a former Ohio SM, and treasurer to at least 
eight different clubs and hamfests in the Greater Cincinnati area for 
almost four decades.

Next, assistant Section Manager Bob Winston, W2THU, an attorney 
specializing in ham radio law, discussed Ohio proposed legislation on cell 
phone usage in moving automobiles. Assistant Section Manager, Connie 
Hamilton, N8IO, then updated the conference with news of the Ohio Single 
Side Band Net (OSSBN).

The last major presentation was Ohio Technical Coordinator, Tom Holmes, 
N8ZM, who recreated the presentation of ARRL National Lab Supervisor, Ed 
Hare, W1RFI, on the future of Ham Radio and BPL. Each Section Conference 
always has a technical presentation recognizing as amateur radio operators, 
we are first a technical society.

Below is a more detailed account of each major presentation.

ARES
Reminder, the National ARRL ARES Newsletter is published as needed, and 
goes out directly to all ECs, DECs and the Ohio Section Cabinet for 
everyone the SEC have a valid e-mail address for. It is also posted on the 
Ohio Section web site at www.iarc.ws/ohio.

Winlink 2000 activity continues to move forward. Please contact Nelson 
Livingston AE5NL at  ae5nl at arrl.net if you need assistance, and to keep him 
aware of your activity.

Some groups have asked how to receive Homeland Security grants for 
equipment. It's easy! You only need to convince your EMA director of the 
need, and possibly help prepare the grant application. All Homeland 
Security money is controlled through the local organizations.

OFFICIAL OBSERVERS
Rick Swain, KK8O, the OOC,  presented two "Meritorious Service" awards,  to 
Ernie Howard, W8EH. of Middletown and to Mike Nelson, W8MMN, Columbiana 
County, for their work in investigations which led to actions by the 
Federal Communications Commission.

Rick then spoke on the effect his O.O.'s had on working with  amateur band 
interference - HF and local repeaters -  in the state. He cited two 
different instances in the state just this year that our O.O.'s have had a 
very positive effect on keeping the bands clean.  Rick also did a very good 
presentation on the various digital modes that can be heard on the bands 
today. He had recorded a number of them and played them back for all 
present to guess what mode was being played.

DIVISION DIRECTOR
Next up was our Great Lakes Director, Jim Weaver, K8JE.. He spoke on the 
work that the League has been doing for all the Hams in the country. He 
also gave a brief run down on the progress of the Grass Roots Lobbing and 
that he had just appointed Jim Ashman, W8ASH, New Bremen, to the position 
of Ohio State Legislative Action Coordinator.

Constant contact with our lawmakers on ham radio matters is important to 
the protection of our privileges, Director Weaver said.

KATRINA
Publicity for amateur radio has been great during Katrina response. Several 
articles covered our response in the Wall Street Journal, and there was 
also a nice article in the New York Times. Ohio groups have also had good 
coverage, both in getting ARRL Public Service Announcements placed on the 
air, and newspaper coverage for those heading down south. SEC Chapman 
organized this portion of the agenda on the recent public notoriety of 
amateur radio.

The Franklin County ARES organization was contacted by the local CBS 
affiliate to discuss operations down south, and ended up with a great 
interview by Bill Carpenter AA8EY (ASM) and Frank Piper KI8GW (DEC).  Bill 
then played Channel Ten interview and report for the conference.  Bill 
explained that just before the news team had arrived we had a solar burst 
which took out all communications at the time the cameras were rolling, but 
no matter what, the news team showed just what we could do.

The Lucas County group was approached by the city of Toledo to look at 
helping move inquiries into the affected area. They developed a plan to use 
the city Fire Stations to collect messages, and got great PR from the 
Toledo Blade. Brenda Krukowski, KB8IUP, played the reports on local 
Channels 11 and 13.

Requests to go to the affected area to help with communications are being 
taken through the web site at katrina.ab2m.net. We have had over 50 Ohio 
Section hams register so far, and as near as the SEC can tell - about 12 or 
so have been deployed.

At least three locations in Ohio were asked to house evacuees from the 
area, and put together large programs to deal with those heading into the 
area, including ham radio support. Unfortunately none headed our way, 
although small numbers did arrive on their own. We were ready!

NEWSLETTER CONTEST
PIC Scott announced the three winners of the 14th annual Ohio Newsletter 
Contest - The Third Place winner: "News Unwired" from the Grant Amateur 
Radio Club Editor: Carolyn Donner, N8ST: Second Place winner: "Smoke 
Signals"  from the Indian Hills Radio Club,  Editor: Dee Logan, W1HEO: And 
the winner for 2005, "20/9 Radio Club News" of Youngstown;  Editor: Jane 
Avnet, K8JAA.

Editor Jane, K8JAA, gave a short acceptance speech on how her newsletter 
was able to improve its score this year. Her newsletter now becomes 
ineligible for any award for the next five years as per the rules.

Contest manager, PIC Scott reported 41 newsletters entered the contest; 27 
of which are available on the Internet. With 100 points as the max, the top 
score was 84 points and the average point total of all 41 entries was 
72.41. This is better than a four increase over the 2005 average of 69.50.

SEVERSON AWARD
The Section Conference is also about announcing the annual awards - the 
Severson Memorial Award and the Ham Radio Newsletter award winners. Ohio 
Assistant Section Manager John Haungs, W8STX, was named the 12th person to 
receive the Allan Severson AB8P (SK) Memorial award. John is being 
recognized for his almost 4 decades of providing service to at least 8 
Cincinnati area clubs - mainly as treasurer and financial officer. John 
will not actual get the certificate until December 6 when
a Roast W8STX will be held as part of the annual Cincinnati FM Club 
Christmas Party at the Manor House Restaurant.

THE LAW AND HAM RADIO
Bob, W2THU then gave an update on possible new legislation that was rumored 
to have some impact on ham radio. He described the legislation "Ohio House 
Bill" 274 - written primarily for Cellular Telephone usage.  It does not 
appear to limit the ham radio operator in mobile radio usage. He said that 
he'd definitely be keeping an eye open for this legislation as it goes 
through the House.

OSSBN
Connie Hamilton, N8IO then gave a short synopsis of the traffic counts in 
the Ohio Single Side-Band Net in the wake of Katrina. She also gave an 
update about the Net and it's membership.

One member in particular was recognized, Ormal Garlock, K8BYR, who will be 
97 later this month, but is still very active with the OSSBN checking in on 
a regular basis.

Of those attending the conference, 17 were active in OSSBN traffic handling.

TECHNICAL/BPL
Tom Holmes, N8ZM our Technical Coordinator then gave a very good 
presentation on BPL and where it is now. Tom showed a presentation from Ed 
Hare, W1RFI. This video was a very good presentation as that it showed the 
true effects of BPL and what it will do to our ham bands in actual 
field  conditions.

Tom praised the work of Ed, W1RFI and ARRL CEO  David Sumner, K1ZZ, for 
their work the past five years in alerting amateurs of BPL problems and for 
the continuing work on keeping ham bands as pollution free as in possible. 
The slide presentation reviewed the BPL experience through the FCC from the 
early cheer leading days to the present as interference rules are 
continuing to be debated. Current BPL technology, for example from Motorola 
Corp., using the low voltage line on the power grid has promise. But the 
overall use of power line technology to give Broadband Internet service 
seems to be a technology which is past its time.

                -30-

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ARRL Ohio Section
Section Manager: Joseph J. Phillips, K8QOE
k8qoe at arrl.org
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