[MIham] WEAVER'S WORDS -- Did th' goblins git ya?

[Tom VanderMel]

All
Sorry if some of you get this more than 1 time but I think we all should 
know what is going on in Ham Radio.

Tom KB8VEE DEC-6


 [Reply to k8je at arrl.org, only.  The ARRL reflector that sent this
 newsletter to you is outgoing, only.  I don't want to miss any message
 you may send to me.]

 - Dee Logan Wins Silver Antenna Award
 - Red Cross Background Checks
 - No RACES Frequencies = No RACES?
 - CW on 80 M
 - Scholarships Available
 - SW OH Digital Symposium
 - W1AW Schedule Change
 - W8GEX writes on Op from New DX Entity

 DEE LOGAN WINS SILVER ANTENNA AWARD

 Congratulations to D.E. "Dee" Logan, W1HEO, of Mentor, OH.  Dee is the
 2006 winner of the Philip J. McGan Memorial Silver Antenna Award for
 long-time demonstration of success in Amateur Radio public relations.
 Dee led a team of amateurs in the Cleveland Area who developed "The
 Northeast Ohio Ham Radio Project."  This effort pulled together nearly
 all resources needed to interest and guide people in becoming Amateur
 Radio operators.  One part of the project involves an excellent video
 that is available to any club to use in its recruiting effort.  The
 video is available to clubs in the general Cleveland area that become a
 member of the overall recruitment project.  There is a fee for this
 membership and the video.  The video is also available to clubs outside
 the area for a lesser fee.

 Contact Dee for details.

 Incidentally, the very first McGan recipient was Ohio SM Joe Phillips,
 K8QOE.

 RED CROSS BACKGROUND CHECKS

 I doubt if anyone believes the Red Cross should blindly accept just
 anyone who comes in off the street as a trusted volunteer.  Most people
 who volunteer are fine, upstanding citizens who have the highest
 motives; however, there are those among the public who are . . . well .
 . . dishonorable.  Just imagine what injury folks with perverted ideas
 of honesty could do to disaster victims and their property during
 relief operations.  The Red Cross has responded to the risk of having
 dishonorable people try to infiltrate its ranks by turning to
 background checks for all employees and volunteers.

 I believe the Red Cross has the right and duty to keep unscrupulous
 people from joining its ranks.  I also believe it has the right to
 require, somehow, background checks for all its personnel -- paid or
 not.  The Red Cross needs a way to determine the honesty of its workers
 as best it can.  When it comes to most volunteers, this is where I draw
 the proverbial line.  Requiring background checks for criminal activity
 is thing.  Requiring permission to do credit checks and more is just
 too much for non-employees, but this is precisely what Red Cross is
 doing.

 As one ham who is a long-time officer in his local Red Cross Chapter
 said, "The Red Cross is requiring volunteers to grant permission for
 more than just a criminal background check, they are also requiring
 permission to draw a consumer and/or investigative consumer report on
 the volunteer.  This would include a criminal background check, credit
 check and a mode of living check."

 The ham Red Cross Chapter official?  He authorized his superiors to do
 a criminal check, only.  He still has his position at the Chapter.

 Incidentally, some amateurs have expressed concern that
 MyBackgroundcheck that does the checking will have access to all of the
 credit and personal information on persons who have been checked even
 though Red Cross says they do not want it, themselves.  Frankly, I'd
 trust the Red Cross folks that I know long before I'd trust many other
 people.

 My suggestion:  Read carefully what is being demanded and be sure you
 are willing to agree with it.  If you agree, by all means give your
 consent to the full background check.  If you don't agree, don't give
 your consent.  You might even try sending a letter to your local
 chapter giving consent for them to do a criminal check but withholding
 your consent to other checks.  Use your personal judgment.

 NO RACES FREQUENCIES = NO RACES?

 A few people have asked if FCC's abolishing special RACES frequencies
 means it plans to abolish RACES.  It may come as a shock to some of
 you, but I don't know just what is in the minds of the folks at FCC.  I
 discovered my crystal ball was broken when they issued the recent
 omnibus Report & Order.  Nonetheless, I strongly doubt they plan to
 abolish RACES.

 Instead of looking behind the abolishment of RACES frequencies for an
 ulterior motive, why not look at it at face value.  The change that
 will take effect 30 days after the new rules are published will open
 amateur frequencies to use by RACES.  RACES is being freed to operate
 anywhere in the ham bands the local RACES brass want it to operate.  My
 money is on RACES being around for quite some time.

 CW ON 80 M

 In spite of the misinformation being spread by some people, ARRL
 neither petitioned nor wanted FCC to drop the 75 M phone band down to
 3600 kHz.  We asked them to drop the phone band edge to 3725 kHz.  This
 represented an increase in the phone band of 25 kHz.  This 3725 kHz is
 also the lower band edge proposed by the Commission in its NPRM two
 years ago.  Imagine our surprise when the Commission announced the
 phone band edge would be 3600.  Not only does this make things
 difficult for the many NTS and other 80 M CW nets, and casual CW QSOs,
 but it thoroughly jumbles the situation for RTTY and data modes that
 are no longer permitted on 80.  Bummer.

 Speaking of CW, ARRL also has also not asked FCC to abolish all Morse
 testing for Amateur Radio licensing exams.  We petitioned to have the
 exam dropped for General licensees.  This tactic was based upon the
 knowledge CW would be dropped totally if we did not develop a counter
 strategy to FCC internal thinking to drop all Morse testing.  The
 strategy acknowledges that Morse testing will be lost for Generals
 regardless of what we do.  At the same time, we're trying to keep it
 for Extras.  The idea is to keep Morse as one means of making the Extra
 Class license something extra.  Will even this strategy work.  I'm
 hopeful, but not holding my breath.

 When will the FCC release its decision on Morse testing?  My crystal
 ball is still broken, but I'm guessing it will not take nearly so long
 as it took them to release the omnibus Report & Order.

 One final word on Morse testing:  Even if the Commission abolishes all
 Morse testing, CW will remain the primary mode of operation for a great
 many current hams.  I'm included among this number.  It will even
 become the primary mode of operation for a great many new hams.  A
 still greater number of hams -- new and old -- will use it to some
 extent.  Abolishing Morse code testing as a licensing requirement will
 not of itself doom Morse to extinction.

 SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

 It is time to apply for ARRL Foundation scholarships.  Over 40
 scholarships ranging in value from about $10,000 to $300 are available.
 The sponsors of some of the scholarships have designated them for
 specific categories of applicants; however, many are open to all
 amateurs who are furthering their education.  For information on the
 scholarships and the application form, go to
 http://www.arrl.org/arrlf/scholgen.html.

 The Great Lakes Division has been well represented among scholarship
 winners during recent years.  I'm sure there are a few more worthy
 candidates in our three state.

 SW OHIO DIGITAL SYMPOSIUM

 The annual SW Ohio Digital Symposium is January 13 with registration
 beginning at 8 AM and sessions at 9.  This is not a hamfest/swap.  It
 is a place for the typical and not-so-typical ham to come to learn the
 practical operation of PSK-31, software defined radio (SDR), D-Star,
 WinLink 2000 and more.  This is an opportunity to advance the typical
 technology of Amateur Radio beyond CW, SSB and FM.  The Symposium is at
 the Miami University Middletown, OH, campus in Thesken Hall.
 Directions and program information are at www.swohdigi.org.  Additional
 information can be obtained from Jay Slough, K4ZLE at k4zle at arrl.net.

 W1AW SCHEDULE CHANGE

 In case you want to copy W1AW code practice or bulletins and can't find
 what you want, check its new schedule.  This schedule is at
 http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html.

 W8GEX WRITES ON EARLY OPERATION FROM NEW DX ENTITY

 Joe Pater, W8GEX, is a well-known DXer member of the Southwest Ohio DX
 Association. A resident of Hamilton, OH, Joe arranged for a DXpedition
 of a few friends to new DX entity Montenegro.  He wrote of the trials
 and tribulations of forming this DXpedition in the fall issue of the
 International DX Association (INDEXA) newsletter.  It was a relatively
 small DXpedition as DXpeditions go, but provided many new contacts to
 the worthy with this new country.  Contacts were with 406DX.

 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

 I'm getting back into the swing of things now that I've pretty well
 recovered from back surgery.  My tentative schedule at this moment is
 as follows:

 Nov. 17-19:  A&F Meeting, Newington, CT.
 Jan.  9:  20/9 Meeting, Canfield, OH.
 Jan. 13:  SW OH Digital Symposium, Middletown, OH.
 Jan. 18:  A&F Meeting, Newington, CT.
 Jan. 19-20:  Board of Directors Meeting, Newington, CT.
 Feb. 11:  Mansfield Hamfest, Mansfield, OH.
 May  18-20:  Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH.
 Sep.  9:  Findlay Hamfest, Findlay, OH.

 If you wish me to come to your meeting or other event, please let me
 know.

 Tnx for your support of ARRL.  Your backing is very important to the
 well being of Amateur Radio.  Please consider becoming a worker in the
 new ARRL Legislative Action Program.  Several amateurs throughout the
 Division have volunteered, but we still need additional help if we are
 to cover all of the US Representatives and Senators in our three
 states.  Contact Division Legislative Action Chair Val Rose, N8EXV
 (n8exv at arrl.net) or me (k8je at arrl.org) for information.  The job
 requires such little time and can provide such great benefit to Amateur
 Radio.

 73,

 Jim, K8JE

 Jim Weaver, K8JE, Director
 Great Lakes Division, ARRL
 5065 Bethany Rd., Mason, OH 45040
 Tel. 513-459-0142; E-mail k8je at arrl.org
 ARRL, the Reason Amateur Radio is!
 Members, the Reason ARRL is!

 --------------------------------------------------------------------
 ARRL Great Lakes Division
 Director: James Weaver, K8JE
 k8je at arrl.org
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