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Cabinet Members

SM/AD--Ron Morgan, AD9I
ASM--Mike Nowack, NA9Q
ASM/ACC--Scott DeSantis KB9VRW
ASM/STM Roy R Eades, KA9MZJ
SEC/PIC--Fritz Bock, WD9FMB
OOC/AD--Tim Childers K9CQ
TC--John Dinnella WA9IL
ASEC--Robert Littler W9DSR
ASEC--Danny Pease NG9R
ASEC--Garret Robinson KC9FVK
ASEC--Pat Ryan KC6VVT
ASEC--Gary Shanks KA9FAJ
ASEC--Curtis Williams W5DTR                                                   

District Emergency Coordinators:

Region 2--Lloyd Sherman KB9APW,
Region 3--Dale Marzano N9JH,
Region 4--Neil Ormos N9NL,
Region 6--Gary Shanks KA9FAJ,
Region 7--Josh Kittle, N9WEW,
Region 8--Curtis Williams W5DTR,
Region 9--Jim Hudson WB9QPM,
Region 11--Bruce Talley WA9APQ

1. Recognitions

2. SEC joins IESMA

3. Dayton Hamvention

4. Appointments

5. Field Day Planing

6. Events

7. Net Reports

1. Recognitions:

CQ magazine announced the induction of Jerry Rosalius, WB9Z from Crescent City to the CQ DX Hall of Fame, which honors those DXers who not only excel in personal performance but who also "give back" to the hobby in outstanding ways. CQ DX Editor Bob Schenck, N2OO, presented Hall of Fame plaques at an induction ceremony held at the annual Dayton DX dinner on May 19.

Jerry Rosalius, WB9Z - an accomplished DXer and DXpeditioner, he has "worked them all" with the exception of North Korea, and participated in multiple major DXpeditions, including seven that were named as "DXpedition of the Year" by the Southwest Ohio DX Association. He is a frequent speaker at club meetings and hamfests and regularly makes his home station available for training new contesters.

The CQ DX Hall of Fame was established in 1967 to recognize those amateurs who have made major contributions to DXing and DXpeditioning. This year's inductions bring the total number of members of the CQ DX Hall of Fame to 71. 

Six Meter Club of Chicago  2017 Walk For Autism

On Sunday, April 23, twenty members and friends of the Six Meter Club of Chicago, including several hams from the Bolingbrook ARS, DuPage ARC, and WCRA clubs, provided communications support for the Hinsdale Community House 10th Annual Walk For Autism.   Communicators were stationed along the 3.1 mile route, using the club's K9ONA two meter repeater.   Participants included KD9ATN, W9AVB and wife Lavonne, KA9ERS, WA9FIH, KB9FUR, WD9GDB, N9GFY, WD9GJK, N9HWV, KD9IDK, W9JGH, KB9KRT, AC9NP, KB9OYQ, KD4SLL, KC9TQF, KC9UTC, KC9VZH, and AK9Y.   The weather was excellent, and more than 1100 walkers were registered for the event.  

On Saturday, May 20, fourteen members and friends of the Six Meter Club of Chicago provided communications support for the 26th annual

La Grange Park Run For The Roses, a 5K run and walk which benefits a scholarship fund.  Despite threatening weather about two hundred runners and walkers participated, with the race progress and leaders in the various categories reported by our volunteers to the race officials at the finish line.  Our group included:  KD4SLL, W9AVB, WA9FIH, KB9FUR, N9GFY, WD9GJK, KF9IO, K9JK and his wife Judy, KC9KLA, W9NSP, KC9TQF, N9TUQ, and K9ZWR.  The operation, on a two meter simplex frequency, went smoothly with no problems encountered.  

2. SEC joins IESMA

Fritz Bock, WD9FMB was selected by Jim Dwyer, VP of IESMA to join their organization and provide a link to amateur radio operators in Illinois.  We should be hearing more in the coming months. This is a big step towards our common goals for making our services known.

IESMA is the voice of local emergency management in Illinois. Since 1965 it has been their mission to coordinate the efforts of our members in a common cause to help protect the lives and property of those we serve. Check out their website for additional information. http://www.iesma.org/

3. Dayton Hamvention with new toys for your station.

This big event is now over and it appears to be a success despite the rain that plaques the flea market.  This SM did not attend due to school activities but I will be in attendance next year.

I heard very little about new toys for the shack, but as a Flex owner and subscriber to their group conversations, I did hear about the new offerings.

4. Appointments:

Robert Little, W9DSR appointed as ASEC/IL

Josh Kittle, N9WEW  has accepted the position of DEC in District 7.

Matthew Behnke, KD9ERS has accepted the position of Peoria County EC.

Jeremy Wells, KC9WMV has accepted the position of EC in Logan County.

5. Field Day planning

Field Day planning is in full swing.

Be sure to identify your station on the ARRL webpage at

http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator

There are currently 37 Field Day stations entered for Illinois and there is room for more.  Use this as an opportunity to get new hams to operate, show off a new node or just teach good operating practices. Listen; get the feel for rhythm of the other operator and be prepared with your response. Your SM and SEC will be on the road looking to make personal contact with a few amateurs within driving distance.  Be sure to register.

6. Events

It looks like mid-September is going to be extremely busy. No reason for any of us not to be Radio-Active.

W9DXCC DX Convention and Banquet scheduled for September 15-16. This is a major event for the area with Rick Roderick K5UR, ARRL President as the keynote speaker. Online registration is now available and much of the program is in place for the 2017 W9DXCC DX Convention and Banquet in suburban Chicago. The ARRL has approved the gathering as an Operating Specialty Convention.

Sponsored by the Northern Illinois DX Association, W9DXCC will also offer Contest University and DX University programs on Friday, with presentations for new and veteran DXers and contest operators. The daylong session on Saturday will feature speakers, exhibits, QSL card checking, a CW pileup contest and many valuable prizes. The evening banquet is a time to relax and enjoy our keynote speaker. For non-ham family members, Woodfield Mall, which offers a wide array of shopping, is one traffic light south of the convention site at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, 1800 East Golf Road.

Updates: http://w9dxcc.com/ for new developments.

For more information: John McCormick, K9KE@arrl.net

A special thanks goes out to the 21 amateurs that assisted with the Lincoln Trail Hike between Petersburg and Springfield on 29 April by suppling the group with communications. Ten hours of activity was logged starting at 5:30 AM.

Sangamon Valley Radio Club – Fritz Bock WD9FMB SEC/IL and your Section Manager were invited to speak at the Sangamon Valley Radio Club on Thursday evening May 4th.  This is a well-organized group in the Springfield area that has partnered with the American Red Cross.  The ARC has allocated a very large meeting room to the group with a permanent home for on-air radio equipment. We were both impressed enough with their group that we opened our wallets to become members and strengthen their organization.

TAPR Digital Communications Conference - Mark your calendars and start making plans to attend the premier technical conference of the year, the 36th Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference to be held September 15-17, 2017. in St Louis, MO. The conference location is the Holiday Inn Airport West

The ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference is an international forum for radio amateurs to meet, publish their work, and present new ideas and techniques. Presenters and attendees will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about recent hardware and software advances, theories, experimental results, and practical applications.

Topics include, but are not limited to: Software Defined Radio (SDR), digital voice , digital satellite communications, Global Position System (GPS), precision timing, Automatic Packet Reporting System(tm)(APRS), short messaging (a mode of APRS), Digital Signal Processing (DSP), HF digital modes, Internet interoperability with Amateur Radio networks, spread spectrum, IEEE 802.11 and other Part 15 license-exempt systems adaptable for Amateur Radio, using TCP/IP networking over Amateur Radio, mesh and peer to peer wireless networking, emergency and Homeland Defense backup digital communications, using Linux in Amateur Radio, updates on AX.25 and other wireless networking protocols.

7. Net Reports

Got 80 Meter capability? Join us on Sunday afternoon June 4^th an June 18^th at 4:30 PM on 3.905 Mhz.  We call the amateurs by county and would love to hear from more of you.  I find it interesting to listen for stations to ID about the state and see how well the various station are able to transfer information.

Illinois NTS report is:
April 2017 monthly reports are:

Illinois Side Band Net - Net Manager WB9QPM
Daily on 3905 at 1800 local time
QNI 255 QTC 69 Sessions 30

STM comment: This net is the primary traffic net for the Illinois section.

Illinois Phone Net - Net Manager KA9MZJ
M-F on 3857 at 1645 local time
Sunday on 3940 at 0800 local time
QNI 150 QTC 12 Sessions 25

Net Manager note: This net is listed as an ARRL traffic net reporting to the Illinois more stations to step up and serve as NCS.

North Central Phone Net – Net Manager KA9MZJ
M-F on 3912 at 0700 local time
QNI 251 QTC 40 Sessions 20

Net Manager note: This net has been listed as an ARRL traffic net for some time now reporting to the Illinois STM. We cover four states IL IN IA and WS and we have added three new NCS stations: Jim WB9EDL, Lou WA5LOU and Jerry

N9TU with Roy KA9MZJ and Jim WB9QPM filling in as needed. Many thanks to all those helping out with NCS.

Illinois CW Net (ILN) Net Manager W9NXM
Daily on 3537 at 1915 local time