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Update on Logbook of the World and CQ Awards (4/18)

ARRL and CQ Magazine Announce Launch of CQ’s WAZ Award Support on ARRL's Logbook of the World

 Newington, CT and Hicksville, NY – April 2, 2018 Officials from CQ magazine and ARRL, The national association for Amateur Radio®, are excited to announce the launch of support for CQ magazine’s Worked All Zones (WAZ) award program on ARRL’s Logbook of the World (LoTW) system, effective Monday, April 2, at 10:00 a.m. EDT (14:00 UTC).

The goal of the project was to create the proper technical support system to enable amateur radio operators to submit LoTW confirmations for WAZ credit and that has been accomplished, say CQ and ARRL officials.

“We are very pleased that participants in CQ's WAZ award program will now be able to use their LoTW confirmations for award credit,” said CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU. “CQ WPX Award participants have found it very helpful and we are sure it will be equally helpful for those pursuing WAZ and its many variations.”

ARRL First Vice President Greg Widin, K0GW, concurred. “Users of LoTW have been telling us for some time that they would like to use QSLs from LoTW to apply for the WAZ award. They will now be able to select confirmations to be used for WAZ credit.”

Beta testing for bringing CQ magazine's WAZ award program into ARRL’s LoTW system had been underway since mid-December. Any problems in the implementation discovered by testers were corrected by the technical support team. Also, the documentation has been improved by feedback from the testers. At the same time, each LoTW user was given an additional WAZ account. Standard LoTW credit fees and separate CQ award fees will apply.

Logbook of the World is ARRL's electronic confirmation system for amateur radio contacts. It provides a confirmation when both stations in a contact submit their logs to the system and a match between the logs is confirmed. LoTW has supported the CQ WPX Award program since 2012.

###############################################With support from member volunteers, ARRL will put Amateur Radio on display for visitors to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018 — the giant, annual airshow July 23 – 29 in Wisconsin, organized by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). The event attracted more than 10,000 aircraft and nearly 600,000 visitors in 2017 to enjoy aerobatics displays, informative programs, hands-on workshops, and diverse aircraft spanning all eras of flight.

“The cross-over between Amateur Radio operators and pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and air show attendees has a strong correlation,” said ARRL Central Division Director Kermit Carlson, W9XA, who is part of the volunteer team organizing the ham radio exhibit at AirVenture. “Attendees include many licensed and prospective Amateur Radio operators.”

ARRL’s exhibit will promote Amateur Radio to newcomers and inform all attendees of the similarly diverse technology and innovation enjoyed by both hams and pilots.

“Ham pilots are doing all sorts of things from the sky, including long-distance HF communications, aircraft tracking using APRS beacons, and search and rescue,” Carlson said. “Developing the capability to communicate from your aircraft to a ham on the ground is also fun!”

ARRL has posted a short survey that invites pilots who are radio amateurs to share their ideas for exhibiting at EAA AirVenture 2018. The ARRL display will build upon existing ham radio demonstrations at the show, including EAA Amateur Radio Special Event station W9ZL, organized annually by the Fox Cities Amateur Radio Club in Appleton, Wisconsin, and set up at the Pioneer Airport airstrip in Oshkosh. W9ZL will be on the air throughout the week of the Oshkosh air show.

Amateur Radio Month in Illinois

Toward the end of May, Governor Rauner will be issuing a proclamation designating June as Amateur Radio Month in Illinois. I will be sending you a PDF of the document as soon as it is sent to me.

From a Public Information standpoint, the proclamation is a  a great news "hook" that you can use to reach out to media and community organizations in your area to tell them about your club's Field Day plans and about your club and members.

 You may have been among those who received an e-mail from me in January (directed primarily club Public Information Officers or Publicity chairs) that sought specific ideas/experiences that helped promote club activities.

 Below are some of the ideas ARRL-affiliated clubs across Illinois shared to help all of us be more effective in telling the public about amateur radio.

For Field Day:

   If you're trying to draw the public to Field Day, make sure you send an announcement to that effect to your local newspapers, television & radio  stations and on-line community calendars (including public libraries and area colleges and universities). Some publications and stations prefer an e-mail, others a press release or phone call. Check in advance. Ask their preferences and deadlines for providing information.

     A quick flyer can be sent to libraries, schools, and community/supermarket bulletin boards for posting Field Day and Club event announcements.

     Field Day can offer some excellent television and newspaper photo ops. Be sure to contact the assignment editors and the photo editors at least 10 days in advance and include a brief description of what you will be doing that would make a good visual (putting up a big antenna, talking on the radio, etc.).

 Create a "Fact Sheet" and make it available to the reporter or photographer when they show up. Make sure it that explains Field Day and how, what, when, where, and why  your club members are participating in this nationwide emergency communications exercise.

 If there is a local radio or television morning talk show in your area, contact the guest coordinator or host by mail, e-mail, or phone to see if they would like to interview you or someone from your club to talk about Field Day. Give yourself time to arrange this. Guests are often booked weeks in advance. Be sure to send the booker/host your Fact Sheet.

     For Field Day and in the weeks leading up to it, look for possible  human interest stories that might spark a newspaper story or television interview to tie into Field Day.

      In this category might be:

·      the youngest licensed ham who will be getting on the air.

·      the oldest licensed ham who will be getting on the air.

·      Scouts working toward their amateur radio merit badge.

·      How your club uses what they do on Field Day to interact with the community in emergencies.

·      Club members who have traveled to other areas to help with emergency communications.

·      School ham clubs who are participating with your   club.

      Promoting what you do as an organization doesn't stop with the media.

      June could be a great time to have representatives of your club speak (and show a powerpoint) about what you do on Field Day and throughout the year in presentations to community organizations like civic groups, service groups, scouts, business groups, libraries, and religious organizations.

     If you have a shopping mall nearby, ask permission to set up a working display that promotes Field Day, your club, and ham radio. Flyers, ARRL booklets, even photo display boards may bring in new members and a greater awareness of your club. You may want to partner with other community organizations such as the Red Cross, local hospitals or the National Weather Service.

      You might also ask your local officials to also proclaim Amateur Radio Month in your community, a great photo op!

     These are just some of the ideas that have come my way. As we head into June, I'd like to share your ideas with other public information officers, publicity chairs and officers in the Section. Please feel free to drop me an e-mail at KD9BAU@gmail.com.

Vicky Whitaker, KD9BAU. ARRL Illinois Section Public Information Coordinator 
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Pearl Technology STEM Camp, June 18-22, 2018

The STEM Academy is sponsored and put on by Pearl Technology, with the assistance of the University of Illinois Extension, Richwoods Township, Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois, Peoria Area Amateur Radio Club, Peoria Heights High School, volunteer Caterpillar engineers, and ISS Above Software.

Twenty-five middle school students will spend June 18-22 attending the STEM Academy held at Goodwill Commons, where they will learn about space and radio communications. The students will build Raspberry Pi computers that stream live video from the ISS. Students will also participate in a high-altitude balloon launch by building the payload with student experiments and then, use radio telemetry to track the balloon to near-space. The highlight of the academy will be when students communicate directly with astronauts on the International Space Station. The ISS contact itself will be open to students of all ages in the local area. Stay tuned for additional information in the coming weeks.

Fritz Bock
WD9FMB

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 The Western IL ARC invites all amateurs to a special event to celebrate 2018 as the Bicentennial for the State of Illinois. 
To showcase Illinois amateurs during 2018, WIARC, in addition to the ILQP, proposes:

http://www.w9awe.org/Challenge.html

WIARC will coordinate with other IL stations as "Activators" to put all 102 counties on the air multiple times during the period August 26, 2018 through December 3, 2018 (including October 21, the day of the ILQP).

Both during ILQP and during the rest of this period, activations will be coordinated through the ILQP Reflector http://www.w9awe.org/ILQP%20Reflector.html. "Activators" are encouraged to post plans on the reflector, and a weekly update of "Planned Operations" will be maintained on the WIARC page (link to follow).

 "Activators" will upload Cabrillo or Excel log files (with the required QSO information: template available at http://www.w9awe.org/ILQP.html.  Check the "Sample Log" tab at the bottom of the page.)  Outside of the ILQP period, "Activators" are encouraged to append their calls with "/IL200" to indicate they will be uploading their logs for the event.

 "Chasers" will attempt to contact all 102 counties during this period and will submit contact information on either the Excel template or .txt template provided on the ILQP website (link to follow). Both "Activator" and "Chaser" logs should be sent as attachments to n9jf@arrl.net no later than December 10, 2018.

Chasers who successfully contact all 102 counties will receive a special Bicentennial Challenge certificate.

Reach out to your membership to see who would be willing, during the period August 26, 2018 through December 3, 2018, to be "Activator Stations" for the Bicentennial Challenge detailed in the above link.

While home station activations are welcomed, we are going to need operators willing to do portable or mobile activations in order to make less-populated counties available multiple times.  Activations at various times of the day and week and on various bands and modes will be needed.

Only by involving a large number of amateurs from around the state can we make it reasonably possible for stations to achieve working all 102 counties!  Contacts during the 2018 ILQP (Oct 21) will automatically be registered from submitted logs.  If you have questions or comments, please contact the club through n9jf@arrl.net.

See https://illinois200.com/events/the-illinois-bicentennial-challange-award.

73, Jim N9JF

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 Affiliated Club Registration and Renewal - Noah Sevcik K9BZY has set up a link to allow one place for clubs to get registered. There is a link here to do the paperwork.

2016 Illinois Interoperability Field Operations Guide - This manual is updated every two years and is available for download in the files section of the Section News.

Cabinet Members

SM/AD--Ron Morgan AD9I
ASM--Mike Nowack NA9Q
ASM--Scott DeSantis KB9VRW
ASM/STM Roy R Eades KA9MZJ
ASM--Sean Travis W9STR
SEC--Fritz Bock WD9FMB
OOC/AD--Tim Childers K9CQ
PIC -- Vicky Whitaker KD9BAU
SGL -- Charlie Richey K9DUE
ACC -- Noah Sevcik, K9BZY
TC--John Dinnella WA9IL 
ASEC--Robert Littler W9DSR
ASEC--Danny Pease NG9R
ASEC--Garret Robinson KC9FVK
ASEC--Pat Ryan KC6VVT
ASEC Pat Stowell, N9PN
ASEC--Curtis Williams W5DTR                                                   

District Emergency Coordinators:

District 2--Lloyd Sherman KB9APW,
District 3--Debby Gray, WX9VOR (including District 4 Lake & Dupage Counties)
District 4--Robert (Bob) Langsfeld WB9TZC  ADEC for Cook County 
District 6--
District 7--Josh Kittle, N9WEW,
District 8--Curtis Williams W5DTR, ADEC Chris Pixton KC9EIZ
District 9--Jim Hudson WB9QPM,
District 11--Bruce Talley WA9APQ

Newsletter Topics
==> Section Manager Report
==> Net Reports
==> Illiniois Club Websites
==> Club Presentations

==> Section Manager Report

Illinois Sideband Net webpage

Illinois Nets This is a link to the open Amateur Nets

==> Club Presentations

Impedance Matching by Ward Silver