Greetings to the Hams of Michigan:                      July, 2014

Welcome to the second half of 2014 and I hope that you and your family had an enjoyable and safe Independence Day. Likewise, I hope all had a great Field Day. Be sure to send in your entry to make sure that we have all the data from as many FD operations as possible. BTW, now is the time to critique your club’s FD to make notes of what went well and more importantly what went not so well. This is the time to fix any problems so that your group is ready for next year’s event or more importantly ready for an emergency situation where you may need to set up quickly and operate from the field. 

Great Lakes Division has new Leadership

Effective at noon on July 7, Great Lakes Director Jim Weaver, K8JE has retired as GLD Director after more than 10 years in that position. The Division Vice Director, our own Dale Williams, WA8EFK from Dundee ascended to the Director position per the ARRL rules. ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, appointed Tom Delaney, W8WTD as Vice Director to fill the position vacated by Dale when he became Director.

First and foremost, our most sincere thanks go to Jim Weaver for his many years of dedication to the ARRL and the Great Lakes Division. Secondly, our congratulations, thanks, and best wishes go to Dale in his new position and to Tom for taking on the challenge as Vice Director. Either of these gentlemen can be contacted at their callsign@arrl.org or by telephone or snail mail as listed on page 15 in QST.

 ARRL Centennial QSO Party

 Dennis Ward, KT8X has taken the reigns of the Michigan W1AW/8 program with able assistance from Tom Bosscher, K8TB. The following information from KT8X will explain how this will work for the fall event for the MI Section:

W1AW/8 is coming back to Michigan!

Following in the footsteps of the successful February operation coordinated by AA8R, I have the distinct privilege to coordinate the second Michigan operation of W1AW/8.  This is an opportunity for all Michigan Amateurs to operate from their own station using this special ARRL Centennial callsign.

Operation starts at 0000Z on October 15, 2014 and ends at 2359Z on October 21, 2014.  Each Operation/Operator may sign up for as many 2hour slots as they wish.  Available modes are CW, SSB, RTTY, & PSK31.  Amateurs from around the world will be using our schedule to determine when they can work us. 

This operation is meant to be fun, and to showcase our great state.  owever, like any other organized operation, there are some guidelines for everyone to follow.

To sign up, each operator must agree to the following:

No paper logs are accepted, only electronic logs in ADIF format using a prescribed naming index within 24 hours of completing your slot(s

Sign up for operating slots is on-line only

Each operator must only operate for those times/band slots which they have reserved, do not run over your time even if there’s a pile up!  If the next slot is open, take a break, reserve the next slot, and start again.

Manage your pile-ups and have fun!

Tom, K8TB, is managing a website where there will be information to assist the operators.   There’s a link to the online schedule here as well.  This is a work in progress, so check back often: 

 www.k8tb.org/w1aw.htm

 In order to obtain a login, please email Dennis, KT8X, at dward8@gmail.com.  In the email subject please indicate W1AW/8 Login Request and provide the following information in your email:

Call

First and Last Name

Phone Number where you can be reached while you are operating W1AW/8

Eail address

QTH (Town/City & County)

Grid Square (ENxx) 

I will do my best to respond in 24 hours with a password you can use to login, log instructions, and link to our W1AW/8 Operators Facebook group.  You will also be subscribed to an email listserv we will use to communicatewith everyone.

 Last but not least, a big thank you to Sam, K8SN, for setting up the N2IW scheduling software. 

Dennis, KT8X

Michigan Section Family Outing

 The 16^th annual Michigan Section Family Outing for 2014 is now in the books as another successful event. The turnout was great, the weather generally cooperative and the company outstanding! 

Many thanks go to all who worked so hard to make this event a success and to all who attended to add their presence to the formula for success. Special thanks go to our guest speakers, Randy Williams, KD8MOK from MPSCS and to Don Bouffard from MSP Emergency Management Homeland Security Division. Both gentlemen did an excellent job and the presentations were very much enjoyed by all.  

We are already working on the 2015 event and we are looking for a person to work with Jay, WB8TKL to learn the ropes and to take charge of the event. There is not a huge amount of work to it, but rather just knowing what needs to be done and finding the right people/methods to get it done. This is where Jay comes in as his experience with the Section Outing is vast. He and his bride Mary Anne have been running the show for many years and it I s time to pass the torch. If this interests you, please contact Jay at wb8tkl@arrl.net.

Michigan Net (QMN) Net Picnic Announcement 

The 2014 edition of the QMN Picnic is scheduled for September 27th at12:00 noon at the Davison Roadside Park in Flint/Burton. Our General Manager, Anne, K8AE has things well organized for us. We have reserved a shelter so any rain will not impact seriously impact our event. There is a play area for kids and grandkids. You can find driving directions,schedule, and other information here: http://michigannet.org/news-bulletins/.

Attendance is not restricted to QMN members. All interested hams are invited to attend and learn more about one of the oldest communication networks in the world and how it remains pertinent in today’s modern world.

FCC Invokes “Red Light Rule” in Denying K1MAN License Renewal Application

The curious Amateur Radio enforcement case of Glenn Baxter, now ex-K1MAN, of Belgrade Lakes, Maine, appears to winding down and may be at an end. The FCC dismissed Baxter’s long-standing license renewal application on June 23, invoking its “Red Light Rule,” which gives the Commission authority to turn down a pending application if the applicant has an unpaid fine on the books. Baxter was liable for a $10,000 FCC forfeiture stemming from violations over a period extending back several years.

Addition information is available here: http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-invokes-red-light-rule-in-denying-k1man-license-renewal-application

Civilian Conservation Corps Weekend

Don’t forget the first annual CCC On-The-Air weekend will be held the second full weekend in August, 2014. Contact KG8JK at ccc@qsl.net for additional information.

Hospitality Acknowledgements

Jun 21 - West Michigan Youth Club Hamfest, Lowell, MI

It was a pleasure to attend your event.

Section Staff Travel Plans

Jul 17 – 19, 2014   ARRL Nat'l Convention, Hartford, CT – WB8R

Jul 26, 2014           CMARC Outdoor Swap, Lansing, MI – WB8R 

Aug 2, 2014            UP Hamfest, Escanaba, MI – WB8R

Sep 13, 2014          GRAhamfest, Wyoming, MI – WB8R

Sep 14, 2014          Adrian Hamfest, Adrian, MI – WB8R

Oct 18, 2014           Muskegon Color Tour, Muskegon, MI – WB8R

Oct 19, 2014           Kalamazoo Hamfest, Kalamazoo, MI – WB8R

Oct 26, 2014           USECA Hamfest, Madison Heights, MI - WB8R

Michigan Section Traffic/ARPSC Nets (All times Local)

MACS - MI Amateur Communications System 3.952 1000 Daily

UPN– Upper Peninsula Net 3.921 1700 Daily; Noon Sunday

MIARPSC – MI Amateur Radio Public Service Corps 3.932 1700 Sunday

QMN – The Michigan Net 3.563 1830 and 2200 Daily 

MITN – MI Traffic Net 3.952 1900 Daily

MIDTN – MI Digital Traffic Net 3.583 (Olivia 8/500) in waterfall 2000 Tues, Thurs, Sat 

GLETN – Great Lakes Emergency and Traffic Net 3.932 2000 Daily

MVTN – MI VHF Traffic Net IRA Link System 2100 Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun

NLEUP - Northern Lower Eastern UP Net 146.64- 18:30 Daily 

SEMTN – SE MI Traffic Net 146.76- 2215 Daily

TMMTN – Thumb Mid Michigan Traffic Net 147.30+ 2130 Mon - Sat

More information is available at http://nts-mi.org/. Come join us on our traffic and public service nets. 

Amateur Radio Public Service Corps (ARPSC) Activitie

Normally I list the various categories of Public Service reports for the hams of Michigan in this column, but this month we have a scheduling problem that interferes with the reporting and compiling schedule. The problem is that I will be on the road to ARRL HQ when the information is available. Thus, the reports from June will be published in the August Section News Column along with the July results. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause anyone.   If you are reporting monthly to our SEC/STM WB8RCR, you can see your PSHR eligibility status at http://www.nts-mi.org/.

The full details are at: http://www.arrl.org/public-service-honor-roll. This award recognizes the efforts of hams that are active in public service. Those reporting accumulate points for checking into nets, volunteering, holding Section appointment(s) and handling message traffic.

EC’s can see their reports of Form FSD-212 here: http://ares-mi.org/ec_his.php If you send your report to WB8RCR and don’t see it noted there, send a note to John to tell him your report has gone missing.

EC’s: Be sure to share your FSD 212 with your District EC, your ARES/RACES members and with your county’s Emergency Manager and others in your jurisdiction who need to know what you and your ARES/RACES group are contributing to your community each month.

Thank you for all of your efforts on behalf of the people of the State of Michigan and for filing your monthly reports. It really shows how active Michigan is in holding a leadership position for ham radio public service activities.

73 until next month,

Larry, WB8R