ARRL NC Section Newsletter

February, 2014

Greetings to all Hams across North Carolina from Karl W4CHX, your new ARRL NC Section Manager! 

THANKS TO BILL MORINE, N2COP, ARRL NC SECTION MANAGER (2010-2014) – As of February 20, 2014, Bill Morine, N2COP, of Wilmington has retired as the 16^th ARRL NC Section Manager.  Bill decided not to seek a third two-year term to concentrate on his family’s business.  On behalf of all Hams across the State, I would like to thank Bill for his dedicated, friendly, timely, and effective service to amateur radio and to the Section, in particular.  I am pleased to announce that Bill has accepted the appointment of ARRL NC Assistant Section Manager, so he will continue to serve our Section with his sage and cheerful advice.  Again, thanks Bill!

ROGER BURT, N4ZC TO RECEIVE 2013 ROANOKE DIVISION SERVICE AWARD – Dennis Bodson, W4PWF, ARRL Roanoke Division Director has announced that Roger Burt, N4ZC, of Mount Holly is the recipient of the 2013 Roanoke Division Service Award.  He will receive this award on Saturday, March 8^th at the NC Section Convention (Charlotte Hamfest), during the ARRL Forum.

MARK RAPPAPORT, W2EAG TO RECEIVE ARRL GEORGE HART DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD -- Mark Rappaport, W2EAG of New Bern, is this year’s recipient of the ARRL George Hart Distinguished Service Award, which is the highest award in traffic handling.  The award is named in honor of George Hart, W1NJM, founder and architect of the National Traffic System (NTS).  Thanks to supporting letters from many of you, Mark was recognized nationally for his many years of contributions to NTS, such as the Traffic Handler’s Handbook, which has been updated many times into new editions.  Tentative plans are to honor Mark at an upcoming meeting of his hometown club, the New Bern Amateur Radio Club.  Thanks to Bill Morine, N2COP for providing this information!

ARRL CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION ACTIVITIES – The 100^th anniversary of the ARRL is being celebrated during 2014 and there will be many opportunities during the year to commemorate this milestone.  Two activities -- the W1AW Centennial QSO Party and the ARRL National Centennial Convention 2014 -- deserve further comment.

On January 1^st, the W1AW Centennial QSO Party began. The Centennial QSO Party consists of two main activities: (1) portable operation of W1AW in each state and most territories; and (2) The Centennial Points Challenge which is the accumulation of points from qualifying contacts made throughout 2014.  With regard to the first activity, W1AW will operate portable from every state twice during 2014.  During the week of January 1-7, W1AW/4 operated from North Carolina by a capable team of ops lead by Howie Hoyt, N4AF of Blounts Creek.  The team members included Alan Knight AA4FU; Will Roberts AA4NC; Guy Olinger K2AV; Robert Katz K4OV; Jim Jordan K4QPL; Dennis Motschenbacher K7BV; Bill Morine N2COP; Lou Dietrich N2TU; Howie Hoyt N4AF; Nate Moreschi N4YDU; Carl Smith N4AA; Paul Sturpe W3GQ; Dick Williams W3OA; Marc Sullivan W4MPS; and, Bill Cole W4TMO.  More than 25,000 QSOs were made by W1AW/4 during that 7-day period!  Thanks everyone, great job!  The next chance to work W1AW/4 from North Carolina will be September 17-23 when Nate Moreschi, N4YDU of Youngsville and his capable team will hold the call sign.  For further information on the Centennial QSO Party, ie, W1AW portable operations, times, frequencies, rules, etc, go to the Centennial QSO Party website at http://www.arrl.org/centennial-qso-party The Centennial QSO Party promises to be fun all year long with plenty of awards.

The ARRL National Centennial Convention 2014, will be held from Thursday, July 17^th to Saturday, July 19^th, in Hartford, CT.  Activities planned for Thursday, July 17^th include:  all-day training sessions in public service, technology, and radiosport; a luncheon with guest speaker; and, an international guest reception.  It is worth noting that Contest University and DX University seminars will be held on Thursday, July 17^th.  Activities planned for Friday, July 18^th and Saturday, July 19^th include: an exhibit hall featuring ARRL program representatives, amateur radio manufacturers, equipment sellers, and indoor flea market; many forums and presentations; ARRL Centennial Banquet with special keynote speaker (Friday night); ARRL Wouff Hong Ceremony (Friday, 11:30 PM); Presidents Breakfast (Saturday morning); and, closing ceremony (Saturday evening).  For further information, see

https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1248082  You are encouraged to attend the ARRL National Centennial Convention 2014.  It will be a great opportunity to improve your technical knowledge and operating skills, see what’s new in ham radio gear, check out the flea market, see old friends, meet new colleagues, and celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the ARRL.  I look forward to seeing you at the Centennial Convention!

2014 NORTH CAROLINA QSO PARTY UPDATE – The 2014 North Carolina QSO Party (NCQP), sponsored by the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society, was held on Sunday, February 23, 2014.  On behalf of the NC Section, I thank Marty Young W4MY and his NCQP team – Marc Sullivan W4MPS; Paul Stroud, AA4XX; Andy Peterson, AA9P; Joanne Mars, AK4RJ; Dwayne Ayers, N4MIO; and, Bill Turner W4WNT – for organizing this year’s event.  After the NCQP was over, I was pleased to see that members of the Azalea Coast Amateur Radio Club, who were operating bonus station NI4BK from the WWII battleship, USS North Carolina in Wilmington, NC, were featured on the cable news station, TWC News All Evening.  Great job everyone! 

PHONY ARRL EMAIL SCAM – The following email communication from Sean Kutzko, KX9X, ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager, was forwarded by Bill Fisher, W4GRW, of the Carolina DX Association:  “An email alerting Amateurs to a possible email scam involving ARRL is making the rounds on the Internet.  Because of a miscommunication within ARRL Headquarters, member (name deleted) was led to believe that an email he had received regarding a DXCC application was fraudulent. The email (he) received was indeed sent by an employee of ARRL for a legitimate DXCC inquiry.  The DXCC Branch has since changed the email format for communications with customers involving payment questions.  Any further questions about DXCC should be directed to Awards Manager Bill Moore, NC1L at bmoore@arrl.org or 860-594-0234.  ARRL apologizes for the confusion.  73, Sean Kutzko, KX9X Media and Public Relations Manager.”  Hopefully, this clears up any confusion regarding a possible ARRL email scam.

LICENSING CLASSES – Murphy (NC), Technician licensing class, March 11- May 20, 2014, sponsored by Cherokee County NC ARES.  To find upcoming classes, go to www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-class  To register a class that your club or organization is sponsoring, go to www.arrl.org/register-a-new-license-class 

MEDIA HITS – Several media hits have been forwarded for inclusion in the NC Section newsletter.  The Wilson County Auxiliary Emergency Communications was activated on February 12^th, when weather officials predicted a potentially crippling ice storm for the Wilson County area.  Participants included Emergency Coordinator George Diering W3GJD and team members Ben Gufford W4BRG; Chuck Eatmon KJ4ZKL; and Deanna Naudus Gufford W4DNG.  A journalist from The Wilson Times reported on the county emergency response to the storm, see: http://www.wilsontimes.com/News/Feature/Story/29393714---Roads-improve--caution-urged  Thanks to Benjamin Gufford, W4BRG for providing this information!

As reported above, members of the Azalea Coast Amateur Radio Club, who were operating the NC QSO Party bonus station NI4BK from the USS North Carolina in Wilmington, NC, were featured on the cable news station, TWC News All Evening on February 23^rd. 

On February 25^th, Paul Jones K4VCF, ARRL Trained PIO and Tim Slay, N4IB, ARRL NC Assistant Section Manager discussed ham radio, the ARRL Centennial, and the upcoming Charlotte Hamfest/NC Section Convention, on Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins, on WFAE 90.7 radio, see: http://wfae.org/post/ham-radio-update-food-babe-vani-hari  Thanks to Bill Fisher W4GRW and Paul Jones K4VCF for providing this information! 

NTS SECTION TRAFFIC REPORT FOR JANUARY, 2014 –

QNI (total check-ins): 2387; Total messages passed: 510.  Station Activity Reports (SARs), total number: W2EAG 423, W4DNA 165, WK4WC 89, KC4PGN 87, AK4RJ 77, KJ4JPE 51, W4TTO 45, WB4ZIQ 44, WK4P 43, W3HL 40, WB4Y 40, KE4AHC 37, K4JUU 35, KK4BVR 22, N2RTF 18.  Public Service Honor Roll (PSHR), total number: W4DNA 175, KJ4JPE 165, KK4BVR 152, WB4ZIQ 135, WK4P 135,WK4WC 120, K4JUU 116, W2EAG 110, AK4RJ 100, W4TTO 100, WB4Y 100, N2RTF 98 

PUBLIC SERVICE – Please consider participating in the Ham Public Service Net, which meets every Wednesday evening at 7:30 PM EST on the Carolina 440 Link System.  For further information, including the location of a 440 MHz repeater close to you, go to http://yahoo.groups.com/group/hpsnc  Thanks to John Snellen, AI4RT for providing this information! 

SILENT KEYS – We regret to report the passing of Edward M. (Ed) Alderman, Sr, WA4PEN of Raleigh; Carl H. Briley, Jr, N4JEH of Nashville; William R. (Bill) Kress, III, K4FGA of Raleigh; Willard F. McCune, W2IRC of Raleigh; and, Derek L. (Deke) Tattersall, KO4T of Mebane.  Please note that it is not possible to post information about hams that have become Silent Keys without confirmation via printed obituary or similar. 

SPECIAL EVENT STATION

March 15-16: Commemoration of the 233rd Anniversary of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, 1300Z-1900Z, N4G, Greensboro, NC, sponsored by Greensboro Amateur Radio Association.  21.323 14.323 7.233 3.900.  QSL: Greensboro Amateur Radio Association - N4G, PO Box 7054, Greensboro, NC 27417. www.n4g-gch.org

UPCOMING HAMFESTS

March 7-8: NC Section Convention (Charlotte Hamfest), Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Society, Concord, NC, http://www.charlottehamfest.org

April 19: Roanoke Division Convention (RARSfest), Raleigh Amateur Radio Society, Raleigh, NC, http://www.rars.org/rarsfest

April 19: Catawba Valley Hamfest, McDowell Amateur Radio Association, Morganton, NC, http://cvhamfest.com

May 5: 10th Annual Rockingham County Swapfest, Rockingham County Amateur Radio, Reidsville, NC, http://www.rcarc.com

May 24: DurHamFest, Durham FM Association, Bahama, NC, http://dfma.org

CLUBS NEED TO FILE THEIR ANNUAL REPORTS (second notice) -- Attention all ARRL-affiliated clubs: please update your records online at http://www.arrl.org/club-update  The two best times to update your club’s records are: 1) the first of every year; and 2) after officer elections.

MONTHLY DELIVERY OF ARRL NC SECTION NEWSLETTER (second notice) -- ARRL members are reminded that they can get delivery of this monthly newsletter by logging into their member profile at http://www.arrl.org/Users/edit#!/edit-info-email_subscriptions and clicking on “News and information from your Division Director and Section Manager”.  This newsletter is not copyrighted, so it can be reproduced and used in club newsletters or forwarded to anyone.  Current and past issues of the ARRL NC Section Newsletter can be found on the Section’s website at www.ncarrl.org 

TRAFFIC NEWSLETTER (second notice) – As mentioned in the last NC ARRL newsletter, a quarterly newsletter devoted to traffic handling called “QNI” is now available. It can be downloaded at www.k6jt.com  For those interested in this vital part of amateur radio, “QNI” is a must read.

QUA* -- I look forward to working with the committed ARRL field organization, the 69 strong and healthy ARRL-affiliated clubs, and the individual Hams in our Section.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or want to provide input on our Section. I can be reached via email at w4chx@arrl.org or via cell phone at (919) 669-6068 (cell).  Thanks for everything you are doing for amateur radio!  73, Karl Bowman, W4CHX, ARRL North Carolina Section Manager

*QUA is an international Q signal (prosign) meaning, “Have you news of _____?”  In the absence of a question mark, QUA means, “I have news of ____.”