63^rd ANNUAL SHELBY HAMFEST (8/30 to 9/1) – The 63^rd Annual Shelby Hamfest, sponsored by the Shelby Amateur Radio Club – W4NYR, will be held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 30^th to September 1st, at the Cleveland County Fairground, 1751 East Marion Street, Shelby, NC 28150.  On Friday, the hours of operation are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Buildings and Flea Market).  On Saturday and Sunday, the gates open at 7:00 AM.  The inside Dealer Buildings will be open 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM on Saturday; and, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM on Sunday.  Talk-In: 146.880 MHz (-), no tone, W4NYR Repeater.  WCARS is providing the VE testing for a cost of $10.00.  For more information on VE testing, please contact chairman@shelbyhamfest.org and see http://www.shelbyhamfest.com/ve-testing.html

This year, the Forums will be held on Saturday (8/31) in a new, on-site location – the Atrium Health Hospital Building.  Forum presentations will include: 9:00 – 9:50 AM, AMSAT forum - old and new, presented by Philip Jenkins N4HF, AMSAT Ambassador; 10:00 – 10:50 AM, Enhanced opportunities for ham radio supporting emergency operations, presented by Marv Hoffman, WA4NC; 11:00 – 11:50 AM, You can do a lot with less than a watt – QRP and QRPp, presented by William Minikiewicz, W4FSV; 11:50 AM – 12:50 PM, Antenna kit building session, presented by William Minikiewicz, W4FSV; 1:00 PM, Latest news and question/answer session from the Roanoke Division, presented by Bud Hippisley, W2RU, ARRL Roanoke Division Director and Bill Morine, N2COP, ARRL Roanoke Division Vice Director; and, 2:00 PM, Update on the ARRL NC Section, presented by Karl Bowman, W4CHX, ARRL NC Section Manager.

Please visit the ARRL Booth and meet your Division Leaders, Bud Hippisley, W2RU and Bill Morine, N2COP.  For further information on the Shelby Hamfest, including tickets, camping, accommodations, prizes, VE testing, forums, youth lounge, flea market, and vendors, see http://www.shelbyhamfest.com/index.html  (source: Shelby Hamfest website)

INTRODUCTORY NTS TRAFFIC HANDLING CLASS (9/21) – The following information was received from Lane Kenndall, WK4WC:  “The Stanly County Amateur Club is holding a one-day introductory traffic handling class on September 21, 2019 in the Fellowship Hall of Mount Zion Lutheran Church, 115 East Church Street, Richfield, NC.  The class begins at 9:00 AM and will dismiss no later than 3:00 PM.  …  The facility is located near the intersection of NC-49N and US-52N.  Directions are available here: https://www.mtzionrichfield.org/  Everyone interested in handling traffic is cordially invited to attend.  If you are new to traffic handling, come learn.  If you are a traffic handling veteran, please bring and share your expertise.  Please let others in your clubs and nets know about this opportunity.  So that we have enough handout material, please respond using the link below and include your name and call sign.  …   

The basic outline for the day is:  Part 1: The chicken and the egg: The message and the net, including: what is a message -- radiogram and ICS-213; ICS Courses 100, 200, 700, 800; what is a net and why have them; how a typical traffic net works; the NTS and its hierarchy; and, ARRL Net Directory.  Part 2: How to get started, including: the Radiogram and the ICS-213 message form; ARL numbered messages (FSD); get the message into the system; how to pass and receive traffic – specifically on voice nets; practice sessions; how to deliver traffic; digital traffic capabilities; monthly reporting (to STM); and, software tools – Ready to Copy.  Part 3: Questions and answers.

The instructors are Hal London, WB4ZIQ; and, Lane Kendall, WK4WC.  Please use this link to Yarp listing your name and call:  http://yarp.com/15c070911443  We hope to see you in September.  …”  Thanks to Lane Kendall, WK4WC, ARRL Official Relay Station and ARRL Official Digital Station, Eastern Area, for providing this information!  (source: WK4WC)

UPCOMING HAMFESTS AND CONVENTIONS –

October 12:  W4NC Fall-Fest, Forsyth Amateur Radio Club, Winston-Salem, NC, http://W4NC.com

November 17: JARSfest, Johnston Amateur Radio Association, Benson, NC, http://jars.net

(source: ARRL website)

OTHER NEWS – 

QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT CURRENT PROCESS FOR AWARDING THE E.T. KRENKEL MEDAL – Questions about how the E.T. Krenkel Medal is being awarded, including whether recipients have to pay a fee to get the medal, have been brought to ARRL’s attention.  For further information, see http://www.arrl.org/news/questions-raised-about-current-process-for-awarding-the-e-t-krenkel-medal  (source: ARRL website)

REMINDER: THE HIRAM PERCY MAXIM BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION BEGINS ON AUGUST 31 (8/31 TO 9/8) – The Hiram Percy Maxim Birthday Celebration gets under way on Saturday, August 31, and wraps up on Monday, September 8.  The 9-day operating event commemorates the 150th anniversary of the birth of ARRL Cofounder and first president Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW – born on September 2, 1869 – and is open to all radio amateurs.  For further information, see http://www.arrl.org/news/reminder-the-hiram-percy-maxim-birthday-celebration-begins-on-august-31  (source: ARRL website)