Fall Oregon Section Update

Here’s an update on activities at ARRL and this fall in the Oregon of interest:

As your new Oregon Section SM, I have just returned from ARRL HQ in Newington with plenty of news. The Amateur Radio Parity Act legislation is top priority at the League and it looks promising that the bill will pass into law but nobody knows when that might happen. That’s good news for us condo-dwellers but that’s not all that going on. ARRL now has a new “Introductory Electronics Teaching Program” designed for middle school kids, new programs to promote college ham radio clubs and is urging all of us to get more active using social media to reach 20-40 year olds. ARRL is also working with FEMA and others to chart a future for changes in the ARES program that will require more training, more certification and an emphasis on recruiting more members.

Here in Oregon, we’ve just completed the annual mid-October Swaptoberfest gathering held amidst a dangerous fall wind and rain storm that kept some folks close to home supporting their Emergency Managers including Oregon Emergency Management which was activated while their trailer was at Rickreall. The Pacific Northwest VHF/UHF Society Conference in Bend October 7lh was held under more pleasant weather conditions.

Oregon ARES/RACES has launched two new on-line training programs for Amateur Radio Operators (ARO) which have been very well received. Some 57 members are taking the Oregon ARES Digital Network 8-week class and 118 have registered for the new 7-module on-line ARO course. ARES members from 17 counties are involved in these programs. In addition, we have a November 5^th statewide Simulated Emergency Test scheduled that will test our unit activation notification system. New SEC and EC appointments include Van Sias K7VS as our HF Nets lead and Brian Woodsley, EC for the State Amateur Radio Unit at OEM.

Thanks to all of the folks that organize conferences, drills, serve in Public Service and support Amateur Radio!

73, John Core KX7YT

Oregon Section Manager

October 18, 2016

--------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL Oregon Section

Section Manager: John Core KX7YT

kx7yt@arrl.org

--------------------------------------------------------------------

NTS HANDBOOK and Message Format
NTS Message Form