Good Afternoon to All,

I trust that your early part of the year has been good for you. I have been recovering from a knee replacement surgery for the last few months. We have been busy though since the Lakeway Amateur Radio Club (LARC) hamfest was January 5 this year and I went, along with Randall Smith KI4OAS TN SEC and Chuck Talley KJ4KVC DEC D-10, to support the renewal of the event and at a new location this year. It was well attended and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. We thank not only the amateurs from Morristown but all from East TN who stopped by to talk with as well as those new and renewing ARRL memberships.

We will be traveling to more hamfests this year than last. Some of the early venues will be the MTARS hamfest in Tullahoma – March 9, Ides of March hamfest in Union City – March 23, Memphis FreeFest in Bartlett – April 13 C.A.T.S. Tail-Gate Party Clarksville - May 4, and the RACK Hamfest (Tennessee State Convention) in Knoxville June 8. As you can see, only traveling to hamfests will keep us busy. Club visits, and other conferences add to the agenda as well. I look forward to seeing you and meeting you during travels this year.

The Tennessee Section is very close to having 3,500 members. As of January of this year the membership stood at 3,370 members. I am not sure if that is a record or not but the section has steadily increased thanks to your efforts. I believe that with your help, the section could top 4,000 members by the end of the year.

Last weekend was the ARRL International DX Contest. I hope that you had the opportunity to participate. If you have just started your amateur hobby, and have an interest in DX, last weekend was a great time to be on the air. If you were working on your DXCC, you had a great weekend to get it off the ground. For those who have been chasing DX for a good while, I hope you were able to work stations you needed.

Recognition of service is a large part of thanking you for your efforts to extend and enhance our hobby. It is only by your willingness to help, experiment and teach others that we are able to share amateur radio with our youth and others. Many teach classes, others like to experiment with new modes of operation, others like to help spread the work about the excitement of our hobby – “we call them public information officers.” There are awards to recognize all of these efforts from the ARRL. Recently I received an email requesting nominations for the following awards that reads in part:

Each year the ARRL Board of Directors has the opportunity to select recipients for a number of awards in various categories that honor Amateur Radio operators.

The nomination period is now open for the ARRL awards that are designed to recognize educational, technological and service pursuits in Amateur Radio.  There is also an award to honor a young Amateur Radio operator. Please log onto www.arrl.org/arrl-award-nominations for specific details and information on how to nominate or submit supporting endorsements.

The ARRL Herb S. Brier Instructor of the Year Award is awarded to an ARRL volunteer Amateur Radio instructor or to an ARRL professional classroom teacher who uses creative instructional approaches and models the highest values of the Amateur Radio community. The award has been focused to reflect quality of instruction and commitment to licensing instruction. Nominations should be received by March 15, 2013, to be considered for this year.

The Hiram Percy Maxim Award is for a licensed radio amateur under age 21 (and an ARRL member) whose accomplishments and contributions are of the most exemplary nature within the framework of Amateur Radio activities. Nominations for this award need to be made through your Section Manger (see page 16) who will then forward the nomination to ARRL Headquarters by March 31, 2013.

The ARRL Microwave Development Award is presented to a licensed radio amateur or to individuals who are licensed radio amateurs and contribute to the development of the Amateur Radio microwave bands. The nomination deadline is March 31, 2013.

The ARRL Technical Service Award recognizes a licensed radio amateur or individuals who are licensed radio amateurs that provide Amateur Radio technical assistance or training to others. The nomination deadline is March 31, 2013.

The ARRL Technical Innovation Award is granted to a licensed radio amateur or to individuals who are licensed radio amateurs who develop and apply new technical ideas or techniques in Amateur Radio. The nomination deadline is March 31, 2013.

The Knight Distinguished Service Award was established to recognize exceptionally notable contributions by an ARRL Section Manager to the health and vitality of the League. 

For more information about these awards, visit www.arrl.org/arrl-award-nominations.

You may also contact Steve Ewald, WV1X, at wv1x@arrl.org or 860-594-0265 at ARRL Headquarters.

Please take the time to consider who you would like to honor for their service from Tennessee.

Thanks and I will be sending more later.

Keith Miller N9DGK

ARRL TN SM