Good Afternoon to all,

These first two and one half months have gone by so quickly. I just got back from the Delta Division Convention in Rayne, La. It was a great Hamfest and Convention and everyone there had a great time. The Division Director David Norris K5UZ, Division Vice Director Ed Hudgins WB4RHQ, incoming La. Section Manager Jim Molan KD5IGG and Mike Corey K1IU from ARRL Headquarters were also in attendance. The Hamfest was well attended and everyone had a great time.

The Section Staff is now complete with the additions of our Section Emergency Coordinator Dan O Donovan W4DOD from Jefferson County in East Tennessee and our Affiliated Club Coordinator Jim Goodrich WA4VGZ from Davidson County in Middle Tennessee. Our Tennessee State website has been updated to reflect these additions. We are pleased to have both of these individuals aboard for this term. Should you need to contact them, please go to www.tnarrl.org and their information has been listed on their respective pages.

We have been working hard to validate all of the various appointments for the section. That will continue over the next few weeks. When all is completed, all appointees will have certificates for their appointments and letters of confirmation.

The MTARS Tullahoma Hamfest, held Saturday March 8, 2014 was a great success. Our newest DXCC Card checker Chuck Talley KJ4KVC was there and had folks stopping by to have cards checked as well as questions about the process. If you need to get in touch with him, you can find his contact information on the ARRL website at this address: http://www.arrl.org/dxcc-card-checker-search . Some have already asked how to contact Chuck, so if you will check the link above, you will be able to do that. If you have cards to be checked, be sure to read the information on the ARRL Webpage concerning how to prepare your cards before you bring them to a checker. It helps make the process much smoother for both you and the card checker.

Our next Hamfest is the Ides of March Hamfest held in Union City, TN., by the Reelfoot Amateur Radio Club, March 29, 2014. It is a great Hamfest and you are sure not to be disappointed. Drop by and see us while you are there.

We are finishing work on the State ARES reporting page and will soon have it in full service. It has taken longer than originally anticipated but the wait is over. SEC Dan O Donovan will be taking care to bring everyone online within the next few weeks so reports can be turned in. Stay tuned for additional information as it becomes available.

For all clubs: many of our clubs have web pages. Some, unfortunately have not updated their officer information for a while, and that also includes their web page internet links. Please be sure to check your club information to insure your information is accurate. If it is not, please correct it and send an email to our Affiliated Club Coordinator Jim Goodrich WA4VGZ wa4vgz@arrl.net to let him know it is completed. That way we can also update the TN ARRL webpage URL listing for your club. There are folks looking for a club in their area. If they cannot contact you, you may loose a valuable asset to your group.

Tomorrow begins the first operating period for the Centennial Celebration QSO party for Tennessee. If you have not taken much time to join the festivities, now is the time to start. We should all play a part in the National Celebration of our 100^th birthday.  We will look for you on the air.