Greetings to everyone in Western PA Section - I am delighted to serve as your new Section Manager - We have several things planned for 2015, so check this page often - I am ably assisted by Harry Bloomberg, W3YJ as our Section Emergency Coordinator and all of our SECs, who do such a terrific job. 

Should you have any WPA Section News, please be sure to send it to Lloyd - K3QNT our Section Public Information Coordinator.  He will make sure your news gets here on time.

Congratulations to our new Atlantic Director, Tom Abernathy, W3TOM and Vice-Director, Bob Famiglio, K3RF.  They are going to do a sensational job representing all of us.

Don't forget the nightly WPA Phone Traffic Net. WPAPTN is on 3983 khz every evening, beginning at 6:00 PM local time.  This is one of the most active phone traffic nets in the nation.  Join them and make some friends.

Here's some news about an exciting contest coming up soon right here in Western Pennsylvania

The D-STAR Repeater Operators of Western Pennsylvania are giving giving you the chance to win a new Icom ID-880H mobile dual band D-STAR capable rig.  The contest runs from March 2 through August 24 2015.  To enter the contest all you need to do is 1) reside within the ARRL's Western Pennsylvania Section, and 2) check into the Monday night WPA Section ARES D-STAR Net.  Each week you check into the net counts as an additional entry into the contest.  Complete details and rules are posted on the WPA ARES web site at www.wpaares.org. 

This contest has been made possible by generous gifts from The Repeater Association (sponsor of the W3EXW D-STAR System in Allegheny County and sponsor of the WPA Section's REF063 reflector), the K3LR Operators (supporters of the K3AWS D-STAR System in Crawford County), The Westmoreland Emergency Amateur Radio Service (sponsor of the WC3PS D-STAR System in Westmoreland County) and the Philipsburg Amateur Radio Association (sponsors of the W3PHB D-STAR System in Clearfield County.)

So check into the WPA Section ARES D-STAR Net between March 2 and August 24th for your chance to win a new Icom ID-880H mobile rig.  you can improve your odds by checking in each week.  The winner will be announced at the WPA Section Convention on Sunday August 30th 2015.  Complete details and rules can be found on the WPA ARES web site.

Good Luck!

73  - Tim - K3LR SM

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ARRL Western Pennsylvania Section
Section Manager: Tim Duffy - K3LR
k3lr@arrl.org