Posted Jun 15, 2024
NC ARRL News
June 14, 2024
GREETINGS FROM THE HIGH COUNTRY
The ARRL IT outages are being worked on but I am unsure that the bulk email to Section members is working. The outages began on or about May 12 which meant that the newsletters I prepared on May 21 may not have gotten to you. I held off sending out the June 1 newsletter because I was advised that the email system was down. There is much in the newsletters that deal with routine matters but I was saddened because the two newsletters had tributes to Veterans in a Memorial Day tribute as well as a closing statement honoring the sacrifices made by true heroes 80 years ago on June 6, D-Day.
On a lighter note, the weather up here has been great and this weekend, streets in downtown Boone will shut down for Boonerang, a street festival focusing on music, crafts and food. I am unsure where everyone will park with the streets closed.
ARRL INFORMATION
LATEST OFFICIAL ARRL UPDATE ABOUT THE IT OUTAGES
“ARRL Systems Service Disruption, Updated 6/14/2024
We are continuing to make progress on restoring the ARRL network and many related systems and databases. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we carefully address and restore affected services.
While the Logbook of The World® server, Online DXCC, and related user data are secure and unaffected, we have taken the precautionary measure of keeping the services offline until we can ensure the security and integrity of our networks.
The ARRL Learning Center (learn.arrl.org), our online course and training hub, is accessible. The Learning Center includes content from across a variety of amateur radio topics and interests. The Learning Center will require a slightly different login experience while we continue to restore interconnected databases. Users who have logged into the Learning Center before will need to use their EMAIL ADDRESS and use the 'forgot my password' function to set a new Learning Center password. Users who are new to the system will sign up/register using their email address. When ARRL systems are fully restored, user accounts will be reconciled with membership accounts again.
ARRL Field Day is June 22 – 23, 2024. Visit www.arrl.org/field-day for rules and other resources to help prepare your participation. Following the event, online entries will be supported as usual at https://field-day.arrl.org/fdentry.php.
The ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator is continuing to process Amateur Radio License applications to the FCC. We have processed all applications from exam sessions uploaded by Volunteer Examiners through June 12, 2024. Sessions mailed to ARRL VEC and received by us are processed within 1 – 2 business days.
The new Amateur Extra-class Question Pool will be effective beginning July 1, 2024. New Extra-class exam booklet designs will be supplied to VE teams as soon as possible. Teams may also contact the ARRL VEC after July 1 for an emailed version in the interim. This story will be updated with new developments.”
The latest information from ARRL about the IT outage can be found at the webpage, arrl.org.
I hope you receive this newsletter.
NOMINATIONS FOR DIRECTOR AND VICE DIRECTOR
The July issue of QST (page 76) publishes the procedures that will be followed in choosing your representatives on the ARRL Board for a three year term beginning on January 1, 2025. The ARRL Board sets policy for the ARRL, chooses a CEO, and elects five members from the Board who serve on the Executive Committee and act in behalf of the entire Board between Board Meetings.
Nominations require signatures from ten full members. Signed official ARRL nominating petitions must be submitted by August 16 to the ARRL. Ballots listing eligible candidates will be mailed to members on October 1, 2024 and the ballots (or electronic ballots) must be returned to ARRL by noon on Friday, November 15.
ARRL members residing in the Roanoke Division (which includes West Virginia, South Carolina, Virginia and North Carolina) may participate in the election being held later this year. The Roanoke Division has 12,103 members while the North Carolina Section has 4,374 ARRL members.
Dr. Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, of Aiken SC is the current Roanoke Division Director. Bill Morine, N2COP, of Wilmington NC, is the current Vice Director.
FIELD DAY, JUNE 22-23
It is not too late to post information about your group’s plans for Field Day which is next weekend. You may list your Field Day operation or look for nearby Field Day operations at https://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator.
CLUB GRANTS
“The ARRL Foundation is pleased to announce the return of the Club Grant Program for 2024!
👉This is an opportunity for clubs to apply for grants up to $25,000 to fund projects in their community with an emphasis given to projects that are of a “transformational” nature, or a club that has a plan to improve the community through education, recruiting, training, and promotion of amateur radio.” Information can be found at http: arrl.org/club-grant-program.
Section Traffic Report
Dave Roy, W4DNA, Section Traffic Manager prepares a report each month that summarizes the activities of the various traffic nets operating in North Carolina. Because of the limitations of the ARRL email system, a truncated version of his report appears below. His entire report can be found on the Section webpage at ncarl.org
|
NC SECTION TRAFFIC REPORT – MAY 2024 |
|||||||
|
NET |
NMGR |
QNI |
LISTED |
PASSED |
TIME |
SESSIONS |
TFC % |
|
SECTION NETS |
|||||||
|
CN |
AA4MP |
315 |
143 |
139 |
617 |
62 |
97.20% |
|
CSN |
KI4KZS |
138 |
21 |
20 |
655 |
31 |
95.24% |
|
NCEN |
WK4WC |
389 |
71 |
70 |
409 |
31 |
98.59% |
|
NCMN |
W3OJO |
277 |
156 |
155 |
520 |
31 |
99.36% |
|
THEN |
K4SEH |
210 |
NA |
NA |
250 |
15 |
N/A |
|
|
|||||||
|
LOCAL TRAFFIC NETS |
|||||||
|
CWTN |
N4CNX |
373 |
97 |
97 |
520 |
31 |
100.00% |
|
ENCTN |
W4DNA |
48 |
1 |
1 |
79 |
13 |
100.00% |
|
PCTN |
W4TTO |
206 |
57 |
57 |
267 |
31 |
100.00% |
|
|
|||||||
|
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NETS |
|||||||
|
C-MNN |
KI4FAQ |
435 |
NA |
NA |
333 |
31 |
N/A |
|
|
|||||||
|
TOTAL |
|
2391 |
546 |
539 |
3650 |
276 |
98.72% |
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
HURRICANE FORECAST UPDATE
Experts on hurricanes predict that this year will likely experience a higher than usual amount of hurricanes. Perhaps the recent very heavy rains in Florida and Texas are harbingers of very risky weather for this summer. The predictions issued by NOAA are discussed in an article that can be found at https://www.wral.com/story/hurricane-season-2024-noaa-forecast-is-highest-number-of-storms-ever-predicted/21446798/ as well as https://www.yahoo.com/news/brace-yourself-florida-latest-preseason-143302922.html
AUXCOMM
NCEM has scheduled the Auxcomm course July 24-26 in Statesville at Mitchell Community College. Registration and other information can be found at https://terms.ncem.gov . This will likely be the only opportunity to complete the Auxcomm course in 2024. A few seats remain available but you must submit the required documentation to NC4VA prior to 5pm on July 8.
DMR PRN UPDATE
Work has been completed on the relocation of the Charlotte PRN repeater to the rooftop in downtown Charlotte. Wingate is once again connected to the CBridge and is working well. Burnsville has been added to the network. Information about the PRN system can be found at ncprn.net. Please remember that the talkgroups listed under the repeater tab are the only ones that will work on the PRN system which is not connected to the Brandmeister network.
UPCOMING EVENTS
· June 22-23, ARRL Field Day
· July 1-7, Thirteen Original Colonies contest in which operators seek to contact as many of the designated special event stations in each of the original colonies. Information can be found at http://13colonies.us/
· July 13, Firecracker Hamfest, Rowan Amateur Radio Society, Salisbury Civic Center, 315 S. Martin Luther King Ave, Salisbury, NC. Information can be found at https://talkpodonline.com/blogs/blog/firecracker-hamfest-2025, J
· July 7/20, Cary Mid-Summer Swapfest, Cary Amateur Radio Club held. at Ritter Park, 301 W Lochmere Drive, Cary, NC. Information posted at https://caryarc.org/events/swapfest/
· July 20, WCARS HAMFEST, Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society, Smoky Mountain Event Center, 758 Crabtree Road, Waynesville, NC. Information can be found at https://www.wcars-club.org/hamfest-annual/docs/hfnotice.pdf
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
· 2024 Hamvention reported attendance figures of 35,877 persons.
· If your digital clock seems to be erratically changing time, WWVB is operating on reduced power due to antenna damage caused by high winds. Only one of the two towers is capable of being used which is affecting the coverage of the 60 KHz time signals used by clocks and numerous other devices. Information can be found at https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwvb
· HAM RADIO DATA
FCC/ARRL data on newly licensed hams in NC for the prior month but not previously licensed– May 5
Technician (106)
General (12)
Extra (1)
License Upgrades during April 2024
Technician (9)
General (33)
Extra (16)
FCC Data on Ham Licensees with NC Addresses (May 24)
Novice 140
Tech 10,321
General 5,892
Advanced 954
Extra 5,178
Total 22,485
ARRL Membership activity in North Carolina (May 9 2024)
New 30
Rejoined 15
Lapsed 80
ARRL Membership in NC
April 2024 Full 4,084 Associate 290 Foreign 0 Total 4,374
March 2024 4,410
April 2023 4,504
ARRL Membership
April 2024 Full 130,020 Associate 8,837 Foreign 6,276 Total 145,133
March 2024 146,265
April 2023 150,483
CLOSING COMMENT
Next weekend, as part of Field Day, I will be travelling to Thomasville, Burlington, Pittsboro, Sanford, Fayetteville, Rocky Point, Wilmington and Calabash. Dave Price, K4KDP, Section Youth Coordinator will be helping me by making Field Day visits in Goldsboro, Wilson and Pamlico. Thank you, Dave.
In 2021, I made stops in Hayesville, Franklin, Waynesville, Asheville (2), Hendersonville (2), Shelby, and Charlotte (2). In 2022, I visited sites in Morganton, Lenoir, Boone, West Jefferson, Wilkesboro, Statesville, Salisbury, Winston-Salem and High Point. In 2023, my travels took me to Falls Lake, Franklin County, the RARS site, SW Wake, Johnston County, and Moore County.
Lots of driving but once I became Section Manager I decided that I would attempt to visit most of the sites participating in Field Day.
I also do my best to attend several hamfests each year, typically Charlotte, Raleigh, Waynesville and Shelby. Your dues provide the NC Section with $4000 in support that covers hamfest and Field Day expenses (including mileage, lodging, food) plus an NC QSO Party prize as well as ARRL books and other items we give away as door prizes at hamfests.
I hope that each of you has a Field Day with fun and that your group operates safely.
Marv, WA4NC