Weaver's Words..

Updated 05/03/2013

- Dales Tales for May

- Division Convention --still More

- Armed Forces Day Crossband Test May 11

- Attack on ARRL.net

- Low Band Operating and LOTW

- Field Day is Coming

- Scheduled Hamfests and Travel

+++ Dale's Tales for May - More Division Convention Info +++

Here are further details of the Great Lakes Division's Convention for 2013, to be held in conjunction with the Voice of Aladdin's annual Hamfest:  

We will be including the following programs:

Carl Leutzelschwab K9LA ... Propagation Jay Adrick K8CJY ... Voice of America Site and its history Jim Weaver K8JE...ARRL Forum Kitty Hevener W8TDA...Club Growth Dave Maynard WA3EZN... Traffic Handling Jim Brooks KY4Z...Public Service

There will be a Convention Luncheon where ARRL Executive Director Dave Sumner K1ZZ will speak, plus several awards and presentations, including the Great Lakes Division's Ham Radio Newsletter Award.   The Ohio Section will also be hosting a meeting of the Royal Order of the Wouff Houng. 

Remember the date and plan to be there Columbus, OH on August 3.  

73,

Dale  WA8EFK

Vice Director, Great Lakes Div.

wa8efk@arrl.org

+++ Division Convention -- Still More +++

I want to point out the great job Vice Director Williams, WA8EFK is doing as chairman of the Division Convention.  In spite of an essentially last-minute change in timing and location of the Convention, he has pulled together a great team and what promises to be an outstanding program -- that will be presented at an outstanding location.

The Royal Order of the Wouff Hong:  This is similar to the basic initiation rites used by many organizations to teach lessons about what they are and what they stands for.  The Wouff Hong, as it is affectionately termed, give insight into the most basic problems Amateur Radio has faced and how these problems have been faced . . .

And in many cases, defeated. The ritual is mostly of interest historically, but it still offers significant lessons.  It was first exemplified in Michigan.  If my information is correct, this occurred in the mid-1900's at an ARRL National Convention ins Kalamazoo or Muskegon.  If anyone knows these details, please pass them on to me.

+++ Armed Forces Day Crossband Test May 11 +++

From ARRL:  "In celebration of the 63rd anniversary of Armed Forces Day (AFD), the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are co-sponsoring the annual Military/Amateur Radio Crossband Communications Test. Although Armed Forces Day is traditionally celebrated on the third Saturday in May -- May 18 in 2013 -- the AFD Military/Amateur Crossband Communications Test will be conducted on May 11 to prevent conflict with the Dayton Hamvention, scheduled for May 17-19.

"The annual celebration features traditional military-to-amateur crossband communications SSB voice and Morse code tests. These tests give Amateur Radio operators and short wave listeners an opportunity to demonstrate their individual technical skills and to receive recognition from the appropriate military radio station for their proven expertise.

QSL cards will be provided to stations making contact with the military stations.

"Military-to-amateur crossband operations will take place on the dates and time in UTC on the frequencies listed for the Army, Air Force and Navy/Marine Corps and Coast Guard MARS stations. Voice contacts will include operations in single sideband voice (SSB); some stations will use CW to provide the opportunity to check in by Morse code. Depending on propagation and staffing, some stations may not operate the entire period. Participating military stations will transmit on selected military MARS frequencies and listen for amateur Radio stations in the amateur bands. The military station operator will announce the specific amateur band frequency being monitored. Duration of each voice contact should be limited to 1-2 minutes. The annual Secretary of Defense message will be transmitted via digital modes, including RTTY, PACTOR, AMTOR, PSK-31, MFSK and MT63 from certain stations.

"Check the MARS Armed Forces Crossband Test website at http://www.usarmymars.org/home/announcements for schedules and frequencies of participating military stations, including a list of stations that will be transmitting the annual Secretary of Defense message. Instructions on how to copy and submit the message are also included."

+++ Attack on ARRL.net +++

May 2:  There has been a Denial of Service (DoS) attack on a provider that supports ARRL.net.  Although the attack has been mitigated, it still is affecting the server that feeds the MX (address) records for arrl.net e-mail addresses. This issue is intermittent but is impacting the delivery of in-bound mail to both HQ and arrl.net e-mail addresses.

The network system that suffered the attack is working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

If you have sent an e-mail over the last two days that has not received a response, you may wish to follow-up with the addressee.

+++ Low Band Operating and LOTW +++

If you operate the low bands (6M through 160M) and confirm (QSL) your QSOs, I believe you should be using Logbook of the World (LOTW).

Let's begin this brief discussion by saying that as of the time I am writing this item, there are over 70,000 users of Logbook worldwide.  These users have uploaded more than 500,000,000 QSOs into it and there have been over 100 million QSLs matched.  Each of these numbers is growing rapidly.

LOTW is not the easiest program to get up and running; however, it does not require a nuclear physicist (or Nobel Laureate in Computer Science) to get it going.  There are a number of ways to get help in becoming operational with it, including local friends and contacting ARRL HQ.

The payoff is being able to use it and its related programs.  Of note is the fact that a team of highly competent ARRL members is working to develop "Son of Logbook."  The resulting upgrade promises to be easier to use while still retaining the level of security and integrity held by the current program.

Operationally, LOTW has paper QSLing beat hands down.  The last submission I made via Logbook was processed electronically within less than two days.  It was less than three weeks when I received the printout of my updated DXCC records as well as the updated awards the submission had gained.

Even processing applications with paper QSLs has been made so much more rapid than before.  I made my first submission of QSL information into the online application system on April 9.  I took the print-out from this application to a club meeting that my friendly Field Checker attended on April 11.  He checked and returned the QSLs to me that evening and mailed the confirmed application to HQ on the 12th  I received the printed update to my DXCC records April 18 -- only one week later.

Compare these times and processing fees with the length of time required to QSL individual QSOs by First Class Mail to Europe or other regions of the world.  Certainly, as the use of LOTW continues to spread worldwide, the benefits of using it will grow exponentially.

So far I've talked only about the ARRL's DXCC program in relation to Logbook.  Don't forget WAS, and the growing number of additional contests and operating awards that are being processed through it.

I can't guarantee each application that is made will receive such near-immediate processing, but the use of LOTW and the use of ARRL's new, online submission is clearly a winner.

Propagation on the low bands hasn't been very good for quite some time.

Even so, there is quite a bit of activity between the appearance of operations from a few new entities and from a few relatively rare ones.

Also, don't forget the band-country activities that show up nearly daily.  Put all this together and there is still a lot of radiosport fun to be had on the low band.

One final comment:  If you have not given the low bands a try, do it.

I know from many years of experience in EmComm operation that there is much enjoyment as well as potential benefit to our communities from working VHF/UHF.  However, there is nothing quite like operating the low bands whether one chooses to rag chew, DX, contest or pursue technical interests.  Under the current FCC license structure, gaining low-band privileges should be obtainable by essentially anyone willing to invest a reasonable amount of time and effort into the chase.

+++ Field Day is Coming +++

Don't forget that Field Day 2013 will be June 22 and 23.

+++ Scheduled Sanctioned Hamfests and Travel +++

The following is a schedule of travel planned by the Director, Vice Director and Section Managers in the Great Lakes Division at this time.

 These trips represent an excellent opportunity to discuss ARRL and what it is doing to support Amateur Radio.

Hamfest chairman, it is never too early to apply to have your hamfest sanctioned.  You are encouraged to apply for sanctioning six months before your event.  The following is the tentative schedule by ARRL Division and Section officials to attend hamfests/swaps as indicated.

Especially now that DXCC submission can be made online, it would be a good idea to invite a QSL Field Checker to your hamfest and publicize he will be there.  This invitation will cost only an admission ticket and the use of one table.  A listing of Card Checkers is available at www.arrl.org/dxcc-card-checker-search.  Obviously, Card Checkers are available consistent with the timing of the hamfest and the distance that would need to travel.  I will be happy to note on the listing of hamfests which of these will be hosting a Card Checker if I am given the information.

The following listing is of hamfests that have been sanctioned by their sponsors through ARRL.  Sanctioning essentially confirms that the sponsors of a hamfest and ARRL are mutually interested cooperating in furthering Amateur Radio.  There are additional hamfests for which this sanctioning has either not been requested or has not been given.

Readers are requested to send any corrections regarding sanctioned hamfests to k8je@arrl.org.

May  4 - Cadillac Hamfest, Cadillac, MI -- WB8R

May  4 - River Cities Trade Around, Ashland, KY

May  4 - Sandusky Valley ARC meeting, Fremont, OH - K8JE

May 11 - Louisa Hamfest, Louisa, KY -- KY4Z

May 17-19 - Dayton Hamvention(R), Trotwood, OH - **(QSL CHECKING) - K8JE, WA8EFK, KI8GW +

Jun  1 - Independent Rptr Assoc. W8IRA/R Hamfest, Hudsonville MI - WB8R

Jun  1 - Fulton Co. ARC Hamfest, Tedrow, OH -- OH Cabinet

Jun  1 - Princeton Hamfest, Princeton, KY -- KY4Z

Jun  2 - Chelsea Radio Swap n Shop, Chelsea, MI -- WB8R

Jun  8 - 3rd Annual LARS Hamfest, Newberry, MI

Jun 15 - Milford Hamfest, Milford, OH - K8JE

Jun 15 - Midland Hamfest, Midland, MI - **(QSL CHECKING) -

Jun 16 - Monroe Hamfest, Monroe, MI --- WA8EFK, WB8R

Jul 18 - PSC Meeting, Newington, CT - K8JE

Jul 19-21 - ARRL BoD Meeting, Newington, CT -- K8JE, WA8EFK

Jul 20 - NOARSFEST, Elyria, OH

Jul 20 - GMARC Summer Trunk Swap, Utica, MI

Jul 21 - Van Wert AR Hamfest, Van Wert, OH -- OH Cabinet

Jul 27 - CMARC Outdoor Hamfest, Lansing, MI - WB8R

Jul 28 - Portage Hamfair, Randolph, OH - WA8EFK, OH Cabinet

Aug  3 - Columbus Hamfest & Great Lakes Division Convention, Columbus, OH - **(QSL CHECKING) - K8JE, KI8GW, OH Cabinet

Aug  3 - UP Hamfest, Escanaba, MI

Aug 11 - Central KY ARRL Hamfest, Lawrenceburg, KY - **(QSL CHECKING) - K8JE, KY4Z

Aug 24 - SARA Swap & Trunk Sales, Owosso, MI

Sep  7 - Greater Louisville Hamfest 2013, Shepherdsville, KY - **(QSL CHECKING) - K8JE, KY4Z

Sep  7 - GRAHamfest, Grand Rapids, MI

Sep  8 - Findlay Hamfest, Findlay, OH - WA8EFK, KI8GW

Sep 15 - Adrian Hamfest, Adrian, MI

Sep 21 - GMARC Trunk Sale, Utica, MI

Sep 21 - Richmond KY Hamfest, Richmond, KY  - KY4Z

Sep 22 - Cleveland Hamfest & Computer Show, Berea, OH - **(QSL CHECKING) - K8JE, KI8GW

Oct  5 - Straits Area Hamfest, Petoskey, MI

Oct  5 - Vette City Hamfest, Bowling Green, KY - KY4Z - **(QSL CHECKING) - K8JE, KY4Z

Oct  6 - USECA Hamfest, Madison Heights, MI

Oct 19 - Muskegon Color Tour Hamfest, Muskegon, MI - K8JE, WB8R

Oct 20 - Kalamazoo Hamfest, Kalamazoo, MI - K8JE, WB8R - **(QSL CHECKING)

Oct 26 - Hazard Hamfest, KY Mountains ARC - KY4Z

Nov  3 - Massillon Hamfest & Auction, Massillon, OH - **(QSL CHECKING) - KI8GW

Dec  8 - LCARC Hamfest/Swap, Harrison Twp., MI

Jim Weaver, K8JE

Director, Great Lakes Division