|
ARRL Rhode Island Section (RI)Section Manager
Robert G. Beaudet, W1YRC 30 Rocky Crest Rd Cumberland, RI 02864-3910 401-333-2129 w1yrc@arrl.org |
Section Links
|
|
 |
|
Monthly Summary for October 2008
News last updated: Mon, November 17, 2008 at 10:03 AM ET
Greetings fellow Rhode Islanders:
Our hard working SEC, Rick Andreano K3OQH has accepting new out of state employment with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. He has resigned from the RI EMA but has agreed to remain in his capacity as SEC here in RI as long as he is able to contribute to the RI section. In time, we must recruit a new SEC but having Rick stay on will ease the pressure while we perform due diligence in our recruitment process.
In his new position, Rick will develop interoperable communications plans, funding, equipment, SOP's and training along with all other state agencies in Massachusetts. Rick will manage and work with the Massachusetts SIEC (State Interoperable Executive Committee), a group of public safety communications professionals appointed by the governor to oversee interoperable communications implementation across the state and manage the Massachusetts Interoperable Executive Committee.
In the short time that Rick has served RI ARES as SEC, he has built the organization into a 100+ member organization and conducted meaningful drills with the state EMA. The recent Shelter Drill was a great example and it showcased what Amateur radio could do for local communities in the event that alternative means of communications were unavailable. My October report included details of our involvement. Amateur radio performed when other services failed. The well known banner, "When all else fails. Amateur Radio" could have been written during the Shelter Drill. Thank you very much, Rick. We're all very grateful that you have so much professional pride and respect for your program, your fellow ARES members and its leadership that you elected to remain as long as possible to help us transition to the hands of a new SEC who will take what you've done and help it grow further. We fully recognize however, that eventually, you must break with RI and dedicate all of your time to your new Massachusetts position.
In last month's report, I recommended that everyone review the latest IARU booklet authored by ON4UN and ON4WW. Both new and experienced Amateurs will learn and benefit, I suggested. Word reached me that a few new hams resented being told how they should operate or to follow someone else's rules. I understand that these were not League members (yet) and had lots to learn. Interesting to note that most new hams are anxious to learn all they can, especially from experienced hams and are most open to information such as this, especially when it is prepared by a couple of world class DXers. Oh well, as a father of two and grandfather of three, I shouldn't be surprised that new generation hams feel overly confident that they don't need any help. They may be resigned to learn the hard way by making mistakes and paying the price for them, as we did. None the less, I strongly recommend the IARU booklet on operating techniques to all, http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/Eth-operating-ENarrl-SITE-1jul2008.pdf .
Close to a hundred RI Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and support volunteers participated in the 51st Jamboree on the Air 2008 (JOTA), operating on ham bands as W1S at Camp Aquapaug in West Kingston on October 18th. Matt KA1FUP and Bill W1VH manned the station and gave many scouts their first experience in Amateur radio. During JOTA, W1S contacted participants at other scout encampments in New Hampshire, New York, Virginia, North Dakota, Michigan, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama. Matt reports that MARS was also active from Camp Aquapaug as N1S. Good work guys. Thanks for putting on a fine demo of our hobby for the scouts. Start planning for the 52nd JOTA.
Under new Net Manager, N1ELK, the Washington County Emergency Net has been established and is conducted regularly on 2 meter FM. If you'd like to take part in this net, please contact N1ELK at N1ELK@att.net or John W1XX at w1xx@cox.net .
Last month, I mentioned the manual list I maintain of RI hams who have worked and confirmed at least 100 entities (countries). A few read that and notified me that they qualify and would like to be included. I have added your call to my list with my thanks. Since this is a manually prepared list, there are plenty of opportunities to miss some DXers. So, please let me know if you have 100 or more confirmed, whether or not you have submitted for DXCC yet. I'd like to include all RI DXers in my list.
You may remember that I mentioned the RI Call Letter license plate process a few times here in my monthly reports over the past few months. Rich, W1TBR working with the RI DMV helped design and create a special call letter plate form to be used by hams who wish to apply for their plates. In order to make this form and the exact wording of the call letter plate statute, I have asked that they be posted on my club's web page until more suitable accommodations may be secured. Please go to www.blackstonevalleyarc.org and download the form. As I'm writing this, our webmaster is working on the getting it posted and is experiencing some difficulties, so it may take a few days. In the meanwhile, please contact me and I'll send you the form.
I have appointed Judy, KC1RI to serve as our new OOC, replacing Bill, W1VH who has served us in the post with his usual great energy but had to resign for personal reasons. Thanks to Bill's outreaching work, we have several new OOs with a few more in the works. We'll all give Judy our full support as OO Coordinator and we wish her well in this challenging task.
Asst SM, K5RJI and I put on a show and tell demonstration of Amateur radio to two dens of Cub Scouts in Jamestown on Nov 13th. The non-ham Cub Scout leader of one den is nephew of an old family friend and when the kids and parents suggested a demo on the subject of how radio works, my telephone rang. The exercise went quite well. Ed and I made contacts on two meters and we showed what Morse code was all about using a keyer and a collection of different keys. We let the kids send their name in Morse code with a little help and distributed ARRL brochures to parents telling where to get more information if the youngster or the parent caught the ham bug during our visit.
One contact we made was with Adam DiLuglio, KB1LJR who was about a mile away. Adam is an Eagle Scout, ARRL Scholarship recipient and URI student. He spoke directly to the kids and they and their parents loved it. Thank you, Adam. You contributed greatly to our effort. Maybe we have planted a few ham radio seeds, you think?
One of RI's phenomenal contest ops, Rick KI1G spent ten days as VQ9RD on DiegoGarcia Island, Chagos Island, in the middle of the Indian Ocean. He worked several friends in RI as well as 11,000 others around the world. Wow!
Now that national and local elections are finally over, most clubs are electing new leaders for the next year. I just learned of Ken, K1KT's election as new President of the Fidelity ARC and Lee, N3LEE as W1AQ's new President. I'm sure that there are other new leaders but these are the only two that I've been told about. Most clubs will be holding holiday parties and I surely wish I could attend each one to which I've been invited but I can't. So, please accept my sincere wishes for a very fine time and great success in the next year.
73 all,
Bob Beaudet, W1YRC
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
| ||||
|
|
Responsibility for content of all posted material above rests
exclusively with the item author. ARRL staff assumes no responsibility
for errors, omissions, and accuracy of items appearing on this page. All
questions and comments should be directed to the item author.
