The Ohio Section News Update – May 12th

Inside..

- NIMS / ICS

- Handbook Give Away

- Getting this Newsletter

- Field Day

- New DMR Code Plug - VHF

- Upcoming Hamfests

- My Final    

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NIMS / ICS Training

The numbers are continuing to grow!  Here’s the count to date.. There are 737 members in database. We have 723 Active Members and 522 Members that are NIMS complete. We have taken a total of 4,874 courses.  WOW..  We have a lot to be proud of and a lot more work to do. Every ARES member has to have these courses to be a part of the Ohio ARES.

 

Now.. I do want all of you to know that we have finalized all the little details with the state in preparation for all of you to get registered in the Ohio Responds database. I still have a few minor details to get out to you BEFORE you start registering, so be aware that this will very soon start up.

Now.. for those of you who still have a funny feeling about all of this, Rhonda Meggitt, our Ohio Responds System Administrator will be at the Hamvention this year. She will have a booth in building 6. She’s all primed up and ready to take your questions for sure.

Ok, now that I’ve brought the subject up..  You MUST be registered with your 4 completed NIMS courses in our statewide database BEFORE you attempt to register on the Ohio Responds website. So, for those of you who have been dragging your feet on getting your courses completed, I hope this will be the incentive for you to get started.

How do I know if I’m on the list or not? Here’s the link to the list.   

http://arrl-ohio.org/SEC/special/nims_roster.html  Don’t see your name on the list, and you’ve submitted your certificates? Contact me immediately!

For those of you just starting out now that you have a real incentive, we have a webpage with all the information about how to get started..  http://arrl-ohio.org/SEC/training.html. This page contains a lot of information about what is needed. Each course takes about an hour or so to take, that’s really not much to ask now is it? You spent way more than that to get your Amateur Radio operators license!

Now here’s a link that Ed, KE8ANU found that breaks it all down for you as to what the classes are:

https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/icsresource/trainingmaterials.htm     Thanks Ed..!!

And here’s an additional link to the FEMA First Responder Catalog  www.firstrespondertraining.gov  Thanks Michael, N8QHV

I want to announce that our database guru Jim, W8ERW will be at the Ohio Section Booth at Hamvention with his computer. He’ll be able to look up you NIMS records right from there. Also, if you want to load up a disk or flash drive with your certificates on it, Jim will be able to upload that into the system right from there. You’ll need to scan your certificates either as a picture or as a .pdf and put them on a flash drive or disk. Jim will not be able to do any scanning from there, so please have that done before you get to the Hamvention.

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Handbook Give Away

We love to celebrate special occasions, and with the Dayton Hamvention coming up in a few short weeks, I am planning a very special drawing just for Dayton this year!! Now, to get entered in this drawing you WILL have to attend the Dayton Hamvention. That’s right, all you need to do is stop by the Ohio Section Booth in building 2 and get signed up!!

This drawing will be for a lot more than a Handbook. I will have a bunch of other goodies to give away too! I even have some ARRL Gift Certificates as well!

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Are you getting those emails from me? If not, all you have to do is to “Opt-In” to receive them.

Heck, just send me an email:  n8sy@n8sy.com and let me know that you want to be added. It’s really just that easy. Please, if you know of anyone that would be interested in this information, feel free to pass it on to them. You don’t have to be an ARRL member or even a ham to receive these emails.

You are always free to “Opt-Out”  at any time if you feel this is not what you were expecting. Just send me an email with the email address that you used to opt-in on, and you will be removed. It’s that simple.

Also.. are you viewing the Ohio Section Website on a regular basis? You should, it changes all the time. Here’s a link to it.  http://arrlohio.org

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Field Day

Hey Gang,

I know that a lot of you are already deep into planning your Field Day activities as well as getting everything ready for that big weekend, well I have some additional goodies for you.. I have the Ohio Governor’s Proclamation posted on the website.. Thanks to our State Government Liaison, Bob Winston, W2THU we have it and it’s posted on the website.

There’s also a suggested Press Release there as well as a lot of other information about Field Day too.  Go take a look:  http://arrl-ohio.org/FD_Message.html

Now.. How do you find those Field Day Sites?  Easy, with the Field Day Locator. Clubs, make sure that you get your Field Day site location registered with the League, this way folks will be able to find you quickly and easily.  Here’s a link for the locator..  http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator

Oh, and don’t forget to have someone assigned as a photographer! You’ll want pictures and so do I.. Please, let’s have as many pictures of our Field Day sites as possible. Remember, I use a lot of these pictures for the Ohio Section Banner that’s displayed everywhere! So, get the dusty old Brownie Box Camera out of the closet and get it all tuned up and ready to take a mountain of pictures of your site and all the people at it having FUN!!

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New DMR Code Plug - VHF

Hey Gang,

I wanted to let you all know that we have a NEW code plug available. This one is for the VHF’rs in the crowd.

I want to thank John, N8JDS for taking the time and creating this new VHF DMR code plug. I do want to remind all of you that most of the DMR repeaters are UHF, so this code plug will not work in your UHF DMR radios..  BUT.. for those who have purchased the VHF DMR radio’s, you now finally have the advantage of a pre-built Code Plug too.

Here’s the link to be able to download it..   http://arrl-ohio.org/digital/digital.html

Remember.. This is for the VHF  (138 – 174MHz) DMR radios only!!

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Upcoming Hamfests

May

05/19/2017 | Ohio State Convention (2017 Dayton Hamvention)
Location: Xenia, OH
Sponsor: Dayton Amateur Radio Association
Website: http://www.hamvention.org

June

06/03/2017 | Fulton County Amateur Radio Summer Swap
Location: Wauseon, OH
Sponsor: Fulton County Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://k8bxq.org/hamfest

06/10/2017 | Union County ARC TailGate & TrunkFest
Location: Marysville, OH
Sponsor: Union County Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://ohiohams.net

06/17/2017 | Milford Hamfest 27th Annual
Location: Milford, OH
Sponsor: Milford Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.w8mrc.com 

Did you know that all of the ARRL Ohio sanctioned hamfest can be found on the Ohio Section website?  They can, here’s a link..   http://arrl-ohio.org/hamfests.html

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My Final..    

Today is Friday, TGIFriday! ! It’s also Limerick Day! It’s also Odometer Day and One Day Without Shoes Day!!  In 1908 Wireless Radio Broadcasting is patented by Nathan B Stubblefield!!

Amateur Radio has its serious side, but it can also have a FUN side too. I hope that this News Update has been informative and fun for you to read.

So, as we go through our training and exercises, learning from the past and from those who are willing to take the time to teach us, let’s remember to have FUN too.. It’s what keeps us alive and vibrant..!!

73,

Scott, N8SY..

eof..