Hi Gang,
It is with great pride I get to announce Ohio’s newest ARRL QSL Card Checker. His name is Robert (Bob) Frey, WA6EZV. Bob is replacing
Gene McCoy, N8KOJ who recently decided to step down. Bob was a past Card
Checker and has a lot of credentials to go with it. He has 348 confirmed all
time. 8 Band DXCC, 1600 confirmed on DXCC Challenge. and DXCC Honor Roll. So
please help me welcome back Bob to the ARRL Ohio Section!!
>>There is a NEW
>> STATEWIDE NET << coming on DMR. It is being originated by
the DEC 6, Danny Bailey, W8DLB on the Mansfield DMR Repeater. The net will
start out just being on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday’s of the month. It will be on
the Ohio Talk Group for DMR (BrandMeister) at 8:30pm local. If you have a DMR
radio, come join them on the net. I think you will find it very interesting. They
had over 18 check-ins from around the state on the net this past Wednesday night. - Additional... The DMR NET is supported on both the BrandMeister and the C-Bridge Repeaters - Talk Group 3139..
>>The FCC information technology
staff is continuing to look into why the Universal Licensing System (ULS)
Electronic Batch Filing (EBF) system has stopped processing at least some - and
perhaps all - Amateur Radio exam session files and applications. The stoppage,
which began on June 28, initially affected the handling of all Amateur Radio
Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) and commercial license applications, said
ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, who alerted the FCC IT Department. Somma
said that by June 30, it appeared that the FCC had corrected the broader
problem, and processing of most Amateur Radio VEC and commercial applications
and exam session files had resumed.
"The fix for the ARRL VEC remains
elusive, however," said Somma. "I assumed the issue would be cleared
up quickly as the FCC has done in the past." She added, that the FCC has
been unwilling to reveal the extent of the problem, which she believes still
could be affecting applications from outside the ARRL VEC. According to Somma,
resolving the problem has been escalated to Priority 1 at the FCC, and
resources have been reprioritized to address the issue.
"I have been in contact with the
FCC every day inquiring about their progress and will continue to do so until
the problem is resolved," Somma said. "I have also asked them to
provide us with an alternate filing option as soon as possible."
Somma said that as of July 6, the ARRL
VEC had more than 900 applications and nearly 275 exam sessions in the queue
and awaiting FCC processing. "As soon as the FCC staff discovers and
corrects the EBF system problem, we will immediately file the backlog, which would
take only a day or so to release," Somma estimated.
She said a lot of candidates and
volunteer examiners have begun asking why new call signs or license upgrades
have not yet been issued, and she is sympathetic with their concerns. "We
usually transmit the exam sessions to FCC as soon as possible, which is 24 to
48 hours from the day they are received in our office," she said.
"Therefore, questions from the field about the delay are
understandable."
>> 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 I will add you to the mailing list. There is a link to do this on the Ohio
Section website, it is on the bottom left corner.. For your convenience, here’s
a direct link to it: http://arrl-ohio.org/forwarder/forwarding.html
I urge all of you to make sure that everyone, regardless of whether
they are a League member or not, get signed up for one of these options. You
can always Opt-Out at any time if you feel this is not what you were
expecting.
>> Upcoming Hamfests
* 07/16/2016 |
NOARSfest 2016
Location: Elyria, OH
Sponsor: Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society
Website: http://www.wp.noars.net/
* 07/17/2016 | Van Wert Hamfest
Location: Van Wert, OH
Van Wert Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://w8fy.org
Location: Elyria, OH
Sponsor: Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society
Website: http://www.wp.noars.net/
* 07/17/2016 | Van Wert Hamfest
Location: Van Wert, OH
Van Wert Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://w8fy.org
*08/06/2016 | Columbus Hamfest
/ ARRL Ohio Section Conference
Location: Grove City,
OH << This is a NEW location
Voice of Aladdin Amateur Radio
Club (W8FEZ) / ARRL Ohio Section
>> Lastly.. I’m always available for you if you have any questions,
concerns or would just like to sit and chat awhile. Call or write me Scott
Yonally, N8SY (419) 512-4445 or n8sy@n8sy.com
73, Scott, N8SY..
