The Ohio Section News Update – March 10th Edition

Inside..

- NIMS / ICS

- Daylight Saving Time Starts

- Bad News For Radio Shack

- Upcoming Ohio Hamfests

- Survey Question

- Getting this Newsletter

- My Final    

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NIMS / ICS Training

Hey Gang, I’ve got new numbers to show off to all of you..  Here’s the latest count we have on everyone.. Members in the database 668. Members completing all 4 required NIMS courses 449. Total Number of the Courses taken by everyone in the database 4382,  Here’s the link so that you can find out if your name is on the list..  http://arrl-ohio.org/SEC/special/nims_roster.html 

Why are these courses so important? The simple answer is this - without these courses, you are not trained! Without the training, you can’t be used! 

Now, get those oh – so important ICS certificates in to me and to your Emergency Coordinator, and don’t forget to include your call sign!!

Here’s where you can get all of this information  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!

I also highly recommend that you get used to looking at the Ohio Section Website..  http://arrl-ohio.org as it changes all the time. You’ll also want to visit the Ohio Section Emergency Coordinators page frequently too  http://arrl-ohio.org/SEC/default.html

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Mar 12, 2017 - Daylight Saving Time Starts

When local standard time is about to reach Sunday, March 12, 2017, 2:00:00 am clocks are turned forward 1 hour to Sunday, March 12, 2017, 3:00:00 am local daylight time instead.

Sunrise and sunset will be about 1 hour later on Mar 12, 2017 than the day before. There will be more light in the evening.

Also called Spring Forward, Summer Time, and Daylight Savings Time.

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RadioShack Again Files for Bankruptcy

(from ARRL Bulletins)

Once the go-to store for radio amateurs, electronics tinkerers, and shortwave listeners, RadioShack has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in 2 years, placing the future of its remaining stores in jeopardy. The 1743 retail outlets that survived RadioShack’s 2015 bankruptcy were acquired by General Wireless Inc, an affiliate of Standard General LP, which, at the time, received US Bankruptcy Court approval to acquire the inventory and assume the leases of the RadioShack stores. Now down to 1,500 stores, RadioShack once boasted more than 5,000 stores nationwide. At least some of RadioShack’s 5,900 employees could be affected. That figure is down from 7,500 workers 2 years ago.

“RadioShack.com, stores and dealer locations across the country are still currently open for business and serving customers,” the company said in a news release. “The Company is closing approximately 200 stores and evaluating options on the remaining 1,300. The Company and its advisors are currently exploring all available strategic alternatives to maximize value for creditors, including the possibility of keeping stores open on an ongoing basis.”

The acquisition by General Wireless followed a bankruptcy auction in 2015. Plans at the time called for “co-branding” about 1440 of the surviving stores with cellular phone provider Sprint Corp. RadioShack also has closed more stores and slashed operating expenses by more than 20%, but it wasn’t enough. CEO Dene Rogers cited weak mobile phone sales as a factor. Chapter 11 gives RadioShack another opportunity to restructure and stay in business. The retailer joins other brick-and-mortar stores forced to shutter outlets in the face of declining sales and fiscal losses, and electronics stores have been especially hard hit.

Dating its founding to 1921, RadioShack once offered a considerable array of name-brand Amateur Radio equipment — even beams and towers — along with home entertainment gear and discrete components — including transistors, resistors, and capacitors. Its iconic 1960s-era catalog ran to more than 300 pages. In later years, it sold a fairly popular 2 meter handheld transceiver for a time, as well as Citizens Band equipment, 10-meter single-banders, and shortwave receivers. RadioShack’s website is announcing a clearance sale, with some items steeply discounted.

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Upcoming Hamfests in Ohio

03/18/2017 | MOVARC HAMFEST

Location: Gallipolis, OH

Sponsor: MOVARC Club

Website: https://sites.google.com/site/

midohiovalleyarc/ 

03/19/2017 | Toledo Mobile Radio Association Hamfest and Computer Fair

Location: Perrysburg, OH

Sponsor: Toledo Mobile Radio Association

Website: http://www.tmrahamradio.org

04/01/2017 | Portsmouth Radio Club Hamfest

Location: Portsmouth , OH

Sponsor: Portsmouth Radio Club

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Survey Question

Hey Gang,

There’s a NEW survey question on the website. I think you’ll find this question really interesting. You’ll find it on the left side of the main page..  http://arrlohio.org  Don’t forget, once you’ve voted to go back and take a look at how your answer stacks up with everyone elses..!!

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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 can always  “Opt-Out”  at any time if you feel this is not what you were expecting.

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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My Final..    

It’s TGI Friday!!  Go have FUN..!!

 

73,

Scott, N8SY..

eof..