The Ohio Section News Update – March 17th Edition

Happy St. Patty’s Day to you all!!

Inside..

- NIMS / ICS

- Motorola Lawsuit

- Survey Question

- Getting this Newsletter

- Contest Corner

- Hamfest Calendar

- 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 684. Members completing all 4 required NIMS courses 466. Total Number of the Courses taken by everyone in the database 4525,  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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Motorola Solutions Sues Hytera Communications, Alleging Patent, Trade Secrets Theft

(from ARRL Bulletins)

Motorola Solutions has filed complaints in federal court (US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois), alleging that Hytera Communications’ digital mobile radio (DMR) products employ techniques and systems that infringe on Motorola Solutions’ patents and trade secrets. Already known for its Land Mobile Radio Service products, Hytera entered the Amateur Radio DMR market last year. Motorola alleges that proprietary and patented information was taken illegally by three former company engineers who now work for Hytera, as “part of a deliberate scheme to steal and copy” its technology.

“Motorola Solutions believes that Hytera is intentionally infringing its intellectual property and misappropriating its trade secrets, which has enabled Hytera to compete unfairly by bypassing investment in innovation,” Motorola said in a March 14 news release. Motorola Solutions General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer Mark Hacker characterized the copying as brazen, blatant, and willful.

The three former Motorola engineers all signed non-disclosure agreements, agreeing to treat all Motorola trade secretes as confidential, when they left the company to assume similar positions with Hytera. According to the lawsuit, none of the three disclosed beforehand that they intended to go to work for Hytera.

Motorola contends that its digital radio products were rendering Hytera’s analog systems obsolete, and rather than develop its own digital products, Hytera stole Motorola’s ideas, its attorneys allege. Motorola said technology features it developed started showing up in Hytera products soon after Hytera began hiring engineers who had left Motorola in 2008, according to the lawsuit.

In a statement, Hytera, which said its policy is not to comment on cases presently before a court, then proceeded to do just that. The manufacturer, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, said it adheres to high ethical standards and complies with “the laws and regulations in markets where we operate,” and “firmly believes that its business practices and operations will be fully vindicated.” — Thanks to IWCE’s Urgent Communications, The Chicago Tribune, and Motorola Solutions for information used in this story

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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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Contest Corner

(By Bob Bross, W8NFM and the Listening Post)

The South America 10 Meter contest this past week-end was a mixed bag; almost nothing heard on 10 me-ters, but a lot of those stations moved to 15 and 20 – go where the propagation is!

Not a lot of major contests going on for the next few weeks. Next month, I’m going to add some unusual DXpeditions which may be of interest. Twenty continues to be the best band for DX at the moment, though things have been getting “interesting” on 40 meters at night.

3/18-3/19 Russia DX Contest

http://www.rdxc.org/asp/pages/news.asp  

3/18-3/19 Louisiana QSO Party

http://laqp.louisianacontestclub.org/

3/18-3/19 Virginia QSO Party

http://www.qsl.net/sterling/uf1.htm

4/16 ARRL Rookie Roundup

http://www.arrl.org/rookie-roundup

Remember: you can find out more info at http://www.arrl.org

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Ohio Hamfests

March

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

April

04/01/2017 | Portsmouth Radio Club Hamfest
Location: Portsmouth , OH
Sponsor: Portsmouth Radio Club

04/08/2017 | CFARC 63rd Annual Hamfest
Location: Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Sponsor: Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.cfarc.org/hamfest.php

04/29/2017 | Jackson County Amateur Radio Club Hamfest
Location: Jackson, OH
Sponsor: Jackson County Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://jacksoncountyarc.org/page3.html

04/30/2017 | Athens Hamfest
Location: Athens, OH
Sponsor: Athens County Amateur Radio Association
Website: http://ac-ara.org/

May

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

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My Final..    It’s St. Patty’s Day as well as FRIDAY!! What’s not to celebrate!!  Just go easy on the green beer…  Now, Go have FUN..!!

 

73,

Scott, N8SY..

PS.. Don't forget to get registered for the Handbook Give Away!!  

http://arrl-ohio.org/handbook.html     

eof..