Inside..
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Hamvention Improvements Already in the Works
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One Question Survey
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Ohio Responds
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NIMS / ICS Training
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Getting This Newsletter
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My Final
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Hamvention
Improvements Already in the Works for 2018!
(from
ARRL Bulletins)
Even
before Hamvention® 2017 had wound down at its new Xenia, Ohio, location, plans
were on the drawing board to enhance next year’s show. Hamvention 2017 “went
reasonably well,” spokesperson Mike Kalter, W8CI, allowed, but he acknowledged
that there are still a “lot of things to work on” for 2018. Kalter, who lives
in Xenia, made the remarks in a video interview with DX Engineering’s
Tim Duffy, K3LR, in the wake of the May 19-21 show, which is sponsored by the
Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA).
Kalter
told Duffy that the staff of the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center on
its own initiative met with him, Hamvention General Chair Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ,
and others to say they were already formulating plans for improvements. The
food and forum venues at the new location got high marks, Kalter told Duffy,
but the flea market suffered badly from the effects of heavy rainfall.
“It
rained hard, and it rained a lot,” Kalter recounted, adding that the flea
market area was not as well drained as organizers had expected. “What exactly
we’re going to do at this point, I don’t know,” he conceded. “We felt bad about
that.”
The
exhibitor tents were another issue, with crowded quarters, wind-blown rain
getting into booth spaces, and a lack of lighting. Kalter told Duffy that DARA
didn’t get the tents it wanted, and that more and better tents are high on the
list for next year. DARA also has asked the Greene County Commission to
purchase another building for the site, and the Commission will be installing
air handlers in buildings for 2018.
On-site
parking improvements also are in the works, after a massive traffic jam on
opening day. “Traffic on Friday morning was pretty rough, for those that got
caught in that, but we worked with the officials...and they fixed it
overnight,” Kalter said.
“We
know that we are stewards of a very important event [for Amateur Radio],”
Kalter told Duffy. Hamvention “is not just DARA’s show,” and exhibitors and
organizers alike are buying into the concept of “our Hamvention” and
contributing to an effort to improve the event. Kalter called Hamvention “a
pillar” that helps to keep Amateur Radio alive and “growing and functioning at
a much higher level” than anywhere else.
“We’re
out in front of it,” Kalter assured, “and I want to thank all of our
volunteers,” referring to the 657 individuals who made Hamvention 2017 happen.
“Most of what I heard was very positive.”
In
a separate interview with HamRadioNow‘s Gary Pearce, KN4AQ,
Kalter said that while he could offer no firm numbers, attendance was “the
biggest I’ve seen at any Hamvention I’ve ever been to. It was absolutely wall
to wall, from one end to the other.”
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One Question
Survey
Hey
Gang,
Have
you checked out the NEW
Survey question on the website yet?. There is a new question up there for you
to answer! You’ll find it on the left side of the main page.. http://arrlohio.org !!
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Ohio Responds Update
Ok..
Here’s the latest update on Ohio Responds. We now have 117 persons approved!! Let’s
keep this going. We have over 500 with all their certificates on file. Let’s
get everyone to get moving and sign up for Ohio Responds.
Signing
up with Ohio Responds will give you liability protection under the State of
Ohio. This is a real big things folks.. Where else can you get liability
insurance for FREE.
Now,
admittedly their system was designed for another purpose, so in some places it
doesn’t match up well with Amateur Radio Operators and what we do. I have
created a webpage where you’ll find all the pertinent information for getting
registered on Ohio Responds website with as little issues as possible. You really
do need to read this information BEFORE you attempt to register, and you will
need to have all 4 of your NIMS courses completed and in our statewide database
first! There’s some very specific information up there that you’ll need to know
to correctly complete the registration process since it doesn’t match up well
in some places with what we do. Here’s a
link to that webpage… http://arrl-ohio.org/ohio-responds-page.html You can also find this link on the main page
of the Ohio Section website as well.
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!
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NIMS / ICS
Training Update
The
numbers are continuing to grow! Here’s
what we have on file as of today : Members
in database: 757; Active Members: 745; Members NIMS complete: 548 and for the
biggie.. Total Courses Taken: 5,006.
These numbers just keep growing, and that’s really the best news of all to tell
you!
We
need to be prepared to help in a professional and TRAINED manor now days, and
the only way of getting that training is to start taking these courses. We have
a lot to be proud of, and a lot more work to do. Every ARES member in Ohio now
MUST have these courses to be a part of the Ohio ARES program and to be registered
in the Ohio Responds database!
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 If you 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!
************
Are you getting
those emails from me?
If
not, all you need 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 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. I
want every ham and interested person in Ohio and beyond, to get 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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My Final..
Today
is Monday, June 12th, it’s National Peanut Butter Cookie Day and for those of
you in the Cleveland area, it’s Superman Day!
Amateur
Radio has a 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!
Got
questions, concerns or would just like to sit and chat awhile, give me a call
at (419) 512-4445 or email me at: n8sy@n8sy.com Want to
sit and just chat awhile? I’m available, Heck, I’ll even buy!!
73,
Scott,
N8SY..
Go
CAVS!!!
eof..
