SM045 – Field Day is Coming!!!

Here comes the Amateur Radio Superbowl! This year, the weekend will be June 22-23, 2024. Field Day is where tens of thousands of amateur radio operators get on the air to test their emergency operation abilities. It’s also a great place to teach or learn about amateur radio modes that you may not have tried. “Bring someone to Field Day” this year and share your passion. More information about ARRL’s Field Day is available online at https://www.arrl.org/field_day. You can also find a local Field Day on the ARRL site by logging in and visiting https://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator. Publicize your local Field Day site by adding a station at  https://www.arrl.org/field_days/add, and you’ll be on your way!

ARRL Digital Systems

In case you’re concerned about the digital outage at ARRL-land, there’s some background at

https://ok.arrl.org/sm044-arrl-digital-infrastructure-issues/. Systems are starting to come back online. The phone system was restored last week, W1AW started automated operations, ARRL store orders started shipping last week, ARRL FCC tests were uploaded last week, and the https://contests.arrl.org/ site came back online for the upcoming VHF contest and the ARRL International Digital Contest (others to be backfilled.) Logbook of The World (LoTW) and the learning site are still offline.

Ham Holiday – Oklahoma City – July 26-27

The 2024 Hamfest season is in full swing. The Oklahoma City Hamfest, Ham Holiday, will be July 26-27, 2024. Tickets are available online at https://hamholiday.com/tix/. Don’t forget this year’s special Yaesu FTDX10 Operating Package. Everything you need to operate on phone, CW, and digital (except a computer<G>.) Tickets are only $20, and only 300 will be sold. Buy yours today at https://hamholiday.com/raffle/.

ARES Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is rolling through another storm season. More information is available online at https://aresok.org/. Log in and verify your contact information and training profile by clicking on your name in the upper right. ECs, you now have a way to download your county data in a CSV file from the reports menu.

de N5HZR — 73, Mark

SM043 – Checotah Hamfest Today

Crossroads Amateur Radio Club (CARC) presents:

2024 CARC Ham Fest

The Checotah, OK hamfest is scheduled for Saturday, January 6, 2024. The doors will be open from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Start your year off right at the CARC Ham Fest

This year’s hamfest will be held at the Granite Station Covenant Church – 1128 White Stag Ave –  Checotah, OK 74426. Directions here

  • $10 at the door includes one door prize entry.
  • Extra door prize entries are available for $2 each or 6 for $10.
  • $20 vendor tables also include one door entry.
  • $15 individual tables.

Preorder your table/tickets at www.carcradio.org/hamfest

Forums

10:00 Oklahoma Link & Wires-X AE5ME

11:00 ARRL N5HZR ARRL Oklahoma Section Manager

See you there!

SM037 – OKC Ham Holiday Hamfest July 28/29 – This Weekend

This weekend is central Oklahoma’s Hamfest, Ham Holiday https://hamholiday.com/. This two-day hamfest is at the Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) campus at 7777 S May, Oklahoma City, OK. This campus is on the southwest corner of Oklahoma City, just east of the Will Rogers airport.

On Friday, vendors and flea market table holders will set up their wares from noon to 3:00 pm. The doors will open to the public from 3:00 pm until the banquet begins at 6:30 pm. On Saturday, the building will open for setup at 7:00 am, and the doors will be open to the public from 8:00 am to the show’s end at 3:00 pm. The Hamfest schedule is listed on the Ham Holiday Schedule page https://hamholiday.com/schedule/.

There will be a 6:30 pm Friday banquet to feed and entertain the hams in attendance. They will have a served buffet consisting of Chicken Marsala with mashed potatoes, green beans, a side salad, dinner rolls, cobbler, lemonade, tea, and water. This year the featured speaker will be Joe Eisenberg K0NEB, also known as “The Cat In The Hat” from the Dayton Hamfest and beyond. This banquet is a great place to visit with your fellow hams and the regional, state, and local ARRL leadership present. The banquet information is on the banquet page at https://hamholiday.com/banquet/.

After the Friday banquet at 8:30 pm will be the Wouff Hong ceremony for ARRL members. Register for this short presentation at https://hamholiday.com/wouffhong/ to ensure your certificate will be printed and waiting for you. This free ceremony is for all ARRL members.

There is a raffle for a $3,000 Icom 705 package. This package includes everything you need to operate HF, VHF, and UHF, right out of the box. Antennas, coax, radio, extra carrying handles, antenna analyzer, Begali Morse Code key, and more. Details are available at https://hamholiday.com/raffle/.

The Oklahoma City Hamfest will have another large group of forums to learn about amateur radio, the ARRL, ARES, AUXCOM, TV Weatherman Aaron Brackett, and more. These forums are detailed on the https://hamholiday.com web page.

This year, OCCC will open its cafeteria on Friday until 4:00 pm, and the Cafe & Coffee shop operating hours will be from 7:30 am to 2 pm on Saturday.
The cafe will sell the items below for Breakfast;
• Breakfast burritos
• Breakfast Sandwiches
• Biscuits and Gravy single and double
• Breakfast Combo, scrambled eggs, two bacon or sausage, biscuit, and a fountain drink
• All retail items and beverages will be available.

And for lunch, they will have the following options:

• Cheese Burger, Fries, and Fountain Beverage Combo
• 2 Slices of Pizza and Fountain Beverage Combo
• 1 Chili Cheese Hot Dog, Fries, and Fountain Beverage Combo
• 2 Chili Cheese Hot Dogs, Fries, and Fountain Beverage Combo
• Build Your Own Nachos with Fountain Beverage Combo
• 2 Tacos, Rice, Beans, and a Fountain Beverage Combo

See you there!

SM035 – Elk City and Green Country Hamfests

Elk City Hamfest

The Oklahoma Hamfest season starts with the Elk City Hamfest. On March 4, 2023, the hamfest will be at 105 Allee Drive, Elk City, OK 73644. More information is available at the club link.

The doors are open Saturday from 8:00 AM until ???

Admission is $5.00, and tables are available for $5.00 each. No pre-registration is required. Pay at the door.

Early setup is available for Friday afternoon (3/3/2023) from 1:30 PM until 8:00 PM.

Amateur Radio License testing is available on Saturday at 1:00 PM. If upgrading, bring photo identification and a copy of your current amateur radio license. License test reregistration is preferred at  http://www.sites.google.com/view/wcoarc/pre-registration but is not required. You must have a Federal Registration Number (FRN) and a valid email address. There is no fee for the exam.

Plenty of parking is available at the hamfest site, but no RV hookups are available there.

For more information, contact: aa5gw.gary@gmail.com or 580-243-9848.

Talk-in on the 146.76 –offset 88.5 tone repeater or DMR on the 147.225 +offset CC1 TG 304098 machine.

See you there!

Green Country Hamfest

The largest hamfest in the state is the Green Country hamfest on Friday, April 7, and Saturday, April 8, 2023. The hamfest will again be at the Expo Center, 400 Veterans Parkway, Claremore, OK 74017. They will be open to the public on Friday from 4 PM to 9 PM. They will be open to the public on Saturday from 8 AM to 3 PM. Setup on Friday begins at noon. Setup on Saturday starts at 7:00 AM.

You can purchase your hamfest admission and tables online and save at  http://www.greencountryhamfest.org/. Online advance admission tickets are $8.00, preregistered flea market tables are $15.00 each, and commercial booths are $50.00 each. Tickets are $10.00 at the door. Tables are $20.00 at the door. Order early and save. Online preregistration closes March 31, 2023

ARRL amateur radio license testing will be available two times during the event. The first session is Friday evening at 1800, and the second is Saturday at 1300. Testing will be in the Will Rogers Room of the Expo Building and will cost $15.

ARRL West Gulf Division Director John Stratton N5AUS and ARRL West Gulf Vice Director Lee Cooper W5LHC will attend.

More information is available at  http://www.greencountryhamfest.org/

See you there!

SM027 – Hamfests, Hamfests, Hamfests

Ham Holiday 2022 is in the Books

Thanks to all of you that attended and stopped by the ARRL booth and said HI. ARRL West Gulf Director John Stratton N5AUS and ARRL West Gulf Vice Director Lee Cooper W5LHC joined the rest of the Oklahoma ARRL contingent during the two-day event. If you have some pictures from this event, please send them to N5HZR@arrl.org. The numbers were similar to the 2019 event, so we still all showed up after two years without a hamfest.

This year the group added a high-end raffle of a $2,200 Icom 705 package that was a big hit. Congratulations to Steve Dusking NE5SD, who walked away with that prize. In addition, the grand prize of a Yaesu FTDX10 went to Coy Day N5OK.

Clear your calendar. Ham Holiday 2023 will be July 28/29, 2023.

Ponca City 22 is Coming

The Kay County Amateur Radio Club Trunk-N-Tailgate will be in Ponca City, OK, on September 17, 2022, at the VFW, from 8 AM to 2 PM. All of the details are available at  https://ok.arrl.org/ponca/ – See you there!

Hamarama 22 is Coming

The Ardmore hamfest, Hamarama, will be held at the Ardmore Convention Center on October 21/22, 2022. This two-day event runs from 5 PM to 8 PM on Friday and from 8 AM to 1 PM on Saturday, and it pulls in lots of folks from the North Texas area. All of the details are available at  http://hamarama.org/ – See you there!

Enid 22 is Coming

The Enid hamfest will be at the Stride Bank Center on November 5, 2022. This location is a new location for them, and it has lots more space available. This one-day event runs from 8 AM to 5 PM and brings in a lot of folks from Kansas. All of the details are available at  https://enidarc.squarespace.com/enidhamfest – See you there!

Clubs

Amateur radio clubs are the backbone of the hobby. The tremendous local hams have good information, and as Elmers or mentors they love to share it. Send something that your club is doing well to me n5hzr@arrl.org, and I’ll feature your club in this newsletter, and on the ARRL club newsletter. Most clubs are seeing an increase in new member activity recently. Our Oklahoma Affiliated Club Coordinator, Jim Shideler W5JCS, can help you find a club or help your club become affiliated. We currently have 41 clubs listed at https://ok.arrl.org/clubs/. Look for a club near you, or verify that your club is on the list. Send Jim an email at W5JCS@arrl.net if you need club assistance.

ARRL Oklahoma is On The Web

JOIN/RENEW ARRL NOW —  http://arrl.org/join/

73, de N5HZR — Stand by, more follows…

SM022 – NTS OK – Winlink – Elk City 3/5

The National Traffic System (NTS) was designed and implemented in the 1950s to send messages from coast to coast, via amateur radio, in under 24 hours, using amateur radio. Messages are sent during fair weather days to test the system and allow operators to practice their skills. During bad weather days, disasters, or other emergencies, messages communicate information critical to saving lives or property. Additionally, health and welfare messages allow people to inquire about a disaster victim.

Oklahoma NTS moves messages over HF and VHF/UHF using voice, CW, and the Winlink messaging protocol. 

Yesterday, I talked to the South Canadian Amateur Radio Society (SCARS) group that gives an overview of traffic movement in Oklahoma, specifically how to set up the Winlink system. A link to that presentation and the PowerPoint slide deck is available on the https://ok.arrl.org/ntsoksoftware/ page.

The HF voice traffic system would love to have you join their ranks, and more information is available at https://ok.arrl.org/ntsnets/

The Superlink repeater system has a traffic net on Thursday evenings in the Tulsa and Northeast region. In addition, they train and practice sending messages around the country. More information on that activity is available at https://ok.arrl.org/ntslocal/

And the newest method to move NTS traffic is using the Winlink system on both HF and VHF. We are looking to increase the number of Winlink stations to send and receive messages to all 12 ARES regions of the state. More information is available on joining the NTSOK Winlink folks at https://ok.arrl.org/ntsok/

Whatever mode you choose, please join us in the NTSOK system, so you are ready for message handling when the need arises.

Elk City Hamfest

The Oklahoma Hamfest season starts with the Elk City Hamfest. On March 5th, 2022, the hamfest will be at the Beckham County Activity Center, 310 East Main St. in Sayre, OK. (Exit 23 I-40) then west on Hwy 152.

The 2022 Elk City one-page flyer is available at this link.

The doors are open Saturday from 8:00 am until ???

Admission is $5.00, and tables are available for $5.00 each. No preregistration is required. Pay at the door.

Early setup is available for Friday afternoon (3/4/22) from 1:30 pm until 8:00 pm.

VE Testing is available Saturday at 1:00 pm. Bring a photo id and a copy of your license. Preregistration is preferred at http://www.sites.google.com/view/wcoarc/pre-registration. You must have a Federal Registration Number (FRN) and a valid email. There is no fee for the exam, but the FCC license fee may be in effect.

The Sayre City Park has hookups for about a dozen RV’s.

There is plenty of parking available at the hamfest site, but no RV hookups are available there.

Contact: aa5gw.gary@gmail.com or 580-243-9848.

Talk-in on the 146.76 –offset 88.5 tone repeater or DMR on the 147.225 +offset CC1 TG 304098 machine.

Face masks will be available, but they are not required.

See you there!

Clubs

Amateur radio clubs like the Enid Amateur Radio Club (EARC) https://enidarc.org/ are the backbone of the hobby. The tremendous local hams have good information, and as Elmers or mentors they love to share it. Send something that your club is doing well to me n5hzr@arrl.org, and I’ll feature your club in this newsletter, and on the ARRL club newsletter. Most clubs are seeing an increase in new member activity recently. Our Oklahoma Affiliated Club Coordinator, Jim Shideler W5JCS, can help you find a club or help your club become affiliated. We currently have 39 clubs listed at https://ok.arrl.org/clubs/. Look for a club near you, or verify that your club is on the list. Send Jim an email at W5JCS@arrl.net if you need club assistance.

ARRL Oklahoma is On The Web

OK.ARRL.ORGhttps://ok.arrl.org/

ARESOK —  https://aresok.org/

ARRL.org —  http://www.arrl.org/sections/view/oklahoma

Blogspot —  http://arrlok.blogspot.com/

Facebook —  https://www.facebook.com/arrloklahoma

Twitter —  https://twitter.com/arrl_OK/

ARRL Member Emails —  https://www.arrl.org/myarrl-account-management#!/edit-info-email_subscriptions

JOIN/RENEW ARRL NOW —  http://arrl.org/join/

73, de N5HZR — Stand by, more follows…

SM021 – Announcing http://ok.arrl.org/

Greetings, and I hope you are all staying warm and are making the best of the new year. To start the year off, I’d like to introduce the new ARRL Oklahoma section website,  https://ok.arrl.org/. This site houses the OK Section Manager News and publicizes ARRL activity in the entire state. Currently, there are segments for Becoming a Ham, Section Manager News, ARES/SKYWARN, NTS, Clubs, and Hamfests. The goal for this site is to become the place where you can visit or send someone for more amateur radio information anywhere in the state of Oklahoma. 

Be a Ham

Each year hundreds of folks obtain their first Technician license. This tab will help them learn what’s required, show them how, give them training assistance, and show them where they can take a license test. If your club operates an ongoing license test session, make sure we listed it on the license page, and please get in touch with us if you need some changes/additions.

Section Mgr News

The Oklahoma Section Manager newsletters are stored here. So if you missed a past issue or need to catch up on some local information, this is the place to look. 

ARES/SKYWARN

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is a service that hams provide during communications emergencies. Here you will find a link to the ARES Oklahoma web page, where you can join, learn, obtain training, and more. 

The National Weather Service’s SKYWARN program is also a good way for hams to get involved with severe weather reporting. This page provides the four different regions of the NWS for the state and how you can get involved from your area.

NTS

The National Traffic System (NTS) is how amateur radio operators pass traffic during ‘blue-sky’ days and during communications emergencies. Every day Oklahoma hams pass traffic via voice, CW, and Winlink. This tab describes the local methods we use to get messages in and out of Oklahoma. You will hear more about NTS in subsequent Section Manager News reports.

Clubs

There are 40 ARRL affiliated clubs in the state, and you will be able to find one of these clubs here. If you are a club leader and notice that some information needs to be updated, please let us know.

Join ARRL

Here you can link to the ARRL membership benefits page and the page to allow you to join or renew your ARRL membership online. 

Hamfests

Oklahoma has five hamfests (or conventions) annually in Elk City, (Green Country) at Claremore, Oklahoma City, Ardmore, and Enid. In addition, we hold tailgate events in the Pryor and Edmond areas. This tab has links to each event, and you will find the most current information about each event here. If you have some updated information about one of these events, please make sure you contact us.

Contact Us

The contact us section has links to provide contact information for the Oklahoma Section and describes our neighboring regions. Oklahoma, along with Texas, makes up the ARRL West Gulf Division, one of the fifteen national divisions. Links to the WGD and the three Texas sections can be found on this tab. 

Clubs

Amateur radio clubs are the backbone of the hobby. The tremendous local hams have good information, and as Elmers or mentors, they love to share it. Send something that your club is doing well to me n5hzr@arrl.org, and I’ll feature your club in this newsletter, and on the ARRL club newsletter. Most clubs are seeing an increase in new member activity recently. Our Oklahoma Affiliated Club Coordinator, Jim Shideler W5JCS, can help you find a club or help your club become affiliated. We currently have 40 clubs listed at https://ok.arrl.org/clubs/. Look for a club near you, or verify that your club is on the list. Send Jim an email at W5JCS@arrl.net if you need club assistance.

ARRL Oklahoma is On The Web

JOIN/RENEW ARRL NOW —  http://arrl.org/join/

73, de N5HZR — Stand by, more follows…

SM020 – Pryor Tailgate & John Stratton N5AUS

Pryor Tailgate

Mayes County Amateur Radio Club (MCARC) presents: the Pryor, OK Tailgate Event – Saturday, January 15, 2022 – Doors Open from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, at the Graham Community Center, 6 North Adair Street – Pryor, OK 74361

All of the information is on the https://ok.arrl.org/hamfests/pryor/ website. They have produced a video for you to get the details that’s available at https://youtu.be/2x9IXG8EX1w

Only $5 at the door. Talk in on the 147.060 MHz repeater (-600 offset 88.5 Hz Tone) or on the 444.675 MHz machine (+5 MHz offset 88.5 Tone). 40 flea market tables are available, contact kd5jxu@gmail.com or n5yir@yahoo.com to reserve yours. Set up begins at 6:00 am on Friday, people with multi-tables will be allowed early set up on Friday, January 14 from Noon to 6 PM. D&L Antenna, Mike’s Embroidery, and amateur radio testing will be available. Concessions will be provided by the American Legion Post 240 Women’s Auxiliary. Not sure of your radio? Jon N5UUA will have a test bench set up.

And, they have a second video that talks about the raffles at https://youtu.be/5UsK2SMbLAU

John Stratton N5AUS’ Presentation

If you were unable to join the ARRL West Gulf Division Director John Stratton N5AUS at Saturday’s SCARS meeting, or you need to pick up something you missed, we have this presentation recorded for you to watch at your leisure at https://youtu.be/RNVO8SPDkV8.

John Stratton N5AUS – ARRL Update – SCARS Meeting

As a Division Directory, John is our elected representative on the ARRL board of directors and serves on the ARRL Executive Committee and on the new Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee (EC-FSC). He talked about the many changes that are happening at ARRL headquarters and what is coming down the road.

Clubs

Amateur radio clubs are the backbone of the hobby. The tremendous local hams have good information, and as Elmers or mentors, they love to share it. Send something that your club is doing well to me n5hzr@arrl.org, and I’ll feature your club in this newsletter, and on the ARRL club newsletter. Most clubs are seeing an increase in new member activity recently. Our Oklahoma Affiliated Club Coordinator, Jim Shideler W5JCS, can help you find a club or help your club become affiliated. We currently have 39 clubs listed at https://ok.arrl.org/clubs/. Look for a club near you, or verify that your club is on the list. Send Jim an email at W5JCS@arrl.net if you need club assistance.

ARRL Oklahoma is On The Web

JOIN/RENEW ARRL NOW —  http://arrl.org/join/

73, de N5HZR — Stand by, more follows…

SM017 – Happy Holidays and 2021 Year-End Summary

‘Tis the Season

The end of the year brings a number of holidays that tend to make the time fly by faster each and every year. So, no matter what you celebrate, all of us that bring you the Oklahoma ARRL experience wish you the best. So, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy New Year, and all the rest to you and yours from the Oklahoma ARRL section.

And, many thanks from me to the hundreds of volunteers that make this process run smoothly. Without the help of the section leaders, ARES leaders, ARES volunteers, NTS Traffic Handlers, club leaders, hamfest organizers, net control operators, net participants, and others we wouldn’t have been able to make the waves that we have during 2021.

2021 Year-End Summary

The ARRL national organization is defined by the five pillars of public service, advocacy, education, technology, and membership. These tenants are used to define all of the activities that make up the organization’s tasks. Earlier this year I took a look at the five pillars and found that we would be able to support all of them by concentrating on the following five action groups; ARES, NTS, Clubs, Member Communications, and Outreach. Throughout the year each of those groups has had a lot of activity, and some of it is shown here:

ARES – Amateur Radio Emergency Service

  • A new https://aresok.org website was unveiled to support the 800+ ARES members.
  • An ARES OK Fall Summit was held on 10/23/2021 that had 30 ARES members in-person in Norman and 20 more that attended via Zoom and YouTube.
  • We obtained several new Region Emergency Coordinators.
  • We obtained about 20 new county Emergency Coordinators.
  • Email communications were sent to the 800+ ARESOK contacts.

NTS – National Traffic System

  • The National Traffic System in Oklahoma will be highlighted during the month of January. If you are interested in NTS, more information is available at https://ok.arrl.org/nts/
  • HF Phone Nets are still going strong with the following schedule. More information is available at https://ok.arrl.org/ntsnets/
    • Sunday 3900 08:00 local
    • Sunday 3900 16:30 local
    • Daily 7290 AM/PM
  • New Tulsa Superlink UHF Night Net – More information is available at https://ok.arrl.org/ntslocal/
    • Every Thursday 7:00 pm
  • NTSOK Winlink is up and running on HF and VHF – More information is available at https://ok.arrl.org/ntsok/
    • Send NTS messages to message to NTSOK

Clubs

  • The Oklahoma Section Affiliated Club Coordinator – Jim Shideler mailto:W5JCS@arrl.net
  • We created a club leader email list
  • The 39 clubs are listed at https://ok.arrl.org/clubs/
  • A SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat) club analysis tool is available at https://ok.arrl.org/clubtool/
  • ARRL Club Newsletter started in November from ARRL HQ (first time since 2009). If you have any club information and pictures you would like to share, send them to mailto:clubs@arrl.org.
  • ARRL Club news will start back up in QST as ‘strays’.
  • All club contact information for each club was updated on ARRL.ORG
  • A new national ARRL Club Funding program was announced at the Enid hamfest.

Member Communication

  • The https://aresok.org site was updated.
  • The https://ok.arrl.org web site was started. This site should be “THE” place to go for amateur radio information in the state. Wanna be hams, new hams, upgrading hams, and curious hams should find something to do here. Look here for clubs, testing sessions, classes, and more.
  • The https://arrlok.blogspot.com, Facebook page, ARRL.org section page, and the Twitter page all receive Section Manager News about every fortnight.
  • Postcards are sent monthly to the following groups of people. More information is available at https://ok.arrl.org/postcards/
    • New FCC license
    • Upgraded FCC license
    • New ARRL member
    • Lapsed ARRL members

Outreach

  • Oklahoma Memorial Marathon Communications
  • Do-Wacka-Do Communications
  • Tour de Tulsa Communications
  • Cycle 66 Bike Communications
  • Tulsa Makers Faire demonstration station
  • Tulsa Channel 8 News report on Hurricane Ida preparations
  • Lots of Field Day Stations and Field Day home stations
  • City of Norman National Night Out demonstration station
  • Westheimer Airport Open House demonstration station
  • NIGHT, the movie – we assisted with a feature movie short
  • ARISS – AMSAT school communication – Tecumseh, OK – K5TMS
  • Emergency Preparedness – Norman Sooner Mall demonstration station
  • Full blown Elk City Hamfest
  • Full blown Enid Hamfest


And, all of this happened during the international pandemic. Next year should allow even more activities.

Summary Numbers


This year in the state of Oklahoma, we welcomed 394 new Technicians, 137 upgraded licensees, and 413 new ARRL Members. This resulted in an increase in ARRL Membership of 87 (+5.1%), to over 1,800. We recently added three new clubs that will be detailed soon!

1,051 postcards were sent to the new hams, upgraded hams, and new ARRL members.

There are currently 832 ARES Oklahoma members.

— See you next year!!!

ARRL Oklahoma is On The Web

JOIN/RENEW ARRL NOW —  http://arrl.org/join/

73, de N5HZR — Stand by, more follows…

SM014 – Clubs, Clubs, Clubs, Clubs, Clubs, and Clubs

Amateur radio clubs are the lifeblood of the hobby. You know it, I know it, and now ARRL headquarters knows it. In this issue, we talk about everything club related, including a national ARRL Foundation club funding initiative that was announced here in Oklahoma at the Enid Hamfest for the VERY first time!!!!!!!! If you’re not in a club, find-a-club  https://ok.arrl.org/clubs/, make a club by contacting Jim Shideler  mailto:W5JCS@arrl.net, get your club affiliated with ARRL by contacting Mark Kleine  mailto:N5HZR@arrl.org, and document past club activities by sharing with ARRL HQ at  mailto:clubs@arrl.org.  

Clubs: ARRL Club Funding

West Gulf Division Director John Stratton N5AUS announced, for the first time, at the ARRL forum during the Enid hamfest on Saturday that the ARRL Foundation would be making about $500,000 available for grants to ARRL affiliated clubs. Clubs would be able to write proposals to receive grant funding to help with their region’s projects, programs, and activities. The current timeline is to have an online proposal system up and running in the March 2022 timeframe. This will not be a “first come, first served” program. ARRL clubs will upload their project request, and the foundation will select proposals based on the submitted program information. So, start a club; get your club affiliated, and have a proposal ready when the project opens in about six months.

Clubs: ARRL Affiliation

Our Oklahoma Affiliated Club Coordinator, Jim Shideler W5JCS, can help you find a club, start a club, or help your club become affiliated. We currently have 38 clubs listed at  https://ok.arrl.org/clubs/. Look for a club near you, or verify that your club is on the list. Send Jim an email at W5JCS@arrl.net if you need club assistance. Start the progress now, so your club is eligible for the newly announced club funding initiative.

Clubs: Enid Hamfest

One of the great things that clubs get to do is invite the world to their area by hosting a hamfest. This weekend the Enid Amateur Radio Club W5HTK held their annual hamfest. West Gulf Division Director John Stratton N5AUS made the trip to talk about the many significant changes happening at ARRL Headquarters. About 300 hams and potential hams visited the Hoover building to watch forums, meet with fellow hams, buy and sell radio gear, eat hot dogs, hamburgers, or tacos, and discuss radios, antennas, and a whole lot more. The flea market tables sold out in early October, and there were vendors from Kansas and Oklahoma. Congratulations to the Enid Amateur Radio Club for a job well done. Many thanks to Jim WA5ZBW, James KI5OEB, and Bill W5EIY, and the whole crew for their efforts. They passed out flyers that advertised the 2022 event. Mark your calendars for November 5th, 2022, at a larger, better location in downtown Enid! See you there!

Clubs: Club Testimonial

I saw the following announcement on Facebook, and it reminded me of my first Ham Club Meeting experience in 1985. It occurred to me that most of us have had this experience, and we need to make sure the new folks get the same chance. So, for you experienced hams, when you see someone new at a club event, track them down and say “Hello.” 

For the new folks in the hobby, listen to Harold Scoggins K5HES…

ADVICE FOR NEW HAMS…LIKE ME

Find a local club and join! I attended my very first Ham Radio Club meeting tonight and I can’t wait for the next one. I knew I had found a home when one member after another came up to greet me. Being the new kid, I sat quietly as the club president went down the agenda and other members added their input. However, as I sat there and looked around the room, I realized that there must have been over 500 years of radio experience around me. Classes prepared me to pass the test and manuals helped me set up my radio, but this is where I’m going to receive a real education in Ham Radio, in the trenches from operators who have earned their stripes over many years. As I was driving home I realized that not only am I going to gain valuable radio knowledge, but I have also made some new friends. Don’t sit around after you pass your test and wonder why you got into this hobby. Take the next step and join a club, you will not regret it. I am the newest member of the Lawton Fort Sill Amateur Radio Club.

Clubs: Club Activity

This time of year always seems to be brimming with club activities. Walks, runs, bike events, scouting events, picnics, and demonstrations have popped up on Facebook, Twitter, and club newsletters. In the past few months, I’ve seen activities from all around the state. The ARRL is reviving the ARRL Club Newsletter and would like to hear stories from clubs about recent activities. And, since Oklahoma has so many active clubs, I would like to showcase these activities to the rest of the country. So, look back at the last few months, find a picture of some recent events, write up some details of what happened, and send that to clubs@arrl.org. (Don’t forget to CC your favorite OK Section manager at n5hzr@arrl.org.) Then, wait for the club newsletter to appear in your email inbox!!!

Clubs: Club Analysis Tool

The Oklahoma Section wants to help amateur radio clubs and members to review their operations, document their efforts, and share their responses. Clubs in Oklahoma are very diverse, and a club in the panhandle will have very different needs than one in Edmond, Tulsa, or McAlester. However, we have many things in common, and we would like to help you and your club document its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. To help with this effort, I have created a Club Analysis Tool that leaders, members, and others can use to input these concepts on the ARES website at  https://ok.arrl.org/clubtool/. Then, Affiliated Club Coordinator Jim Shideler W5JCS and I will work to share your successes, fulfill your needs, take advantage of your opportunities, and plan to work around your threats. You don’t need to log in or create an account. All input is anonymous. So, give your responses today.

You can find ARRL Oklahoma Section all over the web at:

JOIN/RENEW ARRL NOW —  http://arrl.org/join/

73, de N5HZR — Stand by, more follows…