Volunteers On The Air (VOTA) – Pennsylvania

ARRL is celebrating 2023 as “The Year of the Volunteer.” The first adventure has been announced as a project called “Volunteers On The Air (VOTA).” ARRL members get ‘points’ for each contact with another ARRL volunteer or member. So, if two ARRL members contact each other, they will each receive a point for that QSO. No special codes are required, no sequence numbers need to be exchanged, and no section information needs to be passed. Contact a fellow ARRL member, and you each receive a point. You both must upload the QSO to the Logbook of The World (LoTW) to receive the points. Your points are calculated when the QSO is matched. This could be an FT8, CW, simplex 2M FM, RTTY, or an SSB rag-chew contact.

To add more interest to the year-long operating event and help demonstrate the ARRL volunteer value, each level of volunteer activity has been assigned a point level shown in the table below. For example, if you contact the West Pennsylvania Section Manager, you’ll get 175 points for that one contact.

You can get some certificates, or wallpaper, for your efforts. More details on this as they are fleshed out

So, get your HF gear running, make sure your LoTW connection is working, and see you on the air!

VOTA Program Rules

These rules will be extended or revised, so please return here to check for updates. This operating event starts January 1, 2023, at 0000Z and ends December 31, 2023, at 2359Z. This event is for ARRL members. You can join or renew online at https://arrl.org/join/. All QSOs must be uploaded to the ARRL QSO matching system, Logbook of The World (LoTW). No repeater contacts are allowed. Contacts can not be made on the 12 M, 17 M, 30 M, 60 M, 630 M, or 2190 M bands. All other bands can be used. Contacts can be made on any legal mode of operation. You receive ‘points’ based on the volunteer level of the ARRL member you contact. Points range from 1 point for an ARRL member to 300 points for ARRL President Rick Roderick K5UR. The point levels are listed below. Each QSO will get only one point value. For example, a member, a life member, and an Assistant Section Manager will be worth the value of the highest role, 35 points, for the ASM role. Stations can contact each other once per band per operating mode: CW, Digital, Voice. So, each operator pair can count up to 3 QSOs on each band, one per mode.

Logbook of The World (LoTW)

The ARRL Logbook of The World (LoTD) QSO matching system will automatically handle this VOTA effort’s reporting. If you already log your QSOs from your favorite logging software and it uploads them to LoTW, you will automatically be participating. Your QSOs will be verified normally, and the callsigns of the hams you work will be searched to find the appropriate points (table below) you receive for each QSO.

Setting up Logbook Of The World

If you aren’t set up to use LoTW, now is the time to set it up. The LoTW quick-start page is a great place to start, and the “What is LoTW Document” explains the whole process. You must authenticate yourself with the system by receiving a postcard mailed to your FCC-registered address. The TSQL program is used by your logging program, N3FJPN1MMDX Lab Suite, or something else to authenticate and upload to LoTW.

If you need help setting up your LoTW account, watch some YouTube videos, or contact your Elmer, or a local club.

W1AW/3 Portable Operations

As a part of the Year of the Volunteer celebration, the mystical callsign W1AW will be used portably to the corners of ARRL-land. Members in each state/territory will be asked to operate their stations for two different weeks using the callsign W1AW/x where x is one of the local regions: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, KL, KH0, KH2, KH6, KH7, KH8, KP2, KP3, or KP4. For example, West Pennsylvania’s week starts September 20, 2023, at 0000z and will run through September 26, 2023, at 2359z, using the callsign W1AW/3. Each state coordinator will approve the time/band/mode slots throughout the week, and hams can operate their stations using W1AW/3. You can schedule your West Pennsylvania operating time by clicking this link at https://ok.arrl.org/w1awpa/.

Traveling W1AW rules include:

  • Remember that each operator must follow the rules for their license class. Stay in the sub-bands that you’re legally allowed to operate in.
  • Operators can operate from anywhere in the state/territory.
  • Members who contact the portable W1AW stations will receive 5 points for those QSOs.
  • Each band/mode combination can be activated simultaneously. For example, N5OP could be working on 20 M SSB, N5OK could be working on 20 M CW, N5AZQ could be working on 20 M FT8, and N5HZR could be on 40 M SSB, all at the same time.
  • State operations start at 0000z each Wednesday.
  • State operations stop at 2359z the following Tuesday.
  • Operations should not happen on the 12 M, 17 M, 30 M, 60 M, or 2190 M bands.
  • All operation log files for the week must be consolidated into one ADIF file and sent to the state coordinator to be uploaded to LoTW.

Volunteers Point Value Table

Note: These appointments are for current appointees unless otherwise noted. Eg: Assistant Director (AD) is only for the current Assistant Directors. Past office-holders and appointees are only eligible if the title listed includes the word “Past,” such as “Past Section Manager (PSM).”

Abbreviation Full Position/Title Name Point value
PRES ARRL President 300
PE President Emeritus 275
PP Past President 275
HVP Honorary Vice President 250
VP ARRL Vice President 250
DE Director Emeritus 225
DIR Director 225
PVP Past Vice President 225
VD Vice Director 200
SM Section Manager 175
OFF Staff Officer, Treasurer, Counsel 150
PD Past Director 150
PV Past Vice Director 125
ARRL W1AW ARRL HQ Station 100
CLM ARRL Charter Life Member 100
PSM Past Section Manager 100
DM ARRL HQ Department Manager 75
HQ ARRL HQ Staff Member/Volunteer 50
MAX Maxim Society Member 50
AC CAC/DXAC/ECAC Advisory Members 40
AD Assistant Director 40
ARDF Direction Finding Coordinator 35
ASM Assistant Section Manager 35
EMC Electromagnetic Compatibility Committee 35
LOTW Logbook of the World Committee 35
PRC Public Relations Committee 35
RF RF Safety Committee 35
YC Youth Committee 35
ACC Affiliated Club Coordinator 30
DEC District Emergency Coordinator 30
NCJ NCJ Editor 30
PIC Public Information Coordinator 30
QST QST Columnist 30
SEC Section Emergency Coordinator 30
SGL State Government Liaison 30
STM Section Traffic Manager 30
SYC Section Youth Coordinator 30
TC Technical Coordinator 30
DC Diamond Club Member 25
LAB W1INF Lab Museum Operations 25
LC W1HQ HQ Operations 25
CM Contest Managers/Log Checkers 20
QSM Incoming QSL Bureau Manager 20
VC Volunteer Counsel 15
VCE Volunteer Consulting Engineer 15
ADC Area Digital Coordinators 12
ADEC Assistant District Emergency Coordinator 12
ANM Area Net Manager 12
ASEC Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator 12
ASTM Assistant Section Traffic Manager 12
BM Bulletin Manager 12
EC Emergency Coordinator 12
LGL Local Government Liaison 12
OBS Official Bulletin Station 12
OES Official Emergency Station 12
ORS Official Relay Station 12
PIO Public Information Officer 12
RNM Region Net Manager 12
TCC Transcontinental Corps Directors 12
TS Technical Specialist 12
TA Technical Advisor 10
NM Net Manager 7
AM Awards Manager 5
CC Card Checker 5
INST Registered Instructor 5
State Abbrev W1AW/x around the USA (work each state twice) 5
VE Volunteer Examiner 5
QSL Incoming QSL Bureau Sorters 3
LM ARRL Life Member 2
AFF ARRL Affiliated Club Call Sign 1
MEM ARRL Member 1

Pennsylvania Volunteers

Code First Name Last Name Call
PIO Stephen Billetz AA3KC
TS David Parkhill AA3YW
OES David Parkhill AA3YW
TS Deirdre Hebert AB1ST
OES Thomas Mills AF4NC
ORS Thomas Mills AF4NC
ASM Thomas Mills AF4NC
ASTM Thomas Mills AF4NC
TS John Lewis AI3I
ACC John Lewis AI3I
EC Alan Melnyk K3AJM
SYC Bruce Gibson K3BEG
EC Carmine Prestia K3CWP
OES Carmine Prestia K3CWP
LGL Carmine Prestia K3CWP
ASM Carmine Prestia K3CWP
ASEC Carmine Prestia K3CWP
EC Don Schmitt K3DCS
TS Andrew Marhefka K3ELP
ORS Steve Fazekas K3FAZ
NM Steve Fazekas K3FAZ
PIO William Warmuth K3FQI
OES Ralph Brandt K3HQI
DEC Ralph Brandt K3HQI
ACC Ralph Brandt K3HQI
OES Richard Stewart K3ITH
DEC Richard Stewart K3ITH
ORS John Buchignani K3JHT
TS James Stewart K3JLB
ORS Timothy Duffy K3LR
OES Timothy Duffy K3LR
TC Dennis Presky K3PSP
OES Lloyd Roach K3QNT
PIO Lloyd Roach K3QNT
SGL Lloyd Roach K3QNT
OES Robert Famiglio K3RF
ORS James Brinson K4WOP
ASM Riley Hollingsworth K4ZDH
TS Jim Newell K7JN
PIO Drew McGhee KA3EJV
EC Meade Murtland KA3EQU
DEC Terence Nemitz KA3UTD
PIO Blanche Bender KA3VXR
DEC Kevin Snyder KA3YCB
EC Kevin McCauley KB3EJM
EC Stephen Waltman KB3FPN
EC Michael Sabal KB3GJT
STM Robert Ketzell KB3IN
ORS Robert Ketzell KB3IN
EC Ralph Roloson KB3IPT
EC Robert Brown KB3IPZ
OES D Daniel McGlothin KB3MUN
TS D Daniel McGlothin KB3MUN
TS Michael Pittinger KB3MXL
PIO Susan Kerr KB3OUI
EC Michael Thomas KB3SUS
EC William Hastings KB3TBT
EC Anthony Ogburn KB3WOX
EC David Flad KB3YCK
EC Richard Lenker KB3YRC
EC Anne Zarlenga KB3ZLJ
EC Michael Mandell KC3BLF
OES Carl ‘Jack’ Dellinger KC3JD
EC Gary Miller KC3NHE
EC Albert Hotchkiss KC3PGT
ORS Thomas Inman KC8T
EC Bill Daub KE3RG
OES John Miller KJ3X
PIO Cody Toy KK3CAT
DEC Mark Benson KM3P
ORS Charles Schmell KS3Z
ASM Charles Schmell KS3Z
OBS Michael Kowalcheck KV3L
ASM Mark Wheeler KZ3MW
OES Gustav Von Roth N2ULX
ORS Robert Hecht N3AAK
ORS Carmen Perfetta N3AS
OES Charles Maggi N3CRM
ORS Thomas Vaughn N3EE
EC Domenic Bedolatti N3EJL
OES Charles Pistilli N3FKR
TS Frank Rossi N3FLR
EC Harry Bauder N3FMO
EC Randall Kishbaugh N3JPV
PIO Bill Edgar N3LLR
EC Allen Brooks N3OGD
OES Andrew Shecktor N3OMA
DEC Andrew Shecktor N3OMA
EC Robert McClintock N3RZI
EC George Wieland N3SQD
EC David Kirby N3SRO
NM Scott Walker N3SW
ORS Scott Walker N3SW
STM Scott Walker N3SW
TS Elmer Plants N3TIR
LGL Elmer Plants N3TIR
PIO Elmer Plants N3TIR
OES Elmer Plants N3TIR
SEC Elmer Plants N3TIR
OES John Cole N3TN
OES Chuck Davis N3UUZ
OES Robert Livrone N3WAV
ORS Robert Livrone N3WAV
EC Tom Wright N3WS
ASM Juan Manfredi NA0B
OES Robert Griffiths NE3I
PIO Michael Varga NR3C
EC Michael Varga NR3C
ORS Robert Mente NU3Q
PIO Robert Mente NU3Q
EC Robert Mente NU3Q
EC Thomas Davis NW3X
ORS Thomas Davis NW3X
OES Ronald Wenig NY3J
OBS Linda Robinson W1MP
EC Chuck Farrell W3AFV
EC Andrew Mummert W3AND
PIO Joe Shupienis W3BC
SM Joe Shupienis W3BC
OES Robert Wilson W3BIG
SEC Robert Wilson W3BIG
SM Robert Wilson W3BIG
OES Robert Gutshall W3BTX
OES Daniel Amoroso W3DI
OES George Miller W3GWM
ORS George Miller W3GWM
NM George Miller W3GWM
ASTM George Miller W3GWM
OBS Charles Gessner W3ON
ORS Carl Volz W3SMV
OBS Richard Bender W3SYY
TS Richard Bender W3SYY
DEC Travis Best W3TMB
TS Kevin Lear W3XOX
EC Kevin Lear W3XOX
DEC Kevin Lear W3XOX
ORS Harry Bloomberg W3YJ
OES Harry Bloomberg W3YJ
OES Robert Montgomery W3ZR
ORS Robert Montgomery W3ZR
ASM Robert Montgomery W3ZR
SYC Drew McLuckie W3ZW
ORS Douglas Stevens WA2BBS
ORS Henry Grilk WA2CCN
OES Henry Grilk WA2CCN
EC Henry Grilk WA2CCN
PIC Jay Silber WA2UAR
ORS David Sawicki WA3DS
ORS James Antonacci WA3EHD
TS Charles Mathewson WA3FFC
PIO Charles Barr WA3GQU
TS Barry Capell WA3GSH
EC Harvey Kolodner WA3GTL
TS Robert Bair WA3HDK
PIO Bryan Simanic WA3UFN
OES J Campbell WA3UOE
PIC Cory Sickles WA3UVV
NM Gerald Smith WA3ZSC
OES Ronald Small WB2OOB
OES Theodore Holland WB3AVD
EC Terry Snyder WB3BKN
EC Kenneth Balliet WB3BNY
TS Gary Laska WB3KFO
OES Francis Mc Donald WB7K
TC Jeff De Polo WN3A
OES Carmen Peca WO3T
TS Peter Carr WW3O
EC J S Tolbert WW3S
ORS William Smith WX2DX
EC David Wellman WX3E
ASM David Wellman WX3E
PIO Tony Zona