Batesville Hamfest and the SET (plus some other stuff)

By J.M. Rowe, N5XFW - Section Manager


The Batesville hamfest is this weekend. This is is an event that is getting bigger every year, thanks to the hospitality of the Batesville group. Here is the official website:
http://barchams.org/hamfest/index.htm I hope to see a huge crowd.

The scenario for this year's Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is the Section Manager and the Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) are in Batesville for a hamfest when the New Madrid Seismic Zone turns loose.
The earthquake traps them both in the Batesville area, and they are unable to immediately travel back to Little Rock. The Batesville group has graciously offered their assistance, and we will be looking to make a bunch of contacts. The various net managers should already have been contacted by the Section Traffic Manager WW5AA to discuss their participation. See http://www.arkansas-aresraces.org/aresracessop.pdf
for more information about various nets. The SEC W5JLG and I appreciate all the activity!

I have been asked to join a panel discussing communications at the Albert Pike Flood. We are to meet at the Arkansas Interoperable Communications Conference. Go to http://www.awin.arkansas.gov/ for vendor and individual registrations, as well as forthcoming information. I understand there are a limited number of scholarships available for the registration fee, but I have no information about that. Check with your county Department of Emergency Management if you are interested in attending; they might have some help for you.

Editorial - Survey results

By Joshua Carroll, N5JLC - Arkansas Section Public Information Coordinator

All of us are aware that people become involved in Amateur Radio for lots of different reasons. Whether it be to assist in emergency communications, learn about the science of radio, or just to have fun and make friends - undisputed it all leads to a fun and fascinating hobby. Once inside the "Ham Radio world" new operators discover that there are lots of other areas of interest to intrigue and occupy our time. Our ability to assist with emergency communications is, while glamorous and very worthwhile, only a scratch in the surface of the possibilities that come with an Amateur Radio operator's license.

Considering all of this, we really wanted to know what the people in the Arkansas Section found to be the most enjoyable part of the hobby. So, we recently conducted an informal poll of visitors to the Arkansas Section web site in which we asked what was their primary focus in Ham Radio.  Here are the results we received:

Emergency communications: 33%, Contesting: 20%, Amateur satellites: 1%, Packet: 1%, Experimenting with new technologies: 7%, APRS: 5%, "Ragchewing" or "chit chat": 25%, WAC / WAS certificates: 3%

Of course, these survey results are in no way scientific. But maybe they could spark some interest in an area you haven't checked out yet.

New Website

By J.M. Rowe, N5XFW - Section Manager

Welcome to the new site for the Arkansas Section of the American Radio Relay League.

Our Public Information Coordinator, Joshua Carroll, N5JLC has worked very hard to make this website as comprehensive and accurate as possible. We know it is not complete, and Joshua would like to know what you would like to see on the site.

I would appreciate if all ARRL members go to the ARRL site www.arrl.org to update your profile. This is the information that is available to other members, and you need to check to see what is displayed. I have heard reports of erroneous information being released, and I strongly suggest each of you make sure your information is correct. I ask that each of you in a leadership position upload a photo of yourself, even if like me, you have a face made for radio. It'll make eyeball QSO's easier!

Emergency Services

Many amateur radio operators participate in some type of emergency service activity. Those who do are volunteers who provide selfless service in times of public need to help protect life and property. There are many agencies who are served by these volunteer emergency communicators, such as the National Weather Service (as part of the Skywarn program), the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (as part of the RACES program), and many others.

To locate any of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) leadership in Arkasas, visit http://www.arkansas-aresraces.org/AresRaces/leadership.htm

For more information about ARES and RACES in Arkansas, visit http://www.arkansas-aresraces.org.

For more information about Arkansas Section Traffic Emergency Net , visit http://www.arkansas-aresraces.org/ASTEN.htm