Sep 09

ARRL Pacific Section Report for September 2012

Bob-Schneider (AH6J) | Photo Courtesy ARRLThe following is the ARRL Pacific Section Manager report for September 2012 by Bob Schneider (AH6J).

Sam Bohol (KH6BTV) passed away at Kaiser Medical Center August 17, 2012 at age 78 from a stroke. The obituary is in Thursday Sept. 6 Star-Advertiser. Visitation is Monday September 10 at 5PM with services at 6PM at Moanalua Mortuary. He is survived by wife Beverly Braun (KH6IPQ); sons Samuel and James; sisters Connie Holladay, Frances Bantalan, Rosie Awana and Priscilla Bernald; and a grandchild. Sam was born in Honolulu and worked as a communications technician. He was a lifetime regular on the ham bands and on many local nets such as the Ohana Net and the Aloha Net (and its predecessor the Friendly Net).

We hope everyone enjoyed the Hawaii QSO Party. Results are out. We did very well. Even your SM managed to get W1AW. See the WH6CZB/KH6CE EARC Website for more details.

Friday Sept. 7 is the Big Island ARC lunch at Pizza hut Puainako at 11:30 AM.

Saturday Sept. 8 at 7:30 AM the Kauai ARC has breakfast at the Feral Pig (formerly The Tiki Room and Main Street Diner) located in Harbor Mall at Nawiliwili. Remember to get your parking ticket validated.

Saturday Sept. 8 at 9:30 AM the Koolau ARC meets at Ho’omaluhia Park in Kaneohe on Oahu.

Saturday Sept. 8 at 1:00 PM the BIARC board meets followed at 2PM by the regular meeting at the Keaau community center on Hawaii.

Sunday Sept. 9 morning there is the EARC/ARRL Swap Meet and Hamfest at the Fleet Reserve Assn, Branch 46 located at 891 Valkenburgh St. in Honolulu. Sellers may start at 7:00 AM with doors open to buyers at 8:00 AM. Closing is scheduled at 1:00 PM. (Be aware these things tend to close early so don’t wait for the last minute.) You can also enjoy the FRA’s great breakfast menu in the morning from 8 am to 12 pm; parking is free with additional parking across the street in the field next to the fire station. They will open at 7 AM for sellers to set up. Tables are first come first serve, no reservations will be taken and we are asking for a donation to help cover the cost of renting the Hall. Entrance is free. Contact Chris (NH7QH) for more info and details nh7qh@earchi.org See you there! This is an approved ARRL Hamfest so help support emergency communications and the ARRL.

Sunday Sept. 9 at 2:00 PM the Kohala-Hamakua ARC meets at Hisaoka Gym Conference Room in Kapa’au, Hawaii. Enter in the rear of the Gym Building in King Kam Park.

Monday Sept. 10 is the Kauai ARC Monthly Meeting at 7:00 PM. It is at KIUC Conference Room, 4463 Pahe’e Drive in Lihu’e, Kauai. This is because the first Monday was a holiday. There will be a report and photos about the antenna party at the Crater Hill repeater. There will be a discussion about making allocations for club equipment repair and upgrade. KARC receives a $111.00 cash donation from Kaua’i Marathon group. Michelle (WH7XA), Randy (WH7ZI), Richard (WH6DTV), and Elaine (AH6TA) got up really early on Sunday September 2nd to provide runner monitoring and course control at the half/full split at the Kaua’i Marathon. It’s figured on how many people times the number of hours spent. These are the same four persons whom have done this Marathon gig for the past four years, except that in previous years it was for the Red Cross. The Marathon management could not get Red Cross to return their calls, and so offered the chance for service to the same four folks, but under the aegis of the KARC. We’re grateful for that.

Of course, Sam’s funeral is also Monday Sept. 10 at 5PM. See the SK notice at the beginning.

Saturday Sept. 15 the Kauai ARC will have a one day License Study session from 8:00 AM to 2:45 PM followed by FCC License Exams at 3:00 PM. Exams are given every three months. The location for the session is the KIUC Conference Room at 4463 Pahee Street in Lihue, Kauai. Study material for Technician and General amateur class licenses cost is $9.00 each (please call for specific information on Extra Class materials). The FCC License Exams will be administered under the auspices of W5YI-VEC. If you have already studied, and only want to take the exam, please show up before 3:00 PM. The License Exam is open to ALL wishing to take an exam for Technician Class, General Class or Extra Class License. The License Exam will start at 3:30 PM, please show up before 3:00 PM. You MUST bring two forms of ID; one MUST be a photo ID. We prefer two photo IDs. For upgrades, you MUST also bring a copy of your current Amateur license (which we keep). The test fee is $14.00, set by FCC. (Cell phone number on test day is 808-652-0258, for proctor Elaine Albertson AH6TA). Please print and mail the completed sign-up form. Reserve your seat by noon on Friday, September 14, 2012. Please NO walk-ins. Any questions, please call John (KH6JMM) at 808-431-4821 or if no answer 570-470-0503 (cell).

On Tuesday Sept. 18 and Wednesday Sept. 19 KARC will support the school science show. This is much as it has done in years past. They had provided a VHF rig under the tents so students could see hear and touch the equipment and talk to club members. Please contact Elaine (AH6TA) if you can help. The show begins at 0800 on both days and will run to 1230 on the 18th, and perhaps shut down a little earlier on the 19th. A group of around 2,000 students is anticipated.

Sunday Sept. 16 the Kona ARS will meet from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the south end of Wawaloli Beach Park in the NELHA complex just south of the Kona Airport. The food theme is Mediterranean food. Last month David Dickinson (VE7SST) and family were their special visitors.

The ARRL national convention, Pacificon 2012, will be held October 12 to 14 at the Santa Clara Marriott. Your SM is planning on attending.

Saturday and Sunday Oct. 20 & 21 is the BSA 55th Jamboree on the air or JOTA for 2012.

The Big Island “International” Hamfest is set for Saturday, October 27, 2012. It will be at the Keaau Community Center instead of Waimea this year. The center is already reserved. There are two large rooms and a lanai area. Rent for the hall is $100 with a $200 deposit so donations are greatly appreciated. We expect to have VE testing in the afternoon and perhaps a couple special speakers. As in the past, entrance is free with a mandatory sign in sheet. There will be a donation jar to cover expenses and we expect to have a few door prizes and some refreshments. For more details contact Bob Schneider (AH6J) at 808-966-8146 or co-chair Doug Wilson (WH6DTD) at 808-985-7540.

Just a reminder the Maui RACES repeater on 147.02+ MHz now requires a sub-audible tone of 103.5 Hz for access. This was effective March 13. Check your operating manual for the correct procedure for your radio.

The DXCC Desk approved the 1998 XU1A DXpedition to Cambodia for DXCC credit.

QSTNow that QST is online for members, the problem of timely access to current information in QST has gone away. The best deal (especially for a younger person) is the lifetime membership. Your SM is a life member and it is one of the best investments he made. The annual dues of $39 a year may seem a little steep but it is not just for the magazine. There is a very long list of benefits beside QST.

One of the most valuable (and expensive) is the advocacy and information available in CC&R cases. Over restrictive CC&R’s are by far the most serious threat to Amateur Radio survival. Your ARRL membership helps ARRL get reasonable laws considered with a legal staff. The ARRL has already submitted a detailed and lengthy response to the FCC in answer to the congressional mandate that the FCC study things that inhibit emergency communications. The ARRL continues to be a watchdog for detrimental legislation in all 50 states. With this in mind the $39 a year membership fee is dirt cheap for the benefits received. It could also mean the survival of Amateur Radio as we know it. Please join today.

As of now there are only 159,010 members of ARRL. There are 705,512 Hams in the USA. That means only 22.5% of hams are ARRL members. This is disgraceful.

Here are a few websites for clubs in the Pacific Section of ARRL:

73,

Bob Schneider (AH6J)
ARRL Pacific Section Manager
ARRL – The National Association for Amateur Radio
ah6j@arrl.org

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