It’s that time again for the MARC Club picnic, which will be hold on September 11, 2010. We will have it at the same site as Ohio State Parks On The Air contest (2895 Lave Drive Pleasant Plain, Ohio 45162). The club will provide the main course food along with drinks, so please bring a side dish. We are really looking forward to seeing everyone out there and if there is an old member you know, give them the word that we would love to see them out there. The start time for the picnic will be around 1PM and will go untill we all feel like we have had enough to eat. Along with your side dish, if you have a folding chair bring one as well.

I looking forward to see everyone at the picnic this year for some good food and great times. If you have any questions about the picnic you can give Jeff KD8LZK a call, (513)-258-5333.
–
Jeff Clemmons KD8LZK
Vice President Milford Amateur Radio Club

Subject: SPECIAL REQUEST – HELP PREVENT BAN ON MOBILE OPERATING

(Reply to nb4k@arrl.org)

Dear Ohio Amateur Radio Operator,

US Senate Bill S. 1536, the Alert Drivers Act, is intended to improve
highway safety by reducing driving distractions caused primarily by
cell phones. Unfortunately, current wording of this Bill does not
specifically exempt Amateur Radio from is provisions. The Bill is in
the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. As a result, ARRL
asks members who live in states that have a representative on this
committee to direct letters to senators who are on this Committee.
Senator George Voinovich of Ohio is one of the members of the Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee.

We ask each ARRL member in Ohio to write a letter to Senator Voinovich
asking that Senate Bill S. 1536 be amended to exempt Amateur Radio.
You may use the letter that is attached or compose one of your own.
Either way it needs to be done as soon as possible.

As has been done in the past, please send your signed letter to our
Washington representative, John Chwat. Mr. Chwat will deliver the
letters directly to Mr. Voinovich’s office to increase their impact.
Please send your letter via one of the following methods:

As a signed attachment to an email to: arrl@chwatco.com.

As a signed fax to: 703-684-7594

As a signed letter to:
John Chwat
Chwat & Co.
625 Slaters Lane, Suite 103
Alexandria, VA 22314

If you choose to email your letter, please send it as a
personally-signed attachment to the email instead of as unsigned e-mail
text. This allows the letter to be easily printed and delivered to Mr.
Voinovich. If you decide to draft your own letter instead of editing
the sample, please remember to include the following key points:

- Identify the bill by number and title: S 1536 “The ALERT Drivers
Act”.

- Ask that S 1536 be amended to exempt “two way mobile radio
transmitters or receivers used by licensees of the Federal
Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio service.”

- Keep the letter brief and on the single topic – one page at the
most.

- Ask the Senator to consider becoming a co-sponsor and support this
amendment.

- Thank the Senator for considering your request.

If you prefer to send your letter directly to Senator Voinovich, please
also send a copy of it to Chwat & Co. This allows our team to discuss
accurately with the Senator and his staff the amount of support the
bill has in Ohio.

Thanks for your help on this Bill. I look forward to corresponding
further with you in the future.

The draft letter is below.

73,

John D. Meyers, NB4K
Great Lake Division
Legislative Action Chairman
Nb4k@arrl.org

——————————————————-

(Date)

Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH)
524 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Attn: Chip Abernathy
Fax: 202-228-1382

Dear Senator Voinovich,

I understand that S. 1536, “The ALERT Drivers Act,” will be voted
upon in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. As an
amateur radio licensee and member of the American Radio Relay League,
representing over 680,000 amateur radio licensees nationwide, including
28,377 in the state of Ohio, I urge you to support an amendment to S.
1536 that exempts amateur radio licensees from this type of ban. The
amendment would seek to exempt “two way mobile radio transmitters or
receivers used by licensees of the Federal Communications Commission in
the Amateur Radio service.”

The form of communication used by amateur radio licensees is
fundamentally different from that of cell phone users. Amateur radio
utilizes simplex, two-way radio communication in which relatively
little time is spent transmitting-unlike cell phones. Additionally,
the mobile radio sets used by amateur radio operators are typically
permanently mounted on the floor of the motor vehicle and do not
interfere with operation of the vehicle. In fact, after more than 50
years of amateur radio in the U.S., we are unaware of any evidence that
mobile radio operation has contributed to driver inattention. Amateur
radio licensees are public-service minded citizens who use their
radio-equipped motor vehicles to aid others, and they focus on driving
in order to perform these services.

Please contact our Washington representative, John Chwat, if you can
help us by sponsoring this amendment. Please contact him at
john.chwat@chwatco.com or (703) 684-7703.

Thank you,

(Your signature)

(Your printed name)
(Your address)
(Your city, state, ZIP)
(Your telephone number, e-mail address)

—————————————————————–

Tnx vy much for your important help,

Jim

Jim Weaver, K8JE, Director
ARRL Great Lakes Division
5065 Bethany Rd.
Mason, OH 45040; Tel. 513-459-1661
ARRL, The national organization for Amateur Radio

——————————————————————–
ARRL Great Lakes Division
Director: James E Weaver, K8JE
k8je@arrl.org

Our annual Hamfest is fast approaching!

The 20th Annual Milford Hamfest will be held on a Saturday June 19th, 2010. View the flyer for more information.

This is a great Hamfest and location so make sure you bring your friends. There is always plenty of Tailgaing space for you to sell some of your “extra” equipment.

View Larger Map

Milford Amateur Radio Club
PO Box 100
Milford, OH 45150

Milford Hamfest – Twentieth Annual

!!!Same Location as Last Year!!!
Eastside Christian Church
5874 Montclair Blvd, Milford, Ohio

Plenty of parking and tailgating space.
Saturday June 19, 2010

8:00 AM TO 2:00 PM

Admission: $5.00 (Children under 12 admitted free)

o Tailgating = $1.00 regardless of spaces needed.
o Inside Tables $5.00 (Requires an admission ticket)
o For tables call Chris, KB8SNH at 513-351-2776 or kb8snh@fuse.net
o Commercial Vendors Invited
o Hourly door prizes plus grand prize drawing at end of the Hamfest!
o VE Exams – 9:00 AM – Walk-ins Welcome. Bring ID

For more information call Jim WB8RRR at 513-831-6255 or wb8rrr@arrl.net

Directions: TAKE I-275 TO EXIT 57. GO EAST ON ST. RT. 28. TURN LEFT AT THE 1ST LEFT TURN TRAFFIC LIGHT (opposite direction than LOWE’S and IHOP). TURN LEFT ON MONTCLAIR (which is along side Milford Self Storage) FOLLOW ¼ MILE TO HAMFEST.

GATE OPENS AT 6:00 A.M. FOR SET-UP TALK IN: 147.345 +

Reminder Reminder

It’s March already and March is our Club Family Birthday Party.

Saturday 13th at the Milford Masonic Temple is the place.
32 Water St, Milford, OH 45150

Arrive around 6:30 P.M. with plans to eat no later than 7:00 P.M. Park in the Bank lot (if they are closed), West Lot next door, Across the street in old Auctioneer lot, or on the street.

Menu will look something like: At least 2 meat dinner, country green beans, mashed or red skinned potatoes w/gravy, super salad, rolls&butter whatever else, desserts, drinks.

Dinner will be catered and the cost will be, as in the past, @ $9.00 per adult and $5.00 per child.

Prizes and Surprises

We need your reservations by this Sat March 6th so:

START SENDING YOUR RESERVATIONS TO OUR VP JEFF KD8LZK

We do not have a club meeting in March due to the annual MARC Birthday Party.

There will NOT be VE session for March, either.

Hard to believe spotter training is upon us already for 2010 (thus this late notice). With snow still on the ground, we now turn our attention to severe weather season. Sorry we missed announcing a class in Boone County tonight. There are two more opportunities in our area this week.

Tomorrow (Wednesday 2/24/2010) at 7:00PM there is a class in Hamilton County in Springfield Township at the Grove Banquet Hall, Springfield Twp. (Located behind Fire Dept. and Twp. Civic Center), 9158 Winton Rd., Cincinnati. For more information call 513-521-7578.

Thursday night (2/25/2010) at 7:00PM there is a class in Butler County at the Butler County Govt Services Center, 315 High St., Hamilton (large conference room on 1st floor). For more information, call 513-785-5810.

The classes will be frequent now as we approach severe weather season. We recommend all amateur radio operators attend spotter training annually if possible. For more class opportunities, see http://www.erh.noaa.gov/iln/training.php. Classes are still being added. Mark your calendar for the class you can attend. They will be over before you know it.

Mike Nie – W8VMX
Public Information Officer
Weather Amateur Radio Network (WARN)

Here is a flyer for the annual Weather Spotter Training that Clermont County provides the community. This is always an interesting and important event.

Unless you plan to take the Technician class license examination before
July 1, 2010, don’t use study guides based on the question pool that
became effective July 1, 2006. The 2006 pool will be replaced by a
2010 question pool effective July 2010. The 2006 pool and study
materials used for it are useable for Technician exams to be given as
late as Jun 30, 2010.

Beginning July 1, 2010 Tech exams will be based upon the 2010 question
pool. This pool will be available to the public in early January.
People wishing to obtain a printed copy of the pool or a study manual
based on it should watch for announcements in ham publications or on
the web. Of course, www.arrl.org and ARRL bulletins will be a good
source of information on these.

Source: Jim Weaver, K8JE (ARRL Great Lakes Division Director)

I have just implemented a “Forum” for everyone to use. You access from the Page category in the Navigation bar above. Or Here There are many different Topics that I set up that you can read or reply to.

Topics I have created so far include: Contesting, DX, Digital Modes, Mobile, Propagation, QSL, SSB and CW Modes, Ham Shack Items, Antennas, HF and VHF/UHF radios, Accessories, For Sale/Trade/Wanted, Emergency Communications, APRS, Introductions, Help, Suggestions, and Club Related.

—
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site. It originated as the modern equivalent of a traditional bulletin board, and a technological evolution of the dialup bulletin board system. From a technological standpoint, forums or boards are web applications managing user-generated content.

People participating in an Internet forum may cultivate social bonds and interest groups for a topic may form from the discussions.

Source: Wiki

We had our annual election at our November meeting and we elected a new president and vice president. Congratulations to Rick Colburn, NV8C who is our new President and Jeff Clemmons, KD8LZK our new Vice President (effective January 1, 2010). Jim Linn, WB8RRR and Barb Steward, KA8AXY have been re-elected to their positions.

President: Rick Colburn, NV8C
Vice President: Jeff Clemmons, KD8LZK
Treasurer: Jim Linn, WB8RRR
Secretary: Barb Steward, KA8AXY