We will be meeting on June 15th, 2025, 11AM at The Park National Bank: Mansfield Marion Avenue Drive-Thru Center (50 Marion Ave, Mansfield, OH 44903) Also we will be using the Trailer Frequency for communications.
The place we were going to do the field day is booked, so Danny will have to find another place to have it. As soon as He lets me know, I will be posting it.
As Technical Coordinator for the Ohio Section, I oversee the section’s Technical Specialists. We are here to promote technical advances and the experimentation side of the hobby by encouraging amateurs in the section to share their technical achievements in QST, at club meetings, in club newsletters, and at hamfests and conventions. We are available to assist program committees in finding or providing suitable programs for local club meetings, ARRL hamfests, and conventions within the section. When called upon, serve as advisors for RFI issues and work with ARRL officials and other appointees providing technical advice.
Technical Specialists are a cadre of qualified and competent individuals here for the “advancement of the radio art,” a profound obligation incurred under the rules of the FCC. TS’s support myself and the section in two main areas of responsibility: Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) and technical information. They can specialize in one or more areas or be generalists with knowledge
in many areas. Responsibilities range from serving as consultants or advisors to local hams or speaking at local club meetings on popular topics. In the Ohio Section, there are 12 qualified specialists.
RFI and EMI (electromagnetic interference) includes harmful interference that seriously degrades, obstructs, or repeatedly interrupts a radio communication service such as ham radio or public service agencies. RFI sources range from bad power insulators, industrial control systems, nearby or poorly made transmitters, household appliances, personal devices like computers, monitors, printers, game consoles – to grow lights, failing or poorly made transformers, and devices hams brag about getting cheap from China. Technical Specialists can offer advice to help track down interference or locate bozo stations when called upon. Technical information is wide-ranging, everything from antennas to Zumspots.
How can we help? The knowledge and abilities of YOUR Technical Specialists are really quite impressive:
• Amplifiers
• Antennas (fixed, portable, emergency operation)
• Antenna systems such as towers, guying, coax/feedlines, and baluns
• Boat anchors (tube technology)
• Computer systems – Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi
• Digital voice and data modes – including D-STAR, DMR, Fusion, NXDN, P25, APRS, IGates, packet, TNCs, MT63, FT8/4, Olivia, PSK, etc.
• Direction finding
• Electronics and circuits, including teachers whom have taught electronics classes
• Former repair technicians
• Home brew
• Internet linking (Voice over IP, aka VoIP) – Echolink, AllStar/HamVoIP, DVSwitch, PBX/Asterisk
• Mobile installations – HF, VHF/UHF, antennas
• Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System (NBEMS) – Fldigi and Flmsg
• Networking – AMPRNet, routers, port forwarding, ISPs, firewalls, mesh
• Power supplies
• Propagation
• Repeaters, controllers, and high-profile systems
• RFI caused by power lines and consumer appliances
• RF safety
• SHARES stations (SHAred RESources – Department of Homeland Security HF radio program)
• Software Defined Radios (SDR)
• Tower safety
• Professional certifications such as Motorola Certified Technicians, Master Electrician, Certified Journeyman Electronics Technician, General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL), ETA certifications, Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) certifications and affiliations, and Marine Radio Operator permit holders.
This impressive list of qualifications are available resources to all in the Ohio Section. Looking for guidance in one of these areas? Need a program for your club meeting? How about a technical talk or forum at a hamfest? Assistance or direction on a project? My contact info is near my picture and on the arrl-ohio.org website. I’ll assist getting you in touch with an appropriate Technical Specialist.
Thanks for reading and 73… de Jeff – K8JTK/7
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2025 ARRL Field Day is just three weeks away! The excitement is building. Most clubs have their activations planned. In the last two weeks, 350 more sites have been added to the Field Day Site Locator, with a total of 886 listed as of June 5. ARRL Field Day is a great way to connect with your local amateur radio community, for Technician-class operators to get on lower HF bands, to shake down your portable operating gear, and to have fun and enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow hams. |
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If you can’t make it out to an activation near you, or you’d just rather get on for a little bit from your home station – never fear: there’s an operating class for you. According to Field Day rules: Class D stations are home stations operating from permanent or licensed station locations using commercial power. Class D stations can count contacts with any other station for QSO credit. If you’re operating on a radio plugged into a power supply connected to your wall outlet – this is for you. Class E are home stations using emergency power for transmitters and receivers. Class E may work all Field Day stations. If you’re operating off a battery, solar, wind, or any other off-grid redundancy – you’re in Class E. To determine your exchange for ARRL Field Day, use the number of transmitters in simultaneous use, the class of operation, and your ARRL or Radio Amateurs of Canada section prefix. For example, if an amateur in Nebraska turned on their shore-powered home station and operated in the event, they’d be “1 Delta November Echo”. See the full rules for more information and find a list of ARRL Sections at this link. |
ARRL Field Day is fun, but the outreach value is serious, according to ARRL Public Relations and Outreach Manager Sierra Harrop, W5DX. “Each year, ARRL Field Day is the driving force for official proclamations declaring amateur radio a vital part of communities,” she said. States like Hawaii and New Hampshire, among others, have joined with towns and counties around the country to declare the importance of amateur radio. “Having the governor or even a town council recognize the value that the hams in their community provides is invaluable,” continued Harrop. “Not only does it honor the work of amateur radio volunteers, but it raises awareness of ham radio among the public.” If a proclamation has been issued in your area, send it to ARRL via pr@arrl.org. |
The GMRS repeater is offline until further notice. it needs to be replaced
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Hurricane season begins on Sunday, June 1. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts this season to be above-normal in activity, citing above-average Atlantic Ocean temperatures. The scientists say the season will likely produce between 13 and 19 named storms, including 3 – 5 major hurricanes. |
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Amateur radio provides a robust toolset, a trained volunteer corps, and durable infrastructure for emergency preparedness. There are several ham radio nets that the National Hurricane Center (NHC) relies on to inform forecasts through surface observations made by the volunteer operators. ARRL encourages all amateurs to participate in the Hurricane Watch Net , the VOIP Weather Net and others that provide support and information via WX4NHC, the amateur radio station at the NHC . ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, says each ham’s individual observations can make all the difference in a critical situation. “We know of stories from hurricanes in the past where a report from a ham radio station changed the forecast for landfall and impact by the NHC. We are also aware of information being shared of people being trapped and were able to get assistance to those victims after the storm.” Amateur radio operators provide an important tool before, during and after a storm. The Hurricane Watch Net is hosting a special operating event to mark its 60th anniversary on June 7 – 8. ARRL Public Relations and Outreach Manager Sierra Harrop, W5DX, says recent storms underscore the value of amateur radio When All Else Fails®. “ During Hurricane Helene , it was the volunteer hams who jumped into action to relay health and welfare information . As mountainsides washed away, the repeaters on top were still working. Licensed amateur radio operators took to the air using their own equipment to provide a link of important information that no other means could. During Hurricane Ian, a ham saved lives on Sanibel Island by providing emergency crews the information they needed to rescue a family from rising flood waters.” |
The days are longer, the weather is warmer, the calendar will say “June” on Sunday. That means we are in the countdown to 2025 ARRL Field Day! There’s a lot of excitement building around the theme of “Radio Connects” and hams across North America are preparing for the big weekend of June 28 – 29.
In their efforts to prepare for the activations, many radio amateurs are researching the finer points of Field Day rules. All the information is available on the ARRL Field Day website at www.arrl.org/FieldDay , but ARRL Contest Program Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE, wants to make sure hams can find answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Q: I’m interested in participating in Field Day for the first time this year. How can I find a club near me that’s hosting Field Day so that I can join in on the fun?
A: You can search for nearby Field Day sites with the Field Day Site Locator at www.arrl.org/field-day-locator . The tool provides locations, talk-in frequencies, and contact information for sites located throughout the Unites States and Canada.
Q: Which digital modes are allowed during Field Day?
A: Any digital mode that can support the required Field Day exchange may be used.
Q: I plan on operating portable during Field Day as a single operator. Am I allowed to operate from multiple locations throughout the event? Class B (portable) stations are fixed stations.
A: All equipment must be located within a circle whose diameter does not exceed 300 meters (1,000 feet). The only Field Day operating class that’s allowed to operate from more than one location is Class C (mobile). A mobile station must have all equipment in or on the vehicle and must be capable of being operated while in motion. For example, you can’t mount a telescoping mast to your trailer hitch and erect a full-sized beam or vertical antenna.
Q: Where can I find out more about ARRL Field Day?
A: There’s a wealth of additional information available at the ARRL Field Day website, www.arrl.org/FieldDay . Click on the Rules and Resources link where you’ll find rules, information packets, and more answers to frequently asked questions. There’s also a FAQ published in the 2025 ARRL Field Day Guide, starting on page 57 of the June issue of QST.
Borque says that if there’s a specific question that’s not covered here, in the Field Day guide in QST, or on the website, contact fdinfo@arrl.org .
Also, don’t forget the ARRL Field Day merch! T-shirts (complete with sections checklist on the back), pins, patches, stickers, posters, and more may be ordered from the ARRL Store . Place your order soon to ensure your swag gets to you in time for the big event!
