Oklahoma Section News

Hi there Oklahoma!!





First, let me apologize for not getting an April Section News done. Things have really been busy for me and I just couldn’t find enough hours in the day to get it done.





For those of you that haven’t heard, Wilma, W5WRO and I are moving. We are pulling up stakes in Ardmore and moving to Perry, OK. We should be there, though not unpacked, by the 3rd weekend in June. So, a June Section News may be a little suspect. Please bear with me….





Things in the section have been busy. We have had some changes in ARES management and have some new folks in place as Zone Coordinators in the SE, SW and the OKC Metro. I want to thank each of the outgoing ZEC’s for their service. The new ZEC’s are Steve Grayson, KE5BPL, ZONE 2 (SW), Kenny Orr, KC5ZDQ, ZONE 3 (OKC Metro), and Nick Hinkle, N7KPV, ZONE 6 (SE). Thanks guys for your willingness to serve.





Speaking of ARES, the tornado in Joplin and those in northeastern Oklahoma on May 22 have a lot of folks wondering how they can help. We have been in contact with the Missouri SM and SEC. They will let us know if and when they need any assistance. Please do NOT self deploy.





I have been busy with hamfest duties. The Durant tailgate on April was great as usual. I thought the jambalaya was great!! The fellowship was pretty good as well.





Charles Goodson, KC5UEG and I just returned from Dayton! It is still mind numbing to see all that cool hardware and all those hams in one place. Charles worked the EMCOMM booth for the League and I was in the PR booth. We got to meet astronaut, Doug Wheelock ( a really nice guy) and a lot of other folks. I renewed a lot of friendships and even bought some new gear for the new house…..(I had to sell my tower and SteppIR…..no room). If you ever get the chance, you have to see Dayton at least once.





Don’t forget, the ARRL National Convention will be at Ham-Com in Plano, TX, June10 and 11. The League will have a number of HQ staff in attendance as will the West Gulf Director, Vice-Director and the 4 SM’s. It’s your chance to put a face with a name and have an eyeball QSO.





Ham Holiday is scheduled for July 29 and 30 at the Biltmore Hotel in west OKC. This will be the Oklahoma State Convention. I’ll be there along with our Vice-Director, John Stratton.





The Texhoma Hamarama will be October 21 and 22. It will be the West Gulf Division Hamfest. There will be more vendors and more forums, so don’t miss it.





Last but not leas will be the Enid Hamfest on November 5th. So, make as many as you can!!





Field Day





I hope everyone is planning on a great Field Day. Our Director, Dr. David Woolweaver, K5RAV will be coming to Oklahoma this year to tour some sites with me. We are formulating a plan now, so if you are going to have Field Day, let me know where it will be and we will try to fit it into the schedule. We can’t make all of them, but we will try to have someone from the section management at most of the sites at least for a little while. Don’t forget to put your field day info on the leagues “Find a site” database.





When things settle down after the move, I’ll try to make up for a little lost time in the Section News.





73,





Kevin O’Dell N0IRW


Oklahoma Section Manager