Hams ,,, the original Do It Yourselfer

The launch of the new “Do It Yourself”, or “DIY”, video and accompanying PR campaign is a major initiative for ARRL. 

In 2006, ARRL’s Public Relations Committee began three major recurring themes aimed at the general public and inactive Hams.  There are: 1) the “Hello” campaign which describes on air fellowship, DXing and contesting, 2) “Emergency Radio” emphasizing emergency communications, and 3) “We Do That Radio” concentrating on experimentation and design.  All three have web pages on the main ARRL website and are designed to be destination web pages through search engines.  Please take a look at each after finishing this explanation posting (URLs below).

It’s no secret that the “Emergency Radio” website has been the theme with the greatest emphasis and dedicated resources following Hurricane Katrina and other disasters.  The time became ripe, however, to return to a balance by focusing again on the other two themes.  Until today, ARRL has not released a major, general purpose video since “Amateur Radio Today” hosted by the late Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD.  The DIY video is aimed at hobbyists, a segment which makes up a large portion of Hams, and reinforces the “We Do That Radio” campaign.

Accompanying the video are printed materials and PowerPoint presentations.  Please use them and encourage your fellow section officials to use them too.  Experimentation, kit building and design are a growth industry.  If you haven’t already, find a “Maker Faire” event near you and plan to attend, or better yet, host an ARRL table using DIY materials.  Maker Faires, a DIY movement, now holds dozens of “faires” which are like hamfests across the country.  The people who attend Maker Faires are prime candidates to become Hams, and these faires draw thousands.  You can find one near you at http://makerfaire.com   Also, with renewed interest among educators in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), DIY is a natural area to share with schools and colleges.

Please take advantage of the new DIY materials, and check out the three websites mentioned above at:

http://www.arrl.org/helloradio-org

http://www.arrl.org/emergency-communications

http://www.arrl.org/wedothat-radio-org

If you have any questions, please contact me or ARRL’s Media & Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP.  Thanks and Happy New Year.

73,

Bill Morine, N2COP

North Carolina Section Manager

ARRL Public Relations Committee Chairman

Technician Radio Class Oklahoma City Metro area

The South Canadian Amateur Radio Society has announced a class at the National Weather Center starting January 19 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The class will continue through March 8 with a test slated for the last night.

The Club has also developed a web page for mobile phone users.

Thanks to Allan, KB5DOH for the information.

http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-class lists this class.  Are there others?

Oklahoma Section News – December 2011

Hello Oklahoma!!

First of all, I’d like to apologize for my lack of updating on this news page.   Things have been VERY busy around the QTH. Between the Texhoma and Enid hamfests, working on my new shop, occasionally baby sitting the new grandson, Wilma preparing to retire and OSU football, I’ve been booked up.   I didn’t even get to attend the Noble Co. Repeater Groups Christmas Dinner because of baby sitting the aforementioned grandson.   So, after the holidays, I hope things will get back to some semblance of normalcy.

The Texhoma hamfest, was a great success! Lots of attendance, lots of forums and lots of goodies. Being the West Gulf Division hamfest was an opportunity for the fest to really shine and show folks how good a fest it is and will be in the future. I look for more and more great things from Henry Allen and the committee. I know our Director and Vice-Director had a great time and David Woolweaver, K5RAV, presented some books to the Viking Radio Club out of Lawton….but I got to beat him to the punch. He gave them the 2011 Handbook……..I got them the 2012 version!! Sorry, David! Those Vikings are really going great guns. Be listening for them on the bands, especially during the School Roundup and other events.

Next, the Enid hamfest was another big success. The Enid crew did an excellent job with it. They were worrying about being able to pull it off, but I’m here to tell you, they did a superb job. In addition to the League/ARES forum, Mary Peelman and Jack Skinner gave a traffic handeling forum. Really good stuff. I’m going to see if they will give it at all the hamfests in 2012. I want to thank Jay Kruckenberg, K5GUD for handeling the ARES forum in the absence of our SEC, Mark Conklin, N7XYO.

Speaking of 2012 Hamfests…….

Elk City, OK

Elk City Civic Center

March 3, 2012

Contact Earl Bottom, N5NEB



Green Country Hamfest – Oklahoma State Convention

Claremore, OK

Claremore Convention Center

March 9 & 10

For more info, go to: http://www.greencountryhamfest.org/

Those are the only ones I have with firm dates through the League. As the others come online, I’ll get out the information

I will not be able to attend Green Country hamfest this year as my son is getting married that weekend. I know, I know, but some things take precedence. Director David Woolweaver, K5RAV will be there as well as most of the section cabinet, so they should be able to answer any questions you may have at the booth.

I will try to post some pics from Texhoma and Enid in a few days. (Holidays!)

Well, that’s about all I have for now…..remember, contact myself or one of the section cabinet members if you need anything. We are all listed on the ARRL Oklahoma Section part of the website at the bottom of the page.

http://www.arrl.org/sections/view/oklahoma

I do want to wish everyone in the section a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope Santa brings you all the new goodies you want!

73, and I look forward to seeing you down the log,

Kevin O’Dell, NOIRW

Oklahoma Section Manager