NW Division Notes

[K7MT]

Our NW Division Director Jim posted this to ARRL Members list and thought it might be a good idea to post here for everyone. I believe it is good information for all to look over.

Bill K7MT

<HR 4969 – AMATEUR RADIO PARITY ACT OF 2014> Here is an opportunity for you all to get involved. HR4969, if passed, would direct the FCC to extend PRB-1 to Home Owner Associations and CC&Rs. PRB-1/HR4969 is not a blank check, but would require ‘reasonable accommodation’ for Amateur Radio antennas.

What we need now is to have our members, with good writing and speaking skills to write, call and/or visit your Congressional Representative, and ask them to ‘co-sponsor’ HR4969. More on the bill can be found
at: http://www.arrl.org/hr-4969.

We have some competition from the Community Associations Institute
(CAI) who oppose our Bill and are activating their members to encourage Congress to defeat the Bill. Remember, we are asking for two things:
co-sponsorship from our Congressional Representatives and within the Bill, ‘reasonable accommodation’.
As of this morning, our ‘co-sponsors are: Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY), Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), Rep. Christopher Gibson (R-NY) and Rep Mike McIntyre (D-NC) – along with the Bill’s sponsor Rep. Adam Kinziger (R-IL). This is a great start but we would like 30 co-sponsors.

President Craigie has set up a Twitter account to push out activities as she hears about them: @KayCraigieN3KN. The hash tag for the bill is #hr4969. I’ll keep you all updated as I receive more progress reports. Let me know if you have any success in your endeavors.
Together, we can make this happen!

<NORTHWESTERN DIVISION SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED> Aaron Morrill of Spokane, WA, NA7AM, was awarded the 2013 Wilse Morgan Memorial Scholarship. Aaron, a High School Senior, will be attending Spokane Community College to study electric automation and CNC Machinery. Aaron comes from a hamming family where his dad, mom and older sister are also licensed. Aaron’s little sister will be testing soon to get her license. As a member of ARES Aaron already understands the importance of Ham Radio in serving his community.
Aaron likes to build things and with his zeal for Amateur Radio, will do well in his future endeavors. Congratulations Aaron.

If you would like to contribute to the Northwestern Division Wilse Morgan Memorial Scholarship, contact your Section Manager or go to:
http://www.nwarrl.wetnet.net/node/120

<ARRL 100 YEAR CELEBRATION – CONVENTION> What a great time in Hartford at the National Convention! A once in a lifetime event filled with classes, celebrations and inspiring talks.
FEMA’s Administrator Mr. Craig Fugate, KK4INZ and member of ARRL, spoke with nostalgia and passion about his Ham Radio history and the importance of Ham Radio in Emergency Communications. I’m hoping to get a recorded version of Mr. Fugate’s talk and make it available, in the next few weeks; it is a must see for all those involved in Emergency Management, no matter if they are Hams or not.

Nobel Laureate Joe Taylor, K1JT and ARRL Member, assured attendees that ham radio will continue to thrive and serve the public interest in the second century of ARRL. “Radios are going to become increasingly digital”, he said, “with analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion occurring closer and closer to the antenna — in fact, pretty much at the antenna can be done already.” Taylor also said that in the future, good engineering will definitely be a combination of hardware and software. Beyond that, he said, science, technology, and Amateur Radio will continue to benefit from a healthy cross-fertilization between amateurs and professionals. (Excerpt from
arrl.com)

<ARRL BOARD MEETS IN HARTFORD>
July 21 and 22 saw an agenda for the board that was quite full. Vice Director Altus and I found ourselves engaged in many of the strategic activities of the ARRL and its managing entities. The minutes of the two day meeting will be posted on www.arrl.org in the next few weeks.
As it was my first board meeting as Director, I found the experience quite exciting and fulfilling as the board began the ‘second century’ of the ARRL.

<SEAPAC CONVENTION A SUCCESS>
With an attendance of nearly 3,500, lots-and-lots of seminars, great weather and several staff members from ARRL Headquarters – lead by President Kay Craigie, N3KN - the first ARRL Regional Convention of the Second Century was, without a doubt, a resounding success.

President Craigie, the keynote speaker at the Saturday night banquet, challenged us all to look at the legacy of Amateur Radio that we have been given by those who came before us, and use that legacy as a platform to launch our second century. “Look at the past and lead into the future”; excellent words from our President.

Bravo Zulu (Job well done) to the SeaPac organizing committee. I am looking forward to next year’s convention.

<PUBLIC SERVICE vs. EMCOMM>
In a recent QST article there was a comment about using the acronym
EmComm, to reference Emergency Communications. The writer of the
story attempted to explain that Emergency Communications was an activity of amateur radio that was contained under the umbrella of ‘Public Service’, rather than a standalone operation. Immediately the fire storm of negative talk, writings and videos began; and immediately some were speculating that the ARRL was about to eliminate ARES. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Part 97.1(a)-Purpose: makes it very clear: Recognition and
enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications. Indeed, that is one of the purposes of the grant of our license.

Although our teams perform more than ‘emergency communications’, we are always improving our skills with other ‘public service’
activities. The writer may have missed the point in the article, but we in the Northwestern Division are clearly aware of our contribution to our communities – that includes EmComm. No worries, ARES is still in operation and will be for a very long time to come.

<YLRL 2014 CONVENTION IN VANCOUVER, WA> Ladies, here is your chance to enjoy visiting with old friends and meet new ones. August 7-9, in Vancouver, WA. Lots of activities and lots of fun. Convention banquet on Saturday August 9. For more details go to:
http://www.ylrl.org/index.php/fun-at-convention-2014

73 and good Hamming
Jim Pace, K7CEX
ARRL Northwestern Division
Director

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ARRL Northwestern Division
Director: James D Pace, K7CEX
k7cex@arrl.org

[N7YO]

Thanks for posting this Bill! So how about everyone who reads this send an email to their congressmen, It could make all the difference in this bill passing.