TN Section Update
Attention all East Tennessee Amateurs: Do you know a child aged 11-14 who would like to learn more about amateur radio this summer? HAMtastic Radio Technology Camps will be held at multiple Walters State Community College campus' throughout East Tennessee. These sessions meet daily over the course of a week where kids will explore the science behind mobile phones, broadcast radio and television, shortwave radio, and RF communications in general. Campers will have the opportunity to sit for their amateur radio Technician class exam. Go to www.ws.edu/hamtasticradio for more information. For registration information, contact [email protected]
We also need amateur radio operators to help teach these classes and to act as "elmers" for the students who would like to get licensed. If you would like to help out, please email Steven Bible N7HPR: [email protected]
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In the news: 2023 was promoted by the ARRL as “The Year Of The Volunteer” in honor and recognition of the hard work and effort of the nearly 60,000 volunteers in the membership ranks. The Volunteers On The Air (VOTA) operating event ran all year with over 30,000 QSO’s being logged. One of the leaders in this event is Taxas teen-ager Sam Lovett (KI5RSV) who also won the 2023 Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award for his success in promoting amateur radio among his peers. Many Tennessee Section volunteers were active in the VOTA program, including Lou Dreinhoffer (WB3JKQ) of Friendsville, TN who worked the W1AW portable activation of 48 different states.
Winter Field Day is coming up on January 27 and 28. Clubs from across the county get together to challenge the elements during this annual event. Winter Field Day is sponsored by the Winter Field Day Association, who passionately believes that ham radio operators should practice portable emergency communications in winter environments, as the potential for freezing temps, snow, ice, and other hazards present unique operating concerns. For more information, please go to www.winterfieldday.org
Section Traffic Manager Harrell Davidson (WD4LAR) has an assistant. Will Adams (KN4ZPF) of Nashville is our new Assistant Traffic Manager. In addition to his new duties, Will also serves as one of our Region 5 NTS net representatives and also an NCO for the daily 3980 KC Tennessee Phone Net. His appointment comes at a time there are many positive changes happening with the NTS and (more specifically) traffic handling here in the Volunteer State. One of the priorities in Tennessee is working with our various ARES groups to encourage education and training in traffic handling procedures so they can provide their services to individuals in their local community in the event of a loss of other methods of communications. Look for more information to come as we move through 2024.
Tennessee CW Net manager George Scott Yates (N4BBB) of Columbia, TN passed away on January 11. In addition to his service as our CW Net Manager, Scott was also active in ARES and MARS. Our Section Traffic Manager has brought in Bruce Smith (AC4G) of Taft, TN as the new CW Net Manager. Congratulations, Bruce!
One of the special things about going to your local ham radio club meetings is witnessing special awards being presented. Did you know that your club has online access to print out ARRL awards? Go to www.arrl.org/awards and you will find links to print out the following awards: Mentor Award (for the ham that goes the extra mile to help others enjoy the hobby), the First Contact Award (for the new ham to celebrate their first on-air contact) and the Rag Chewer’s Club (to recognize those that can chew the rag for at least 30 minutes). These are available as a fillable PDF file that can be printed out for affiliated club use.
Our sympathies are extended to the family of Ann Miller, who passed away on January 14. Ann was the widow of former Tennessee Section Manager Keith Miller N9DGK who died in 2021. Other 2024 Silent Keys include Scott Yates (N4BBB) and Omar Painter (WB4HWR). A list of Silent Keys for the TN Section can be found on the section website: tnarrl.org
There are some great hamfests coming up throughout the Tennessee Section. The Middle Tennessee Amateur Radio Society (MTARS) annual hamfest is on March 9 at the First United Methodist Church of Tullahoma. Admission is $10, which includes tailgating and entry for prize drawings. For more information, go to www.qsl.net/mtars/
The Sevier County Amateur Radio Society’s annual hamfest is on March 16 at the Sevier County Fairgrounds in Sevierville, TN. General admission is $5 and tailgating is $10; both include entry for prize drawings that include a Yaesu FT891 all-mode mobile HF transceiver. For more information, go to www.seviercountyars.com
The 2nd annual West Tennessee Hamfest and Swapmeet, sponsored by the Area Wide Amateur Radio Club will be held on March 16 at the National Guard Armory in Trenton, TN. This is a new and improved venue for this hamfest with plenty of room for tailgating. For more information, contact Tom Bridgewater NA8X at [email protected]
The 57th Annual Knoxville Hamfest and Electronics Exposition will be held on June 15 and host the 2024 ARRL Delta Division Convention. This event will be in a new and larger venue this year at the Wallace Memorial Baptist Church in Knoxville. The new venue offers plenty of indoor vendor space, meeting rooms for the Division Convention and VE Testing, and plenty of flat outdoor space for tailgating. For more information, please go to www.w4bbb.org for more information.
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HERE'S A LINK TO THE LATEST EDITION OF THE ARRL TENNESSEE SECTION NEWSLETTER
Courtesy of Dale Knight, AB4DK, our Public Information Coordinator.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q0ogGBBYOLtW2oRSsqcp-StAkgPmbM3Y/view?usp=sharing
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