December 2015

Happy New Year, everyone!  Not a lot of ham radio news this month.  The last activity ( other than a club meeting) that I attended was the Grant Amateur Radio Club's hamfest in Georgetown, Ohio, back in early November.

But it will be a busy year coming up, and I'm looking forward to it.  Dale and I will be attending the ARRL Board Meeting in January, where we'll find out more about our legislative efforts in 2016.  Be prepared to do some more letter-writing and e-mailing once the various pieces of legislation start making their way forward towards a vote.  If we want to get the antenna bills passed, we'll need to be very active in contacting Congress.  We'll let you know!

About the time you're reading this, the National Parks on the Air activity will be underway.  There is already a long list of stations who will be on the air starting January 1st.  Check it out on the ARRL website.  And get active.  There should be lots of contacts for you to make.

And as we go into 2016, we'll be around to your club meetings and hamfests, asking what we can do to facilitate your activities in ham radio.  Let us know your concerns, your interests, and especially your successes in whatever projects and activities you take on.  Invite us to your meetings.  Depending on our schedules, we'd love to come and meet all of you. 

73,

Tom W8WTD

October, 2015

My word for the month is "persistence."  It's a good concept for just about any time, but I use it to refer to the efforts of so many people around the ARRL's legislative efforts for the Amateur Radio Parity Act. 

Here's a quick story about persistence.  One member of Congress was approached by a delegation of hams over a year ago.  Follow-up efforts took place.  Then the letter-writing campaign from the League started.  And at least one individual with a personal link made contact.  Just last month, after more than a year of consideration, that member became one of our co-sponsors.  Meanwhile, across the U.S., more and more members of Congress continue to sign on as co-sponsors.  It didn't happen all at once.  Besides the letters, many people took the time to personally contact their representatives through visits or phone calls.  Those efforts are still paying off.  The first contact is not always the one that convinces.  But the continuing contacts, and increasing number of constituents advocating the position seems to make the difference.

I think we can be successful in this effort.  But it's going to require some persistence on the part of all of us.  Thank your rep if he or she has signed on.  Keep writing emails if they haven't.  When the bill comes up for a vote, be sure to make a phone call or send an e-mail of continued encouragement.  Don't give up.  We can do this!

73,

Tom

W8WTD