Western Pennsylvania Section News
July 1, 2017
Happy Independence Day!
Field Day has come and gone, and now it’s time for us to celebrate America’s 241st Birthday! Let’s all resolve to make it a safe and happy holiday for all our friends and families.
Once again this year, the 13 Original Colonies event will take place on the air, and you can have a lot of fun working all the special event stations. they give out a very nice certificate, that is a welcome addition to any hamshack, including yours!
For more information, point your computer to: http://www.13colonies.net/
Hamfest Season Is Here
It is now the middle of the Hamfest Season. Take some time to get out and show your support of at least one local hamfest this year. Our section staff has been to several very good ones this year, and the turnout is very encouraging. Vendors have been very generous in supplying hourly and main prizes to the WPA hamfests, and your help in keeping the attendance up will go a long way to making the future of WPA hamfests a good one!
We try to announce all the hamfests on the Section Website Events Page, which can be found at https://wpa-arrl.org/wpa-events-calendar/ and includes maps and information.
fhis weekend, don’t miss the Somerset Hamfest on Sunday, July 2 beginning 8:00 am at the Somerset County Technology Center, 281 Technology Drive, Somerset, PA 15501
For more information see the club website: http://www.k3smt.org
WPA Repeater Council Meeting
Immediately following the Somerset Hamfest, the Western Pennsylvania Repeater Council Meeting will be held at the hamfest facility.
Short Items
Field Day Wrap-up
Thanks for all the hospitality you showed our WPA Section Staff on Field Day. Assistant Section Manager Dave Wellman WX3E, Section Emergency Coordinator Bud Plants N3TIR and Section Manager Joe Shupienis W3BC traveled a combined 1,200+ miles and visited over 20 Field Day sites all over our WPA Section! We estimate over meeting over 300 of you who were out in force in the good weather to carry on this 70-year tradition!
JOTA Plans
Jamboree On The Air plans are being made for October 22-23 this year. It looks like there are clubs near each of the Scout Council offices and camps, and our WPA Section Youth Coordinator Russ Bush N3YD is working to coordinate with the Councils and Clubs to provide the well-organized, amateur radio club activity the Scouts prefer. If you are interested in helping out as part ofg this organized effort, please contact Russ at n3yd@arrl.net for more information.
District Meetings (ARES and Leadership)
Our WPA Section Emergency Coordinator and I are putting together a series of District Meetings for ARES leaders, Club officers and other interested amateurs in each of our four Districtz. These meetings will last 4-5 hours and would cover updates on ARRL activities, VE test procedure updates, Club activity workshops and upcoming Section Events such as JOTA and the SET.
The reason we are doing four events instead of one is to cut down on the travel for interested people. Each of these meetings will be at an easily accessible location, no more than an hour’s travel from any club in the District. So far, North-1 is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 29 from 10 am to 3 pm in Oil City (subject to change at this time). The other venues are tentatively South-1 near Cannonsburg, North-2 in Clearfield, and South-2 in Breezewood, all dates to be determined. Your input is requested!
Final Final
There’s so much going on in our WPA Section, I don’t know when to stop writing! If your group has an upcoming event, PLEASE let us know and we will do our best to help publicize it.
Happy 4th, and BE SAFE!
73 and Press On!
Joe Shupienis W3BC
Western Pennsylvania Section Manager
