SM Article for August 2003
   

Fort Tuthill, the ARRL Arizona State Hamfest is over for year 2003 and it was a great success.  As normal it rained on both Friday and Saturday afternoon causing a minor inconvenience to the outside vendors and buyers but only a few people complained with the most of us just moving into the barn to stay dry and look and buy all the new products.  Rick Paquette, W7RAP, and crew administered over 50 VE exams during the Saturday morning period, which added a few more people to our ranks.  Dan Miller, K3UFG, from ARRL headquarters gave a great talk on the Communications-Electronics course offered by ARRL and endorsed by the FEMA and the Office of Homeland Security. If you have not completed this Communications-Electronic level one course please check the ARRL website for the next opening.  It cost $45.00 and you get your money back after you have completed the course.  This is a good deal.  At the Repeater owners meeting we had a change of command, Lance Halley, KW7LH, took over the job as Chairman, due to the resignation of Ralph Turk, W7HSG.  Please give Lance your support for this thankless job and Ralph, W7HSG, deserves our thanks for many years of service to ARCA and the state for his leadership on Frequency Coordination.    The next big event is the ARRL Southwest Division convention, September 5-7, at the Long Beach downtown Hilton. These conventions are good because we can go to the many seminars to learn how others have make a difference in Amateur Radio and how they have solved the antenna, radio, and noise problems that we always seem to have.  If you have not made your reservations, please do so now.  Check the Website at www.hamcon.org for all the necessary information.  I plan to arrive late Thursday and be there until Sunday afternoon, so if you want to talk, complain, or even say a good word, I will be available during the convention.  After this will be the Kingman Hamfest at the Mohave Community college in Kingman on 20 September 2003 then the OPRC Hamfest at the Tucson Electric Park on 18 October 2003.  Field day is over for this year but it is also time to start planning for next year.  I did receive a late field day message from Dave Well, WB7ONJ, of the Easter Arizona Amateur Radio Society, so I know that we had excellent participation in all of Arizona in spite of the heat and the cool country (mountains) being closes due to fires.  Thanks to all of you who took the time for this important event.  I will be out of the country (Mexico) on business during 10-17 August and again 30 August to 5 September.  If you need any ARRL support during this time period, please contact Bernis Sasek, W7KQ, at 520-297-5885.  This article no longer appears in QST, but it can be found on the ARRL Web site www.arrl.org/sections/index/html” and on the state web site “www.qsl.net/arrlaz”, and “www.hamsrus.com”.  If you want me to e-mail you a copy then just drop me a note and I can add you to my e-mail list. Clifford Hauser, KD6XH; E-mail is kd6xh@arrl.org.