ARRL Delaware Section Manager Newsletter – March 2025

 

Greetings from Sussex County

 

I am happy to report my ability, as well as the Division Director’s ability, to email their groups will be back online within the next few days. The cyber attack has left some systems at ARRL HQ still out of service but most are back up. DXCC is still being done by hand but the work is being done. The ARRL website is back to normal operations as well as almost all email systems.  The ARRL has improved the IT systems but employs an enterprise level operating system to ensure security. I will start sending my Section Manager monthly newsletter to all ARRL members via this email service when it comes back online. I encourage all licensees to join the ARRL Delaware Section groups.io reflector via the link below to get posts on classes, meetings, training, etc.

 

ARRL Delaware Section Youth Initiative Update

The average age of an amateur radio licensee? ~75 years old. The ARRL Delaware Section, in collaboration with QRZ and Gigaparts, has initiated the Delaware Section Youth Initiative aimed at fostering youth engagement in the Amateur Radio Service. So far three QRZ-1 Explorer radio kits have been given to school kids who have become technicians. Later this month a group of 37 kids will be tested and those that pass will be given the kits. This initiative will foster new members into the Amateur Radio Service. But his program is just the beginning. We must get these kids into our clubs to continue to engage them in the ARS. Assign knowledgeable mentors to assist them in their journey. We should encourage them to continue to upgrade to a general class license. Again, done by mentors but also by the club lending testing materials such as donated previously used books. Having a club library benefits all its members. The ARRL has initiatives to assist clubs in building their library.

 

Speaking of kids, the Lake Forest High School just started a new club; The Lake Forest Amateur Radio Club. The club has been assigned the call sign of KD3AME. The club has several donated radios, antenna, etc. to start their station. They had their first meeting last week which was very productive. The club will eventually become a ARRL Affiliated club to join the ranks of other clubs in the section.

 

Sussex County ARES hosting in person WinLink class – March 22

Sussex County ARES is hosting a one-day class on the WinLink System. The class will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at the Milton Library from 10:30 to about 2pm. The library is located at 121 Union Street, Milton. Class will be held in the “Blue Room” on the second floor. An elevator is available.  This class will cover the basics to starting an account to the lower end of intermediate usage covering such topics as the setup of the WinLink Express client software and creating an account, basic option selections, sending your first message via telnet, template availability and usage/storing, setup of radios and radio/equipment options, digipeating, equipment choices, running a Peer to Peer message, using a gateway running RMS Relay, housekeeping items such as creation/usage of personal and global folders, best message practices, setup contacts and group addresses, and many other topics.  Attendees should bring their own laptop (either personal or facility assigned) to get the most benefit from the class. We will have a group of experienced WinLink users, computer specialists, etc. on hand to assist with any setup issues. Bring your radios, Go Kits, etc. so we can get them working.  Class size will be limited to about 14 due to space required for equipment. Gateways will be set up to demo their use via WinLink Sessions and using a gateway for digipeating. Contact me via my contact information below if you are interested in attending.

 

Intro to the ARRL – Part 2 – Sections and Divisions

The ARRL is made up of 15 divisions. Within these 15 divisions are 71 sections. We are part of the Atlantic Division which has seven sections; Eastern PA (EPA), Maryland-DC (MDC), Northern New York (NNY), Western New York (WNY), Western Pennsylvania (WPA), Southern New Jersey (SNJ), and Delaware (DE). The ATL DIV covers five US states, W2 & W3 USA callsign areas, 143 state counties, 111 ARES EmComm Teams, 244 Amateur Radio Groups, 13,796 ARRL/FCC licensed hams, 226 ARRL Affiliated clubs and hold more than 75 Field Day Sites. Currently the Delaware Section has 394 full ARRL Members and has about

1,766 licensed amateur radio operators and seven active clubs.  Each division is run by an elected Division Director who is elected and holds a three-year term.  Each division also has a Vice Director who can stand in for an absent director and can vote during Director absences or in conflict-of-interest situations. Vice Directors are elected at the same time as directors.  Each section is led by an elected Section Manager who is responsible for keeping in touch with clubs, attending club meetings, Hamfest, choosing personnel to fill various jobs within the section. A description of the various positions that assist the Section Manager and fill by appointments can be found under Field Organization on the ARRL website. Section Managers do not receive a salary but are reimbursed for expenses like mileage, meals and lodging incurred during activities that support ham radio in their section. Delaware has a section budget of just over $1,200 which is usually gone inside the first half of the budget year. The budget money comes from the dues you pay as ARRL members.  I do my best to keep in touch with all Amateur Radio Service licensees, not just ARRL members. I do this by attending club meetings to answer questions, disseminate information on the ARRL and Section programs, etc. I also run the ARRL Delaware Section groups.io forum to help me in my duties. This forum has not only the information I disseminate at meetings, etc. but also a section calendar and many common files I am requested to provide. I participate in many zoom meetings per month. This includes the ARRL Field Organization Section Manager meetings, ATL DIV meetings, ARESMAT (Amateur Radio Emergency Service Mutual Assistance Team), training and other informational meetings. I spend about 20-25 hours a week on Section Manager duties which does not include my personal radio adventures. I drive well over 200 miles a month to attend meetings and other events.  Next month we will end this series on the ARRL with publications, additional membership stats, annual reports, etc.

 

Upcoming Events & Contests

  • International DX – Phone – March 1-2, to encourage W/VE stations to expand knowledge of DX propagation on the HF and MF bands, improve operating skills, and improve station capability by creating a competition in which DX stations may only contact W/VE stations. This contest period is Phone-only. Use only the 160, 80, 40-, 20-, 15-, and 10-meter bands.
  • Sussex ARES WinLink Class – March 22, Milton Library. Basics cover the WinLink System, creating an account, sending both RF and Telnet messages, templates, connections with radio using gateways, digipeating, etc. Limited class size. Contact Steven Keller, KC3DSO, via kc3dso@gmail if interested.
  • Delaware Radio Electronics EXPO, Delaware State Convention & HAMFEST – Saturday, April 26, 2025, Cheer Community Center, Georgetown, DE. Lots of new and used radio gear, HRO, tailgating, food, FCC testing, and presentations which include “Deployment to NC” during hurricane Helene and “Starlink for EmComm” presentation and demo. Visit www.radioelectronicsexpo.com for more information.

 

Visit contests.arrl.org or www.contestcalendar.com for details on these and upcoming contests. 

 

A Warm Welcome to Our Newest & Upgrading Members 

Join me in welcoming the latest additions to our vibrant community:

  • Earl D. Lilly Jr., KC3DHN
  • Christopher T. Roth, KC3EKH
  • Thomas A. Perry, KC3FAU
  • Rocco J. Rocco, KD3AOR
  • Cody Baker, KD3APM
  • Paxton P. Buonocore, KD3APR
  • Rodney Baker, KD3ARL
  • David E. Koster, KD3ARN
  • Nicholas R. Hensler, KD3ARO
  • Susan Hensler, KD3ARP
  • Jenna Davis, KD3ARQ
  • Aadi Bhartia, KD3ART
  • Stephen DiGirolamo, KD3ARV

 

Engage our new radio operators!

As we wrap up this edition of our newsletter, we encourage each of you to take the next step in your amateur radio journey. Whether it’s participating in local events, experimenting with new technologies, or mentoring a newcomer, your involvement makes a difference. Let’s continue to share our passion, expand our skills, and strengthen our community. Together, we can keep the spirit of amateur radio alive and thriving. Stay active, stay curious, and keep the airwaves buzzing!

 

 

73, Steven Keller Delaware Section Manager 

Email: kc3dso@gmail.com 

Cell: 240.515.0620 Office: 302.604.7470 

ARRL Delaware Section Reflector (https://groups.io/g/ARRLDelawareSection) 

ARRL Sections – Delaware (https://arrl.org/sections/view/delaware) 

Delaware Section Manager Archives: