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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2016-01-28   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   January 28, 2016   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, Will Succeed David Sumner, K1ZZ, as ARRL CEO   
    *  Hams Turn Out to Help as Massive Snowfall Stuns Several States   
    *  ARES Volunteers Support Major Flood Responses   
    *  Congressman Intercedes with FCC Chairman on Amateur Radio Interference   
       Concerns   
    *  Former Colorado Section Manager Appointed as Rocky Mountain Division   
       Vice Director   
    *  National Parks on the Air Update   
    *  A VHF Contest in January -- How Cool is That ?   
    *  Severe Weather Curtails VP8STI South Sandwich Operation; Team Heads to   
       South Georgia   
    *  In Brief...   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
      
   Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, Will Succeed David Sumner, K1ZZ, as ARRL CEO   
      
   Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, of West Palm Beach, Florida, will succeed David Sumner,   
   K1ZZ, as the chief executive officer of ARRL, effective April 18. In that   
   role, he will oversee all activities at ARRL Headquarters in Newington,   
   Connecticut. Meeting in a special webinar session on January 25, all 15 ARRL   
   Directors voted to elect Gallagher as CEO and Secretary, positions that Sumner   
   will relinquish on April 18. Gallagher will join the ARRL staff as CEO-Elect   
   on February 29, and a transition period will follow.   
      
   "I am excited by the prospects of ARRL's Second Century, but I am equally   
   mindful of Dave Sumner's enormous 4-decade contribution to our organization   
   and of the extraordinary contributions he has made to advancing the art and   
   science of Amateur Radio, to growing our ranks, and to expanding the sheer   
   enjoyment of ham radio around the world," Gallagher said. "We need to focus on   
   those parts of the population that are not participating in what Amateur Radio   
   has to offer as an avocation, as well as the ones that are."   
      
   Gallagher said he is looking forward to attending the ARRL 2016 National   
   Convention, hosted by the Orlando HamCation, February 12-14.   
      
   Licensed in Pennsylvania in 1966 as WA3GRF (and later N4GRF in North   
   Carolina), Gallagher is a member of the West Palm Beach Amateur Radio Group.   
   He describes himself as "an incurable HF DXer and inveterate tinkerer." He   
   credits his first visit to The Franklin Institute's Amateur Radio station,   
   W3TKQ, in 1963 for inspiring his interest in ham radio.   
      
   Amateur Radio led to an early career in broadcasting. He was a cameraman and   
   technician with WGBH-TV in Boston, the CBS Television Network, and   
   Metromedia's WIP Radio in Philadelphia.   
      
   He joins ARRL following 3 decades as an international investment banker and   
   financial services executive. His career has included senior leadership   
   positions with JP Morgan Chase & Co and CIBC Oppenheimer & Co in New York, and   
   with Wachovia Capital Markets in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has also served   
   as an adjunct professor at the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown   
   University and as CEO of the Secondary School Admission Test Board in   
   Princeton, New Jersey. Gallagher has served on boards, both public and   
   non-profit, including the boards of two NYSE companies, the NPR affiliate in   
   Charlotte, the Executive Board of The Penn Fund at the University of   
   Pennsylvania, and The International Center of Photography.   
      
   Gallagher graduated magna cum laude with a BA from the University of   
   Pennsylvania, and he holds an MBA from The Wharton School. He is a graduate of   
   The Lawrenceville School, where he held the Nicholas Noyes scholarship.   
      
   In addition to ham radio, Gallagher enjoys saltwater fishing and sailing   
   which, he confesses, is sometimes just an excuse to operate maritime mobile.   
      
   Gallagher and his wife Lindy Allyn divide their time between West Palm Beach,   
   Florida, and Manhattan. They have three sons. He plans to return to   
   Connecticut, where he had lived previously for 13 years in New Canaan. Read   
   more.   
      
      
   Hams Turn Out to Help as Massive Snowfall Stuns Several States   
      
   Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and SKYWARN volunteers were at the   
   ready as a storm of historic proportions over the January 23-24 weekend   
   dropped up to 3 1/2 feet of snow, some of it on states not used to seeing much   
   snow at all. Utility line icing caused power outages in some states, and   
   flooding occurred along coastal areas. While the storm bypassed Northern New   
   England, it brought major East Coast cities to their knees, and some 30 deaths   
   were blamed on the severe weather. Federal offices in Washington, DC,   
   including FCC Headquarters, were closed for 2 days.   
      
      
   New York City Area   
      
   ARRL NYC/Long Island Section Manager Jim Mezey, W2KFV, reported approximately   
   2 feet of snow with some local flooding in his Section. ARES members were   
   active in ARES and SKYWARN nets on local repeaters, and 40 meters was used to   
   transmit weather information using digital modes.   
      
   Eastern New York Section Emergency Coordinator David Galletly, KM2O, said   
   parts of his section received little to no snow; other areas closer to New   
   York City were clobbered. "The snow/no snow line was extremely sharp," he told   
   ARRL. Reports with snow total data attributed to "Amateur Radio" were filed   
   from several Eastern New York counties in National Weather Service (NWS)   
   statements, including observations from Bergen and Passaic counties in New   
   Jersey, from Westchester, Suffolk, and Orange counties and Bronx borough in   
   New York, and New Haven and Fairfield counties in Connecticut.   
      
      
   The Southeast   
      
   The Appalachian Region may have been the hardest hit, with more than 40 inches   
   of snow reported in parts of West Virginia, where a state of emergency was   
   declared. Kanawha County ARES activated nets on 75, 40, and 2 meters.   
      
   "We were lucky," said ARRL West Virginia SM Phillip Groves, N8SFO. "Lots of   
   snow -- 24 inches in Beckley, a few power outages around the state. We had   
   several ARES/RACES nets on standby, and a lot of hams with nothing to do but   
   talk on the radio."   
      
   A state of emergency also was declared in Kentucky, not typically known for   
   snow emergencies, after several counties received a foot or more of snow,   
   stranding thousands of motorists along a stretch of Interstate 75. Kentucky   
   Public Information Officer Greg Lamb, W0QI, said the Kentucky Emergency HF Net   
   activated on 75 meters, with stations checking in from throughout the   
   Commonwealth. Hazard and Harlan County-area repeaters activated a SKYWARN net   
   that remained active until after the storm had passed. Amateur Radio   
   volunteers provided 67 storm-related reports to the NWS Jackson office. Some   
   area repeaters were down as a result of the storm.   
      
   Shelby County ARES was contacted by served agencies and put on standby to   
   assist with possible shelter duty. In Madison, Rockcastle, and Laurel   
   counties, the Red Cross asked for assistance after the Interstate 75 closing.   
      
   In Virginia, NWS Wakefield SKYWARN Amateur Radio Coordinator Steve Crow,   
   KG4PEQ, said the Wakefield SKYWARN Amateur Radio Team was active from Friday   
   morning through Saturday evening, with brief wrap-up nets to take total   
   snowfall reports on Sunday.   
      
   "While the SKYWARN Radio Desk at NWS Wakefield (WX4AKQ) was not activated, we   
   ran local nets in four of our regions impacted by the storm," Crow told ARRL.   
   "Participation exceeded expectations, with 13 SKYWARN net controls taking 274   
   reports from 109 different spotters." In Stafford County, about a dozen ham   
   radio volunteers deployed to support communication for the county emergency   
   manager, but no emergency developed there.   
      
   In North Carolina, the storm brought snow and downed utility lines, leaving   
   some 200,000 without power at the peak, but causing no communication outages,   
   ARES SEC Tom Brown, N4TAB, reported. "A few shelters were opened, but were   
   subsequently closed due to minimal need," he said.   
      
      
   Middle Atlantic   
      
   Delaware, which typically experiences fairly mild winters, was not spared this   
   time. "While some areas of Delaware received up to 17 inches of snow, public   
   service, wireless, and telephone services were operational throughout," ARRL   
   Delaware SM Bill Duveneck, KB3KYH, said. "This made for a very routine and   
   uneventful ARES activation...just the kind we always hope for."   
      
   Amateur Radio volunteers in The First State began preparing for the storm the   
   day before it started, firing up a "Ready Net" in Sussex County, providing   
   weather forecasts and potential served-agency assignments. The next morning,   
   ARES initiated spot reporting to the county emergency operations center (EOC),   
   staffed by Sussex County RACES. The ARES Storm Net opened at noon, and stayed   
   up into the evening. Duveneck said 34 volunteers participated in the net,   
   reporting weather, downed wires, and traffic accidents. Other ARES volunteers   
   staffed a shelter at a Georgetown high school, and ARES remained on standby to   
   assist South Delaware hospitals and the Delaware State Police.   
      
   SKYWARN nets were reported active in New Jersey's southern Ocean County.   
      
      
   Southern New England   
      
   In Connecticut, Section Emergency Coordinator Wayne Gronlund, N1CLV, summed it   
   up this way: "Our first significant winter storm has passed with surprisingly   
   few power disruptions!"   
      
   In Massachusetts, the NWS Taunton office's SKYWARN station WX1BOX activated   
   for 16 hours over the weekend to gather reports on the blizzard's effects over   
   its coverage area. The storm largely affected the area south of Boston toward   
   southeastern Massachusetts -- especially Cape Cod and the Islands,   
   south-central Rhode Island, and south-central Connecticut. WX1BOX handled   
   several hundred snowfall reports, as well as reports of damage due to high   
   winds and the heavy, wet snow, and of coastal flooding.   
      
   "Compared to last year, this storm did not impact our Section as badly as it   
   could have, but there were still reports of significant snowfall, as well as   
   some coastal flooding and pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages,"   
   said Eastern Massachusetts ARES Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator Rob   
   Macedo, KD1CY. "SKYWARN Net reports were invaluable." SKYWARN nets also were   
   active in southeastern Connecticut.   
      
   Nantucket ARES was on standby to support shelter operations on the island, as   
   power outages mounted, but power was restored quickly enough to avert the need   
   for opening a shelter. Read more.   
      
      
   ARES Volunteers Support Major Flood Responses   
      
   Amateur Radio operators put their skills to work during flooding in the   
   Centralia area of Southwest Washington and during historic flooding in the   
   Greater St Louis, Missouri, area in December and January. In Missour,i ARES(R)   
   volunteers from three counties pitched in. Bill Grimsbo, N0PNP, Missouri   
   District C Emergency Coordinator, said Amateur Radio volunteers worked with   
   responding agencies.   
      
   Prolonged rain occurred December 26-28, with the heaviest rainfall in a 50- to   
   75-mile wide swath from Southwest Missouri through the St Louis Metropolitan   
   area and into Central Illinois. The total 6 to 12 inches of rainfall led to   
   life-threatening flash flooding and historic river flooding, capping off the   
   wettest year on record for St Louis at 61.24 inches.   
      
   More than 2 dozen radio amateurs from St Louis Metro ARES, St Charles County   
   ARES, Illinois Section ARES, and St Louis and suburban radio club members   
   worked with the American Red Cross in serving some 19,400 meals and   
   coordinating more than 640 overnight stays for those displaced by flooding.   
   ARES and club operators were asked to help coordinate communications among   
   shelters in four counties and Red Cross headquarters. On average, volunteers   
   worked 6 to 8 hour shifts, employing repeaters maintained by area radio clubs.   
      
   St Charles County Division of Emergency Management also called on ARES to   
   conduct road closure reconnaissance for emergency services. Volunteers also   
   performed "windshield" damage assessments, where they drove by hundreds of   
   homes, surveying for damage.   
      
   St Francois and Ste Genevieve County ARES worked together to assist Ste   
   Genevieve County emergency managers with 24-hour walks to assess the condition   
   of the critical levees that protect lives and property in that county.   
      
   More than 20 people died in the historic flooding. Hundreds were displaced   
   from their homes as rivers, streams, and lakes overflowed banks and levees.   
      
   In the Pacific Northwest, the Centralia area of Southwest Washington again   
   found itself on Mother Nature's target list for December rain and local   
   flooding, and Amateur Radio volunteers were called in to help. The region saw   
   nearly continuous rain during the first week in December, with especially   
   heavy rainfall on December 7. As a result, three major rivers -- the Chehalis,   
   the Skookumchuck, and the Newaukum -- quickly reached flood stage. The   
   Centralia ARES team activated on a 24-hour basis on December 8, monitoring EOC   
   Amateur Radio systems and helping to set up the remainder of the EOC for a   
   full-scale response.   
      
   On December 9, two local creeks -- China and Salzer -- overflowed their banks   
   and inundated Centralia's downtown district, before the major rivers had   
   reached flood stage. ARES team members began a second response phase,   
   performing "windshield" surveys to determine the extent and depth of water in   
   each residential area. Team members also monitored selected high-water points   
   to provide "eyes-on-the-scene" observations of how rapidly flood waters were   
   rising. Throughout the day, hams reported conditions -- block by block,   
   response area by response area -- to the EOC and incident commanders.   
      
   By late on December 8, even though rivers were still reaching flood stage,   
   emergency managers could breathe a sigh of relief, as it became clear that the   
   local flooding was not going to be on the order of an earlier disaster that   
   closed Interstate 5 for several days. Several dangerous landslides did occur,   
   though, and a stretch of Highway 12 was closed due to washouts. The ARES team   
   deployed 75 members. Read more. -- Thanks to Janelle Haible, N0MTI, St Louis   
   (Missouri) Metro ARES Public Information Officer, and to Bob Willey, KD7OWN,   
   Emergency Coordinator, Centralia Amateur Radio Emergency Service   
      
      
   Congressman Intercedes with FCC Chairman on Amateur Radio Interference Concerns   
      
   New York Congressman Peter King has asked FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to put some   
   Enforcement Bureau heat on those interfering with various radio communication   
   services, including Amateur Radio, in the New York City Metropolitan Area.   
   While visiting Capitol Hill recently to promote the Amateur Radio Parity Act,   
   ARRL Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, and General Counsel Chris   
   Imlay, W3KD, met with King, a Republican representing New York's 2nd District,   
   to discuss the interference issue. King is among the original of the 118   
   cosponsors of the Amateur Radio Parity Act (H.R. 1301) in the US House.   
      
   "Rep King, a long-time supporter of Amateur Radio who is also very concerned   
   about malicious interference with licensed services, offered to send a letter   
   to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler on our behalf," Lisenco said. "Like many areas of   
   the country, the Hudson Division has been plagued with malicious interference   
   on our VHF and UHF repeaters for years. There has been no relief from the FCC,   
   despite repeated pleas for remedy made by ARRL. All requests for help have   
   consistently fallen on deaf ears."   
      
   In his January 15 letter to Wheeler, King pointed out that while multiple   
   perpetrators have been involved, the identity of the "ringleader" is well   
   known to the Enforcement Bureau. He reiterated that the malicious interference   
   had "been allowed to continue for too long," and he called for "timely and   
   visible enforcement" to deter others.   
      
   "The Amateur Radio repeaters on Long Island that are rendered useless by this   
   individual are used for emergency preparedness exercises and were used   
   extensively in Hurricane Sandy disaster relief efforts," King told Wheeler.   
   "This individual has been allowed to proceed without any apparent Commission   
   enforcement for well over 2 years, despite repeated complaints from ARRL, NBC   
   engineering staff, and at least two Long Island Amateur Radio clubs. NBC   
   remote pickup units and public safety radio systems also have been troubled by   
   malicious interference.   
      
   King said he realizes that FCC Enforcement Bureau resources are limited and   
   that he appreciates the attention the Commission has paid to such issues as   
   pirate radio investigations, but he asked for a tougher stance.   
      
   "[D]eliberate interference with public safety, broadcast program production,   
   and Amateur Radio public service communications...must be swiftly and visibly   
   addressed," King concluded.   
      
      
   Former Colorado Section Manager Appointed as Rocky Mountain Division Vice   
   Director   
      
   ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, has named a new Rocky Mountain Division   
   Vice Director. Former Colorado Section Manager Jeff Ryan, K0RM, will succeed   
   Dwayne Allen, WY7FD, who assumed the position of Rocky Mountain Director after   
   former Director Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, was elected as ARRL Second Vice   
   President at the ARRL Board of Directors meeting January 15-16. Ryan, 61,   
   lives in Westminster, Colorado, and is an ARRL Life Member. He served in   
   Colorado's top ARRL Field Organization elected office from 2001 until 2011,   
   when he decided not to run for another term. Allen announced Ryan's   
   appointment over the weekend at the Winterfest in Colorado.   
      
   "Needless to say, Jeff brings great experience to the table, and I'm very   
   excited to have him join the Division leadership team," Allen said in a   
   message to the Rocky Mountain Division.   
      
   Ryan has also served as an Assistant SM in Colorado. He is president and   
   director of Rocky Mountain Ham Radio, and director and co-chair of HamCon   
   Colorado -- the Rocky Mountain Division Convention. He's also served as   
   director and vice chair of the Colorado Council of Amateur Radio Clubs.   
      
   President Roderick has not yet filled a vacancy in the Dakota Division Vice   
   Director's chair. Vice Director Kent Olson, KA0LDG, became the Division's   
   Director after former Director Greg Widin, K0GW, was elected by the Board of   
   Directors as First Vice President. An announcement is expected soon.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   National Parks on the Air Update   
      
   NPOTA activations of smaller or urban units will pose significant challenges   
   for both the Activator and the NPS staff on site. If you're planning an   
   activation of a small NPS site for NPOTA, you must reach out to the NPS unit's   
   Centennial Coordinator far in advance for advice on how a NPOTA activation   
   might be successfully staged from that unit. Work together to address any   
   concerns long before you activate, and your chance of success and good   
   relations with NPS staff will increase.   
      
   It's going to be a busy week for NPOTA, with Activations scheduled for January   
   28-February 3, including Shiloh National Military Park (MP08), and Point Reyes   
   National Seashore (SS10).   
      
   Details about these and other activations coming up can be found on the NPOTA   
   Activations calendar.   
      
   Love NPOTA? Join the ARRL NPOTA Facebook group!   
      
      
   A VHF Contest in January -- How Cool is That?   
      
   If El Ni¤o has your weather upside down, perhaps the ARRL January VHF Contest   
   will get you right side up and back in a contesting mood! This annual event   
   begins at 1900 UTC on Saturday, January 30, and it wraps up at 0359 UTC on   
   Monday, February 1. The object is for amateurs in the US and Canada (and   
   possessions) to work as many stations in as many different Maidenhead grid   
   squares as possible using frequencies above 50 MHz. It's the US and Canada   
   (and possessions) working each other and the rest of the world (think F2   
   propagation!).   
      
   "Assuming Mother Nature cooperates, the January VHF Contest offers a welcome   
   reprieve from what might be the long winter doldrums," said new ARRL Contest   
   Branch Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ. Whether from home, portable, or even as a   
   rover, he said, the event offers something for everyone, including FM-only   
   operators.   
      
   Jahnke said a good mix of propagation typically manifests in January, and,   
   while tropo may be less of a factor, aurora can provide a boost for northern   
   tier stations. "Meteor scatter and EME (moonbounce) folks will be looking for   
   newcomers as well as the seasoned crowd to join in this more-challenging fun,"   
   he added.   
      
   Contact the ARRL Contest Branch for more information.   
      
      
   Severe Weather Curtails VP8STI South Sandwich Operation; Team Heads to South   
   Georgia   
      
   It's been a tense time for the Intrepid-DX Group's VP8 DXpedition team on   
   South Sandwich, which had been operating as VP8STI. A fierce South Atlantic   
   storm bearing 70 MPH winds and dropping 2 to 3 feet of snow slammed the VP8STI   
   encampment, threatening to shut down the operation.   
      
   "Since early this morning, we have been experiencing blizzard-like conditions   
   with strong winds and heavy snowfall," DXpedition Co-Leader Paul Ewing, N6PSE,   
   said on January 24. "Some of our antennas have become damaged by the high   
   winds, and the snowfall is making access to them very difficult. It is also   
   increasingly difficult to refuel our generators." The group managed to   
   recover, repair its antennas, and return to the air, however, and the VP8STI   
   operators soldiered on despite the adverse conditions.   
      
   Not long afterward, though, a storm-related emergency forced the VP8STI team   
   to abandon its equipment and belongings and return to their transport vessel,   
   the R/V Braveheart. Chief Pilot Toni Gonzalez, EA5RM, said the Braveheart's   
   skipper, Nigel Jolly, declared an emergency on January 25 at 2120 UTC,   
   ordering the VP8STI team to cease all operations and come back to the ship.   
   According to Gonzalez, a large ice floe that broke away due to the storm   
   threatened to block the entrance to the bay where the team had camped, raising   
   the possibility that the ship might not have been able to retrieve the   
   operators.   
      
   While the emergency effectively ended the VP8STI phase of the two-pronged   
   DXpedition, the team was able to return to camp on January 26 to retrieve its   
   gear and equipment. Gonzalez said on January 27 that the team expects to be on   
   as VP8SGI from South Georgia by the afternoon of January 29 and will attempt   
   to operate from there for 8 days.   
      
   VP8STI generated hectic pileups, logging more than 51,600 contacts, with more   
   remaining to be uploaded once the team reaches South Georgia. -- Thanks to The   
   Daily DX   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   In Brief...   
      
   ARRL Network Maintenance Set for January 30: The ARRL IT Department will   
   conduct overnight maintenance on its network Saturday, January 30, to improve   
   reliability and security. The work will occur between 8 PM EST on Saturday,   
   January 30, and 6 AM EST on Sunday, January 31. (January 31, from 0100 UTC   
   until 1100 UTC). During this period, some or all systems may be temporarily   
   unavailable. The website will remain up, but online purchasing will not be   
   available. E-mail will also be offline, but all messages will be queued for   
   later delivery. We apologize for any inconvenience.   
      
      
   Deadline is February 1 to Submit Nominations for Dayton Hamvention 2016   
   Awards: Monday, February 1, is the deadline for Dayton Hamvention(R) 2016   
   nominations for Amateur of the Year, Special Achievement, Technical   
   Excellence, and Club of the Year awards. All Amateur Radio operators/clubs are   
   eligible. Winners will be recognized at Hamvention 2016, May 20-22, at Hara   
   Arena. Additional details and nomination forms are available on the Dayton   
   Hamvention website. Send nominations via e-mail or to Dayton Hamvention   
   Awards, PO Box 1446, Dayton, OH 45401-1446.   
      
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Solar activity increased January 21-27   
   compared to the previous 7 days. Average daily sunspot numbers increased from   
   46 to 57.3; average daily solar flux went from 100.7 to 106. Geomagnetic   
   indices were also higher, with planetary A index going from 9 to 11.6.   
      
   Predicted solar flux for the short term is 115, 112, and 115 on January 28-30;   
   112 on January 31-February 1; 118 on February 2-3; 112 on February 4; 100 on   
   February 5-6; 105 on February 7-11; 110 on February 12-13; 105 on February   
   14-15, and 100 on February 16-20.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 12, 10, 8, and 5 on January 28-31; 8, 15, 12,   
   and 8 on February 1-4; 5 on February 5-6; 12 on February 7-8; 10 on February   
   9; 8 on February 10; 5 on February 11-16, and 10, 15, 10, 12, and 15 on   
   February 17-21.   
      
   Sunspot numbers for January 21 through 27 were 56, 50, 54, 47, 58, 61, and 75,   
   with a mean of 46. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 104, 100.5, 98.9, 103.8,   
   107.6, 114.8, and 112.7, with a mean of 100.7. Estimated planetary A indices   
   were 32, 14, 12, 11, 3, 4, and 5, with a mean of 9. Estimated mid-latitude A   
   indices were 15, 10, 10, 9, 3, 3, and 3, with a mean of 7.6.   
      
   Send me your reports and observations.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Just Ahead in Radiosport   
      
    *  January 29-31 -- CQ 160 Meter Contest (CW)   
    *  January 30 -- Feld Hell Sprint   
    *  January 30 -- REF Contest (CW)   
    *  January 30-31 -- UBA DX Contest (SSB)   
    *  January 30-31 -- Winter Field Day (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  January 30-February 1 -- ARRL January VHF Contest (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  January 31-February 3 -- Classic Exchange (CW)   
    *  February 1 -- RSGB 80 Meter Club Championship (SSB)   
    *  February 2 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)   
    *  February 3 -- UKEICC 80 Meter Contest (SSB)   
      
   See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting on   
   Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update via your ARRL   
   member profile e-mail preferences.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
    *  January 29-30 -- Mississippi State Convention, Jackson, Mississippi   
    *  January 29-31 -- Puerto Rico State Convention, Hatillo, Puerto Rico   
    *  February 6 -- South Carolina State Convention, N. Charleston, South   
       Carolina   
    *  February 6 -- Virginia State Convention (Frostfest), Richmond, Virginia   
    *  February 12-14 -- ARRL National Convention, Orlando, Florida   
    *  February 13 -- Georgia ARES Convention, Forsyth, Georgia   
    *  February 19-20 -- Southwestern Division Convention, Yuma, Arizona   
    *  February 20 -- Arkansas State Convention, Hoxie, Arkansas   
    *  February 27 -- WCF Section Technical Conference, Tampa, Florida   
    *  February 27 -- New Mexico TechFest, Albuquerque, New Mexico   
    *  February 27 -- Vermont State Convention, S. Burlington, Vermont   
    *  March 4-5 -- Alabama Section Convention, Birmingham, Alabama   
    *  March 11-12 -- Louisiana State Convention, Rayne, Louisiana   
    *  March 18-19 -- South Texas Section Convention, Rosenburg, Texas   
    *  March 19 -- West Texas Section Convention, Midland, Texas   
    *  March 19 -- MicroHAMS Digital Conference, Redmond, Washington   
    *  March 25-26 -- Maine State Convention, Lewiston, Maine   
    *  April 2 -- Delta Division Convention, Fort Smith, Arkansas   
    *  April 2 -- North Carolina Section Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina   
    *  April 8-9 -- Oklahoma State Convention, Claremore, Oklahoma   
    *  April 9-10 -- Communications Academy, Seattle, Washington   
    *  April 15-17 -- International DX Convention, Visalia, California   
    *  April 15-17 -- VHF Super Conference, Sterling, Virginia   
    *  April 16 -- Delaware State Convention, Georgetown, Delaware   
    *  April 22-24 -- Idaho State Convention, Boise, Idaho   
    *  April 23 -- Aurora '16 Conference, White Bear Lake, Minnesota   
    *  April 23 -- Nebraska State Convention, Lincoln, Nebraska   
    *  April 29-May 1 -- Nevada State Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada   
      
   Find conventions and hamfests in your area.   
      
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    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)