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ARRL Mississippi Section (MS)Section Manager
Malcolm P. Keown, W5XX 64 Lake Circle Dr Vicksburg, MS 39180-0909 601-636-0827 w5xx@arrl.org |
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News last updated: Tue, August 12, 2008 at 11:32 AM ET
Mississippi Section Report for July 2008
SM: Malcolm Keown, W5XX. Mississippi Section Web Page at arrlmiss@org. Web Master: NW5R at nw5r@arrl.net, ASM: NW5R, K5DSG, KA5ICO, ACC: K5WLP, PIC: N5WLW, SGL: AK5J, TC: N5JGK.
So far we have dodged the hurricane bullet, but it's way to early to drain the gas out of the generator. Mississippi hams continue to prepare for a potential landfall by checking repeaters and links, testing home, mobile, and portable equipment, and making sure local ARES units know what they are supposed to do. At the state level our emergency response plan was laid out in my message to you of July 3 via the SM Reflector such that everybody would be in place and know what to do when needed. Please review this message.
As part of this emergency response preparation State RACES Officer AB5WF conducted a Team Meeting at MEMA on July 24. Several important topics were covered including operation of the stations at MEMA and the MOBOPS, MEMA Reporting Forms, ARRL and FEMA Training Courses, future MARS operation, WinLink, and WebEOC. With a number of new team members in attendance, additional WinLink and WebEOC training will be scheduled shortly. Those team members in attendance were K5BLL, WB5BNV, N5DU, K5FV, KD5GMC, KD5KHI, KE5KTU, WB5TTE, AB5WF, W5XX, N5XXX, and KB5YEE.
K5FV and N5VEI report that the Central Mississippi Amateur Radio Association Fox Hunt was held on August 2 and went off without a hitch. The very capable "fox" was N5VEI being pursued by no less than 5 teams. The winning team was WB5ROI and K5IFJ. The event took just short of three hours. Also participating were KE5KTU, KE5VMQ, W5DXZ, K5BLL, KE5DHC, and K5FV. This was a really fun event, and as all learned, it can leave you frustrated. Needless to say, CMARA is planning on sponsoring this event again.
ARRL Headquarters advises as of August 1 that six Mississippi ARRL Affiliated Clubs will be dropped into the inactive file because they have not completed their Annual Report in over two years. This is not good. Club Officers should note that an Annual Report needs to be filed once a year, even if nothing changes in order that ARRL Headquarters knows that the club is still active. Affiliated Club Coordinator K5WLP is working with these six clubs to get them back to an active status. To check on the status of your club go to http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/clubsearch.phtml. If you can't find your club then it may be listed as inactive. Try the big club list: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/biglist.html. Click on the highlighted club name to see the club detailed information. Club members can also check these sites. If your club is behind on annual reports or inactive, bug your club officers until you see some action.
N5VEI reports that two Mississippi teachers were privileged to be chosen to attend this summer's 2008 ARRL Teachers Institute. N5VEI and N5MZ attended the next to last session in Newington, CT at ARRL Headquarters. Bill (N5VEI) is a teacher at Olde Towne Middle School in Ridgeland, MS while Brad (N5MZ) is a teacher at Petal High School in Petal, MS. There were thirteen total teachers at the institute. N5VEI says that the Teachers Institute was a remarkable experience where teachers learned or were refreshed in basic electronics, programming, robotics, and how to integrate these subjects into the classroom. A major emphasis was placed on how to get students interested in science and keep that interest going with various activities with robotics. Teachers were given a large amount of supplies to start the activities in their classrooms. N5VEI and N5MZ were given the Parallax Boe-Bot (Robot), Parallax USB Oscilloscope, breadboard with some supplies, other demonstration boards, and a large library of amateur radio books. While at ARRL Headquarters they participated in many fun activities such as building a 24 hour clock, working with the oscilloscope, observing how a radio telescope was built and used, making satellite contacts on AO-27, observing how to use weather satellites in the school, and last but not least building and programming a robot (Parallax Boe-Bot). During free time at lunch they were able to have some fun on the air at the W1AW station. Three locals from MS were able to make contact with them while operating there. N5VEI says this was by far the best teacher workshop he had ever attended and would encourage more teachers to apply from our state.
The Magnolia DX Association was organized in 1976 by N5FG and WA5EZQ. During the intervening years this informal club grew to over 80 members with some 30 of them being on the DXCC Honor Roll and three being at the top of the Honor Roll (W5AV, W0XV, and W5XX). MDXA managed the W5 QSL Bureau from 1998 to 2002 and organized several IOTA activations as well as supporting numerous DXpeditions and being active in a number of contests and QSO Parties. During these years N5FG has served as President and carried much of the workload. Floyd has now found it necessary to retire as President, but will still be in the thick of the pile ups. Well done, Floyd!
Ham Radio was one of five sessions students could choose at the Disaster Response Academy conducted by the Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church held at Wood Institute in Mathiston, Mississippi, June 26-28. The Academy was conducted to train church pastors and volunteers in principles of Disaster Response to aid those who need help after a disaster. The Methodist Church wants to make ham radio one of the tools in its communications network. This course is the first time it has been offered at the Academy. AB5WF served as the course director. He was assisted by K5BLL and N5VEI. Only three students participated in the session, but they all completed the course and now have their ticket. They are David, KE4VLZ, Keith, KE5VLY, and Gene, KE5VMA. The VE session was conducted by AE5GO from MSU. Since the test session was held at the same time Field Day activities started, it was difficult to get VE Team members to come to the session. Thanks to KB5ZEA from Kosciusko and KD5FUY from Star for completing the team. Two MSU students also attended the VE session and upgraded, one to General and one to Extra.
All Certificates and Results for the 2008 Mississippi QSO Party have been mailed out. If you didn't receive a copy of the Results, please send an email to w5xx@arrl.org.
KD5CKP has retired as EC for DeSoto County serving since 1999. Tim will remain as DEC for Northwest Mississippi. Thanks, Tim! Replacing Tim as EC will be KD5VMV, who is also the deputy Director for the DeSoto County EMA. Also note that Rankin County EC K5FV has appointed WM5A as his Assistant EC.
Welcome to new Mississippi hams: KE5VLY, Keith - Booneville; KE5VLZ, David - D'Iberville; KE5VMA - Gene, Iuka; KE5VMJ, Edward - Jackson; KE5VMK - Tray, Ridgeland; KE5VMP, Patricia - Crystal Springs; KE5VMQ, Rebecca - Bolton; KE5VMT, James - Biloxi; KE5VMU, Martin - Mississippi State; KE5VMV, Roger - Biloxi; KE5VMW, Glenn - Ocean Springs; KE5VNL, Ryan - Pascagoula; KE5VNN, George - Brookhaven; KE5VNO, James - Brookhaven; KE5VNV, Joseph - Richland; KE5VOO, Frances - Hazlehurst; KE5VOP, Gloria - Monticello; KE5VOQ, Bama - Wesson; KE5VRN, Vernon - Dundee (coincidence!); KE5VQQ, Charles - Starkville; KE5VQX - Trevina, Gulfport; and KE5VSN, Jeremy - Poplarville;
Also welcome to new ARRL Members: KK5DNA - Gulfport; KE5OPL - Hernando; WA5PSN - Greenville; KE5PYK - Jackson; KB5QPF - Long Beach; W5RIM - Ridgeland; KB5RQL - Ellisville; KE5UXE - Blue Mountain; KE5VEB - Oakland; KE5VMP - Crystal Springs; KE5VMT - Biloxi; KE5VOP - Monticello; and KE5VQX - Gulfport. As of July we now have 1,000 ARRL Members in the Mississippi. Thanks to all who have helped to recover from our low of 825 after Katrina. This is no small achievement. Let's keep it at 1,000 or better!
Congratulations to the following on their upgrades: KD5DXR - Clinton; KE5JKD - Crystal Springs; N5KZK - Waveland; KE5PTO - Waveland; KE5PXD - Ocean Springs; KB5UEJ - Moss Point; KE5UGH - Mississippi State; and KE5VAG - Biloxi;
In addition congratulations to K5FV, who completed ARRL ECC-001, and K5GMA, who completed FEMA IS-324.
DEC/EC Monthly Reports: WB5CON (NE MS/Alcorn), KD5CQT (Jackson), KC5EAK (Pearl River), K5FV (Rankin), WB5GUD (Newton), KD5GWM (Lauderdale/Clarke), WX5N (Prentiss/Tishomingo), N5TBB (Tippah), and N5ZNT (SW MS).
Club Newsletter/Reports: Hattiesburg ARC (AC5E), Northeast Mississippi ARA (KB5NMB), Pearl River ARC (N5WLW), and Vicksburg ARC (W5WAF).
Net reports: sessions/QNI/QTC (Net Manager)
DRN5 62 MS 100% Rep by W5XX, KA1ZIA, WB5ZED, WA5FB (WB5ZED)
MSPN 31/2669/28 (K5NRK)
Magnolia Section Net 31/775/3 (K5DSG); June Report 30/869/3
MTN 31/150/5 (KB5W)
Jackson Co ARES 30/513/5 (KD5CQT)
MS Slow Net 23/33/0 (W3TWD)
Magnolia DX Assn 5/95/0 (N5FG)
Newton County ARES 5/36/0 (WB5GUD)
Rankin County ARES 5/72/0 (K5FV)
Meridian Area EN 5/54/0 (KD5GWM)
Tishomingo County ARES 5/146/7 (WX5N)
Pearl River County ARES 5/61/0 (KC5EAK)
South MS YL Net 5/93/0 (KB5CSQ)
Stone County ARES 4/62/1 (N5UDK)
Miss/Lou WX Net 4/26/1 (K5NRK)
MS Baptist Hams Net 4/19/1 (WF5F)
Alcorn County ARES 4/50/0 (WB5CON)
SW MS ARES 4/29/0 (N5ZNT)
Itawamba County ARES 4/47/4 (KB5NMB)
Lowndes Co ARC Net 4/34/0 (AD5DO)
Monroe ARC 4/51/0 (AD5DO)
MCARA CARES 4/57/0 (KA2KMU)
PSHR: WB5ZED 150, W5XX 101.
Traffic: WB5ZED 3,425 (BPL), W5XX 6, KA5DAN 2.
Compilation of Net, PSHR, and Traffic statistics provided by KB5RCJ.
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