Your license is going to cost more #ARRL #hamradio

 The Sonoma County Radio Amateurs, Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), and many individual commenters contend that the proposed $50 fee for Amateur Radio Service applications is too high  ... We agree with commenters asserting this fee is too high to account for the minimal staff involvement in these applications and therefore adopt a reduced amount of $35 fee for all personal license application fees.

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-184A1.pdf

Not $50, but the $35 fee for a ten-year license is a good compromise. 

Clubs with members who can not afford the increase should consider helping their members. 

Thank the League ... and the others who commented that zero to 50 was too much too fast. 

Think of the possibilities #ARRL #hamradio

 So, on the last day of 2020, what are you thinking?  

Are you doing some crazy Happy New Year party with friends or Straight Key Night? 

Are you planning your Ham Radio 2021 contest and special event schedule?

The Hobby awaits your decision and, better yet, your action.  The Hobby is yours to enjoy or not.  Make 2021 a year to remember.  

Challenge yourself.  Learn something new in ham radio.  Check into a new net.  Make new friends. Operate mobile.  Operate a new mode or find a way to operate an old mode.  

After all, it's a big hobby.  Find our why.

If it's not a better year, then Twenty Twenty Won.

Merry Christmas to my #hamradio #Skywarn #teamJesus friends

The amateur radio community brings children from all over the planet to the voice of Santa Claus located at the North Pole or in Finland, depending on your location, access to society, and culture.

Those nets are a blessing when kids reveal their most interesting and challenging desires.

One daughter hears the answer to "Dad, what do you want for Christmas" with "World Peace and harmony".

Hams can be challenging sometimes. 

Yes, Christmas is celebrated as the birthday of Jesus.  Study will bring one to understand that Jesus was likely born in the spring.

The Three Wise Men were more than three.  Their entourage was big enough to get the attention of Herod.

Christmas trees, poinsettias, and divinity are beautiful and fattening.

Let us focus on the fact that Jesus was born.  It's OK to celebrate any day and every day as the birth of Jesus.  After all, without the birth, there is no death, burial, and, more importantly, the resurrection.

Merry Christmas!  Good DX.  

ARRL scholarship application period ending #hamradio

 The ARRL Foundation scholarship application period for the academic year

2021 ends on December 31, 2020.  I am asking you as a Division Director to notify your Division membership of the deadline.  The Foundation
issued nearly $300,000 in scholarships for 2020 and for the academic year 2021 there has been a significant increase in the number of large
dollar scholarships available thanks to a generous contribution from the Amateur Radio Digital Communication group (ARDC).  

For the academic year 2021, there are two new $25,000 scholarships, thirteen $10,000 scholarships, nine $5,000 scholarships as well as dozens of $1,000 and $500 scholarships.

A description of the many scholarships available is on line.

http://www.arrl.org/scholarship-descriptions 

It is also very easy to apply as scholarship applications are on line.

http://www.arrl.org/scholarship-application

Since only amateur radio operator students may apply, the chances of being selected for a scholarship are good.  It would be a shame for your members to miss this opportunity.  Please place a notice in your
December Newsletter or send a separate E-Mail to your Division to let your members know that the ARRL Foundation offers over 100 scholarships
and it only takes a simple online application to apply.

Since 1973, the ARRL Foundation, with the generosity of many donors and the hard work of a long line of dedicated Foundation Directors, has had a positive impact on the lives of many young amateur radio operator students.  To ensure that this positive impact does not wane, I ask each of you to timely notify your members of this opportunity.  Being awarded an ARRL Foundation scholarship could mean the difference in whether a student can pursue their education in 2021 or not.  

Thank you and the Foundation and I wish all of you 
a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  

Dr David Woolweaver, K5RAV
President, ARRL Foundation

Artscipub, RepeaterBook, and Rfinder #ARRL #hamradio

The growing mobile radio society likes to have accurate data while motoring around the planet.   The publishers, except for one, seem to have gone to digital over paper.

Artscipub is the one that still publishes a paper document.  Just like the one the ARRL publishes, it's wrong when it leaves the printer.

RepeaterBook has a nice app and it's free.  However, repeater owners, trustees, and users don't keep their data current.  PL tones change, locations change, and even repeater frequencies change, yet, the data doesn't.  

Rfinder, endorsed by the ARRL, costs $10 and has the same flaws as RepeaterBook.  The League web page says one can buy a paper repeater book, but the link to buy is broken.

None of the three are perfect.  There were errors on all the pages.  The errors are easily fixed IF users will update their information.  Of the three, RepeaterBook takes updates from the app.  The others are harder to do with a mobile phone.  

If you want folks to find your repeater and talk on it, keep your node numbers current along with the rest of the information.  If you don't want folks to find it, don't list it or list it as a closed repeater.

Folks have mentioned "It's not their responsibility.  The (repeater owner, Coordinating Group, directory publisher) are responsible.  Yet, even repeater trustees voice concern over the issue.

ArtsciPub mentioned this time, last year, they were going to do a paper directory and please update your information.  The response was ...... and the directory was published with errors.

Maybe that's why folks hang out on  146.52 ...

#Skywarn Recognition Day is this weekend. #ARRL #hamradio

The goal is to contact as many National Weather Service Offices as possible in 24 hours.  

The problem is most, if not all, Weather Forecast Offices are not allowing "visitors", even for Skywarn Recognition Day. For example, the volunteers who staff WX4NHC, do so from home, work, or other places.

SKYWARN™ Recognition Day was developed in 1999 by the National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay League. It celebrates the contributions that SKYWARN™ volunteers make to the NWS mission, the protection of life and property. Amateur radio operators comprise a large percentage of the SKYWARN™ volunteers across the country. The Amateur radio operators also provide vital communication between the NWS and emergency management if normal communications become inoperative.

Some offices have programs.  Check with your local WFO for information.  Some are allowing virtual operations.

Have some fun.  There's a certificate one contacting ONE station.  Listen around the bands.  It will be fun.

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