PRESENTER OPINION : Hearing Too Much and Not Enough…of the Right Signal!

PRESENTER OPINION : Hearing Too Much and Not Enough…of the Right Signal!

Field Day is once again happening later this month. Hearing everyone is a blast, no? Well, it might not be. Especially if it’s the ham at the table right next to you. The “sshh, sshh” sound of the CW op bleeding over into your SSB ban frequency or the nearby FT8 transmissions doing the same. But you’re forgetting the CW op hearing your voice signal peaks, too. Unless you’re listening to the monitor on FT8 (or other digital mode), you just might not reliably decode a QSO transmission. All in all, it’s just not the folks whom you want hear!

Read More

PRESENTER OPINION : ARRL Increasing Commission for Collecting Dues

PRESENTER OPINION : ARRL Increasing Commission for Collecting Dues

The ARRL has paid a commission to clubs collecting ARRL dues for quite a while now, but as I pointed out in 2014, the commission ($2 for membership renewals) was too low for it to really be of interest. Well, according to the May 24, 2022 issue of ARRL Club News, the powers that be have raised this commission to $5, effective June 1, 2022. Hopefully, this increase will make it more attractive for clubs to both recruit new members and retain existing ones.

Read More

PRESENTER OPINION : Day 1 at Hamvention 2022

PRESENTER OPINION : Day 1 at Hamvention 2022

Day 1 at the 2022 Dayton (Xenia) Hamvention is winding down, and I just have to blog about it. It’s been so much fun that even if I had to go home today, I’d say that the trip was worth it.

Now, you might be asking, “Doesn’t Hamvention start on Friday?” Yes, it does, but I’m here representing ARDC, so I have an exhibitor badge. That let me get in today. Exhibitor hours on Thursday are from 8 am to 8 pm.

Read More