ARRL: Senators Roger Wicker and Richard Blumenthal introduce S.3690 to eliminate private land use restrictions on amateur radio

The ARRL reports that two US Senators Roger Wicker (MS) and Richard Blumenthal (CT) introduced a bill that would eliminate homeowner association land use restrictions that prohibit, restrict, or impair the ability of an Amateur Radio Operator to install and operate amateur station antennas on residential properties they own. Read more on the ARRL website.

FWRC plans chili competition & social Feb. 9

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Photo of a kettle of chili soup and ingredients, with a superimposed words, chili cook off

The Fort Wayne Radio Club will host a carry-in chili competition and social for our February 9 meeting. The cook whose chili gets the most votes from attendees will win a $50 cash prize. The club will accept votes only from people who tasted the chili for which they vote.

All club members are invited to bring their best chili or a favorite side dish or beverage.

Members who intend to bring chili are requested to advise Joe Stephens via email by Wednesday evening, Feb. 7. Email him at kd9nyz@gmail.com.

Club leaders request that chili cooks label their creations with a heat designation; mild, medium, hot, or “temperature of the sun.” Nobody likes to be surprised by a burning tongue!

The club asks cooks to arrive at around 6 p.m. with their chili in a crock pot and some sort of serving utensil, such as a ladle. The meeting will begin at 6:30.

During the business portion of the meeting, the club plans to discuss creating an Elmer corps for new hams and the future of fox (hidden transmitter) hunting competitions.

As usual, the club will meet at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 4700 Vance Ave., Fort Wayne. Enter the church building using door number 2. If possible, arrive no later than 6:30 p.m., so someone will be at the door to let you in. Late arrivals might need to call for assistance on the 146.76 MHz FWRC repeater. Once inside, proceed to Raasch Hall.

Jan. 12 FWRC meeting postponed due to weather forecast

NWS image describing possibility of a large winter storm

FWRC president Adam Warrix announced this morning that he is postponing the Fort Wayne Radio Club meeting scheduled for Friday, January 12, 2024, due to the possibility of snow.

As of this morning, the National Weather Service forecast for Fort Wayne read, “Snow likely before 2pm, then rain and snow. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 37. East wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.”

Warrix wrote in an email message to club leaders that the club plans to meet instead on Friday, January 19, 2024.

ARES DEC seeks Skywarn Recognition Day operators

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A district emergency coordinator (DEC) for the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) began soliciting licensed hams November 5 to operate a special events station at the National Weather Service (NWS) office near North Webster.

The station will participate in the annual NWS Skywarn Recognition day, an annual 24-hour event to recognize Skywarn storm spotters, especially spotters who are ham radio operators.

Station setup will begin at 4 p.m. ET Friday December 1 at the office, 7506E 850N. Syracuse. That’s at the corner of Indiana 13 and Kosciusko County Road 850N, between North Webster and Syracuse. The station will include HF, IRLP and Echolink operations.

Operations will begin at 7 p.m. ET December 1 and run continuously until 7 p.m. ET Saturday, December 2. Hams who wish to operate the station at the NWS office must reserve their shifts in advance, in two-hour blocks. Shifts may be reserved by contacting ARES DEC Brian Sexton, KD9EDR at brian.sexton89@gmail.com. The station can accommodate up to four operators per two-hour shift.

Sexton also seeks volunteers to assist with station tear-down, beginning at 7 p.m. ET Saturday, Dec. 2.

During Skywarn recognition day, ham radio special event stations will operate on HF and other bands from NWS offices around the nation. The NWS encourages hams to contact as many of those special event stations as possible within 24 hours.