Over the last several months (although it feels like years), we have been inundated with political ads and the occasional porch greeting by local candidates. By the time you read this, hopefully our elected leaders are clearly identified and ready to take their respective oaths in the coming months. One thought captures my imagination lately; what if we embraced “keeping the squelch loose” outside our world in the Parker Radio Association?

For students at all levels, educators and parents alike, this year faced tremendous uncertainty on the school year. Planning and preparation has taken on a completely different landscape. As distracting as the last school year ended, it prepared all levels for the unexpected. At the bottom line, the results of these preparations are playing out. What was weird, awkward and messy at the end of last school year is now relatively smooth and for better or worse, this experience has the opportunity to position itself as a new beginning. I know that with one high-schooler left in my house, what was stressful last school year is now loose and met with a level of curiosity in learning methods and adapting to new hybrid models of learning.

For the PRA, we have a lot of adapting to do as well. What we thought was temporary in March, April, and May of this year with the shift from face-to-face meetings to online platforms, we quickly adapted and embraced what was in front of us as an organization. The path of least resistance simply was not an option for the Leadership and Committee Chairs. Instead, it was amazing to watch the increase in activity, curiosity, and learning that has taken place. In 2020, we have increased our membership by over 90%. We could have simply done on-the-air nets and called it good; however, we dug in and leveraged technology to our advantage through live video presentations and recording our monthly business and Elmer Nights to YourTube. Our active curiosity propelled a paradigm shift in our thinking of “how can we possibly make this work?” to “let’s see how we make this work.” Throughout it all, one core belief resonated…we had to “keep the squelch loose.”

As November begins, we are over 80% of way through 2020 and time changes and early darkness is upon us. I urge you to use your time wisely in the coming weeks and months in supporting amateur radio. How you may ask?

First, get involved. Our various committees are VERY active and are great ways to learn something new. For example, don’t know about how repeaters work? Join the repeater committee! You’ll know the difference between a duplexer, and a controller in no time. Maybe you are interested in how to work HF portable? We have our Portable Ops Group that will get you to grab your gear and head to the outdoors. This is only a couple of examples of committees at your service.

Second, get on-the-air. Each and every member of the PRA has been the ‘new ham’ on the block and I can assure you that you will be welcomed with encouragement, enthusiasm, and a warm welcome on any one of our repeaters. Mic-fright is real and I am happy to admit, I had it, too, when I was first licensed. Once I got over mic-fright as a Technician, it came back again when I upgraded to General and jumped on the HF bands. Luckily enough, I was elmered (instructed), by a couple of great hams when I first got into the hobby. They taught me to jump in, make mistakes, and don’t take yourself too seriously. Taking my first couple of nets was frightening, but taught me to slow down, listen intently, and ask clarifying questions for accuracy. No better way to get over mic-fright at 14 years old than to take a net with 67 check-ins on a Tuesday night for a Philadelphia area net.

Third, ask a lot of questions. The members of the PRA absolutely love and embrace questions because we believe that when we can shorten the learning curve, the more rewarding the amateur radio service will be for newly licensed operators.

Forth, join the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL). The ARRL is much more than a monthly magazine. It is the only national organization for amateur radio operators that protects our valuable frequency spectrum, while providing a buffet of weekly, monthly and quarterly publications for operators at all levels. The newly released ARRL Learning Network is one of the best learning libraries I have ever seen. As a member of the ARRL, you have full access to not only past sessions, but you can participate in the Live sessions as well. Again, this is but a slight taste of all the ARRL has available for its members. Be sure to check out www.arrl.org

As November and turkey time is upon us, I remain thankful for you, the Parker Radio Association member. This organization belongs to you and we thank you for your trust, support, and participation over the past several months. We hope that throughout our preparation, we have kept a spirit of “keeping the squelch loose” and I am certain that we can carry that kindred spirit in the months and years to come as we improve and promote our amateur radio service.

73,
Dan – N2SRK
President
Parker Radio Association

From one of the most iconic movies on my time, John Hughes’ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off captured the single greatest day a high school senior could have in skipping school. That seemingly innocent day off for the main character, Ferris Bueller, turned into a day filled with simply staying one step ahead of his parents, teachers, principal, sister and the student body itself. Throughout the chaos of that day, Ferris drops one of the most memorable lines in movie history to the viewers; “Life moves pretty fast…if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it.” Even though the year 2020 could be remembered as the ‘Great Pause,’ the amateur radio service and the Parker Radio Association are moving pretty fast…if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss all that is happening in amateur radio and your amateur radio organization.

Without skipping a beat since February, the PRA has been bringing amazing online content via its YouTube Channel. (If you think you’ve missed something, go to YouTube and search ‘Parker Radio Association’). Our monthly business meetings and Elmer Nights are always capped off with amazing presentations related to the amateur radio service. These presentations are given by members that are simply passionate about a particular aspect of ham radio. Personally, there has not been one presentation that I did not learn something new. Considering that I’ve been licensed for 28 years, it goes without saying that these presentations are top notch. I also think that our presentations speak volumes about our membership, their talent, and willingness to want to teach and educate.

Even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PRA committees have been very hard at work. Our website committee continues to ensure our website is one of the best out there for membership content, ease of accessibility, navigation, and content. What is also really exciting is that the website team is working diligently on a facelift to the site. Keep an eye out in the coming months for an even more amazing site.

Another committee that has been nothing but consistent and moving forward is our repeater committee. This committee has not only secured a site for the K0PRA Fusion repeater thanks to Randy-K0TNG, but through the support of Don-W0CFI, the committee has been able to place our D-Star repeater in its new home, with internet access. As infomercial hosts tell us, “but wait, there’s more…” The repeater committee, through generous donations of equipment, time, and resources, has also been able to set up a 2M analog repeater as well. This goes to show that even in the face of adversity, amateur radio and the will of its operators, remain committed to ensuring the message gets through.

A third example of a PRA group that has been active is the Portable Ops Group. This group enjoys hiking and deploying portable HF equipment every month or so. The hikes range from basic table top, park-bench set ups, to climbing summits, and everything in between. This group not only loves making a bunch of contacts, but this group is passionate about teaching everything from antennas, to batteries, backpacks and coax. Not only is getting on the air important, but being able to teach and learn about the amateur radio service is where the magic happens.

What has been exciting in the last several weeks has been the resurgence of VE Testing in the area. Our area Volunteer Examiners have been busy and the growth of new operators and upgrades has been plentiful. If you’re considering getting your amateur radio license or your considering an upgrade, there is not better time than now to take that first step towards your goal.

At the core of the PRA is, “Our mission is serving others by promoting amateur radio in the community and providing the training and support required to become an amateur radio operator. We will develop, enhance and maintain radio systems suitable for providing communications for the benefit of the community; and when requested, to assist civil authorities. We will continue to promote a culture that gives opportunities for amateur radio enthusiasts to socialize, learn, exchange ideas, and contribute to the enjoyment of our hobby.” One only needs to look back at the at the last 60-90 days to see the PRA living out this mission each day, week, and month. All members and committee chairs should not only be proud of your individual and collective efforts, but for those members that are new to us, we welcome you!! We highly encourage you to get involved by shopping for a committee to broaden your learning in amateur radio and participation in the PRA. There is no doubt that the PRA moves pretty fast…if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss all that is happening in amateur radio and your amateur radio organization.

73,
Dan – N2SRK
President
Parker Radio Association

It seems like only yesterday that the Parker Radio Association hit the 100 member mark in 2019. In 2014, the founding 13 members figured that if we could encourage about 25 or 30 regular members to participate on a monthly basis in regular club activities, we would be successful. As of the end of August, we are at 176 members. Not too shabby for a group that committed to Play Radio, Have Fun, and Keep the Squelch Loose back at our founding meeting in 2014. One thing that remains constant in amateur radio is change. Change is necessary for survival; at the same time, we can never lose understanding on our foundation and the actions that have gotten us this far.

One of the most intriguing anomalies since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic is that the PRA has grown. In previous articles, I have mentioned that one of the most important traits in the amateur radio service is the ability to stay versatile. By embracing online meeting formats and tying those into a YouTube Channel was only a wild idea in January 2020. Fast forward to today, it is our norm. It is because of this versatility that our members not only embraced an online format, but encouraged it. Through that encouragement, our content grew, our platform was easily accessible, and we continued to attract new members. It goes without saying that no one person was responsible for making this happen; it was a collective effort of talents, resources, knowledge and ultimate passion for amateur radio that delivered for the PRA and amateur radio. If you have been a presenter, a net control operator, participated in our meetings, or provided help behind the scenes in the Production Control Room, you are what make the PRA great and I thank you for your commitment and generosity.

It would be foolish of me to not recognize a fellow “2-Lander” that has risen to the ranks of the new ARRL CEO. The ARRL Board of Directors elected David Minster, NA2AA, of Wayne, New Jersey, as ARRL’s new Chief Executive Officer, starting on September 28. In the ARRL release, Minster states, “Building a culture of accomplishment and accountability is what I do best. My initial focus will be working with the Board on establishing strategic goals and concrete plans to navigate ARRL through the digital transformation required for the coming decades of its Second Century. This includes exciting and innovative ways to be engaged in amateur radio, while growing activity and membership.” I think it goes without saying that the PRA can likely give David a couple hints and suggestions on providing those innovative ways to engage in the service while growing membership actively. Bottom line, David will be a great resource for the ARRL and its membership.

In a surprise proposal, we learned in the last few days that the FCC has introduced a proposal to reinstate Amateur Radio Service fees. Bottom line is that licensees would pay a $50 fee for each amateur radio license application should the FCC adopt the rules it proposed this week. Included in the FCC’s fee proposal are applications for new licenses, renewal and upgrades to existing licenses, and vanity call sign requests. One key note is that applications for administrative updates, such as changes of address, and annual regulatory fees are excluded.

The FCC proposal is contained in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in MD Docket 20-270, which was adopted to implement portions of a 2018 Act “Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act” — also known as the “Ray Baum’s Act.” Take careful note; “REPACK AIRWAVES YIELDING BETTER ACCESS FOR USERS OF MODERN SERVICES ACT.” You will have the opportunity to comment on this proposal directly with the FCC. Deadlines for comments and reply comments will be determined once the NPRM appears in the Federal Register. When that happens, we will announce it and you have the opportunity to file comments by using the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), posting to MD Docket No. 20-270. As standard procedure, the FCC will consider all filed comments, once the proceeding has been opened to receive them. Stay tuned for more information.

Amateur radio is far from shaking the stigma of being a “grandfather’s hobby,” but we must constantly demonstrate its effectiveness and advancement in technological resources it has. Amateur radio operators volunteer their time, their resources, their equipment for the public and our community. Along these similar lines of promoting the amateur radio service, there is no doubt that our assigned spectrum has tremendous value, especially from organizations that not only want them, but have money to lobby for a piece of our action. The ARRL is your only resource in spectrum defense. If you are member of the ARRL, your annual contribution goes beyond QST Magazine. Fighting for, lobbying and protecting our spectrum takes tremendous effort and costs by the ARRL. If you are not a member of the ARRL, I highly encourage you to do so not only for spectrum defense and QST Magazine, but for a variety of member benefits. Check out those benefits here at the Rocky Mountain Division site: https://rockymountaindivision.org/?page_id=52

The only constant is change. With change, we can never dismiss what got us this far in the amateur radio service. Just as we did since 2014, we did not settle for only 25 or 30 members. If you had told me that the PRA would be quickly approaching 200 members within its six year history, I would have laughed off that fleeting thought of being impossible. As we have adapted, persevered, and remained versatile, we have been successful because we never lost focus in Playing Radio, Having Fun, and Keeping the Squelch Loose. Thank you for what you do for the PRA!

73,
Dan – N2SRK
President
Parker Radio Association

A Monthly Update from the President’s Shack

The past several months have taught us about adjusting and being versatile. What has been most impressive is how the amateur radio service has leveraged technology. At first, it was awkward and was not very pretty. Of course, I’m speaking from firsthand experience. From online platforms like Skype, Zoom, Meets and YouTube, our amateur radio learning experience is experiencing a renewal and virtual library right at our fingertips. The advancement of the amateur radio service is primed for leveraging this vault of information and it is up to us licensed amateurs to promote on-demand learning for the next generation while balancing opportunities for hands-on learning.

If you have not done so already, take a look at the Parker Radio Association YouTube Channel. A simple search on YouTube will navigate you there. As a side note, be sure to LIKE the videos and SUBSCRIBE to the channel to make sure you are updated on its regular content. We made this move to stream our monthly meetings and Elmer Nights in order to continue to provide our members amazing content each month. Recently, we’ve opened up the studio to have ALL members participate. The interaction has been tremendous and has really propelled the learning experience on the topics presented. There are a lot of people behind the scenes that have made this possible and without their support, knowledge and ‘can-do’ attitude, we would be spinning our wheels.

For those of you that are ARRL members, the ARRL recently launched the ARRL Learning Network. This new member benefit piggybacks on what the PRA has been doing for the last several months and their content is typically 15-minutes per session topic. A great snapshot of learning. Since amateur radio is about discovering, learning, and sharing how to use radio technology and radio communications, this is yet another great way for ARRL Members to take advantage of their member benefits in continuing their learning of our radio service. The bottom line is that the ARRL Learning Network is a webinar series featuring live online presentations from member-volunteers who want to help you become more active, involved, and engaged in ham radio. You can participate during a lunch break or as a quick evening activity. Presenters will stick around for another 15 minutes of Q&A. More information on this can be found at http://www.arrl.org/arrl-learning-network

What we have learned as amateur radio operators is that we are quick to adapt to situations; whether temporary or long term. We need to continue to leverage this pandemic ‘problem’ as a true opportunity to accelerate our learning. Amateur radio remains an amazing buffet of options in technology and communication. As amateur radio operators, we are ambassadors to learning and promoting the service. The advancement of the amateur radio service is primed for leveraging this vault of information and it is up to us licensed amateurs to promote on-demand learning for the next generation while balancing opportunities for hands-on learning.

73,
Dan – N2SRK
President
Parker Radio Association

A Monthly Update from the President’s Shack

Throughout the month of June, I was overwhelmed by the well wishes and congratulatory remarks on my appointment as Vice Director of the Rocky Mountain Division of the ARRL. The ARRL has been an important part of my amateur radio journey and I am excited to carry the successes of your Parker Radio Association throughout the Division and to ARRL Headquarters. If you are not a member of the ARRL, I highly encourage you to research all that the ARRL does for the amateur radio service prior to joining. If you think that an ARRL membership is simply a subscription to a monthly magazine, please dig deeper. There are dozens of services and benefits to ARRL membership that most members do not take full advantage of in their amateur radio activities. After you’ve done some research on ARRL Membership, should you have any questions, please reach out to me.

For the past six years, the Parker Radio Association mantra has been simple; Play Radio, Have Fun, and Keep the Squelch Loose. In the last several months, our membership numbers have accelerated well past the 160 member mark. Some amateur radio organizations are growing, while many others are experiencing a shrinking membership. I’ve often wondered what elements of the Parker Radio Association have supported our growth. I’ve kicked this wonder around to several of our new members, and in particular, our female members. In summary, the responses were conclusive and consistent. The best comment that summarized all the comments received:

“The PRA made me feel like I was a long-time member the first time I walked in for a meeting. I was greeted quickly and introduced to several other members. I’ve attended a few other group’s club meetings, besides the PRA, and went completely unnoticed…but not with the PRA; you can’t go unnoticed with this group.”

One of the other elements that the PRA does very well is encouraging and celebrating milestones. Many of our members are sitting for their first amateur radio exam; others are upgrading. We surround our brothers and sisters with encouragement and offers of help, when called upon. We also celebrate first contacts and milestone contacts such as a new country worked on HF. The bottom line is that when we continue to welcome our visitors, guests, and all members with enthusiasm, we get to know them better so that we can best surround them with encouragement and a warm spirit.

Last weekend, we held our first major face-to-face gathering as a group since the end of February by participating in the ARRL Field Day. Simply put, it was our best Field Day yet. Our Field Day coordinator, Brent-KB4SMK, was the conductor and lead a great team to not only a successful weekend, but one that was filled with laughter, learning, excitement, and fun. There is not a Field Day that I don’t learn something new. This year was no exception. Everyone there learned something, many taught something, and everyone had an amazing experience. Hopefully this is the launching pad for many more PRA events through the balance of 2020.

May we continue to focus on people in each and every opportunity we have. Making people feel welcomed into the PRA and do so with a spirit of kindness, friendship, and goodwill. You never know what impact you are making on that person and their future within the amateur radio service.

73,
Dan – N2SRK
President
Parker Radio Association

A Monthly Update from the President’s Shack

As of today, we are nearly 42% through 2020. At this point, 2020 is already going down as a year that history aficionados will thrive upon in discussions of local, regional, national, and worldwide impacts. Over the past two months, the PRA has learned to be flexible, versatile, and intuitive. Even though our program venues have changed from face-to-face to online, we are still getting on the air, having rag-chews, and getting a lot of contacts in the logbook. What continues to remain important for the PRA and its membership, is that we need to continue to encourage our new and potential hams, continue to check-in on one another, and share some of your newly found discoveries while we have had extra time in the shack or work bench.

This week, we learned of our ARRL Section Manager, Jack Ciaccia-WM0G, is stepping down from his position. For those of you that have not had the opportunity to meet Jack or get to know him, you missed out on meeting an Amateur Radio institution in Colorado. Rewind the PRA timeline back to January 2014. A group of 13 of us met in a conference room of a church in Parker, CO to discuss the feasibility of starting an amateur radio club in the southeast area of Denver’s suburbs. I invited Jack to participate in this inaugural meeting because, well, he was our Section Manager and definitely had some insight into what we were trying to pull off. I went into this meeting with some healthy optimism, but I was nagged by one comment given to me by email, “just what the Denver area needs, another ham radio club…SMH (shake-my-head).” Needless to say, within five minutes of the start of the meeting, Jack gave us words of encouragement, some pointers and the resources of the ARRL. With that, how could we not be successful?

I had an email exchange with Jack this week and one comment he provided summarizes the PRA perfectly. “The Parker Radio Association has become a force among our amateur radio clubs.” This statement is a testament to the 157+ members and their individual and collective efforts over the past six years. It is obvious that our success did not happen by accident and it did not happen perfectly. We grew by making mistakes, learning, supporting one another, and following our mission in “Playing Radio, Having Fun, and Keeping the Squelch Loose.”

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we could have taken the easy route in dialing in all meetings and events. We leveraged technology in bringing monthly meetings and Elmer Nights to YouTube Live. Just like the amateur radio service itself, we remained versatile, we tried new means to bring solid content to our members and continue to make impacts in learning about this great service.

This same mindset will carry into this year’s ARRL Field Day event. We are remaining on schedule for our annual excursion to Colorado Campground in Woodland Park. Obviously, a tremendous amount of efforts and coordination has been executed by our Field Day Committee team, lead by Brent-KB4SMK. What makes this year unique is that the ARRL has a temporary rule change that allows individuals to participate in Field Day at their home (or other location) while still contributing towards the points, counts and overall success of their Club; even if you’re not at Field Day in the woods with the PRA, you can still help us score BIG points and memorable contacts. More information on the temporary rule change can be found here: http://www.arrl.org/news/temporary-rule-waivers-announced-for-2020-arrl-field-day

The year is still relatively young and there are more changes to come. I am hopeful and optimistic that these coming changes will have positive and lasting impact on our amateur radio community. Hopefully, with some of the coming changes, the PRA and amateur radio as a whole, will continue to thrive and be, as Jack would put it, the “force” in our communities. If you have any suggestions on making your PRA stronger or have an idea for additional content platforms, let us know! Again, continue to encourage our new and potential hams, continue to check-in on one another, and share some of your newly found discoveries while we have had extra time in the shack or work bench.

73,
Dan – N2SRK
President
Parker Radio Association

A Monthly Update from the President’s Shack

If there was one book that I would love to get an original copy, it would be Clinton B. DeSoto’s 1941 classic, CALLING CQ. In the day and age of the internet, there is so much information at our fingertips. I happened to stumble across DeSoto’s work a few years ago. For a book that was written nearly 80-years ago, nearly everything he writes not only remains true today, but proves the excellent health of amateur radio. Do we have some areas to work on? You bet. The Parker Radio Association will perpetually work at “Having Fun, Playing Radio, and Keeping the Squelch Loose.” As I read the following excerpt from DeSoto’s book, I wonder if his ham radio club was like the PRA? I have a feeling it was pretty close.

Excerpted from the 1941 classic, CALLING CQ, written by Clinton B. DeSoto

ACCORDING to the official definition, amateur radio is “radio communication between amateur stations solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.” A comparable definition might describe a diamond as a “carboniferous solid.” Yet, properly mounted, a diamond is a many-faceted gem of dazzling beauty. Amateur radio, too, has many facets.

This is one facet of amateur radio: it is a hobby. “The ordinary life of the ordinary man from whence spring the great majority of hams is a dull, drab and somewhat dreary struggle,” according to one amateur. “Psychologists tell us that periodically one should drop his work for awhile and try something else, that if it be interesting enough one will usually return with renewed interest and zest.” Then this amateur, a successful professional man, continues: “Amateur radio is my hobby. In its pursuit I find the balm of Gilead.”

He might have added that amateur radio is unique among hobbies in that it is the only one established by federal statute and international treaty, the only one whose practice is limited to qualified, licensed practitioners. This is another facet of amateur radio: it is a means of self-expression.

“Being an amateur gives me the chance to meet people I would otherwise never meet,” says one. “That’s part of it. There’s more to it than that though. If I build a new amplifier or something and make it work I feel that I’m creating something. When I hook up a rig I’ve just finished and I push the key and a fellow in the next state answers me–all this with things I have made with my own hands–why, then I feel like I have accomplished something sort of worthwhile.”

Another describes his facet thus: “I have radio pals in all sorts of odd corners of the world whose signals come whispering to me through the night … out of the jungles of the Congo … from the tiger-infested districts of Malaya … from the interior of Dutch Borneo … from mountain tea estates of Java and India … from the elephant and lion country of Rhodesia, from the burning sands of Iraq…. We wander over the face of this little old world like a bug on an orange.” There are other facets, too: public service by providing emergency communication in the time of disaster, radio contact with expeditions to remote places, experimentation and research, and many other activities that combine to make amateur radio truly “all things to all men.”

Radio amateurs live in a world of their own–a magic world not open to everyone. The “Open Sesame” that lifts its portals is the possession of amateur-operator and station licenses issued by the Federal Communications Commission. The applicant for such licenses must pass a stringent examination at one of the district offices of the Commission, demonstrating his technical qualifications, his knowledge of radio theory and law and his ability to send and receive the International Morse code. He must first spend hours burning midnight oil, acquiring the rudiments of an engineering knowledge of radio theory. He must practice for seemingly endless weeks until the meaningless string of dots and dashes becomes an intelligible language. He must learn the regulations of the F.C.C. and the provisions of basic communications law, because all radio–including the amateur brand–is a closely regulated enterprise.

The neophyte does not metamorphose easily into the full-fledged amateur. But when he does leave his chrysalis a new world is opened up to him. First he gets a new name–his radio call letters. Thenceforth he has a new identity–even a new personality and new social status.

He finds amateur radio “the means of communications with others on equal terms, of finding friendship, adventure and prestige while seated at one’s own fireside,” according to Dr Raymond V. Bowers. “In picking his human contacts out of the air, the amateur is not seen by them…. He is not known by the company he keeps nor by the clothes he wears, but by the signal he emits.

He enters a new world whose qualifications for success are within his reach. A good homemade set gives him more prestige than a commercially manufactured one. There are no century-old class prejudices to impede his progress. He enters a thoroughly democratic world where he rises or falls by his own efforts. When he is W9XYZ the beginner the radio elders help him willingly and when he becomes W9XYZ the record breaker and efficient traffic handler he willingly helps the younger generation. Without a pedigree, a chauffeur or an old master decorating his living room he can become a prince–of the air. At the close of the day, filled with the monotonous routine of the machine age, he can find adventure, vicarious travel, prestige and friendship by throwing in the switch and pounding his signals into the air.”

His equipment may be of the most elementary kind, and his complete station may cost less than fifty dollars. Yet with such an outfit–with perhaps ten or twenty watts’ power–he can accomplish as much as his operating skills will permit. One amateur in New South Wales, Australia, for example, talked with each of the six continents with a ten-watt transmitter. Another amateur, in Columbus, Ohio, communicated by code with South Africa, Australia and New Zealand–halfway around the world–using only one-half watt of power.

On the other hand, he may have high-powered, completely automatic transmitters rivaling or excelling those of a large broadcasting station and costing many thousands of dollars. A Mexico City amateur is reputed to have spent fifty thousand dollars on his station; another, in San Francisco, is said to have invested over one hundred thousand dollars.

But the enjoyment of amateur radio is not measured in dollars or even in elaborate equipment. It is rather measured by such gauges as service, self-expression, a sense of personal accomplishment.

Friendship is such a gauge too. Even the shyest, most introspective soul will respond to a proffer like this: “Well, old man, let’s know each other better. I’m thirty-nine years old. I own a garage in this sleepy Arizona town of five hundred people. I also do electric welding. I have three children. What do you do?–and how old are you?”

The Chicago dentist whose CQ he had answered responded in kind, and between the Chicagoan and the Arizona garage owner there sprang up a strong friendship. Such contacts occur constantly in amateur radio; the community of the air is a friendly one. And, lest those contacts become ordinary and commonplace, coupled with them is the element of unpredictability. The next amateur “worked” may be a grocery clerk or a retired banker or a housewife or a rancher or a film star or physician.

Fraternalism … good fellowship … ingenuity … public service … the power to annihilate distance and bring oneself closer to mankind throughout the world … the ability to build and create and put the products of one’s hands to work to overcome the miles and hours … thrills and sport and adventure….

That’s what amateur radio is like.

Bottom line, I think DeSoto would have fit in really well with the PRA and likely would have taught us a few things.

73,
Dan – N2SRK
President
Parker Radio Association

A Monthly Update from the President’s Shack

Toward the end of last year, the company that I work for went through an ownership transfer. For many people, such a thought brings some natural anxiety, uncertainty, and the ageless question of ‘what’s next?’ The family that owned my company provided a major shock to the employees during this announcement; the company ownership had been transferred to the employees of the company. In a sweeping, whirlwind weekend, we were engulfed in learning about a employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) and what it meant for us as a company and as individuals. Through expert outside consulting that was patient with our seemingly endless questions, one consistent message permeated most discussions; “with ownership transition to an ESOP, everything is different, but everything is the same.” When I look at our current events with the COVID-19 and the impact it has on our businesses, communities, families, habits and hobbies (like amateur radio), I remain hopeful that even though everything is different, everything will remain the same.

Within a few quick weeks, everything changed for the Parker Radio Association. We went from two monthly face-to-face meetings to none. We went from monthly committee breakfast meetings and portable operation gatherings to none. The future of our monthly face-to-face meetings is also unknown. One of our main events of the year, ARRL Field Day, will likely see some major changes in 2020. When all of this resumes, we do know for certain, everything will be different.

One of the elements of amateur radio that is at the core of the service is versatility. Radio amateurs are versatile and can adapt to unexpected changes with ease. Actually, we embrace and thrive on constant change. Take a look at our 2019 Field Day – we went from beautiful weather, to thunderstorms, hail, wind, dropping temps and even snow flurries. The best part was that we adapted to the elements, and continued to play radio, have fun, and kept the squelch very loose.

Over the past couple of weeks, we maintained focus and commitment to moving our monthly face-to-face meetings to both an on-the-air meeting and a YouTube Live event for Elmer Night. Although it was different, everything remained the same. We had a lot of laughs, a great presentation, and we all learned so much by adapting to what we faced. It could have been very easy to cancel or postpone these events, but with the momentum that these events have, we simply found a way to make it work. Our YouTube Live event was far from pretty or polished, but it was a lot of fun and we received a lot of great feedback.

With everything changing, everything remains the same, particularly when it comes to amateur radio. Amateur radio is consistent and is always there. It welcomes you back when you’ve been off the air for a while. The hobby adapts to change relatively quickly with modern digital modes via computer or raspberry pi. Even traditional methods of morse code and voice communication remain very active, even in the computer assisted digital age. Like amateur radio, the Parker Radio Association will continue to adapt to change, with a kindred spirit that continually promotes having fun, playing radio, and keeping the squelch loose.

Don’t forget, wash your hands often! See you on the air or on one of our online platforms!

73,
Dan – N2SRK
President
Parker Radio Association

A Monthly Update from the President’s Shack

With the month of March upon us, we have almost 17% of 2020 in the history books. A staggering number, for those that are aficionados of statistics. As a matter of perspective, we have 83% of the year in front of us. Since the start of 2020, the PRA has formed several key committees in the organization. The impact of those that stepped up to lead this committees has been nothing but amazing; those that stepped up to participate in these committees have helped our organization get things done quicker, with more impact, and immediate results. The key element of this is that because of direct member participation, the your amateur radio organization continues to grow.

Maybe committees just are not your thing. We get that, understand that, and appreciate where you are. Our organization is more than just committees, meetings and monthly presentations. We are active in regional events such as the upcoming HamCon 2020 Division Convention, giving back to the community with Scout events and opportunities to introduce amateur radio; we are active with annual events such as Pedaling 4 Parkinson’s, where we exercise our assets and talents as amateur radio operators and provide a service back to another amazing organization in their annual fund raising event. We also have weekly nets where we not only update on happenings of the PRA, but we exercise our privileges assigned to us as amateur radio operators. The PRA has become a wonderful buffet of opportunities for participation.

In the last two months, I want to thank not only the committee chairpersons, but those that are active in those committees. I also want to thank those that have been dedicated in being a net control operator for our nets. With a 135+ member organization, your participation is needed. If you’ve been inactive for a while, or a little hesitant to get on the air, we understand and want to help you cross that threshold. We’re here to meet you where you are in your amateur radio journey. If you look back on the last two months, we’ve gotten a lot done and if that pattern continues, we’re going to make such an impact on the amateur radio community in 2020. If you’re not on a committee, have not been a net control operator, or have not participated in an event like Pedaling 4 Parkinson’s, Field Day coordination, or the portable operations group, now is your time and you’re invited to jump in to help build your organization. Learn something, teach something while having fun, playing radio, and keeping the squelch loose – that is what the PRA is.

A Monthly Update from the President’s Shack

The new year gave the PRA no time to waste in getting active in 2020. If there is one aspect of the organization that we have going for us, it is the momentum and culture of the organization. What an amazing start to the new year with our membership renewals working virtually flawlessly, thanks to an amazing webmaster in Jeff, AB0L, and levels of support from many different levels of the organization. Committed involvement at all levels of any organization breathes energy, enthusiasm, and life into any group of people.

We kicked off the year with an amazing Winter Field Day. Many have commented that this was the best PRA event ever. Now, the bar is set. Thanks to Stan, N0KKY, and his beautiful wife, they opened up their historic home and property for about 50 PRA members to come out, enjoy the history, demonstrate radio set ups, get on the air, teach each other, and eat some amazing food. This entire event was a testament to the core mission of the PRA in Playing Radio, Having Fun, and Keeping the Squelch Loose. Everyone chipped in to the event in some fashion and it was great to have a bunch of pre-teens check out what ham radio was all about and to get on the air and talk all over the country, including Alaska and Hawaii. Now, that’s what the amateur radio service is all about.

One of the highlights was having several first time pre-teens and teens participate in Winter Field Day. We have a wonderful opportunity ahead of us in embracing the next generation of amateur radio operators. If any amateur radio organization does not embrace the cultural change of the hobby, let alone how Millennials are perceived and especially how they communicate, we’re all in big trouble. Bottom line is this, Millenials have options and they’re not afraid to use them.

So, how do we embrace the next generation? Easy, just as we do every meeting in greeting new faces, congratulating new licensees or upgrades, offering help to a new ham to learn something, getting involved in a committee…most importantly, keeping an open mind because you might just learn something. As a know-it-all teenager, my father instilled in me a valuable piece of advice, “If you think you’re the expert on something, it is usually good to keep your mouth shut for a while because you’ll likely find out how much of an expert you think you are…or you might learn that you know nothing.” This premise holds true with my position in the PRA and I am so happy with the diversity of backgrounds, ages, knowledge and experience. The absolute best part of the PRA, we embrace differences, we take risks and challenge each other to take the chance in something new, and we always keep encouraging each other.

We have a long way to go, not only as an organization, but as an amateur radio service. We’re making great strides in the PRA and we should never discount how far we’ve come in the last six years. It doesn’t happen by accident, but it took a few accidents to learn, improve, and get us on course. For the PRA, committed involvement at all levels continues to breathe energy, enthusiasm, and life into our organization. Thank you for your involvement in the PRA.

My wish is that we continue to embrace, encourage, and cheer-on our next generation of operators.

73,
Dan – N2SRK
President
Parker Radio Association