SECTION MANAGER REPORT
March 31, 2022
Dan Ringer, K8WV
West Virginia Section Manager
** DID YOU KNOW?
ARRL News | New FCC Application Fee Will Not Apply To Amateur Radio License Upgrades
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) staff has clarified in response to an ARRL request that the new $35 application fee will not apply to most license modifications, including those to upgrade an Amateur Radio Licensee’s operator class and changes to club station trustees. The FCC staff explained that the new fees will apply only to applications for a new license, renewal, rule waiver, or a new vanity call sign. As previously announced, the new fees take effect on April 19, 2022.
“We are pleased that the FCC will not charge licensees the FCC application fee for license upgrade applications,” said ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM. “While applicants for a new license will need to pay the $35 FCC application fee, there will be no FCC charge for future upgrades and administrative updates such as a change of mailing or email address. Most current licensees therefore will not be charged the new FCC application fee until they renew their license or apply for a new vanity call sign.”
ARRL previously reported that the new $35 application fee for Amateur Radio licenses will become effective on April 19, 2022. Further information and instructions about the FCC Application Fee are available from the ARRL VEC.
** CONTRIBUTION WITHOUT EFFORT
If you sign up for Amazon Smile at smile.amazon.com, Amazon will make a small contribution to the ARRL everytime you make a purchase – at no additional cost to you! All you have to do is sign up and designate the ARRL as your selected charity. AmazonSmile is available at smile.amazon.com on your web browser and can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones. When you shop AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same prices, selection and shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to the ARRL.
During the 4th quarter of 2022 AmazonSmile made a charitable donation to the American Radio Relay League, in the amount of $2,922.97. So far, AmazonSmile has donated a total of $59,795.35 to the League.
** UPCOMING HAMFESTS & CONVENTION
05/01/2022 – JCARC Hamfest 2022
Location: Ripley, WV
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Jackson County Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.jcarc.net/
07/30/2022 – WV State Amateur Radio Convention
Location: Flatwoods, WV
Type: ARRL Hamfest and Convention
Sponsor: WV State Amateur Radio Council
Website: https://www.qsl.net/wvsarc/wv-state-convention.html
** NEW WEST VIRGINIA HAMS!
As of March 3, 2022
Randall R Lytle, KE8TYW, Union, WV 24983-6935
Jamie D Russell, KE8TYP, Liberty, WV 25124-8027
Tina M Heffner, KE8UAH, Maysel, WV 25133-0308
Taylor W Raab, KE8TXU, Charleston, WV 25314-1863
David C Quade, KE8TXO, Charles Town, WV 25414-5609
Thomas P Nicholson, KE8TZU, Hedgesville, WV 25427-3528
William Pappas, KE8TZV,Shepherdstown, WV 25443-4383
Melissa Eakle Leasure, KE8UAZ, Huntington, WV 25701-8505
Robert L Fischer, KE8UAG, Huntington, WV 25701-9406
Gregory J Renzelli, KE8TXV, Anmoore, WV 26323-0416
David A Beeson, KE8UAX, Philippi, WV 26416-7162
Robert B Watson, KE8UAV, Salem, WV 26426-8030
Amanda B Stewart, KE8TZP, Tunnelton, WV 26444-8844
Andrew S Mason, KE8TZQ, Morgantown, WV 26508-4246
Malcolm D Milligan, KE8TYX, Morgantown, WV 26508-7442
Rodney L Bean, KE8UBK Morgantown, WV 26508-9414
Charles M Huffman, KE8TZO, Fairmont, WV 26554-4168
Charles M Snider, KE8UBH, Metz, WV 26585-7073
Kevin Hinton, KE8UAW, Leivasy, WV 26676-0172
Congratulations! Welcome to the greatest hobby on Earth!!
And congratulations, too, to the VE’s who made these exam sessions possible!
CLUB PRESIDENTS: See someone above from your county? Invite them to a
club meeting! Get them on the air and involved! (Addresses can be found
at http://www.arrl.org/fcc/search)
** HELP WANTED:
Unfortunately, WV hams have been seriously restricted in our ability to engage in public service events during the past couple of years, or to do much other than operate. So, it’s more important than ever to let people know what we do to be ready to respond when help is needed! The positions of Public Information Officers and Emergency Coordinators are designed to fill these needs. Please consider volunteering!
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS
Each ARRL affiliated club should have a designated Public Information Officer (PIO)! Basically, the PIO is the club public relations officer, and is nominated by their club and appointed by the Section Manager. You can read the official position description at http://www.arrl.org/public-information-officer.
EVERY CLUB NEEDS ONE! Contact k8wv@arrl.org.
EMERGENCY COORDINATORS
We have several openings for Emergency Coordinators. Ideally, we would have one in each county. It is a serious position. You can read about it here: http://www.arrl.org/emergency-coordinator
Basic requirements: Technician-class license or higher; full ARRL membership, and achievement of Level 3 qualifications. (Must, within the period of 1 year, from the issuance of this document or appointment as EC, whichever comes later, or such further time period as authorized by the SM, complete all of the requirements for Level 3 qualification.)
In addition to the basic requirements it is important that an EC make a good impression when dealing with governmental officials, have excellent speaking and writing skills, work well with others as both a leader and a follower, and make monthly, timely reports to the SEC. Contact n8oyy@arrl.net.
** CLUBS!
Are you looking for a club? Contact Spence Graham, WT8WV@arrl.net. He’s the Section Affiliated Club Coordinator (ACC). He’ll hook you up an ARRL Affiliated club or clubs close to you. You can also go to the West Virginia State Amateur Radio Council(WVSARC)website https://www.qsl.net/wvsarc/ and check “Club Contact for new members.” It lists some clubs that are not ARRL Affiliated.
If there isn’t a club near you, and you’d like to start one, we can help with that. Don’t know how to organize a club? We can help with that, too! Contact K8WV@arrl.org.
** CLUB PROGRAM?
If you’re planning your club’s program schedule, and would like to
have a WV Section ARRL Official present a program, send a request with
the necessary date/time information to K8WV@arrl.org. We’ll get
something set up! Want to do it by Zoom? We can schedule that for you!
** SECTION CABINET
No one person can coordinate all the activities involved with the
West Virginia Section. Here are the volunteers who make it happen, with
the assistance of many others.
Section Manager
Dan Ringer. K8WV
Affiliated Club Coordinator (ACC)
Spencer Graham, WT8WV
Assistant Section Manager (ASM)
Mark Charles Kraham, W8CMK
Michael E. Maxson, W8SI
Public Information Coordinator (PIC)
Cory Sickles, WA3UVV
Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC)
Ed Messenger, N8OYY
State Government Liaison (SGL)
Nathan Burdette, WV8NAB
Section Traffic Manager (STM)
Kenneth D. Caplinger, WV8KDC
Section Youth Coordinator
William W. Stewart Sr, W2BSA
Technical Coordinator (TC)
Randy Crowe, N8OZY
Rich Clemens, KB8AOB
You can contact any of the cabinet members by email to <callsign>@arrl.net.