Section Manager Newsletter - March 2025
Douglas Sharafanowich - WA1SFH
ARRL Section Manager, Connecticut
Cell: 203-494-3885

March 25, 2025

Greetings!
I hope this finds you well.

CONTENTS
- The CT Section Manager Newsletter
- If YOU build it, they will come.
- CT Hamfests (March – May)
- ARRL Field Day 2025
- Parks On The Air (POTA)
- Youth Outreach
- ARRL’s Letter re: FCC Public Notice, “Delete, Delete, Delete”

The CT SECTION MANAGER NEWSLETTER
Welcome to my 1st Section Manager Newsletter.
I am happy to report that progress continues at ARRL to rebuild their
I.T. capabilities after last year’s horrendous cyberattack, and the
Section Email function for Section Managers is the most recent example
of this recovery.

Below is a quick overview of what is going on in the Connecticut
Section.
Also, I would very much like to hear from you about Amateur Radio
activiti es that you are involved in and what you are building.
Here are 2 Examples:
- A local ham in Stratford is converting solar powered walkway lights
into solar powered Mesh Network Nodes.
- During my Winter Field Day Tour, I came across a station in
Uncasville using a quick to set up 40m Folded Dipole supported by 3 sets
of green garden plant stake (2 stakes per set in an “X”
configuration) for Near Vertical Incident Skywave (NVIS) propagation.


“IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.”
(quote from the movie: Field of Dreams)

New W1BPT - KB1AEV Link
By the end of this week, the Bridgeport W1BPT 2m repeater will be
"linked fulltime" to the KB1AEV repeater Network.
Rx 146.445Mhz
Tx 147.445Mhz (this is a non-standard +1Mhz split)
PL tone: 151.4 (new PL tone changed from 77)

I am beyond thrilled to see how the Greater Bridgeport Amateur Radio
Club (GBARC) has spearheaded the NEW Repeater link to the KB1AEV
repe ater system. It will be up and functioning 24/7. This now gives
folks in lower Fairfield County (CT ARES Region 1) access to the mighty
KB1AEV linked repeater network that covers a large portion of CT. This
has been a dream for over 40 years. Congratulations to Dana KB1AEV,
Peter K1PCN (and his GBARC team), and others in achieving this
milestone.

Antenna Builds
SouthEastern Connecticut Amateur Radio Society (SECARS) is now planning
sessions for 2 antenna Builds. One will be a multi-band for POTA and the
other will be a G5RV dipole variant.

Licensing Classes
Meriden Amateur Radio Club (MARC) and Eastern CT Amateur Radio
Association (ECARA) are running Technician and General Study Classes.
This is a great way to bring new people into the hobby and build club
membership.

Developing new Net Control Station Operators
- For Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), National Traffic System
(NTS), and SKYWARN, CERT.
Phil K1X FC, your CT ARES Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC), sponsored
a highly successful half-day Net Control Station Training Workshop at
the Newington Fire Department HQ on Saturday, Feb.1, 2025. The presenter
was Douglas WA1SFH, your new CT Section Manager (SM, and we had about 40
people in attendance - including 3 hams from New York State. It even
got a write-up in the ARRL Letter. As a result of that write-up, there
have been inquiries from other amateur radio leaders - as far away as
Vancouver Island (BC).
The NCS Training Workshop PowerPoint presentation can be found at:
https://ctaresregion2.org/downloads/category/2-training

Building CT ARES
- Volunteer Leaders Wanted
Between Covid and the normal course of retirements and relocations, CT
ARES SEC Phil K1XFC is actively looking for a few good men (and women)
to fill key volunteer leadership positions. Specifically, District
Emergency Coordinator (DEC) positions for Region 1, Regi on 2, Region 4.

DEC Info at:
https://www.arrl.org/district-emergency-coordinator

In addition, there are several openings for local town Emergency
Coordinators (EC) in each Region.
EC Info at:
https://www.arrl.org/emergency-coordinator

More detailed information about each position can be found in The ARRL
Emergency Coordinator Manual at:
https://ctaresregion2.org/downloads/category/8-the-arrl-emergency-coordinator-s-manual
To find your Region, and how to contact SEC Phil K1XFC, go to:
www.ctares.org


CT HAMFESTS (March – May)
We have 3 Hamfest coming soon. You really don’t want to miss them!
- Grab a few Ham buddies and carpool up together.

Sunday, March 30, 2025 THIS WEEKEND !!!!
What: Southington Fleamarket/Hamfest & CT ARES Spring Meeting
Sponsor: Southington Amateur Radio Association (SARA),
Place: Southington High School,
720 Pleasant Street., Southington
Tim e: 8am – 12 noon

Saturday, April 26, 2025
What: SECARS Amateur Radio Fleamarket/Hamfest
Sponsor: SouthEastern Connecticut Amateur Radio Society
(https://secars.org)
Place: Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Hall,
1650 CT Route 12, Gales Ferry
Time: 8:30 am – 2 pm

Fri./Sat./Sun., May 9 - 11
What: 48th Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave Conference
Sponsor: The North East Weak Signal Group
Place: Hilton Garden Inn
Corporate Drive, Windsor
(I-91 Exit 38 to Day Hill Rd.)
Time: See Flyer
Flyer: https://www.newsvhf.com/conference/


ARRL FIELD DAY 2025 is COMING!
June 28 – 29
Now is the time to start planning for ARRL Field Day 2025. If you are a
member in a Club, I encourage you to take an active role and participate
– The More, The Merrier!
However, if you operate solo or in a small team, now is a great time to
start organizi ng and planning where you will be, getting site
permission, etc.

Info about ARRL FD 2025 can be found at:
https://www.arrl.org/field-day

Please be sure to post your operating site on the FD Locator Map, and
let us see where you are operating.
Map Link:
https://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator

The FD Locator Map is a powerful tool in promoting Amateur Radio and
encouraging Hams and Non-Hams (including Municipal and State officials)
to visit.

Congratulations to The Eastern Connecticut Amateur Radio Club (ECARA) as
being the first to put their FD 2025 site on the Map.

Don’t keep your FD site a secret!
Put it on the ARRL FD Locator Map…TODAY!


PARKS ON THE AIR (POTA)
I am very excited about the POTA program with opportunities to
“activate” over 130 listed parks here in CT. This independent
program is an outgrowth of the previous ARRL National Parks On The Air
(NPOTA) initiative, and has been a real shot in the arm for our hobby
encouraging Amateur Radio Operators to go out into the field and get
“Radio - Active”.
The Warmer weather is coming. Go POTA!
We even have a CT based POTA group:
Connecticut Parks On The Air.
/g/CT-POTA


YOUTH OUTREACH
Question:
“Why don’t we see more young people in Amateur Radio?”

Answer:
Because very few Hams are making an effort to introduce and engage kids
in amateur radio activities at Schools, Home Schooling organizations,
Youth Activity Groups (e.g. Scouting, etc.), Amateur Radio Clubs, or
Public Events – and leaving the job to THE OTHER GUY to do.
- DON'T BE THE OTHER GUY.

Section Youth Coordinator (SYC) Needed
With the previous SYC now serving as the CT Section Manager, the CT
Section is now looking for a special individual who understands the
vital need of getting Youth involved in Amateur Radio and wants to make
a difference.

As a member of the Section Cabinet reporting to the Section Manager, the
role of the SYC is to:
Assess youth activity within ARRL affiliated clubs, promote youth
related on-air activities, encourage youth related programs and
activities within clubs and, provide Youth related ideas and resources
to Amateur Radio Clubs within the Section.

It’s a Team Effort.... the SYC can't do it all himself.
The SYC will need to build a small team of Assistants to make it happen
across the state.
- For more information, please contact me, Douglas WA1SFH.


ARRL to Gather Comments from Members on FCC’s Public Notice
Dear ARRL Member,
On March 12, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a
Public Notice titled “In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete,” seeking input
from the public on FCC rules that may be outdated, unnecessary, or in
need of modification. This inquiry is part of the FCC's ongoing effort
to alleviat e regulatory burdens across various services, including the
Amateur Radio Service.

As part of this review, ARRL is conducting a thorough examination of the
provisions in Part 97 and related rules that affect amateur radio
operators. ARRL’s written comments, which will be prepared by our FCC
Counsel and the ARRL Executive Committee, will include consideration of
feedback we received from members.

Members who want to share comments and concerns about this matter are
urged to share your feedback directly with ARRL. Please submit your
comments by March 31, 2025 and use the following feedback form:

www.arrl.org/fcc-public-notice-march-2025

ARRL will submit our official filing to the FCC by the April 11
deadline. After that, there will be an opportunity for reply comments at
the FCC until April 28, and then later, opportunities for public comment
on any rules the FCC proposes to delete or modify.

While the FCC Public Notice is a broad inquiry that does not single out
any specific radio service, ARRL is nonetheless committed to protecting
the Amateur Radio Service, promoting its public interest goals, and
ensuring your right to access radio spectrum.

ARRL will continue to work on this matter, and we will inform members as
more news develops.

Thank you,
73, ARRL Executive Committee

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ARRL Connecticut Section
Section Manager: Douglas Sharafanowich, WA1SFH
wa1sfh@...
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