Friday, December 13, 2013

Week 50 of the SEC Notes..


Ohio SEC Notes & Stuff - Week 50 - 2013
For public distribution.  Please forward as appropriate.
These notes will also be available on the ARES page at www.arrl-ohio.org

Ohio HF Net by W8SGT.  Tues at 7PM on 3875 kHz and 7240 kHz LSB.

Ohio Digital Emergency Net (OHDEN)  Tues at 8PM. 3585 kHz and 7072 kHz  USB.

Ross T. Stillisano KB8JTZ Memorial Award Winner:  David Rickon NF8O, of Medina, OH

Season's Greetings from the Northeast corner of the Buckeye State.  Looks like counseling is helping Old Man Winter and Mother Nature.  Temperatures and weather conditions are consistent with a winter wonderland.  ;-) 

Congratulations to the Twenty Over Nine Amateur Radio Club for a great craft show and spaghetti dinner last Sunday.  I had a great time and I was thoroughly impressed with the number of vendors and attendance.  The food was fantastic!  Hats off to everyone who helped make the event a success.  Job well done. 
The Warren Amateur Radio Association will be celebrating their 75th anniversary on December 15, 2013.  The club has decided to do a special event throughout the week of the anniversary.  This will be from December 15th, 2013 through December 21, 2013.  Club members will be operating from home using the club call sign W8VTD on 80, 40, 20, and 15 meters during this week.  Visit their website www.w8vtd.org or contact Jackie N8JMW at n8jmw2@gmail.com should you have any questions.

And now a short message from Assistant SEC Mark KB8YMN -

Let me introduce my self. I am Mark Griggs KB8YMN a newly appionted Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator For districts #3, #7 and #9. And I live in Franklin county Ohio. As part of my job I have been give the task of recruiting and retention of ARES personnel for the state of Ohio.As DEC’s and EC’s you are all aware that every licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national organization is eligible to apply for membership in ARES. The point is we need new blood to pass on the skills and knowledge that we and our members have gained. So we don’t have an ARES group dwindle away because of no new members. Which has happened before. I also understand that  some counties have a smaller Ham community and it is harder to find members. And others have a larger Ham population and have no problem with recruiting. On the other hand can we afford to lose members for what ever reason.

So with that, what I am asking for is your help and input on questions regarding recruiting and retention of members. For example:

·        What are your problems with recruiting new members.

·        Do you have someone in charge of recruiting.

·        Do you give ARES brosures to new Hams at VE sessions.

·        Do you give ARES presentations to Ham clubs or different groups.

Also on retention do you:

·        List member milestone anniversaries in your newsletter or give certificates.

·        Thank members for their involvement in your events

·        Mentor new members.

·        Contact members that have quit or stopped participating to find out why.

·        Survey members to see what the think needs done to improve you group.

Questions like this is what I need answers for. So I am asking for all the Dec’s and EC’s in OHIO for your input. So that I can present to Matt W8DEC/ SEC, some type of plan. So this is your chance to have a say in the recruiting and retention plan for next year.  Please email me with your responses. I look forward to hearing what you have to say.

ASEC Scott N8SX is still collecting FEMA training certificates from volunteers for IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, IS-800.  If you have not sent in your certificates, you're encouraged to do so by sending them electronically to n8sx@arrl.net.
That's all from me this week.  Have a nice weekend.  Thanks for everything you do for amateur radio.
73 de Matt W8DEC