We expect to be still under the COVID-19 stay at home guidelines for the Friday, May 1st meeting. The meeting will take place on the 2M repeater.
Find us on 147.21 / 147.81 MHz PL 131.8.
Also, Amateur Radio license test sessions are on hold for now.
Our Friday, April 3rd meeting and amateur radio license test session at the church have been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. We hope to reschedule the presentation on attic antennas for a later date. Please note the May 1st meeting has a high likelihood of cancelation as well.
Instead of a face-to-face meeting, PAARC will have a First Friday Repeater Net with Ed, K3BVQ as Net Control. Repeater info: 147.21 / 147.81 MHz PL 131.8
The board meeting scheduled for 3/20 is also in flux. We will either move it online or postpone it to a later date.
PAARC is doing what we can to keep our community safe. Thank you for your understanding.
DATE: January 30, 2020
MEMO TO: Pennsylvania Amateur Radio Operators
FROM: Your Pennsylvania ARRL Leadership Team (includes Eastern and Western Pennsylvania Sections)
Re: Amendment to HB 37
_____________________________________________________________________________________
During a conference this morning with the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee, we learned that partly as a result of our efforts, Senator Farnese of Philadelphia will be introducing an amendment to this bill that will exempt Amateur Radio Operators from its prohibition on the use of Amateur Radio equipment while mobile.
The committee’s executive director is unsure of the timing for a future vote on this bill but feels certain that if Amateur Radio Operators in Pennsylvania communicate their support for the amendment, it will contribute to a successful outcome.
Senator Farnese’s staff is currently preparing the language of the amendment following input from your ARRL team. Once the Senate includes this exemption and passes the bill, it will go to a conference committee where the differences in the House and Senate versions must be ironed out. So, your support for this amendment is crucial. Contact your State Representative and State Senator and ask them to support the amendment to HB37 exempting Amateur Radio Operators.
Use this link https://www.legis.state.pa.us/ to find out who represents you in the Senate and House. Contact them and simply ask them to support the exemption amendment.
We’ll post more updates as the bill progresses.
—
73,
WT Jones
WN3LIF
ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service
wn3lif@w3luz.org <—
Eastern PA Section Emergency Coordinator
http://www.w3luz.org
ARRL EPA Section Manager, George Miller, W3GWM, and Atlantic Division Vice-Director, Bob Famiglio, K3RF urge Pennsylvania amateurs to write to their PA State Senators about House Bill 37.
On HB 37, now in the Transportation Committee:
1. There is a serious flaw in the draft as it now stands. By omission, it prohibits the operation of VHF or HF amateur radios in Pennsylvania moving vehicles.
2. Amateur Radio, using ARES-RACES, has provided Disaster Communications to millions of citizens since the 1930s. Ham Operators have provided reliable communications out of the affected areas during Hurricane Agnes in 1972, the Johnstown Flood in 1977, Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant meltdown, 1999, Flight 93 Crash, Shanksville, 2001, Tropical Storm Henri, 2002, the Quecreek Mine Disaster in 2002, Campbelltown Tornado 2004, dozens of weather and natural disasters on I-80, I-376, I-81, I-95, I-476, I-99, I-76 and the 2017 PA Turnpike Snow event, where Ham Operators assisted PEMA in maintaining communications to WPA.
3. In order to perform this function, it is imperative that these trained and FCC-licensed radio operators are permitted to communicate by radio while operating their vehicles.
4. Oftentimes, during an incident, cars, and trucks provide the only power and antenna platforms available. These volunteers, who act as operators and repair technicians, can provide both voice and digital communications completely devoid of any commercial infrastructure such as cell phone towers or the Internet.
5. Amateur Radio has mutual aid agreements with dozens of Fire Companies, PA County Departments of Emergency Services as well as PEMA, CAP, FEMA, and the PA State Police, who rely on the back-up communications provided by amateur radio ARES-RACES operators.
6. For over 20 years, ARES-RACES operators have contributed to the bi-annual drills of the Peach Bottom and Limerick Nuclear Power Plants, plus the drills at the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia International Airports. These points should provide information for your State Senators. I can’t stress enough how important it is for us all to take action on this. As this bill is written you will be forced to remove all radio equipment from your vehicles, including handheld radios.
If you have any questions, please contact George, W3GWM. You may refer your State Senators to him.
Join us at 7:00 pm at St. James Lutheran Church in Limerick, PA for a presentation on AREDN mesh networks by Tom Nolan, W3EX. Tom is our Montgomery County ARES Emergency Coordinator. Refreshments served. All are welcome to attend.
There will also be an amateur radio license exam at 5:00 pm at this location. See the License Exams page to learn how to sign up, and for more details.