If you would like to become a member of SELARC, please print out and complete the application/renewal form and return it with your check to: P.O. Box 1324, Hammond LA 70404. Thanks!

Slidell Hamfest on July 21 at John Slidell Park, 105 Robert Road. Details at http://www.w5sla.net

Shreveport-Bossier City Hamfest on 10-11 August with prizes, flea market and FCC exams! Details at http://www.shreveporthamfest.com

Greater New Orleans Ham Fest on November 10th, Harahan LA, with prizes and flea market! Details at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2044282109131267/

Hammond VE Group - ARRL/W5YI tests are scheduled for the last Sunday of each month [with the exception of holiday conflicts] in Room "B" of the North Oaks Medical System Diagnostic Center at 2pm with $15 testing fee. Bring photo ID and any appropriate CSCE. For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Find an Amateur Radio License Exam in Your Area.

Birthday wishes in July go to Michael Mason KE5KMH! If we missed your birthday, please let us know.

I want to thank everyone who participated in Field Day. We had a good turnout. The food and drinks were great. Fried Speckled Trout, homemade white beans, potatoe salad, and snacks kept everyone fueled up to continue making contacts.
We had six antennas up and several hf radios. We made a total of 218 contacts. The logs have been submitted to ARRL.
Lyle Wales KD5JRY, FD Chairman

The meeting was called to order at 7 PM by President Tyrone Burns N5XES who led in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a self-introduction of all present. It was m/s/passed to accept minutes of the May meeting as published in the "Hamster." A monthly financial report was given by Treasurer Carol Redmond KE5GOC. It was m/s/passed to accept the financial report.

Attendance (18):Jimmy AG5EJ, Carol KE5GOC, John AA5UY, Judy AA5UZ, Lyle KD5JRY, Walter N5RYI, Scott KD5PCK, Mark WX5RN, Ernie N5NIB, Pat KE5KMM, Ed KE5GMN, Tyrone N5XES, Carmen KF5VXO, Jerry Morgan, Ralph K5CAV, Bob WB5FBS, Gerald W5NJJ, Louis N5SWJ

Committee Reports: Repeater (Tyrone N5XES) - The 147 and 145.130 repeaters are OK. 444.250 still has hum on the receiver. Donated stockpile of GE parts have not been picked up yet from the person that offered them.

Old Business: (1) Secretary of State Annual Report: Tyrone reported that SELARC's filing was completed with a $15 cost reimbursed to Tyrone. (2) Field Day: Because of scheduling issues, the field day location was moved to Lyle KD5JRY's Tickfaw QTH with a roof and A/C; we just need to hang antennas. Participating hams are advised to bring own chairs and/or tables to operate from, headphones, CW paddles, etc. (3) Callsign Trustee: Tyrone N5XES gave thanks to Mark Lacey WX5RN for volunteering to take on the trustee duties for WB5NET.

New Business: Repeater Committee - President Tyrone N5XES appointed the repeater committee and requested for any additional volunteers: Bob Priez WB5FBS, Ernie Bush N5NIB, Keith Samrow KF5VLX, Lyle Wales KD5JRY and Tyrone Burns N5XES.

==> World Radiosport Team Championship 2018 - In about 2 weeks, some 60 two-person teams will take on the world and each other in World Radiosport Team Championship 2018 (WRTC 2018), in the Jessen-Wittenberg area of Germany. Held approximately every 4 years, WRTCs take place in conjunction with the 24-hour-long IARU HF Championship July 14 - 15, although WRTC teams are subject to additional rules specific to the competition. Several years of preparation and organization begun right after WRTC 2014 in New England have led to WRTC 2018, and a number of skills have been brought into play, including carpentry. A team of about 20 has been building WRTC boxes that will contain all equipment transported to individual sites. Fourteen North American teams qualified for WRTC 2018, including WRTC 2014 defending champions Daniel Craig, N6MJ, and Chris Hurlbut, KL9A, from the US. WRTC 2014 Chair Doug Grant, K1DG, merited a wild card slot, WRTC 2018 said. His teammate will be WRTC 2014 Competition Director Andy Blank, N2NT. WRTC 2018 also just announced a new team leader to take the place of a competitor who had to drop out of the event. Gilles Renucci, VA2EW, will head the new wild card team #6. He ended qualification for WRTC 2018 in 2nd place in area NA #7, which only had one team available. Arno Polinsky, DL1CW, will be his teammate. Nearly all WRTC 2018 participants got into Amateur Radio as teenagers; a WRTC 2018 survey showed an average age of just over 13 when first licensed. Team Leaders were chosen from each region, based on 2 years of qualifying contest scores and have chosen a teammate for the event.

==> 13 Colonies Special Event to Mark 10th Anniversary this Year - The annual Original 13 Colonies Special Event will mark its 10th anniversary this year. The event gets under way on July 1 at 1300 UTC and runs through July 8 at 0400 UTC. Event Manager Kenneth Villone, KU2US, reports that 127,132 contacts took place during the 2017 13 Colonies event, down from 139,772 in 2016, owing in part to poor band conditions. Special event stations with 1x1 call signs will represent the original 13 US colonies, plus bonus stations WM3PEN in Philadelphia and GB13COL in Durham, England. Each special event station will have its own QRZ.com profile page.
Participating stations try to contact all 13 Colony Stations plus the two bonus stations. Call signs and their respective states are K2A, New York; K2B, Virginia; K2C, Rhode Island; K2D, Connecticut; K2E, Delaware; K2F, Maryland; K2G, Georgia; K2H, Massachusetts; K2I, New Jersey; K2J, North Carolina; K2K, New Hampshire; K2L, South Carolina, and K2M, Pennsylvania

==> Group Chairman Updates Hamvention® Crowd on Proposed ARES Changes - At the ARRL Member Forum at 2018 Hamvention® last month, hosting Great Lakes Division Director Dale Williams, WA8EFK, chairman of the ARRL Public Service Enhancement Working Group, spoke about the dramatic changes that are occurring among agencies serving in the emergency/disaster response sector. He discussed planning for proposed new guidelines for participants in the ARES program, including plans for a new volunteer management software system, called ARES® Connect (see above). Upgrades to ARES training and resources will ensure the service continues to be a valuable partner for its served agencies into the future. Williams' program was titled ARES Advances into the 21st Century -- A New Program, A New Mission. The vision is for an ARES that is comprised of organized, trained, qualified, and credentialed Amateur Radio operators who can provide public service partners with radio communications expertise, capability, and capacity.
It is envisioned that additional training will be mandated, including ARRL Emergency Communications courses and the now standard FEMA NIMS/ICS courses IS-100, 200, 700, 800, with IS-300 and 400 for higher levels. Other specialty courses will be required in certain cases such as SKYWARN and other agency-specific training. Levels of training attained would dovetail with three new levels of participation: Level One would be comprised of all entering the program with no training, while progressing through the ARRL emergency communications training and the FEMA Independent Study courses 100, 200, 700, and 800. Level Two would be attained upon successful completion of these courses, and would be considered the "Standard" level for ARES participants. Level Three would be attained upon completion of the advanced FEMA courses IS 300 and 400, which would qualify candidates for the ARES leadership positions EC, DEC, SEC and Assistants. Level One participants would be able to fulfill most ARES duties with the target of attaining Level Two in one year. Level Two would be considered the normal participant level, which would gain the participant access to most incident sites and EOCs. Level Three would convey full access as granted by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), and qualification for ARES leadership.

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Stay Radio active -- See you at the July 10th Meeting

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