The New Mexico Section ARES & RACES HF net meets on the first and third Sunday of each month to discuss Amateur Radio support of all types of emergency communications including (but not limited to) MARS, SAR, CAP, public service events. All stations are invited to check into the net.

The next scheduled net will be on Sunday, Feb. 17, on 3,939 kHz.

The ARES/RACES net meets at 1830 MST (6:30 PM Mountain Standard Time), immediately following the NM Roadrunner Traffic Net.

Fellow hams –

We hope that the first few months of 2008 have treated you well!
Included below are some notes of interest to members of the Rocky Mountain Division.

===== ARRL Board meeting =====

The ARRL Board met for its first meeting of 2008 on January 18-19 inHouston, Texas. Brian unfortunately had to cancel his trip the night before due to unexpected work obligations, but Vice-Director DwayneAllen WY7FD hit the ground running and represented our Division well in his absence. Thank you, Dwayne.

A fair amount of business was taken care of at the meeting; here are a few highlights:

— Officers of the League were reelected.

— The authorization of new official Section positions: AssistantSection Emergency Coordinator (ASEC) and Assistant District Emergency Coordinator (ADEC). Many ARES groups across the country probably have an unofficial “#2″ person should the SEC or DEC be unavailable to perform his/her duties. The correct way of handling this is to appoint that #2 person officially, and the new ASEC and ADEC positions will permit that to happen. Please spread the word about these new leadership positions within your ARES organizations. Job descriptions are found at the bottom paragraph of http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/

— The senior dues discount will be eliminated on January 1, 2009. This is something that we spoke about via telephone during the meeting, and opposed strongly despite only being a $3.00/year discount with respect to full membership dues. Your Rocky Mountain Division leadership voted against the motion because we felt there was no compelling reason to do away with the discount.

— As a result of more than a year of studies, back of the napkin ideas, and discussions the ad hoc Committee on Scouting, which Brian is the chairman of, presented numerous recommendations to improve the interface between ARRL and scouting organizations and as well as ARRL literature as it pertains to scouts. The Board authorized the pursuit of an MOU between the Boy Scouts of America and ARRL. Scout groups can no doubt benefit from ham radio while in the backcountry, and ham radio can certainly benefit from having active-by-nature youth and adults within its ranks. While it’s always been possible to promote ham radio and teach Radio Merit badge classes to local scouting units, a formal relationship between the two national organizations will help open more doors. Now that the study focusing on Boy Scouts of America has concluded, the next phase is to make recommendations pertaining to Girl Scouts of the USA. (If you have a history of involvement within the Girl Scouts, ideally beyond the local unit level, and are interested in contributing to this committee please email Brian N5ZGT with details of your present and past involvement)

— Complete details about the Board meeting can be found at
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/01/28/100/?nc=1. Minutes of the meeting are also available at
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/01/28/100/?nc=1. Committee reports should be posted soon.

In an upcoming Division email we will outline how an ARRL board of directors meeting is conducted for those of you who may be interested.

===== Field Day 2008 =====

It’s never too early to plan for Field Day (June 28-29, 2008), whether it’s to be enjoyed with a bunch of friends, a local club, or an ARES group. Field Day 2008 packets and rules have been released; you can read about a few rule changes and download your packet by visiting:

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/02/08/101/?nc=1

Please spread the word about Field Day planning at your next club gathering. See you on the air this June!

===== Upcoming hamfests, tailgates & conventions =====

April 5 LarcFest (Longmont, CO)
May 10 Silver City Swapfest Swapfest (Silver City, NM)
May 24-25 Wyoming State Convention (Casper, WY)
July 11-13 Rocky Mountain Division Convention (Bryce Canyon, UT)
August 2 Jackson Hole Area ARC Swapfest (Jackson, WY)
August 17 Denver Radio Club Swapfest (Golden, CO)

Links to websites belonging to the above events are found on the Rocky Mountain Division site: www.tribcsp.com/~arrlrm

If you’re organizing a Hamfest, convention or tailgate, please consider having your event ARRL-sanctioned. Sanctioning details can be found at:

http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/hamfests/

===== 2008 Rocky Mountain Division Convention =====

This coming June the 2008 Rocky Mountain Division Convention will occur — we’d love to see you there! Highlight July 11-13 on your calendars and please join your fellow League members in beautiful Bryce Canyon, Utah. Count on a bunch of excellent forums, equipment sales, fun competitions, great eyeball QSOs, and wonderful food, all at a gorgeous venue, and all in the company of hams from around the Division. More information can be found at:

http://www.utahhamfest.org/.

===== Upcoming on-air activities =====

In addition to chewing the rag with fellow hams, here are some additional on-air activities which await you on the airwaves.

Upcoming special event stations:
http://www.arrl.org/contests/spev.html
Upcoming contests: http://www.arrl.org/contests/calendar.html
Operating awards: http://www.arrl.org/awards/

===== Final note… =====

Please touch base with your Section Manager if he can be of any assistance to you:

Jeff Ryan K0RM (Colorado): http://www.arrl.org/sections/?sect=CO
Don Wood W5FHA (New Mexico): http://www.arrl.org/sections/?sect=NM
Mel Parkes NM7P (Utah): http://www.arrl.org/sections/?sect=UT
Chris Pritchard WY7UPR (Wyoming): http://www.arrl.org/sections/?sect=WY

We also welcome you to contact both Dwayne and I with concerns, questions or ideas. See you on the airwaves!

73,
Brian Mileshosky N5ZGT, Rocky Mountain Division Director
Dwayne Allen WY7FD, Rocky Mountain Division Vice-Director
Division website: www.tribcsp.com/~arrlrm

——————————————————————–
ARRL Rocky Mountain Division
Director: Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT
n5zgt@arrl.org

Mark your calendar for June 7. After a successful inaugural operation last year, the organizers have asked us to support this event again. This is a 100-mile bike tour that will start and end at the Heart Hospital near downtown and will follow a wide loop around the city. There will be shorter routes included in the ride. This list entry will be updated as further details become available. See www.abqcentury.com (currently being updated). We will need portable or mobile stations to be positioned at rest stops and mobile stations to cruise the course and keep an eye on the riders. Contact Ed Ricco, N5LI if you can help.

Mark your calendar for May 4. This large (thousands of participants – serious runners, families, and kids) run/walk event has been supported by Albuquerque area radio amateurs for many years. There will be competitive (timed) 10K and 5K races, a 5K fun run/walk, and a one-mile fun run/walk, all occurring around the zoo, Tingley Beach, and the old Albuquerque Country Club area. We will need handheld or portable/mobile stations to operate from fixed locations along the course, and possibly a bicycle mobile or two. Fred Ream, N5CJC, will coordinate the event. Contact Ed Ricco, N5LI if you can help.