Pat Hays N8OOB, Secretary, PO Box 329 Greenfield, OH 45123-0329

MEMBERSHIP NOTICE! READ NOW, AND VOTE! This newsletter contains your ballot to elect an OARC Director. The NEXT OARC Meeting will be held Saturday, April 23rd, 2016 9:30 AM at Police Training Center 4600 Bridgeway Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43219. Vote and return the enclosed ballot to the OARC Secretary; it must be received before April 22nd.

FROM THE CHAIRMAN Jim Kvochick K8JK Welcome to 2016! Frequency coordination is not one of those glamorous and compelling activities that you want to take part in. However, when frequency coordination isn’t applied, the result can sometimes be chaos. There are a number of interesting new technologies being investigated and implemented in our state. I want you to know that the repeater council is here to help. But, we need your help. The Council has specific procedures we need to follow. If you are experiencing a problem such as interference, please send a letter to the OARC Secretary with as many details as you can provide. Pat can document the problem, get the appropriate council members involved and we will work with all parties to find a resolution.

Repeater trustees can help us as well, by completing the annual Statement of Record. We require that it be completed at least every other year to protect your coordination, not just in Ohio, but also with adjoining states. The process can be done completely online, in just a few short minutes. We just need to know that your system is still on the air, where it is located, and if the profile has changed. Another initiative that Ken Bird and his coordination team have been focusing on for the last few years is to find out if repeaters that have not filed a Statement of Record are still on the air. There are new technologies that could entice more hams to get involved and on the air, but we can’t coordinate their efforts without frequency pairs. I urge the trustees of systems that are no longer on the air to let us know. To the organizations that have adopted the trusteeship of a repeater that previous owners gave up, please consider letting a new ham have a chance to put up a repeater. If you have an older system that needs repair, but don’t have the money to upgrade, let us know. There may be a ham or group in your area that would like to join forces with you. Keeping our information up to date regarding your repeater status does not mean that you will lose your coordination. It means that if a group or person wants to install something in your area, WE can contact you, tell you who they are and what they are interested in accomplishing. If you would like to consider trying to work something out, we can get you in touch. If you’re not interested, things stay status quo and they won’t know that the council has spoken with you. The FCC nibbles away at our frequency allocations every year. I am a firm believer of “Use it or lose it”. If we don’t put the bandwidth to use, there is always someone who will buy it. You will read further in the newsletter that we have received a formal resignation from Ken Bird. Ken has held a number of positions within the OARC, and with more than 35 years

of continuous tenure here, was a significant part of all the important activities in the state. I personally wish to thank Ken for all his countless hours of service to the repeater community. Ken, I am sure that I echo the thoughts of the council board - you will be missed! See you at the meeting, or at the Dayton Hamvention, or maybe even both! 73 Jim K8JK

COORDINATION CHAIRMAN’S NOTES Ken Bird, W8SMK Hello, again, from the Coordination Chairman’s office. We continue to process paperwork on a daily basis, and handle most communication with repeater Trustees via E-Mail. When you file anything with O.A.R.C. it sure helps to expedite any action if you include your E-Mail address (it will NOT be shared with others). As usual, we will probably publish our own OHIO RD this year, just before the Dayton Hamvention which means our Directory will be up to date. With that having been said, I’ll report that as of today out of 864 coordinated repeaters, 393 have returned a 2015 SOR and 364 have paid Dues for 2016 or greater. I’d also like to say that after about 35 years, my current health conditions are forcing me to resign all positions with the O.A.R.C. Thanks to all. Ken, W8SMK

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE Kevin Walsh W8KHW

Several years ago we introduced the ability to retrieve and submit annual Statement of Record forms electronically. We are now trying to take the next steps in updating our system. The first goal is to allow repeater trustees to edit/update their own repeater information. The database will be divided into three tables of information. Trustees will be able to login and maintain their contact information. The sponsor of repeater(s) will be able to update their information, and the repeater trustee will be able to update the system information for the individual repeater(s). You will only be able to edit information on the repeater(s) where you are the trustee. Some Examples: The sponsor of multiple repeaters will only need to update their information in one record and that information will be applied to all of that sponsor’s repeaters. If a trustee changes or adds a PL tone, install emergency power, etc., they will be able to update that information. Updates will be available on the OARC website search immediately. We hope to work with the ARRL to allow the updates to be pushed into their database as well. You can still mail/email information to the Council Secretary as well. Later this year, we will update you on our progress via a website refresh. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] 73, Kevin Walsh W8KHW

CANDIDATE STATEMENT Rob Whitacre W8RW

I am Rob Whitacre, W8RW, and I’m asking for your vote for the position as a director on the Board of the Ohio Area Repeater Council. Amateur radio has been a fantastic hobby for me since the mid-1970s. I owe my interest in radio to my dad Ray, N8VXN (sk), and my uncle Robert, WA8CKE. My dad was an Electrical Engineer, and he always encouraged me to learn how things work. My pursuit of radio as a hobby led me to become an Electrical Engineer as well, and my focus is on RF and Microwave circuit design. I hold an Extra Class license and have been involved with repeaters since putting my first 900Mhz machine on the air in 1987. I currently have two coordinated repeaters in the UHF band. Repeater coordination continues to be of significant importance to Amateur Radio in conventional FM, and as more digital modes continue to emerge.

Minutes of the annual OARC meeting April 18, 2015 The annual OARC membership meeting was held April 18, 2015 at the Police Training Center in Columbus. The meeting was called to order by the Chairman. On motion duly made and seconded, the minutes of the April 19, 2014 meeting were approved as presented. On motion duly made and seconded, the annual financial report, presented by Pat Hays, N8OOB, was approved. On motion duly made and seconded, all actions of the board and staff for the prior year were ratified. Ken Bird noted that there were 860 coordinated repeaters, 386 SOR’s received with 343 paid dues. Kevin Walsh was elected to a five year term on the Board of Trustees. On motion duly made and seconded, the meeting adjourned. Respectfully, Pat Hays, N8OOB Secy/Treas

OARC BOD Meeting Minutes April 19, 2014 The Board of Trustees of the OARC met April 18, 2015, following the annual meeting, at the Police Training Center in Columbus, Ohio. The meeting was called to order by the Chairman. On motion duly made and seconded, the minutes of the April 19, 2014 board meeting were approved. The following officers were duly elected: Chairman Secy/Treas Coordination Chairman Technology Coordinator

Jim Kvochick Pat Hays Ken Bird Kevin Walsh

The following area coordinators were appointed: Central Area NW Area SE Area NE Area

Trigg Tabor Mark Young Dwight Bonifield Open

SW Area

Open

Bill Hess was appointed Link Registrar and Jim Kvochick was appointed Newsletter Editor. The 2014 financial reports were reviewed and approved. $300 expense reimbursements were approved for Jim Kvochick and Ken Bird for the Dayton Hamvention. Repeater directories will again be available at the Hamvention. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned. Respectfully, Pat Hays, N8OOB Secy/Treas

OFFICIAL OARC BALLOT

Vote for one (1) of the following for position of Director, OARC ________ Rob Whitacre W8RW When finished mark your amateur radio callsign and number of votes that you’re entitled to cast (one vote for each OARC coordinated repeater) below. YOUR CALLSIGN_____________________________ NUMBER OF VOTES____________ SYSTEM NO(s)______________________________________________ _____________________ Mail your Official OARC Ballot to: Pat Hays, N8OOB, Secretary PO Box 329 Greenfield, OH 45123-0329

To be counted, your ballot must be received no later than Friday April, 22nd, 2016.