Interested in a QSL card from radio station AAZ or WAR?? Here's your chance! The annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Test will be conducted this coming Saturday, May 10. Quoting from Army MARS web site ...

The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are co-sponsoring the annual military/amateur radio communications tests in celebration of the 58th Anniversary of Armed Forces Day (AFD). Although the actual Armed Forces Day is celebrated on Saturday, May 17, 2008, the AFD Military/Amateur Crossband Communications Test will be conducted 10 May 2008 to prevent conflict with the Dayton Hamvention (16-18 May 2008), which is the same weekend as the actual Armed Forces Day.

The annual celebration features traditional military to amateur cross band communications SSB voice tests and copying the Secretary of Defense message via digital modes. These tests give Amateur Radio operators and Short Wave Listeners (SWL) an opportunity to demonstrate their individual technical skills, and to receive recognition from the Secretary of Defense and/or the appropriate military radio station for their proven expertise. QSL cards will be provided to those stations making contact with the military stations. Special commemorative certificates will be awarded to anyone who receives and copies the digital Armed Forces Day message from the Secretary of Defense.

On Monday, April 21, 2008, ARRL Virginia Section Manager (SM), W4CAC, Carl Clements; ARRL/ARES Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC), K4KHZ, Ron Sokol; and ARRL/ARES Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator (ASEC), KR4MA, Earl Moore, attended a meeting at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) in Richmond.

VDEM representatives present for the entire meeting were: Terry Hebert, KG4GLS, Operations Watch Officer; “Mac” McNeer, K4YEF, State RACES Officer; and Jerry Williams, KG4IT, Assistant State RACES Officer.

Chris McIntosh, State Communication Officer, and other dignitaries were present for a short time at the onset of the meeting. Mr. McIntosh said, “Let us know what we can do” to help cooperate in managing of the communication system. Further, he said, “Please let us know what equipment, drills, and exercises we can help with.”

front row, left to right: ASEC-Digital Earl Moore, KR4MA; SEC Ron Sokol, K4KHZ
back row, left to right: SM Carl Clements, W4CAC; VDEM Operations Watch Officer, Terry Hebert, KG4GLS; Assistant State RACES Officer, Jerry Williams, KJ4IT

Section Manager Clements then presented to Hebert a copy of draft #4 of a Memorandum of Understanding that had been developed by SM Glen Sage’s administration. This draft had been sent by Clements to ARRL headquarters to be proof-read and amended by their legal department. Hebert was pleased to receive the adjusted draft. He then proceeded with the meeting for both parties to make further adjustments to the document.

SEC Sokol asked for a clarification regarding the liability insurance while ARES operators were under RACES authority. Sokol wanted to know the dollar figure of liability coverage under RACES. Hebert responded that he did not know the exact figure but that he would find out and report back. Sokol asked that this information be made part of the MOU.

Operations Watch Commander Hebert reminded the ARRL / ARES leaders present that he needed an updated roster of ARES operators willing to work with the Commonwealth. Hebert said the roster was required to place these operators on the liability insurance list. The roster information required would be: operators full name, call letters, address, telephone numbers, and e-mail address. Nothing further would be needed on the roster for the liability insurance. Hebert reminded ARRL/ARES leaders that this information should be updated annually.

Sokol asked that deployment procedures be made part of the MOU. State RACES Officer McNeer agreed, and both men agreed that deployment should be done jointly with each party (VDEM and ARES) being aware of what was happening while keeping emergency managers involved and informed.

Clements and Sokol both asked that VDEM include another line in the ARES chain of command. This request was designed to include the new position of Assistant Section Emergency Coordinators. The VDEM staff accepted the new inclusion to be amended into the basic guideline section and the method of cooperation section of the MOU.

There were other “tentative agreements” made between the parties that will have to remain unspoken for now because they must be presented to higher authorities for approval. Once these agreements have been confirmed or denied, we will alert the membership of their inclusion or exclusion in the MOU.

With all of the MOU having been discussed, Hebert and Williams took Clements, Sokol, and Moore on a tour of the VDEM facility. The VDEM facility is on the grounds of the Virginia State Police Headquarters where “security” is the watchword. Security clearances are required to move from one area to another. The amateur radio installation did not look like ham shacks we know—it was neat—and everything worked—most unusual! Fooling aside, all the equipment is state-of-the-art, addressing all frequencies and modes that amateurs are allowed to operate.

Vick Buisett, Communication Interoperability Officer, brought up the VDEM Mobile Unit just before the ARRL/ARES group left. Again, everything on board is state-of-the-art, all bands, all modes, including mobile repeaters and portable generators. The antennas on the roof gave the vehicle a porcupine look.

All in all, a very impressive and productive meeting!

73,
Carl Clements, W4CAC, SM
Ron Sokol, K4KHZ, SEC

Our thanks to all ARRL officers leaving office April 1, 2008. We look forward to serving with Carl W4CAC and his cabinet in the coming months and years in the Virginia Section.

Do you have a QSL card from WAR, the military radio station? Bruce K7BC, NM of the VDN, is planning to operate WAR on SSB in the morning of May 10th.. Give him a shout and get a QSL card.

The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are co-sponsoring the annual military/amateur radio communications tests on 10 May 2008. Schedules and frequencies of participating military stations will be published in May on the Army MARS web site,

[Here's the link for Art Wiiiliam"s final detailed Section Traffic Manager's report as filed with ARRL Headquarters.]