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COVID-19 Impact Updates

MEETINGS: We will meet virtually using Zoom until it is safe to gather at the clubhouse. The club Secretary will send out links to these meetings to club members. If you are not a club member but would like to attend, please use the CONTACT FORM on this website to request the access link.

VE TESTING: Our club’s VE sessions will be suspended for the rest of 2020. If you want to get on a list to be notified when these sessions restart, please contact VE Coordinator John Kanode N4MM or leave a message in this Contact form of this website. To find other VE testing sites through ARRL listing, CLICK HERE.

WANT TO JOIN SVARC? CLICK HERE to get more membership information and CLICK HERE to download the club membership application and use this website’s CONTACT page if you have questions.

Learn Morse Code Online

We try to share educational opportunities when they come our way. Here’s an interesting one for youth and adults alike who are interested in learning Morse Code. This was sent to our club Secretary:

If there is an interest in learning Morse code – I’m emailing you to encourage your students (and if interested, YOU) to sign up for CW Academy. Over 5000 students have participated in CWA since 2015, and we have a youth-oriented program that groups young people with other students their own age. Quite a number of young (some as young as 9 years old) CW operators, both contesters and rag chewers, have graduated from youth CWA. Classes are held on-line (using SKYPE or Zoom), and we have students from all over the world participating. Continue reading “Learn Morse Code Online”

September-October 2020 VIRGINIA SECTION UPDATE LETTER

This is another dual month letter due to the Covid-19 virus and the effects
it has had on the Amateur Radio community in Virginia and around the
world. I do not need to repeat the details of all the ham radio
activities that have been canceled. However in some few cases as a
result of some partial reopening of activities, hams have been able to
partially create some activities. There really is not any major changes
in the Covid-19 restrictions from my last report. My reporting is
designed to help all hams keep up with the goings-on the ham radio world
in Virginia as well as the world. If I make a mistake, please let me
know as I try to be as accurate as possible. Continue reading “September-October 2020 VIRGINIA SECTION UPDATE LETTER”

HamCation 2021 postponed to 2022

The pandemic strikes again.

It was just announced by HamCation, that they are postponing their 2021 Hamfest in Orlando, Florida. This is quite significant because HamCation is the world’s 2nd largest ham get-together. CLICK HERE to read a whole letter from Michael Cauley, W4MCA, Chairman of the event. Here is an excerpt:

“After much deliberation, the difficult decision to postpone the 75th HamCation was made. It is with heavy hearts that we must make this decision. We had wished to see all of you next year in person, but the situation we face globally has made this challenging. Instead, HamCation will be moved to February 11-13, 2022. We are looking to host some unique Webinars, a QSO Party and possibly Prize Drawings for 2021. More information to come on our website soon.”

 

 

 

Election of Officers and Guest Speaker 10/01/20

Election of officers

At our next club meeting this Thursday 10/01/20, we’ll have our annual election of officers, so please look for your Zoom link sent out by email later this week. We’ll need a good turnout to get a quorum for voting.

If you are not a member but would like to attend the Zoom meeting, please leave a message on the contact form of our website: https://svarc.us/contact-us/

Nominations:

President: Ross Slater KE4BCN
Vice President: Rich Kennedy K3VAT
Treasurer: Tom Sullivan AK4AZ
Secretary: Stephen Pederson KN4IOU
Trustee: Carl Dennis NX3A

Thanks to Tom Brownlee AF2D and his nominating committee for their good work.

Guest Speaker Bud W2RU

We welcome Bud Hippisley W2RU, Roanoke Division Director. Bud will be with us at our meeting on Oct. 1, 2020 to give us a report on ARRL and an update on division news.

Meet Scholarship Winner Michael Geesaman KJ4SST

Michael Geesaman KJ4SST
Michael Geesaman KJ4SST

The Shenandoah Valley Amateur Radio Club supports the ARRL’s mission of promoting our hobby to younger hams with a $1,000 college scholarship every year that is administered by the ARRL. Every fall, we send out notices to guidance counselors in the high schools of our club’s service area in hopes they will encourage eligible students to apply (see criteria below). The ARRL also promotes its scholarship program. This year’s winner of our scholarship was Michael Geesaman KJ4SST from Lanexa, VA in New Kent County. Michael is entering his Junior year at Old Dominion University. His field of study at ODU is Electrical Engineering. Michael was kind enough to reply to our inquiries about his interests and plans: Continue reading “Meet Scholarship Winner Michael Geesaman KJ4SST”