The 2010 Field Day Planning Committee met at the clubhouse on Saturday, 9 January at 3:00pm. Here are the major discussion points from this meeting:

+ No significant changes. We reviewed last year’s Field Day layout and decided to move the shelter containing the 10 and 15m phone and PSK stations to a different location. Over the next few months we will resolve the interference issue from the 20m PSK on the 40m phone station (and any other stations) which occurred last year.

Here is the link to the newsletter.

Greetings and Happy New Year!

Just a reminder about Morse Code training in preparation for Field Day 2010. If you've already expressed an interest, there's no need to send an
e-mail. If, in the other hand, you decide to take advantage of the generous offer described below, let the Code Mentor know. Send an e-mail to: codementor@w3vpr.org

Greetings and welcome to 2010!

The AARC Field Day website which can be found here http://fieldday.w3vpr.org/ or by clicking on the "Field Day" link in the upper right hand corner of this website has been updated.

Just in case you didn't know, Field Day will be held the weekend of 25-27 June 2010.

Field Day Operations will start in only 176 days and just under 13 hours as I type.

We will conduct a large format (10A) operation once again. While our plan is basically the same, we are going to make some modifications.

Greetings and Happy New Year!

The Anne Arundel Radio Club has launched the new official website for the Maryland-DC QSO Party.

You can find it here http://mdcqsoparty.w3vpr.org/ or by clicking on the link in the upper right hand corner of this website (MDC QSO Party)

This website will be the primary source of information about the MDC QSO Party, so please bookmark it and come back often for news and updates.

The 2010 MDC QSO Party will be held 14-15 August and logs are due not later than 14 September 2010.

Greetings from the VE Team!

Saturday, December 12th marked the end of year for the AARC VE Team and as usual, it was another successful year.

During the year we conducted 14 exam sessions and administered, 145 exams to 117 applicants. Of the 145 exams administered, 109 were passed for a pass rate of 75.2%

68 Element 2 (Technician) exams were administered.
59 were passed - 86.8% pass rate.

58 Element 3 (General) exams were administered.

38 were passed - 65.5% pass rate.

Did you know that as of today, 7 Dec 2009, there are only 201 days left until operating phase of Field Day 2010 kicks off?

With Field Day just around the corner, it's time to learn the Morse code so you can operate a Morse code station during Field Day with some assistance of course.

So here's the deal - If there are enough folks interested, I will conduct a Morse Code training class that will help you learn the Morse code characters and prepare you to successfully transmit the required Field Day exchange information:

The torch has been officially passed. My family and I just attended the Antietam Radio Association Banquet this Saturday evening in Waynesboro, PA (Near Hagerstown, MD). It was a nice dinner and good company with a few short speeches and some awards presentations. I said a few words thanking them for their twenty year sponsorship of the MD QSO Party and letting them know that they could count on AARC to preserve the tradition for at least the next ten years.

Our ARRL Section Manager Jim Cross, WI3N, and Asst. Section Manager Al Brown, KZ3AB were also in attendance.

We are now the official sponsor of the MD QSO Party held on the 2nd weekend each August. Bob, AA3RR, will be the 2010 contest chairman. Let's be sure to operate in the contest as well as give Bob the support he will need to help tabulate the logs and scores and mail the awards.

Long live the MD QSO Party!

73, Rick - KK4GV
AARC President

Our good friends at the Maryland Mobileers Amateur Radio Club (MMARC) will sponsor a Post Holiday Hamfest on Sunday, Jan 31st - 8 AM to Noon at the Odenton Vol. Fire Dept. Hall, 1425 Annapolis Road (Route 175) -- nine (9) miles east of I-95 -- Indoor Hamfest and some tailgating, refreshments, Free Amateur Radio VE Testing, QSL Card Check and Free Parking. Donation of $5 for entry and $12 for a table. For more information please contact Frank Winner, email n3seo@aol.com (410) 647-3335.

Voila!