Port Stephens Amateur Radio Club Marks Twelfth Anniversary

PORT Stephens Amateur Radio Club Inc has marked its 12th anniversary with an upgrade of its transmission capabilities.

Club president Richard (VK2FRKO) said that a 70cm repeater recently installed on the telco tower on top of Gan Gan Lookout has vastly improved the quality and breadth of the Club’s footprint.

“Our Club is a great way to make friends and talk to others over the airwaves. We are some 25 strong and meet at the Marine Rescue Base station in Lemon Tree Passage on the first Sunday of the month.”

— Richard (VK2FRKO) - Club President

At times, with favorable climatic conditions, members have spoken to others as far afield as Russia, Canada and Asia.

PORT Stephens Amateur Radio Club - http://portstephensarc.org/

Bill Thompson, W2MTA, SK

Bill Thompson, W2MTA, who headed the ARRL Western New York Section from 1980 until 1999, died on 16th February 2019. An ARRL Life Member, he was 87.

Formerly of Newark Valley, New York, Thompson was licensed in 1952. He was a Marine Corps Veteran of the Korean Conflict and later was employed by IBM in various posts. In 2009, Thompson was honored with ARRL’s Knight Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes notable contributions by a Section Manager to the well-being and vitality of ARRL.

He was a long-time leader and supporter of the National Traffic System, and served as Second Region Net manager and as chair of the NTS Eastern Area Staff. He also held Official Relay Station and Net Manager appointments for several decades in the Western New York Section, and he served as an Assistant Director of the ARRL Atlantic Division.

Carole Perry (WB2MGP) is First Recipient of Award Named in Her Honor

ARRL has congratulated Amateur Radio educator Carole Perry, WB2MGP, for being the first recipient of the newly established Carole Perry Educator of the Year Award.

The award, to be given annually in Perry's name, recognizes outstanding dedication in educating and advancing today’s youth about Amateur Radio.

A fellow and director of the Radio Club of America (RCA), Perry is a past Dayton Hamvention® Amateur of the Year and a recipient of the ARRL Instructor of the Year Award. She sits on the RCA Scholarship Committee and chairs the RCA Youth Activities Committee, which she established in 2007.

Perry has moderated the Hamvention® Youth Forum for 31 years. The 2019 Orlando HamCation was the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention.