MARA 2023 ANNUAL PICNIC (COMPLETED)

MARA's annual picnic will be held at the Lake Lucille Rec Area on the 15th of July at 1000, it will be in Pavilion A.   We will be having our usual Barbee, we need a grill and chief cook.  We ask folks to bring a side dish, MARA will supply the Dogs, Cow, Buns, Condiments and Water.  We will have door prizes.  There is a very large field and play ground, good for flying drones if you are interested. There is a great dog park that the dogs will enjoy running and playing. Those that have ordered coffee cups in the past please stop by and pay for them and pick the up.   If you are interested in a VE Session, contact Ken/KL2HF, other wise it will be the following Saturday.  Bring a chair and if bad weather a picnic cover.  We will have picnic tables in the Pavilion.

Map to Lake Lucille Park

2023 Motely Picnic (COMPLETED)

 

ALASKA AMATEUR RADIO PICNIC – 2023

Sponsored by The Alaska Motley Group

June 25th to June 28thTolsona Wilderness Campground

ALASKA MOTLEY GROUP PICNIC – 2023

Mile173 Glenn Hwy, tolsonacampground.com/ - Phone 822-3900

This will be the 41st  annual Motley Group picnic.  There are typically 60 to 80 attendees, most of whom are members of the Motley Group, Snipers Net or Alaska-Pacific Emergency Preparedness Net, but all amateur radio operators and their families are welcome to attend.

Fish, hike, chat with other Hams, and participate in as many of the following scheduled activities as you choose.

THURSDAY, 1700 hours - EARLY BIRD GET-TOGETHER - Bring snacks to share and beverage of your choice.  Dee Bowns, the Motley Group historian, will provide an opportunity for you to page through photo albums and recall people and events from previous years.  Your photos are welcome.

FRIDAY, 1130 hours - LADIES LUNCHEON - Campground pavilion - Potluck.

FRIDAY, 1700 hours  - BAKED POTATO  BAR & CHINESE AUCTION   
The Motley Group will provide potatoes, and participants provide toppings to share.
Topping ideas: butter, sour cream, bacon, chili, cheese, diced veggies (raw or cooked), etc.

Bring food and item(s) for Chinese auction - “gag gifts" always welcome.

 

SATURDAY, 1100 hours - SNIPERS NET MEETING - Net Control & Sweep Operators.

 

SATURDAY, 1300 - 1500 hours  – AMATEUR RADIO WORKSHOP - An open-forum discussion of antennas and other Ham radio related items.  Show & tell one of your radio projects.

SATURDAY, 1300 - 1500 hours – LADIES BOARD GAMES AND CARD GAMES

 

SATURDAY, 1700 hours - THE MOTLEY PARTY - Potluck dinner, awards presentation, door prize drawings, and outcry auction.  For outcry auction bring equipment you would like sold at auction.  Motley Group will keep 25% of the sale price, or you can donate the item and the Motley Group will keep 100%.  You can specify a reserve price if you choose.

 

SUNDAY, 0900 hours - FAREWELL BREAKFAST - Pancakes, syrup and butter provided.  You are welcome to contribute precooked meat, scrambled eggs, fruit, pastries, etc.

 

DOOR PRIZES AND AUCTION ITEMS - There will be over 1200 dollars worth of new radio equipment and accessories available as door prizes and auction items.

 

Camping fee is $35 per night for RV sites, which includes water and electricity.  Showers and  laundry available in campground.  This is a discounted rate for Motley Group picnic attendees.

 

If you have not reserved a site, do so NOW.  "Tell them you are with the Motley Group."

Larry, AL7LW - Manager, Alaska Motley Group

http://www.tolsonacampground.com

 

MARA 2023 HAMFEST (COMPLETED)

Our date is set for 09 Sept. Setup time is 0900 open from 1000-1600. The location will be the Big Lake Lions Club, at 2942 Lions Cir, Big Lake. Tabitha/KL4FZ has complete our door prize request letter to give to the vendors and businesses to request door prizes soon. Remember they are tax free.  Check with the Treasure for Tax Receipts to give to the vendors.

We will be inviting the ARRL Northwest Director or Assist. Director, depending on their schedule  He will be bringing a lot of new ARRL and Ham radio info with him and wants to get our opinions on various items. Lets hope he can make it. We are currently looking for presentations to put on the schedule. Coordinate with Hamfest Coordinator to get on the schedule.

Entry is $5.00 at the gate and 1 door prize tickets, additional door prize tickets will be a $1.00 max of 10, Tables are $10.00 reserve them thru John/KL1XM. The Barbee will be $5.00 ea.

We need volunteers to help on various tasks for the hamfest.   Please contact Hamfest Coordinator to assist.  We will need VEs to conduct testing at 1300-1400, will need folks at the gate, and the MARA Country Store, setup and tear down crews. Folks can bring side dishes and deserts if they desire.  Please turn door prizes into Prior to the Hamfest to John/KL1XM.

***FCC APPLICATION FEE COMES ON LINE 19 APRIL***

FCC $35 Amateur Application Fee Effective Date Announced

UPDATE:

ARRL News | New FCC Application Fee Will Not Apply To Amateur Radio License Upgrades

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) staff has clarified in response to an ARRL request that the new $35 application fee will not apply to most license modifications, including those to upgrade an Amateur Radio Licensee’s operator class and changes to club station trustees. The FCC staff explained that the new fees will apply only to applications for a new license, renewal, rule waiver, or a new vanity call sign. As previously announced, the new fees take effect on April 19, 2022.

“We are pleased that the FCC will not charge licensees the FCC application fee for license upgrade applications,” said ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM. “While applicants for a new license will need to pay the $35 FCC application fee, there will be no FCC charge for future upgrades and administrative updates such as a change of mailing or email address. Most current licensees therefore will not be charged the new FCC application fee until they renew their license or apply for a new vanity call sign.”

ARRL previously reported that the new $35 application fee for Amateur Radio licenses will become effective on April 19, 2022. Further information and instructions about the FCC Application Fee are available from the ARRL VEC.


The FCC released a Public Notice on March 23, 2022, stating that the amateur radio application fees, including those associated with Form 605 application filings, would become effective on April 19, 2022. The Federal Communications Commission's authority to impose and collect fees is mandated by Congress.

The $35 application fee, when it becomes effective on April 19, will apply to new, modification (upgrade and sequential call sign change), renewal, and vanity call sign applications. The fee will be per application.

Administrative updates, such as a change of name, mailing or email address, will be exempt from fees.

VECs and Volunteer Examiner (VE) teams will not have to collect the $35 fee at exam sessions.  Once the FCC application fee takes effect, new and upgrade applicants will pay the $15 exam session fee to the ARRL VE team as usual, and pay the $35 application fee directly to the FCC by using the CORES FRN Registration system (CORES - Login).

When the FCC receives the examination information from the VEC, it will email a link with payment instructions to each successful candidate who then will have
10 calendar days from the date of the email to pay. After the fee is paid and the FCC has processed an application, examinees will receive a second email from the FCC with a link to their official license. The link will be good for 30 days.

Additionally, the FCC stated that applications processed and dismissed will not be entitled to a refund. This includes vanity requests where the applicant does not receive the requested call sign.

Further news and instructions will follow as the FCC releases them.
___________________________________

FCC Instructions (not applicable until fees take effect on April 19): 
If paying fees for an application filed via the Universal Licensing System, please use the CORES FRN Registration system (CORES - Login).

FEE SCHEDULE (not applicable until fees take effect on April 19):

INDIVIDUALS
$35 FEE: New, modification (upgrade and sequential call sign change), renewal, and vanity call sign applications. All fees will be per application.
NO FEE: Administrative updates, such as a change of name, mailing or email address, or license cancellation.

AMATEUR RADIO CLUBS
$35 FEE: New, renewal, trustee change, and vanity call sign applications. All fees will be per application.
NO FEE: Administrative updates, such as a change of name, mailing or email address, or license cancellatio

Pay your Membership Dues On Line

If you haven't paid your 2020 membership dues, please get with John/KL1XM.  Our dues is one of our main incomes to maintain the club equipment and activities.  We are also a 501c3 non-profit club so it is all tax deductible. The web site has an application form for you to fill out under Forms and you can go to the Donate tab and pay by PayPal or Credit Card, if you like.  For any other club donations we will provide you a Tax Receipt.  Also with all the benefits available thru ARRL, you may be interested in joining it also.  You have the choice of 2 magazines now, one for new hams, with your ARRL membership, you also can get good equipment insurance, pod casts on various ham subjects, new equipment evaluations, construction projects, contest, and what ARRL is doing on our behalf with new legislation.

Another item of interest is that we are allowed to use our current meeting venue by donating to the food bank, non-perishable food or paper products.  This helps out our Food Bank for the community.   And thank you for your donation.

POTA, What is this?

Well POTA is Parks On The Air.  Do you want have some fun, well this is it and it good practice for operating away from your home station. A lot of Alaskans like to get into the outdoors, fishing, hunting, hiking, ATVing, boating, or just plain camping.  Now it's possible you just want to get away from the hussle and bussle from the city and others for peace and quite.  But how would you like to help your state to improve getting folks interested to visit and help our small businesses.   Ham operators are always interested in talking up their station, home, and interest you have.  Well go to a park, any type and setup your portable station and call CQ CQ POTA, Denali National Park. This winter we held Winter Field Day at Finger Lake and had a blast.  Below is a link to a video that tells you all about it.  Enjoy.      POTA

SOTA-POTA Saturday 13th MAR (COMPLETED)

Hello group,

Don't forget that this Saturday Alaska VHF+ is doing another Parks on the Air activation, and this time it will also be a Summits on the Air attempt at the same time.

Weather permitting, I will be hiking up a peak called The Hideout, just north of Skilak Lake. The plan is to be on the air for the 2 M SSB net at 0930 and make a few contacts there. I will have a good antenna but will be running QRP, so keep an ear out for a weak signal in the background.

If you can't hear me on VHF then keep an ear on 20 M FT8 around 1030. I'll be switching to that band and mode to make contacts outside of Alaska, but locals should be able to pick me up too.

For Summits on the Air this peak is "KLA/KM-456". It is within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and counts as K-0149 for that program.

Brandon Clark, KL7BSC

https://brandonclarklabs.com/