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The ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League
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February 22, 2024

John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, Editor <news@arrl.org>

ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/>ARRL Letter Archive
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>Audio News
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> IN THIS ISSUE

- Amateur Radio Operators Needed for Help with Solar Eclipse Project
- Winter Season Section Manager Election Results
- Former Vice Director of the ARRL Hudson Division, Bill Hudzik, W2UDT,
Silent Key
- Amateur Radio in the News
- ARRL Podcasts
- Announcements
- In Brief...
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions

==> AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS NEEDED FOR HELP WITH SOLAR ECLIPSE PROJECT

The Case Amateur Radio Club, W8EDU <https://www.facebook.com/W8EDU/>,
the club station at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio,
is asking for amateur radio operators to help with a research project
centered around the April 8, 2024, solar eclipse.

W8EDU club member Adam Goodman, W7OKE, said the project centers around
studying the effects of the eclipse on propagation to better understand
the recombination time of the ionosphere.

"To do this, we are recruiting North American amateur stations
interested in recording the Canadian time standard station CHU
(Canada's WWV) for two weeks surrounding the eclipse," added Goodman.
"Anyone with a KiwiSDR <http://kiwisdr.com/> or a rig that can
interface with analysis/recording software such as Fldigi
<https://sourceforge.net/projects/fldigi/> is encouraged to reach out
to us to participate."

W8EDU club member and project software manager Maris Usis, KE8TXG, said
that while the software is simple to use, there is some detailed work
involved. "We can help make it easier and there are good online
instructions as well," said Usis.

All of the participation details are on the club's website at
https://w8edu.wordpress.com/chu-eclipse-data-collection/.

W8EDU club faculty advisor David Kazdan, AD8Y, said the research
project has received positive attention from the ARRL Collegiate
Amateur Radio Program <https://www.arrl.org/collegiate-amateur-radio>
community, the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI
<https://hamsci.org/>) community, and Case Western Reserve University's
engineering deans. "It is already a truly international effort, and we
are collaborating with more than 20 stations across the continent, from
collegiate and high school stations, to a representative from the Radio
Amateurs of Canada, to a station in Mexico," said Kazdan.

The 2024 solar eclipse
<https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2024-april-8> will over
Mexico, the United States, and Canada. ARRL is a partner with HamSCI to
help promote this opportunity for radio amateurs to participate in an
active science experiment, through the Solar Eclipse QSO Party.

==> WINTER SEASON SECTION MANAGER ELECTION RESULTS

On Tuesday, February 20, at ARRL Headquarters, ballots were counted for
two Section Manager elections that were conducted this winter.

ARRL members in Louisiana elected Houston Polson, N5YS, of Winnfield,
to become the next Section Manager of the ARRL Louisiana Section
starting on April 1, 2024. Polson received 200 votes, and incumbent
Section Manager Matt Anderson, KD5KNZ, received 169 votes.

Polson was first licensed in 1984, and he has been a member of the
Ak-Sar-Ben Amateur Radio Club in Omaha, Nebraska, ever since. He is
also a Volunteer Examiner and an active member of the Central Louisiana
Amateur Radio Club.

Anderson, of Covington, has served as the Section Manager for the ARRL
Louisiana Section since August 31, 2023, when he was appointed to
fulfill the remainder of the term after John Mark Robertson, K5JMR,
stepped down.

In the ARRL Pacific Section, Alan Maenchen, AD6E, was re-elected in a
close race by receiving 113 votes. Kevin Bogan, AH6QO, of Honolulu,
received 100 votes. Maenchen, of Wailuku, Hawaii, was appointed as
Section Manager of the Pacific Section on November 1, 2023, to fulfill
the term of office after Joe Speroni, AH0A, stepped down.

The ARRL Georgia Section has a new Section Manager as of January 1,
2024. Hank Blackwood, K4HYJ, of Dalton, Georgia, was the only nominee
to run for the re-solicited, 18-month new term of office that is to
begin on April 1.

David Benoist, AG4ZR, who continued serving as Section Manager of the
Georgia Section beyond the conclusion of his term on September 30,
2023, decided to step down at the end of 2023 to allow Blackwood to
officially begin his term of office early. Benoist, of Senoia, was
Section Manager from December 2021 through December 2023, and he
previously led the Georgia Section's field organization from November
2016 to September 2021.

The following incumbent Section Managers were unopposed after the fall
nomination deadline, and they will begin new, two-year terms of office
starting on April 1, 2024: John Fritze, K2QY (Eastern New York); Bob
Wilson, W3BIG (Eastern Pennsylvania); Marvin Hoffman, WA4NC (North
Carolina); Dave Kaltenborn, N8KBC (San Diego); Chris Stallkamp, KI0D
(South Dakota), and Jack Smith, KE4LWT (Virginia).

==> FORMER VICE DIRECTOR OF THE ARRL HUDSON DIVISION, BILL HUDZIK,
W2UDT, SILENT KEY

Former Vice Director of the ARRL Hudson Division and ARRL Maxim Society
Member William "Bill" Hudzik, W2UDT, has passed away at the age of 77.

Hudzik served as Vice Director from 2011 to 2022, and he had
previously been Section Manager of the ARRL Northern New Jersey
Section.

Hudzik was first licensed in 1961 as WV2UDT, and he was active in VHF
contesting at the time.

He quickly gained a reputation as someone willing and able to help.
"He was probably one of the most capable people I have ever known. It
didn't matter what you were doing, he knew how to deal with it," said
ARRL Director of Operations Bob Naumann, W5OV. Naumann had known Hudzik
for 45 years. "Bill set a very high bar for how to treat people," he
said.

Hudzik served in the military and used his radio skills to help his
fellow servicepeople. He spent the holiday season of 1966 - 1967
running phone patches from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, as KR6SP.

Hudzik called himself a "contest junkie" and enjoyed operating in
contests from V26B in Antigua and Barbuda. He was part of several
high-scoring team activations from the station. He also operated from
St. Croix and wrote about the trip for ARRL (see Vacation, Contesting
and Friends - Perfect Together
<https://www.arrl.org/news/vacation-contesting-and-friends-perfect-together>).

Hudzik served as Section Manager from 2001 to 2008. He was active in
government affairs to advance amateur radio in the Garden State. In
2011, he was appointed to serve as Vice Director of the ARRL Hudson
Division. He served in that capacity until an illness forced his
retirement in 2022.

ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, praised the impact Hudzik had on
amateur radio. "Bill served ARRL and its members for many years. It was
evident from the beginning that he was someone special. He was highly
respected, friendly with all, and showed great insight and patience.
Bill left a legacy that will be remembered. It was a privilege to have
known him," he said.

ARRL Hudson Division Director Nomar Vizcarrondo, NP4H, says Hudzik's
guidance was invaluable to him as he started in the role. "I am deeply
saddened by Bill's passing. Shortly after he resigned as Vice Director
for the Division because of his health and I was appointed to continue
his term, Bill reached out and offered me his support and guidance. It
was a pleasure and honor to have known him. Board Members at ARRL along
with our Hudson Division family are saddened by his passing and
acknowledge the great human being and Amateur Radio Operator he was. He
will be truly missed. Godspeed W2UDT," wrote Vizcarrondo.

A celebration of life will be planned in the future.

==> AMATEUR RADIO IN THE NEWS

ARRL Public Information Officers, Coordinators, and many other
member-volunteers help keep amateur radio and ARRL in the news
<http://www.arrl.org/media-hits>.

"Free amateur radio instruction offered in Stillwater
<https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/free-amateur-radio-instruction-offered-in-stillwater/ar-BB1ii38f>"

/ Twin Cities Pioneer Press (Minnesota) February 15, 2024 -- The
Stillwater Amateur Radio Association is an ARRL Special Service Club.

"Amateur radio is still on the airwaves in Utica, across New York and
the U.S.
<https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/amateur-radio-is-still-on-the-airwaves-in-utica-across-new-york-and-the-us/ar-BB1imUuE>"

/ Utica Observer-Dispatch (New York) February 16, 2024 -- The Utica
Amateur Radio Club.

"The Athens County Amateur Radio Association finds that young people
are still drawn to old-school communication
<https://woub.org/2024/02/16/local-amateur-radio-association-draws-young-people/>"