2007 ARRL Great Lakes Division Convention
'Ham Radio Alive and Well in Northern Ohio'

Something special is taking place late September.
For the first time (so they say) the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) will be holding their Great Lakes Division Convention (GLD) on September 22nd in Independence, Ohio.

The GLD Convention is usually held every two years in different cities, so this year it is in the Cleveland area (the day before the Cleveland Hamfest).

So, what goes on at a convention?
Sponors, many informative Seminars, Hospitality Room, Award presentations, Dinner Banquet with a guest speaker, Prizes, Special Ceremonial of "The Royal Order of the Wouff Hong" and a great time with plently of camaraderie with other hams.

It all starts Friday evening (September 21st) at the Sheraton
Independence Hotel with early registration and a Hospitality Room provided by the Cuyahoga Amateur Radio Society (CARS), Lake Erie Amateur Radio Association (LEARA) and the Northern Ohio DX Association (NODXA).

On Saturday morning there will be continued registration, sponsor tables, and the hospitality room will open at 9:00 a.m. The hospitality room will host card checking and free refreshments both Friday evening and Saturday morning.

Opening ceremonies begin at 11:30 a.m. The first seminar will start at noon with Bob Heil K9EID and Chip Margelli K7JA in a joined two room session. Bob’s, K9EID, pioneering work in the Amateur Radio world has led to significant improvements in audio quality throughout the industry.
His company, Heil Sound, is the leading manufacturer of
microphones and boom-sets for the world of Ham Radio. Chip, K7JA, has been active in DXing for over 42 years. You may have seen him on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno competing with (and defeating) the U.S. Champion cellphone text messenger in a message-completion speed contest.

The room wil then be divided into two rooms. One room will go into an intense DX session, and the other will cover 3 different amateur radio interests seminars.

1:00-1:10 P.M.: Tedd KB8NW (NODXA President and Editor of the OPDX) will open and moderate DX seminars. Guest speakers will include (times may vary):

1:10-1:45 P.M.: Bernie McClenny W3UR Editor of "The Daily DX and Weekly DX" and QST’s "How’s DX?" column. He will
give a talk on the "History of DX from the beginning to today".

1:45-2:10 P.M.: Don Karvonen K8MFO, Ohio’s number one DXer who is in the top ten of the ARRL’s DXCC Challenge, is
expected to give talk about 6 meter DXing.

2:10-2:40 P.M.: John Papay K8YSE, one of the KH8SI operators, will talk about activating Swains Islands as a brand new DXCC entity.

2:40-3:25 P.M.: Bob Allphin K4UEE, recently appointed DXAC Chairman, will talk about the DXAC and his recent VU7RG activity.

3:30-3:55 P.M.: DX seminars will end with a question and answer panel consisting of KB8NW, K8YSE, K4UEE, K8MFO, K4ZLE, W3UR and possibly others.

Other seminars (second room) taking place:
1:00-1:55 P.M.: ARRL EmComm speaker from Headquarters will discuss emergency communications and the National Emergency Response Planning Report. Speaker will be newly
appointed Dennis Dura, K2DCD. He is their new ARRL
Emergency Preparedness & Response Manager. Visit the
ARRL Web site and read more about Dennis, K2DCD, at:
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/07/31/101/?nc=1

2:00-2:55 P.M.: ARDF by Bob Frey WA6EZV and Dick Arnett WB4SUV. Lots of great equipment will be demonstrated and on display. Photos and information from International Competitions will also be available.

3:00-3:55 P.M.: Jim Sanford WB4GCS Amsat’s Eagle Satellite Project Manager will discuss new developments and talk about what the new Eagle high orbit satellite will mean
for everyone.

4:00 P.M.: Seminar rooms will once again be joined and will close with Tim Duffy K3LR, an expert on Antennas / Contesting. He will talk about his K3LR Multi-Multi Contest Station. Many of you may have seen his station while traveling on I-80 when in Pennsylvania near the Ohio line.

6:00 P.M.: Great Lakes Division Director Jim Weaver K8JE will present the Great Lakes Division Awards on the 2nd floor in the Independence Room. Please consider nominating a fellow ham for one of these awards by visiting:
http://www.2007gldc.org

The banquet will start at 7:00 P.M. where the President of the ARRL, Joel Harrison W5ZN will be the keynote speaker. Following the banquet the top secret Wouff Hong ceremony will begin for any interested ARRL Member.

Please support this great event by attending. Sponsors have helped make ticket prices lower than usual. Advanced sale tickets are available for purchase online at www.2007gldc.org along with complete information and any late news or changes.

Source: OPDX