Illinois State Convention

2006 Illinois State Convention Update - see the ARRL Hamfest page
SRRC is again hosting this convention in Princeton, IL, on 3-4 June 2006
Watch for the 2006ISC schedule link appearing soon.

2005 Illinois State Convention Report

The Illinois Section of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) held the Illinois State Convention at the Bureau County Fairgrounds at Princeton, IL on the weekend of June 4 and 5th, 2005 during an extended traditional annual "hamfest".

This ARRL Illinois State Convention was proudly sponsored this year by the Starved Rock Radio Club, which is both an ARRL Affiliated Club and an ARRL Special Service Club that serves amateur radio operators in North Central Illinois from their clubhouse headquarters in Leonore, IL.

The traditional annual hamfest was extended this year to a two day event, which included a free flea market of amateur radio related equipment and accessories. Adjuncts included a computer & hobby show, free outdoor flea market, outdoor exhibits and indoor exhibit buildings and vendors, and much more.

Special to this year was the Illinois State Convention that included an ARRL forum, section staff meeting,  ARRL programs, and Volunteer Examiners (VE) session.

The VE are authorized to conduct the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) exams in accordance with Part 97 Regulations that govern amateur radio operation. These area ARRL examiners are accredited by the ARRL VEC program and ensure that all candidates meet the federal requirements of an examination for their amateur radio privileges, and administer these authorized exams  necessary to obtain the first license, or upgrade an existing class of amateur radio license. 

The ARRL proudly claims to be the National Organization for Amateur Radio, and spotlighted this special convention on their web pages, and in their monthly magazine, QST . See QST May 2005 issue on page 92 in this slick magazine of, by and for amateur radio operators. This Princeton, IL, hamfest annually draws visitors from all over the Midwest, and is centrally located for our Illinois State Convention at the Bureau County Fairgrounds..

Of great interest to many Illinois State Convention attendees was the disruptive noise pollution possibility of Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) that is being planned and installed  in the Princeton city area of this favorite annual hamfest. One convention forum noted gross pollution of the radio airwaves experienced elsewhere where BPL has been unsuccessfully tried. The harmful BPL disruption to many wireless devices, including the licensed public services such as police, fire and ambulance services, simply can not be overstated. Long sensitive to the public need for such technological advances, the ARRL comes out strongly opposed to poorly designed BPL technology. Continuing dialogue by the ARRL technical experts in many QST articles, and in ARRL letters and bulletins address gross pollution of some BPL systems to a great national resource, the radio spectrum. Some BPL unlicensed devices radiate out of the allowed bands, and puts the ARRL, one of technology's usual champions, in the forefront to spotlight bad systems and to encourage good neighbor BPL systems. Yet, BPL apparently is still coming to the Princeton City very soon, and is being closely monitored by area "hams" and other technological experts of the ARRL to ensure their vendor uses the RF quiet version!
      
Shari Harlan N9SH of Rockford is the current ARRL member elected Section Manager who leads ARRL efforts in Illinois  and was present at the ARRL Table in the main exhibit hall signing up new members.. Also covering the table was Ron Morgan KB9NW of Peoria, one of our Assistant Section Managers.

Dick Isley W9GIG, a member elected Division Director for the Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin Sections , ably represents our many Central Division ARRL members on the ARRL Board of Directors and was present at the ARRL Table in the main exhibit hall, and addressed attending members on amateur radio issues at the ARRL forums.

 On site concession service was tastefully provided by Poor Boys Catering Service as the 4-H was unable to cover the new two day hamfest venue for this year. As always, area restaurants popular with hamfest attendees were frequented, while others camped at the fair grounds and enjoyed their own home cooked evening meals after exhibit hours.