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Skywarn Recognition Day 2025

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Skywarn Recognition Day is sponsored by the National Weather Service on the First Saturday of December annually.  For 2025, December 6, 2025, ue to fallout from the Federal Government shutdown, NWS has cancelled the 2025 event.

Regardless of the cancellation, Centre Counties ARES will conduct a short exercise on Saturday, December 6, 2025 from 1000 to 1100. Continue reading for details. Continue reading →

ARRL announces new online ham class for Technician Class License.

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ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® has introduced a new, fully-interactive two-day online course for ham radio licensing. The ARRL Technician Class LIVE Video Course includes everything needed to prepare for the FCC Technician Class amateur radio license exam. Enrollment is open now for the inaugural course, which will take place December 20 – 21, 2025.

First time communications assistance provided for the Raven Half Marathon in Bald Eagle State Forest

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On Sunday, October 5th, 2025, six amateur radio operators provided communications for the Raven Half Marathon foot race in the Bald Eagle State Forest.  Although the Raven has been run for a number of years this is the first time they asked for communications assistance.  There were ninety runners on the 13.5 mile course beginning and ending at the Poe Valley State Park near the lake. A Headquarters station and four field stations were provided by amateur radio operators. Continue reading →

* UPDATE * New Mobil Phone Prohibition in Pennsylvania * UPDATE *

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On June 5, 2025 a new law goes into effect in Pennsylvania.  Section 3316.1 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code prohibits using an “interactive mobile device while driving a motor vehicle”. Driving includes being temporarily stopped at a traffic light or stop sign. The law makes it clear that holding a device with your hand or another part of the body while driving constitutes ‘using’ the device. Hands free operation is permitted. Under the definitions of “Interactive Mobile Device” in Section 102 using an amateur radio would be a violation of Section 3316.1. However, Continue reading →

Successful WPA/ARC Spring Simulated Emergency Test

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Numerous amateur stations participated in the WPA Spring SET on Saturday, April 5th from 10:00 to 12:00.  A number of stations activated or simulated activating emergency locations or shelters.  Here’s a brief summary of some of the activity taken from Greg, K3HOT’s report from WX3CTP/NWS State College, and Brett, W3SWL’s log of the KC3WQG American Red Cross station. Continue reading →

Plans for the 2025 WPA Simulated Emergency Test released

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The ARRL WPA section along with Eastern Pennsylvania and the American Red Cross have released the plans for the 2025 Simulated Emergency Test (SET).  Amateur Radio Operators (AROs) whether affiliate with ARRL or not are invited to participate on Saturday April 5, 2025 between 10:00 and 14:00.

Full instructions can be found in the following documents.  More instructions will be announced by K3CWP, Carmine, Centre County EC in the near future.

Participant Instructions:

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ARC FROST (Field Remote Operations Support Team) Report:

[wpfilebase tag=file id=101 /]

Here is a list of shelters for those AROs who would like to simulate deploying:

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Winter Field Day Escapades 2025

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After a couple year hiatus I decided to return to our RV in Huntingdon County, PA to participate in Winter Field Day this year.  My plan was to set up a battery powered station with a couple of my portable antennas.  Looking at the rules I operated as ‘1M WPA’ since the RV is on wheels and can be moved if need be.  The effort was successful even if I did not work a lot of stations or qualify for any awards. Continue reading →