MARC & WAARC to host 2018 & 2019 ARRL Conventions

All,

Please see the below letters of approval from the ARRL concerning the Southeast Iowa Hamfest. In 2018 we have been approved to host the ARRL Iowa Section Convention. In 2019 we will host the ARRL Iowa State Convention.

Hours - With the added events such as the convention and seminars, we have changed the hours to 7:00am to 2pm. This will give us an extra hour to get the seminars done without having to start first thing in the morning when the early birds are trying to catch a bargain.

Seminars - The plan is to build events that are centered around the seminar topic. For instance: Seminar #1 - Emergency Communications; With new ARES teams in both Muscatine and Washington Counties this will be a great recruiting tool. Since we attract many other counties, having their ECs in attendance might also add members to their team, or spark the interest of someone that will start an ARES group in some of the many counties that don't currently have an ARES presence. We can sponsor a "Best Go Box" contest to also go along with this as well as I will try and secure the Homeland Security mobile EOC trailer as a display for the event.

Need ideas for other seminars... DMR with demonstration and possible programming sessions? HF digital communications with live demonstrations? Ideas? The ARRL will do one seminar, but we have no idea at this point what it will be on.

I am looking forward to breathing more life into our event. Let's make the 34th annual hamfest the largest one ever! And build on it each year. Who knows, perhaps with can get the Midwest Convention in 2020?

Scott - NØMRZ

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Scott,

We’re pleased to tell you that Director Blocksome has approved the holding of an ARRL approved Iowa Section Convention on October 7, 2018 in West Liberty, IA under the sponsorship of the Muscatine Amateur Radio Club and the Washington Area Amateur Radio Club.

As part of your agreement in becoming an ARRL-affiliated event, please remember to prominently display the ARRL diamond when promoting the event on web sites, in e-mails, advertisements and all other program material. The ARRL logo can be obtained from http://www.arrl.org/logos-photos.

Good luck! We wish you the best for a successful event.

Let us know if there is anything else we can do to help with your convention plans.

73, Gail Iannone Convention Program Manager ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio™ 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494 USA Telephone: (860) 594-0262 FAX: (860) 594-0259 e-mail: giannone@arrl.org web: www.arrl.org

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Dear Scott:

We’re pleased to tell you that Director Blocksome has approved the holding of an ARRL approved Iowa State Convention on October 6, 2019 in West Liberty, IA under the sponsorship of the Muscatine Amateur Radio Club and the Washington Area Amateur Radio Club.

Approximately four weeks prior to the event, I will send prize certificates for ARRL publications to be used as door prizes. To order other materials available at low- or no-cost to help represent ARRL membership and Amateur Radio recruitment, including brochures, hanging and standing banners, tabletop displays, table throws, and other giveaways (pens, magnets and stickers), please visit www.arrl.org/shop/Forms-and-Media-Warehouse/. For effective coordination of ordering these materials and organizing the ARRL exhibit, you may want to contact your ARRL Division Director or ARRL Section Manager.

Good luck! We wish you the best for a successful event.

Let us know if there is anything else we can do to help with your convention plans.