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MDC Section News July 2026
* MDC SECTION OPEN POSITIONS
* MDC SECTION-WIDE ECHOLINK NET
* SECTION MANAGERS NOTES
* DIVISION NEWS
* UPCOMING HAMFESTS & CONVENTIONS
* EXAMS, ACTIVITIES, OPPORTUNITIES & SPECIAL EVENTS
* STAFF REPORTS
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MDC SECTION OPEN POSITIONS
We are looking for Emcomm group Leaders in the following areas:
Kent/ Queen Anne/ Somerset/ Worcester
For more information, please send an email to me at ab3wg@arrl.org
MDC SECTION-WIDE ECHOLINK NET
This month’s MDC Section wide EchoLink net will be held on Friday July 17, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET on the EchoLink WASH_DC Node 6154. The MDC Section EchoLink net is always held on the third Friday evening of every month at 8:00 PM eastern local time. EchoLink Link Repeaters for Net If you would like to join in on RF the following repeaters are linked.
– KA2JAI-R Millersville 146.805- PL107.2
– WB3GXW-R, 147.225(+), PL156.7 Hz, Calverton, MD
– W3FDK-R, 146.73(-), PL141.3 Hz, Frederick, MD
– K3CAL-R, 146.985(-), PL156.7, Sunderland, MD
– WA3DZD-R Maryland FM Association
– K3ORB – 443.450(+) PL151.4 Ocean Pines MD.
Repeater owners are encouraged to join our MDC Section EchoLink Net group and link your repeater – TU! Everyone is encouraged to join in and give any updates on what is happening in your part of the ARRL Maryland-DC Section. You may download the free software from: http://echolink.org/register_data.jsp or your App Store online. Thanks to John Creel WB3GXW for making the WASH_DC EchoLink server and his WB3GXW-R repeater available for the EchoLink nets.
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SECTION MANAGER’S NOTES
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR GROUPS.IO EMAIL DISTRIBUTION SERVER using the link on our website or – Main+subscribe@mdc.groups.io
I’m excited to share a recent development in Baltimore County. For several years now we have not had an Emergency Coordinator, or an ARES group. I recently received an email from someone who is interested in putting together an emergency communications group in the county. Dan Savge N3WJH is an extra class ham located in the northern part of Baltimore City. He has very good experience with REACT and several other Emcomm groups. At this time, we are accepting those who would like to participate in the group. Please contact Dan at n3wjh@arrl.net. Thank you Dan!
The Atlantic division now has a new Vice Director. Ray Sokola K9RS. See the ARRL announcement here: https://www.arrl.org/news/new-arrl-atlantic-division-vice-director Welcome Ray, we look forward to meeting and working with you in the near future.
The ARRL board of Directors meets this Friday and Saturday in Newington.
Tu es 73,
Chris Van Winkle AB3WG
Maryland / DC Section Manager, ARRL
240-755-4257
AB3WG@ARRL.ORG
DIVISION NEWS
Please visit the Atlantic Division website https://atldiv.org/
UPCOMING HAMFESTS & CONVENTIONS
10/04/2026 – CARA Fest 2026
Location: West Friendship, MD
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Columbia Amateur Radio Association (CARA)
Website: http://www.carafest.org
10/10/2026 – Hagerstown TailgateFest
Location: Maugansville, MD
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Antietam Radio Association
Website: https://antietamradio.org/
Learn More
EXAMS ACTIVITIES OPPORTUNITIES & SPECIAL EVENTS
Please send me your upcoming ARC events, suggestions and comments. You may view upcoming Hamfests here: http://www.arrl.org/hamfests-and-conventions-calendar
Petition to get VARA QSOs added to the Logbook of the World
FCC AMATEUR RADIO EXAMS:
VEC website or Laurel VEC for details.
Laurel VEC License Exam Search: https://larc-vec.org
NET CONTROL AND ALTERNATE OPERATORS NEEDED:
Baltimore Traffic Net – Contact Baltimore Traffic Net Manager, Don N3FQC N3FQC@ARRL.net. Join the net to learn Traffic Handling and Traffic Net procedures.
MDC Section Nets:
Baltimore Traffic Net – 146.805 tone 107.2 Daily 18:30 more information at https://www.baltimoretraffic.net/
Maryland Emergency Phone Net – 3820 / 1920 & 7243 kHz LSB Daily 1800L
Maryland Delaware DC – MDD meets daily at 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM local time on 3.557 MHz. CW
Maryland Slow Net – MSN meets daily at 7:30 PM Eastern Time on 3563 KHZ. CW
HF Hospital Net – The HF Hospital Net is held on the third Tuesday of every month. Start time is 1900L on 3820kHz
SECTION YOUTH COORDINATORS REPORT – W3EAB
There are two School Club Roundups during each school year in October and February. Each 5-day event runs Monday through Friday from 1300 UTC Monday through 2359 UTC Friday. A station may operate no more than 6 hours in a 24-hour period, and a maximum of 24 hours of the 107 hour event.
AFFILIATED CLUB COORDINATORS REPORT – K2EJ
The Year of the Club
The ARRL is planning to promote the affiliated clubs in 2026. The anchor for their promotion will be the MARCONI Program, as highlighted at https://www.arrl.org/Marconi-program. POTA activations and Fox Hunting, along with 5 other activity programs, are central to the program. Another initiative in the ARRL plan is profiling high-performance clubs, and special recognition of clubs with 70-90% of their members also ARRL members. Finally, expect the League to roll out a yearlong operating event in honor of the US semiquincentennial celebration.
Steven Fook
K2EJ
steven@k2ej.com
chibasan3@aol.com
Ex: N2PIF, AC3AZ
ARRL Affiliated Club Coordinator for Maryland-DC Section
ARRL ARES Emergency Coordinator for Harford County, MD
CWOps #3180, SKCC #19815, LICW #977, FISTS #20162, Ten-Ten #62165
224.220 MHz Repeater/PL 110.9, Allstar 51537, EchoLink 167177
Coming soon: 449.375 MHz Repeater/PL 107.2, Allstar 51587
Section Emergency Coordinator’s Report – KG4WWH
Please keep spreading the word about the Groups.io, I would encourage the use of emcomm-all for overall announcements regarding upcoming training and events (the MoCo show and tell, the PG monthly radio tests Etc.).
I would also encourage the creation of a file in the emcomm-all section where we can all place documents. One of the things I have found over the years is that everyone wants to know: what do you use for a bag? What do you carry for deployment? what is your go to weather site…. and so many more, but there is never a good repository that folks can refer to and make their own decisions, based on what those that have come before them have already tried. A perfect example, I am a member of a K-9 SAR team here in MD. My first question to the team was what backpacks do you like and why? The reason I ask this of operational folks is because they have tested it for their operational use. I have seen a couple that have pockets on the waist strap that would be perfect for dog treats or a tennis ball (or 2). And that is just one of MANY examples of questions that either I have asked, or I have been asked. The more we can document now, the more prepared we can help our future ARES members be prepared.
REMEMBER: You do NOT need to be a league member to join or participate in the groups.io. This is available for ALL within the MDC Section.
ECs, please remember to submit your FORM 2 (located here: https://www.arrl.org/public-service-field-services-forms). Please have it submitted by the 10th of the month for the previous month so I can go in and submit the FORM 4 before Chris publishes the monthly newsletter. If you are unable to access this form, please email so we can figure out why.
Thanks and be safe!
73,
Adam Karsin
KG4WWH
ARRL MDC SEC
kg4wwh.sec@gmail.com
kg4wwh@arrl.net
Hams over IP: 100084
MDC ARES Conference Bridge on HoIP: 10060
240-469-9316 – Cell
COUNTY EMERGENCY COORDINATOR REPORTS:
ANNE ARUNDEL:
Activity Details:
Weekly nets are held on Sundays at 2000L on W3CU/Millersville MD/146.805MHz. 4 nets were held in June. We also hold an ARES HF net on the 4th Tuesday of the month, 1930l, which is designed to foster in-county HF communications. 40m was used this month for LSB phone and USB VARA-AC modes. Participation from neighboring counties is encouraged, as the net emphasizes the use of HF for local emergency communications.
Administrative and Other Comments:
During the June 20 meeting, we conducted hands-on training on the FTM500DR VHF/UHF transceivers that are used in the Anne Arundel County radio room. Three members activated the EOC station during Field Day, claiming 1220 points and 205 QSO’s.
CECIL:
Activity Details:
Most of our activity consisted of weekly Nets held on the WA3SFJ 146.850 (- PL 107.2) repeater.
Administrative and Other Comments:
With the passing of Mike Doss, N3RCN, we were without a repeater. We tried using simplex on the output frequency of the N3RCN repeater but coverage and success, even with relays, was spotty at best. The CBRA offered us the use of their repeater for our Sunday night Nets which we gladly accepted.
MONTGOMERY:
Activity Details:
We continue to conduct our monthly hospital drills and participate in the monthly state RACES drills. WE will be exhibiting amateur radio emcomm resources on August 19 at an emergency preparedness fair sponsored by the National Cancer Institute. The fair is open to the public. Details will be posted on our website.
Administrative and Other Comments:
Montgomery County ARES meets each Tuesday at 8 PM, usually on the Montgomery ARC repeater, 146.955- (156.7). On the first Tuesday of the month, MC ARES and ACS members meet via Zoom in lieu of the net. Please visit our shared website, https://mcacs.net, for more information about our activities.
Howard:
Activity Details:
Howard County ARES-RACES convened four routine weekly nets along with four digital practice nets during June. For our monthly training activity we encouraged members to actively participate in Field Day to the extent they could – either independently or via group activities. Weather was a significant factor. Field Day participant hours were not logged.
Administrative and Other Comments:
Weekly Nets – Sunday 8:00 PM on the CARA 147.135 repeater
Digital Practice Nets – follow our Weekly Sunday evening net
Monthly training drills – typically on the 4th Saturday of the month
Calvert:
Activity Details:
Members conducted a net to familiarize with and determine access to our stand-alone RACES crossband repeat radio located at the county’s Barstow tower site.
A second packet digipeater operating on 146.030 has been temporarily installed at N3AE’s QTH for testing. Once complete, it will be installed at our Lusby repeater site to afford better access to our Winlink gateway as well as providing adjacent jurisdictions back-up coverage.
Administrative and Other Comments:
Our repeaters are 146.985 – ,PL 156.7 in Sunderland, MD and 444.950 + ,PL156.7 in Lusby MD. providing excellent coverage throughout the county and into adjacent counties. The W3PQS 6M repeater, 53.170 out, 52.170 in, PL 100 has it’s transmitter antenna on the roof of the Calvert Health Medical Center in Prince Frederick with a receive site on the State Highway tower in Prince Frederick, MD. This repeater also supports ARES/RACES in Calvert County. Also installed at Calvert Health Medical Center is the KC3WRX-10 Winlink packet/VaraFM gateway operating on 145.030MHz. Our monthly meetings are held at 7pm on the third Thursday of the month at the Calvert Public Safety Building, 315 Stafford Road Prince Frederick, MD 20678, coordinates N 38.536531, W 076.613805. Our web site is https://auxcomm.k3cal.org/
Prince George’s:
Activity Details:
5 weekly (Tuesdays) VHF training nets in June 2026
Monthly Meeting: NanoVNA Review – 6/15/2026
High Frequency Hospital Net (HFHN) – 6/16/2026
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Report from MDCWINLINK-1 (N3XL): Well done to all those who checked in to the June 2026 MDC Section Digital Check-in exercise! This month there were 48 successful check-ins with the following breakdown: 7 Telnet, 6 Packet, 18 VARA FM, 5 VARA HF, 0 Ardop, 2 VARA HF Radio-Only, 1 Pactor, and 9 VarAC HF/FM. The following Maryland counties were represented: ANNE ARUNDEL, BALTIMORE, CALVERT, CARROLL, CECIL, CHARLES. FREDERICK, MONTGOMERY, PRINCE GEORGE’S, ST. MARY’S, and WASHINGTON. We also had check-ins from AL, CT, FL, NC, PA, VA, Paraguay and Ontario Canada.
In the June MDC Digital EMCOMM Challenge participants gained familiarity with the National Weather Service local forecast services, noting the 7-Day Hazardous Weather Outlook. Participants edited applicable warnings to reduce the word count, in order to speed the message transmission times. Participants used Winlink (Task 1), VarAC (Task 2), and Fldigi (Task 3) ICS-213 message forms. Fldigi messaging was incorporated for interoperability with ARES groups that use the ARRL Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System (NBEMS).
Participants successfully completing Challenge tasks were as follows:
Task 1, Winlink: AI3KS, KB3SPH, KF3AK, KG4K, KO4RYU, N1DEC, N3XL, N4TYS, NW3K.
Task 2, VarAC: AI3KS, KB3SPH, KG4K, KO4RYU, N3XL, N4TYS.
Task 3, Fldigi: KB3SPH, KG4K, KO4RYU, N3XL.
HOME RUNS (completing all 3 tasks): KB3SPH, KG4K, KO4RYU, N3XL.
Target Stations performing message relays: AC3EW, KD2QAR, KB3SPH, KD2QAR, KG4K, N3HU, and N3WOF.
The map of Challenge participants can be viewed at the following link:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1l8ebTir4D9ccoPKub5FEJK-2uAczDFs&usp=sharing
Administrative and Other Comments:
PRGE ARES Website: https://pgares.org
PRGE ARES Internet Forum: https://groups.google.com/g/pgares
PRGE ARES Groups.io: https://mdc.groups.io/g/PG
Nets: Regularly scheduled weekly training VHF nets on the K3ERA Repeater,
145.23 MHz pl 110.9 on Tuesdays at 1930 ET (Echolink node N3XL-R).
If you would like to be a member of PRGE ARES, send an email request to
kb3sph@arrl.net to receive a membership application.
The monthly HF Hospital Net is held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month on 3820 kHz at 1900 ET.
Meetings: Monthly meeting held the 3rd Monday of the month at the Fire Services Building, 6820
Webster St, Landover Hills, MD at 1900 or on Zoom, WX dependent.
District of Columbia:
Activity Details:
W3HAC operated 2A Field Day from the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington. We helped many technician operators, students, and a youngster make their first HF QSOs; introduced folks to QRP operations (great for activating the many national parks in DC); and showed off our shiny new transceiver for the club’s remote station.
Administrative and Other Comments:
W3HAC VE Team runs in-person exam sessions bimonthly in DC. Pre-registration is required at https://hamstudy.org/sessions/W3HAC/all
Nets are weekly on Mondays at 2000L on the 449.975(-5)MHz PL107.2Hz N3ERA DC repeater.
For more information about ARES visit aresdc.org or reach out to K4LIZ@arrl.net.
Washington:
Activity Details:
Topic for ARES net was final Field Day Preparations
Administrative and Other Comments:
Field Day Preparations: Food for Saturday night, ARES registration forms, Caution Tape
SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGERS REPORT – W3YVQ
MDC STM REPORTS FOR JUNE, 2026
MDC NETS 2606:
MEPN/C2, MARYLAND EMERGENCY PHONE NET; 3820 KHz/LSB
Pre-net: 2130Z, Net: 2200Z, DY, EL: WB3GXW-L (*WASH_DC* alt.)
Liaisons: 3RN2/WVA/DTN/DTS/WL2K/BTN/MDD/EL
MEPN 2606 W3YVQ QND/30 QNI/319 QTC/29 MINS/447
BTN/C4, BALTIMORE TRAFFIC NET; 146.67/R/107.2/FM, 1830L, DY
EL: N3FQC-R (alt1: 6.805/R/107.2, EL: KA2JAI-R); (alt2: 6.67S.)
Liaisons: MEPN/MDD/DTS/WL2K (EL: WB3GXW-L as needed.)
BTN 2606 N3FQC QND/30 QNI/301 QTC/87 MIN/673
MDD/C4, MARYLAND/DC/DELAWARE NET, 3557 KHz/CW
1900L-2200L-DY; (EL: WB3GXW-L as needed.)
Liaisons: 3RN4/DTN/MEPN/BTN/MSN/DTS/WL2K
MDD 2606 AA3SB QND/60 QNI/135 QTC/50 MINS/180 EST
MSN, MARYLAND SLOW NET, 3563 KHz/CW, 1930L-DY, TRAINING
Liaisons: MDD, CW; (EL: WB3GXW-L as needed.)
MSN 2606 N3AEA QND/23 QNI/37 QTC/8 MINS/205
PSHR 2606: W3YVQ 135, NI2W 100, WB3FTQ 75, KN6HXP 71
TFC 2606: WB3FTQ 145, KN6HXP 101, W3YVQ 60, NI2W 20
HF PROPAGATION – JUN 2026
MEPN NVIS propagation (2130Z to about 2220Z) has
been poor now that we are experiencing the highest
sun angles as we move past the summer solstice
(June 21). The stronger solar energy impinging on the
D-layer is also causing absorption to increase. This
typically reduces late afternoon signal strengths. Solar
Cycle 25 produced 13 M-class X-ray flares and 2
X-class X-ray flares during the month. There were
some good DX band openings up through ten and six
meters. Signals on early MDD/4 and 3RN/4 were fair
to poor most evenings with 40M NVIS still possible.
Late session conditions were fair to good with the NVIS
MUF remaining above 4 MHz.
ECHOLINK
MEPN representatives take check-ins starting at the
net s formal call daily (2200Z), or earlier, via the
WB3GXW-L (or *WASH_DC* backup – repeater linked)
conference-server. WB3GXW-L is available for MEPN,
MDD, BTN, MSN, and 3RN stations during periods of
propagation failure, NTS training, emergency
communications coordination, and exercises. Sincere
thanks to John, WB3GXW, and John, WA3MNN, for
continuing to provide and maintain the WB3GXW-L
conference-server we use daily.
DIGITAL MODES
ICS forms, formatted by officials, are used during
NIMS/ICS activations but the message form itself is
unsuitable for use on radio networks since it has no
accountability/tracking header information. Email-
formatted text content from such forms may be
exported to text files and sent attached to Radio-
email (WINLINK) or sent via the RRI/DTN pasted
between the breaks of a Hybrid Radiogram.
WINLINK and DTN thus provide the accountability
and tracking envelope. WINLINK and RRI/DTN reps
regularly attend the MEPN, BTN, and MDD nets.
Join up with our NTS and ARES(r) nets and learn how
to use the digital modes on their national networks,
and locally, before an emergency happens (and to
also develop compatibility with deployed ARESMAT
teams).
MANNING
We continue to be in need of county liaisons daily on
MEPN, BTN, and MDD to accept incoming Radiogram
messages for the public and new Hams in their areas.
Such contacts and first impressions, particularly coming
from a local operator, can have a profound positive
impact on a new Ham that lasts all his/her years in
Amateur Radio. Join us in this effort – perhaps as a club
activity or an ARES(r) training opportunity. Should our
traffic handlers send those messages to the local EC by
default for delivery and servicing? Please contact me if
your local ARES(r) stations, and VEC volunteers, are
willing to work with us in the NTS to deliver and service
those messages. This can be a win-win strategy.
MEPN is looking for additional NCS stations and daily
liaisons to MDD. The MDD is in need of additional CW
operators for daily NCSs and liaisons to the higher nets.
Newcomers are welcome – we will train you on the job.
The Maryland Slow Net (MSN, 3563, 1930L daily) can
help you learn net and message skills on CW – and help
you get your speed up at the same time.
Remember that the Section s NTS and RRI activities
operate on-the-air every single day of the year. Traffic
handling and directed nets have been the corner-stone
of the Field Organization s operations since the League
was founded. There is always a need to encourage and
train new operators for all the nets and digital modes in
order to keep up such a level of service. Can your weekly
local net controls handle fifty check-ins and as many
formal written record messages per hour, with
exchanges off-net, listing and dispatching traffic to be
handled on digital or CW modes, and servicing liaisons
to carry messages in and out to other nets during the net
sessions? Experienced NTS operators can. It is what they
do every day. They can help ARES(r) operators learn how
to do it as well. It does require practice.
FIELD DAY
This year s Field Day Radiograms were posted to our
NTS operators via Winlink and packet, for the most part,
from the various club and individual Field Day stations.
The local deliveries were handled mostly by operators on
the BTN. The traffic going out of state was handled mostly
by WB3FTQ, one of our RRI/DTN digital stations, and a
few went by way of the MDD Cycle/4 CW net through the
manual NTS. Everyone did an outstanding job in getting
all the presorted messages moving quickly in spite of
the crowded bands full of contesters. This activity each
year is really an excellent representation of what disaster
communications are like with stations operating in the field
and with key stations and nets managing the flow of both
emergency and welfare formal written traffic in volume.
Thanks to all the Sections traffic-net NCS operators,
RRI/DTN and WL2K stations, liaisons, and traffic handlers
for the continuing effort to keep the nets running and
the traffic moving.
73, W3YVQ, MDC ASM, STM
w3yvq atsign arrl dot net
MDC SECTION WEB SITE 