Welcome from the Section Manager
We would like to invite you to browse through the information listed here and take advantage of the services offered to you as a member of the American Radio Relay League. The ARRL Field Organization is here to serve you. If you have a problem, question or simply need more information, please feel free to contact anyone on the IL section staff. They will be happy to hear from you and will either answer you directly or steer you to the right person
ARRL Illinois Section Newsletter
June 2025
These past few months have been very interesting It began with a major medical scare in January on the way to the Collinsville hamfest. Instead of seeing old friends and meeting new friends, I got to see a lot of doctors and nurses.
It culminated with the EF4 tornado that went very close to my home last week. That’s the fourth one this year that has been close. My older sister suggested maybe it is time for me to move.
A lot of hard work has gone into updating the Illinois Section. By the end of May we will have a comprehensive list of ARES District Emergency Coordinators (DEC) and Emergency Coordinators (EC) and it will be published on the arrl-il.org website.
We also have an updated list (not the one on the ARRL site) of affiliated clubs in the Illinois Section. This list will also be published on the arrl-il.org website. ARRL rules for affiliated clubs
stipulate that clubs need to update t heir club information each year after club elections. The same is true for Special Services Clubs.
Why is it important? Imagine if you will, you are a new ham or maybe a ham who just moved into the Section. You go looking for a club and see one close by. When you send an email to
the club it comes back as undeliverable. You call the telephone number and it says it is no longer working. As a final act you go to the club meeting location only to find no one there. What would be your impression of the ARRL club? You just lost a potential club member.
In order to keep the list current, we need your help. There are a number of clubs that have not updated their information. I will be sending an email to the last known address asking them to update their information on the ARRL website ( https://www.arrl.org/club-update ) and to kd9bau@gmail.com so we know you have updated your information. Even if there have been no changes, you still need to update, since the update month and year is reflected on the page. It can be done by any club officer.
I also now have an agreement with the ARRL to remove clubs from their listing if they have not updated their information in the past three years.
Please do your update as soon as you can. In order to keep the club list accurate, any club not having updated their information in two years will be marked as inactive and dropped from the list on the third year. It is the only way we can ensure our Illinois Section members have up-to-date information.
There will be a statewide ARES exercise in August. More to come after our Section Emergency Coordinator provides more information. If you have not downloaded the new statewide plan please do so. It is on the arrl-il.org webpage at https://arrl-il.org/ARES/Incident_Operating_Practices.html. Keep a copy of the map by your radio. It shows all the frequencies for the state.
We are still looking for people who can fill some of the Section appointments. If you know someone between the ages of 14 and 26 who might be a good Youth Coordinator, please let me know (w9ry@w9rycom).
We also have a number of counties that do not have an Emergency Coordinator. It only requires minimal time each month. I’d definitely like to end 2025 with an EC in all the Illinois counties. If you can help, contact me (w9ry@w9ry.com) or our SEC, Steve Warner, at wa9sww@gmail.com .
I hope your plans are well underway for Field Day. You can go to https://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator and list your clubs Field Day information.
Speaking of Field Day, the Governor’s Proclamation designating June as Amateur Radio Month has been sent to the PIO’s and club presidents. It’s a great opportunity for you to take
it to your mayor or local official and ask them for a local proclamation. See if you can get your picture taken with them and their proclamation It’s great exposure for amateur radio and I doubt they turn down the opportunity for the press.
I hope to see you at the upcoming hamfests. Stop by the ARRL table and say hello.
73
Thom
ARRL Systems Service Disruption
ARRL Club Liability Insurance Information
ARRL is aware that some amateur radio clubs who had been insured by Marsh/AIG, a previous provider of the ARRL Club Liability Insurance Program, are receiving notices that their club liability insurance is not being renewed. ARRL discontinued its relationship with Marsh/AIG in 2011, but some clubs who had previously enrolled in the policies were still renewing with the old provider -- and not in the current ARRL program.
The current program administrator (since 2015) for the ARRL-sponsored Club Liability Insurance Program is Risk Strategies. ARRL has a strong relationship with the current administrator who understands the importance of local amateur radio clubs and will help clubs seek new policies. Risk Strategies also administers the ARRL Equipment Insurance Plan for members.
Clubs that are affected by the loss of coverage from the previous provider are encouraged to contact Risk Strategies. Please visit Risk Strategies online at arrlinsurance.com or by phone at 1-866-819-0209 (please leave a message and your call will be returned).
ARRL is not able to help them with questions on insurance and all questions should be directed to Risk Strategies.
