[Ccarc] a local thank you note.

[Chuck Hendrickson]

Mr. Hawes, 

    I wanted to take the time to write you a thank you note for a recent article published in the paper last Friday the 29th of June. The article was an opinion piece highlighting the amateur radio service on page A5. The amateur radio service is very diverse and has many potential points of interest. Emergency communications is an area that I take great pride in advancing my personal knowledge and abilities. Seeing an article such as this published shows the public something that they may not be aware of, but we as amateurs are keenly aware of. We currently have a little over one hundred folks in Cass county that stand ready, willing and able to be that one form of communcation for the area that will ALWAYS work guaranteeing our message WILL get through no matter what. Personally I'm honored to know and to be a part of this group of amateur radio operators and even more proud to be their elected leader. 
    I also appreciate very much the publishing of our news release of our recent Field Day exercise on the 23rd and 24h of June. Although it was very wet, rainy and stormy at times all in all it was very successful. We set up on Friday avoiding most of the rain. Saturday on the other hand had no shortage of rain and nasty weather. Fortunately there was little to no lightning so we could keep operating. We had some other equipment problems that we were able to push our way through and continue operating in spite of the technical difficulties. Our perseverence, persistance and the ability to push through ANY roadblock thrown in the way was to me the most impressive aspect of Field Day 2007. Not one person suggested quitting or was ready to stop operating until it was over at 2:00PM Sunday. We didn't have the amount of contacts that I was hoping for this year but I'm more than confident that if it were an actual disaster, we'd have gotten the message through to where it was needed accurately and in a timely manner. This is the stuff that fills me with such pride of our service and our club. 
    I'm sure you get to hear about all the wrong things that anyone even mildly associated with the paper does or has ever done. I think it's even more important to note a job well done in writing. Please consider me doing just that on behalf of myself and the Cass County Amateur Radio Club. 
    Again, I just wanted to thank you so much for the publishing of those pieces. The subject usually isn't the most exciting and probably won't sell many papers but it gives us as amateur radio operators renewed pride in that our hobby is indeed a necessary service and one we can be proud of. One we all hope we only have to use in recreational activities but are always prepared to offer our services should the need arise. If there is anything I or the radio club can do for you please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks again and have a great day. 

73, 
Chuck Hendrickson N9PMW
President CCARC
http://www.culcom.net/~ccarcinc
ARRL Ham Radio's National Association
http://www.arrl.org
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