Hello EPA Section! I am starting up the Section News again. This will go out once a month at the beginning of the month (typically the first week). With that said, lets see what has been happening in EPA, or what will affect Amateur Radio in EPA:
August Hamfests
I attended two amazing Hamfests in August: The Valley Forge Hamfest put on by the Mid-Atlantic Amateur Radio Club, and the Reading Radio Club Hamfest, put on by the RRC. They were both were great Hamfests – each in a different but great location. The Valley Forge Hamfest was hosted at the Kimberton Fire Company Fairgrounds, and there was a large indoor location as well as a large outdoor location. At lot of great commercial vendors, as well as hams selling there gear. There was so much! The RRC Hamfest was at Heritage Park. This included inside the the old Train Station (rebuilt after a fire a few years ago), with a large outside section. Lots of tables here as well selling great gear – I myself picked up couple power supplies. Both Clubs were very welcoming, and I was able to talk to many hams and discuss many interesting subjects! Thanks to both clubs who put on an amazing Hamfest. If you are in their area, I encourage you to check out their clubs – they are run by good hams.
September/October Hamfests
There is only one ARRL Hamfest scheduled in September, on Sunday September 20th the EPARA Hamfest in East Stroudsburg, PA. Check more here: https://www.arrl.org/hamfests/epara-hamfest-2026 Unfortunately I will be unable to make this one – hopefully next year! There are two more in October, the Red Rose Repeater Hamfest in New Holland PA on October 3rd and the RF Hill ARC Hamfest on October 18th.
Valley Forge Hamfest
Reading Radio Club Hamfest
The Eastern States 100
This is an ultramarathon set in the hills of the PA Wilds, with general lack of cell service. The course is 103 miles long, and generally takes participants over 33 hours straight to complete. Led by Travis Best W3TMB from Jersey Shore, PA, a contingent of around 25 hams, both from the area as well as 9 RComm2 volunteers from Chester County, ran the communication for 15 Aid Stations, which both track the marathoners to ensure they aren’t lost and/or injured on the course, and provide any other aid they may need (medical, food, water, etc). They primary used the KB3DXU repeater in Waterville, PA, along with a portable repeater used as an alternate/fail-over system. The event was a complete success which could not have happened without the support of amateur radio operators. If you are interested, look into volunteering next year! See more info at their website: https://www.easternstates100.com
Wide Area Simplex Radio Test
The Reading Radio Club runs a simplex test each month to understand how much of Berks County can be covered from a single location, which is important given the various elevations in the county. This helps especially in an emergency, if repeaters go down, to understand how and where to set up emergency communication stations. On September 12th, they are running a special version of the simplest test, to reach out to other counties and beyond. Two years ago, during a similar test, they hear checkin from southern New Jersey, York County, and the Poconos. As you can imagine, disasters don’t understand borders, and being able to contact nearby counties for help could be life saving. For more information in advance of the test or with any questions after the exercise, reach out to Alan Melnyk K3AJM, Berks County Emergency Coordinator, at: K3AJM@ptd.net
Robert Griffiths NE3I, EPA Public Information Coordinator, Silent Key
It is with sad news I report that Robert Griffiths NE3I, the EPA Public Information Coordinator, has become a Silent Key. He passed away peacefully on June 29, 2026 at his residence. You can read his obituary here: https://www.caramenicofuneralhome.com/obituary/RobertAGriff-GriffithsEsq
Open Positions
I have completed my review of the section, asking which volunteers want to continue on (most have thankfully!) and which ones would like to move on. We could really use some volunteers to help Amateur Radio and its operators in the section. It does not have to involve a large time commitment immediately – we understand every one has busy lives. But we sure use your help. There are small local positions and wider section positions. If any of these titles sound interesting to you, please reach out to me at kv3jgb@arrl.org and we can discuss!
- Assistant Section Managers
- Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator
- Public Information Coordinator
- Section Traffic Manager
- Assistant Section Traffic Managers
- Net Manager
- Technical Specialists
- Public Information Officers
- Official Emergency Stations
- Official Relay Stations
That’s a wrap for these news. If you have anything you’d like me to
include in upcoming Section News, please send me a note at
kv3jgb@arrl.org.
– Matt Butch KV3JGB, EPA Section Manager