By Phil Duggan, N1EP
I joined 21 other new section managers from around the country in Connecticut September 17-18 to participate in the New Section Manager Workshop. This was the first in-person SM workshop that the ARRL has conducted since the pandemic began.
Mike Walter’s, W8ZY, ARRL Field Services Manager, Steve Ewald, WV1X, Field Organization Team Supervisor, and many other ARRL staff did an amazing job organizing and running the event, which included many presentations aimed at assisting section managers to effectively lead their sections, as well as a tour of ARRL headquarters in Newington. We not only visited the main admin building with tours by Josh Johnson, KE5MHV, Director of Emergency Management, Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, Education and Learning Department Manager, and others explaining the various departments and services, but also included a tour of the famous Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station W1AW and many of us had the opportunity to operate as W1AW.
I really enjoyed calling CQ as W1AW on 40 meters. It was an instant pileup! A few hams told me that they had been waiting for years to work the League’s famous call sign, and I had a qso with a ham in my home state of Maine.
The lessons I learned during this workshop are excellent and I plan to put many of them to use in Maine. One thing that shocked me was the fact that Connecticut, the home state of ARRL, does not currently have a section manager. Hopefully someone from one of the many clubs in that state will step up and fill that role soon, so that the New England Division team can be complete.
I would be remiss if I didn’t give a special shoutout to Steve Ewald, who has been an invaluable resource for me and many other section managers. He gets things done. He was recently recognized for 40 years as a staff member at ARRL HQ. Thank you Steve!
