CONTACT - March 2016

Vol 14 # 3

In this issue:

Amateur Radio on the Kim Komando Podcast

Multi-Tiered Approach to St Louis Flooding Threat

PR Spotlight: Rusk County (TX) ARC

New PIOs

Phil McGan Time

9 Ways to Get The Attention of a Journalist

From the Home Office

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Amateur Radio on the Kim Komando Podcast

National radio host Kim Komando recently highlighted Amateur Radio’s value during natural disasters in one of her online podcasts dated February 25. This 15-minute, highly-produced piece features sound clips from the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, among others. A special nod to Idaho Section Emergency Coordinator and Public Information Coordinator Mike Meier, WB7RBH, for his contributions to the program.

Multi-Tiered Approach to St Louis Flooding Threat

Members of Ste Genevieve County ARES in Missouri pulled together a variety of resources to pitch in when the Mississippi River threatened to crest at a record level in late December 2015. Using traditional and social media to bring in volunteers, the team was able to monitor the levees during the second-highest recorded level of the river in Chester, IL. Good outreach efforts resulted in excellent public service and a new crop of people interested in getting their Amateur Radio license. Well done!

PR Spotlight: Rusk County (TX) ARC

The Rusk County Amateur Radio Club of Henderson, TX, recently donated $250 worth of ARRL books to the Rusk County Library. It was an excellent way of providing Amateur Radio resources to their county for years to come, and it got them some good publicity in their local media, raising their visibility in case they are ever needed for a real communications emergency. Kudos to the Rusk County ARC!

New PIOs

We always like recognizing new volunteers for ARRL. Thanks to the individuals for stepping up.

Public information Officers:

Tennessee: Stephan M. Anderman, K2SMA

Public Information Coordinators:

Missouri: Rod A. Kittleman, KØADI

Phil McGan Time

We are once again nearing the submission deadline for nominations for the ARRL Phil McGan Award. This is given to the Amateur who engages in the best volunteer public relations outreach to the non-Amateur community. You don’t have to be a PIO or PIC to qualify for this award.

Nominations must be received by the close of business May 20, 2016. The PR Committee will review all nominations and recommend a winner, if any, for final approval to the ARRL Board of Directors at the July 2016 Board Meeting.

9 Ways to Get The Attention of a Journalist

We’re always looking at a way to get an edge in our messaging. Here’s 9 suggestions from Zach Taiji, a technology PR guru at PulpPR, as posted on Business2Community:

From the Home Office

The first wave of organizational change has started at ARRL HQ. CEO-Elect Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, reported for duty and dove in on several major projects his first day. Harold Kramer, WJ1B, is retiring as ARRL COO after 11 years of service. Outgoing ARRL CEO Dave Sumner gave his farewell speech at the Orlando Hamcation the weekend of February 12.

Yes, folks, change happens. We’ve all heard it before. Change or die. Are you going to welcome it with open arms, or fight it?

How are you integrating new PR strategies and media into your outreach efforts? Are you integrating them at all?

We’re helping to nudge you in that direction a little bit, in a fun way. As I mentioned last month, beginning this year, there will be a new 100 point “Social Media” bonus in Field Day. 100 points for using a proper social media platform — Facebook Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Vine, etc. — to promote your Field Day effort. Now extrapolate that into a larger objective: can you take the social media network you build to earn your 100 point bonus in Field Day and keep it going year-long?

Many people think of Field Day as a training exercise. You can use Field Day to be your “Social Media Training Exercise,” too. Start small, make incremental additions or changes, find out what works and what doesn’t, determine how you’re attracting new followers to your pages, and keep expanding and developing those contacts. What will start out as a way to earn 100 extra bonus points can be the beginnings of new ways to connect with your community and served agencies, and keep your group visible for when the chips are down. Let me know how your efforts are going and if I can help.

Thanks for all you do.

Sean Kutzko, KX9X
ARRL Media & Public Relations Manager