Hello. I am Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, and I have been serving as your ARRL New England Division Director for the past 3 years. I have a long history of helping people to become licensed, learn new skills, and become active in the Amateur Radio Service. Like most Hams, I love Ham Radio and all that it enables. As your director, I have worked hard to protect and grow our hobby, and I will continue to work to create and promote activities and programs that maximize our ability to participate in and enjoy Amateur Radio.

Amateur Radio changes people’s lives for the better. It certainly has had a huge positive impact on my life, and I want to continue as your director so that I may work with the ARRL, clubs, and individual Hams across New England to help bring positive life experiences through Amateur Radio to more people in our division and across the ARRL.

Action-Oriented Leadership

It is not enough to just listen to members about their concerns. While doing this is an essential part of serving as director, we also need a director who works hard to ensure that effective action is taken to address member concerns. This requires a leader who can collaborate with people to create consensus around solutions to problems and create the will to act.

Through my work as part of numerous work efforts within the ARRL, we have enabled the ARRL board and HQ team to:

• Bring forward multiple new ham development initiatives.
• Provide clubs with resources to do important work to strengthen their future and the future of Amateur Radio and the ARRL.
• Develop publications and programs to encourage increased utilization of our Amateur Radio bands and privileges.
• Revitalize the National Traffic System
• Create an ARRL strategy that includes an expanded focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning in schools.

We’ve also built teams here in New England to solve RFI problems and encourage the use of our bands above 1 GHz via Amateur Radio Emergency Data Networks (AREDN).

What I Want To Continue To Accomplish as New England Director

Much needs to continue to be done to create a strong future for Amateur Radio and the ARRL. The following are some of the major goals I will continue to focus on as Director:

• Bringing new people into Amateur Radio by working collaboratively with clubs across New England and the ARRL. We have also created multiple new Ham Development initiatives within the ARRL that support bringing new people into Amateur Radio.
• Expanding ARRL’s work to support STEM learning in schools through Amateur Radio
• Creating positive public and agency awareness and support for Amateur Radio to protect our spectrum and our rights. The ARRL must also continue to expand member support for initiatives to protect our spectrum.
• Ensuring effective, open, 2-way communications between the ARRL and its members and creating a culture within the ARRL to act on member concerns and feedback.
• Continuing to establish the New England Division as a leader in developing world-class Amateur Radio programs that help our members enjoy Amateur Radio.

I believe that I bring the right Amateur Radio and professional experience, as well as the necessary collaborative leadership skills, to accomplish these goals and more. I hope you will support me as your choice to fulfill this important mission.

Walking Our Talk

As your Director, it is essential that I work to support the initiatives that I advocate for within the ARRL. This enables the creation of and member support for effective policy through credible leadership.

I serve as an ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) Mentor and Ground Station, helping schools worldwide to participate in STEM learning based on Amateur Radio. I also devote considerable time and energy to licensing hams and helping them get on the air. I’ve had the pleasure of leading a team of hams who teach classes for Tech, General, and Extra licenses, enabling over 480 people to earn a license or upgrade over the past seven years. We also created a popular program called Ham Bootcamp that helps new and experienced hams get on the air, build stations, and participate in operating activities. Ham Bootcamp has helped over 1,000 people across the United States to begin or expand their participation in Amateur Radio.

As New England Division director, I have continued to work with clubs and individuals in New England to help them expand their role as mentors and create a world-class environment for learning based on Amateur Radio.

Additional Information

I have been widely endorsed by members of the Amateur Radio community for my work. You can see what others are saying about their support for me as ARRL New England Division Director at re-elect.ab1oc.org/endorsements. You can learn more about me and my Amateur Radio activities at re-elect.ab1oc.org/about-ab1oc. I welcome everyone’s comments and questions. You can reach me at [email protected].

I Need Your Support

Voting information will be distributed to ARRL members by October 1^st via e-mail and postcards. Ballots are due by November 15^th. Your vote means a great deal to the future of Amateur Radio.

I am asking you for your support and your vote to enable me to continue working on your behalf to benefit Amateur Radio folks across New England and the ARRL.

Fred, AB1OC

Accomplishments During Our First Term

I have worked hard to make a difference for Clubs, Membership, New Hams, and more. The following are some of our accomplishments during the last 2 1/2 years as ARRL New England Division Director. My work has included –

• Leading the review committee that designed the Club Grant Program (available funds totaling $1M)
• Creating effective communications via Town Hall Meetings, Club Meetings, and Hamfests and taking action to address members’ concerns.
• Authoring and building consensus for the passage of numerous Board Motions focused on new Ham Development and Youth Outreach.
• Leading the Strategy Working Group, which created an expanded strategy for the ARRL, adding new advocacy that is focused on developing the next generation of radio amateurs
• Revitalizing the National Traffic System through the NTS 2.0 Program
• Working to create the New England RFI Assistance Program.
• Promoting the use and protection of our bands by encouraging technical innovation via the deployment of  Amateur Radio Emergency Data Networks (AREDN)
• Raising public awareness  and support for Amateur Radio via a Big-E Astronaut Contact
• Leading the creation of a new Working Group chartered to assist Hams in restricted operating situations.

Moving the Board and the ARRL Forward

The following are some board-related and leadership roles I have taken on during the last 2 1/2 years as New England Division Director.

• Member of the Administration and Finance Committee (3 Years) – which works closely with HQ on budget and operations issues
• Twice elected to the Board Executive Committee – a Director group entrusted to act on behalf of the Board.
• Appointed as sole Director board representative on the Investment Management Committee – overseeing the ARRL’s investments
• Led the review committee that designed the Club Grant Program (available funds for clubs totaling $1M)
• Leader of the NTS 2.0 initiative as part of the Emergency Communications and Field Service Committee – this initiative is working to revitalize and expand the ARRL’s support for the National Traffic System.
• Led the Strategy Working Group, which created an updated ARRL strategy that the Board approved unanimously.
• Continuing to lead the working group chartered to assist Hams in restricted Operating Situations.

Priorities for Our Next Three Years

Continuing Our Work

We have much to do to complete the work we have begun and continue supporting these important initiatives. It is essential not only to make sound policy within the ARRL Board but also to be an active, positive contributor to the initiatives are being brought forward.

Leading by example, or, as some say, “Walking the Talk,” is important not only to gain a clear understanding of what is needed to make good policy but also to inspire ARRL members to contribute positively to these initiatives.

Going forward as your Director, I pledge to –

• Continue working within the ARRL to implement the Ham Development initiatives that we’ve led the creation of and passage by the Board –
  • Expanded the ARRL Licensing and Training programs for New Hams, involving clubs in the process
  • Publications and articles targeted at helping New Hams to become active
  • Lowering barriers and providing incentives for New Hams to become ARRL members
• Continue to support Clubs in creating the future of Amateur Radio including
  • Providing Club grant program support, promotion, and expansion
  • Acting as a Strong Advocate for Clubs within the ARRL; regular attendance at club meetings across NE
• Keep the focus on protecting our spectrum and helping Hams in restricted situations. My plans include
  • Working to expand the RFI Initiative beyond New England
  • Protecting our UHF and higher bands by promoting their use via AREDN
  • Continuing to mobilize our members and the ARRL to proactively defend against legislative and regulatory attacks at the National and State levels (SMC Initiative, 5G Bills, 900 MHz, and other band attacks, …)
• Continue working to improve open, honest communications with our members through Town Halls, Expanded Cabinet Meetings, and regular participation in Hamfests and Club Meetings. I will continue to listen to members’ concerns and, most importantly,  take positive action to address members’ concerns and ideas.
• Continue expanding the ARRL’s Public Service and EmComm focus through the NTS 2.0 and other programs. I will also continue working to create additional opportunities to involve member volunteers in improving ARRL programs.
• Continue to Walk our Talk and lead by example, including
  • Providing ongoing support for the ARISS program as a mentor and station host for school contacts
  • Continuing licensing and mentoring work. To date, I have served as an instructor as part of a team that has taught six or more license classes each year, resulting in over 450 Hams Licensed or Upgraded and over 1,000 Hams served via Bootcamps

Additional Initiatives

We cannot and will not stand still. The following are some additions to the ARRL’s initiatives that I plan to focus on as part of a second term as Director –

• Developing the next generation of Amateur Radio Leaders
  • Through advocacy with Clubs and other Groups
  • Within the ARRL Leadership Structure
  • Starting at Home in New England and within our team
• Working with HQ and the Board to successfully implement the ARRL’s updated Strategy, which includes
  • Inspiring and Educating Youth – “A new advocacy is being created, committing the ARRL to develop the next generation of radio amateurs through the expansion of existing programs and the creation of curriculum-based initiatives targeted at middle and high school STEM education programs.”
• Expanding my Advocacy for improved, straightforward, and frequent communications with ARRL members.
  • I’ve helped initiate the immediate ARRL Member Bulletins, which are now published right after board meetings. I’ve also advocated for the motion requiring Board Roll-Call votes. We need to do more to foster confidence and trust in the ARRL through continuous, effective, and straightforward communications with members.
  • The ARRL needs to engage our members to better help with legislative and regulatory defense.
  • I will continue to lead the way by using modern online communications that can be leveraged across the ARRL member base.
• We need to more fully engage member volunteers to help us develop new and updated programs and services.