FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 06/11/2021
NASHUA, NH: Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, has announced his intention to run
for the position of ARRL New England Division Director. Kemmerer has a
long history of helping individuals to become licensed, learn new
skills, and become active in the Amateur Radio Service. Fred has also
served as President of the Nashua Area Radio Society, a club that has
provided many hams licensing and development programs over the past
six years.
“I believe that Amateur Radio clubs and interest groups play an
essential role in bringing new hams into the Amateur Radio Service and
in helping hams to develop new skills,” said Kemmerer. “As New England
Division Director, I will 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 upon Amateur Radio.”
Fred, AB1OC, also serves as an ARISS (Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station) Mentor and Ground Station, helping
schools around the world to participate in STEM learning based upon
Amateur Radio. “I will help groups and individuals in New England to
create projects and programs to bring Amateur Radio to young people
across the division,” said Kemmerer. “Amateur Radio provides a
tremendous opportunity for youths to learn about technical topics and
to develop valuable skills that they can use throughout their lives.”
Kemmerer has been an active amateur for over 10 years with a broad
range of Amateur Radio interests. “I enjoy many aspects of the hobby,
including DXing, contesting, EmCom activities and Field Day,
satellites, station building, and weak signal operating on the VHF and
higher bands. One of Amateur Radio’s most important strengths is its
tremendous diversity and range of interests and activities. We need to
work across New England and the ARRL to grow our hobby and protect our
spectrum by encouraging our hobby’s broad use.”
Fred, AB1OC, continues to devote considerable time and energy to
license new hams and help all hams to upgrade their licenses and get
on the air. “I’ve had the pleasure to lead a team of hams who have
taught license classes, enabling over 350 people to earn a license or
upgrade over the past five years.” Kemmerer has created some
innovative approaches to new ham development and getting hams on the
air. “We created a very popular program called Ham Bootcamp, designed
to help both new and experienced hams get on the air, build their
stations, and participate in new operating activities.” The last Ham
Bootcamp drew over 480 participants from across the United States. “I
hope to help clubs and individuals around New England and across the
ARRL to develop successful programs to license and assist hams to get
on the air and have fun in new activities,” he added.
Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, is an electrical engineer by training and holds
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in EE. He has served in many business
leadership roles, including Chief Technology Officer, VP and General
Manager of a large data networking and communication business, and a
Project Leader at Bell Laboratories in the development of wireless and
wired data communications technologies. Fred has also served on the
FCC’s Technical Advisory Committee where he assisted the FCC in
developing public policy related to wireless and broadband
communications. Fred holds an Amateur Extra license and has been quite
active on the air logging over 90,000 contacts on the HF and higher
bands over the past 10 years.
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