IN-Newsletter
Vol. 25, No.
June 24, 2002
Upcoming Meetings
July 18th in Newington, CT at 9:00am
Volunteer Resources Committee
July 18th in Newington, CT at 8:30am
Membership Services Committee
July 19-20 in Windsor, CT: Board Meeting
Development
On June 18 ARRL hosted a press conference to announce a $33,000 grant from
United Technologies Corporation to fund the expansion of Level 1 ARECC
training for Connecticut hams. Connecticut Lt. Gov M. Jodi Rell, Jacqueline
Strayer, UTC's Director of Contribution and Communication Services, John
Wiltse from the Connecticut OEM and Section Manger Betsey Doane joined CEO
Dave Sumner to announce the grant that will provide funding for 250 CT hams
to become certified. This grant enables CT to create a model for a national
program. This fall UTC will review a proposal for a three-year $243,000
grant to expand ARECC training nationwide. The press conference was covered
by the Hartford area Fox affiliate and Metro Radio Network.
The Education and Technology Program campaign is closing in on $200,000 in
contributions from more than 3100 hams. The Fund has attracted enough
funding to support the program in 2003.
The latest Planned Giving mailing has attracted 3 new commitments bringing
the total to 10 since January 2002. More information was requested from 61
prospects, mainly on wills and bequests.
The W1AW Endowment campaign is in the final planning stages.
Media Relations
The ARRL / UTC press conference was a success, and while we didn't get as
much media coverage as we would have liked, we did get a few good "hits."
The event was covered by Connecticut's Fox affiliate, channel 61. The
finished piece ran that evening, early on in the broadcast, and it was very
well done. Metro Networks (similar to an AP wire, but for radio) also
covered the event. We've had confirmation that the feed was picked up by at
least one CT radio station. Jennifer also did an interview with WTIC radio
after the event. We're waiting on word of further media hits from the PR
folks at UTC.
The 2002 Field Day release was distributed via PR Newswire, and Jennifer has
been hearing from a lot of ARRL members who have been sharing news of their
Field Day media coverage. The newspaper clips from the Bacon's clip service
should start pouring in over the next couple of weeks.
Prior to Field Day, Jennifer was interviewed by The Plain Dealer (Cleveland,
Ohio), the Waco (Texas) Tribune-Herald, Bee Publications (publishes nine
weekly newspapers in Buffalo, New York) and The Pantagraph (Bloomington,
Illinois).
Word of Field Day media hits from members included a note from Mike
Wendland, K8ZRH, the technology columnist for The Detroit Free Press. Mike
readily agreed to be added to our media database.
The 2002 McGan nominations (five total) are being duplicated and will be
sent out to the PR committee members this week. PRC Chairman Diane Ortiz,
K2DO, is working on her report for the July Board meeting.
A package of CC&R related letters from members and other requests for
information were forwarded to Chwat and Company for Derek Riker's review.
Jennifer and Derek have been keeping in touch on a regular basis.
The 2001 Annual Report should be back from the printer during the week of
July 8. Copies to Board members will promptly go out in the mail.
Sales & Marketing
Marketing
An ad is being prepared for August QST, announcing The ARRL Image
Communications Handbook, by Ralph Taggart, WB8DQT.
Bob Inderbitzen worked with Jon Bloom and Sue Fagan to create a pop-up
window on the main ARRLWeb page to solicit new members. The campaign was
tied closely to Field Day (offering a free Field Day pin for membership
sign-ups). Significant thought went into managing the pop-up window so that
most browsers would only see the window once. Thus far, 42 memberships have
been attributed to the campaign. These memberships are largely new or
previous-member sign-ups.
Bob met with Mary Lau to discuss plans to update the F&ES youth recruitment
brochure. The collaborative discussion yielded many good ideas.
Deb Jahnke and Bob assisted Dave Patton with shipping arrangements and other
details for the upcoming ARRL exhibit at Friedrichshafen, Germany.
Bob worked with Sue Fagan and Dave Pingree (Graphics Dept) to produce an
ARRLWeb banner ad for an advertiser Hanan is working with.
Bob assembled files for a CD-ROM that includes images and descriptions of
our entire product line. The material will assist ARRL dealers that are
building their own online stores (to include ARRL products). Joe
Bottiglieri and Lisa Tardette are both working with clients who have
immediate interest in putting the material to work. Jon Bloom assisted with
extracting files containing product descriptions, using a source database
that drives our own online store. An announcement will be circulated to all
ARRL dealers offering the material to them.
An email solicitation was conducted during the week, as a last call for
Field Day T-shirts. The mailing instantly yielded sales that will help
exhaust our stock. T-shirt sales have significantly exceeded last year's
figures.
The new ARRL Life Membership plaque, touting a fresh design, will be
available for sale in about one month. The plaques are regularly sent to
new Life Members, and they will be offered to existing Life Members seeking
replacement plaques. Pricing will be announced soon.
A solicitation was mailed to help increase the number of ARRL dealers that
carry QST in their stores. Dealers will enjoy a more exclusive arrangement
with the recent elimination of general newsstand distribution.
Sales
Deb and Hanan drafted a follow-up card to be sent to advertisers who have
decided to suspend advertising. Plans are also in the works to send a
survey to advertisers who have dropped out of the magazine during the past
two years.
Based on input from the Sales & Marketing team and others, Deb finalized a
business plan for increasing advertising in QEX and increasing subscriber
numbers. Doug Smith (QEX Editor) has already drafted a letter to be sent to
a pre-determined list of potential advertisers along with an issue of QEX.
Our experimental mailing to a group of new hams, using a full issue of QST
rather than the QST Special Edition, is in the mail.
In a joint effort with Comptroller's we decided that now (prior to our
computer conversion) would be the opportune time to contact all ARRL Dealers
and Advertisers to accomplish several goals. We will encourage them to send
us updated contact information for both Sales and Accounts Payable use. In
addition, we will create a generic document that will clearly state our
business terms, delivery expectations, options, as well as ad deadlines,
etc. Deb Jahnke is working on a draft of this. Comptroller staff is working
on a revised credit application and Advertising staff is working on an
updated insertion order form.
Anticipate advertising billing for the month appears to be very close to
target while products sales may be off some this month. Membership numbers
are still somewhat disappointing and we are looking at short term and long
term programs to work on this.
Production/Editorial
The August issue of QST will be released to the printer June 25.
Membership Services
Awards Branch
WAS QSL Cards Checked 600
WAS Endorsements 6
WAC Certificates 16
WAC Endorsements 2
Long Term Member Inquiries 18
Extra Class Certificates 19
RCC Awards 5
OTC Awards 3
VUCC Endorsement Applications 1
Grids (Data Entry) 126
Also, additional research done and letters sent to 8 members with
problematic pre-computer membership records (unable to find on the first
pass).
Processing Status
Code Prof. Awards 2 weeks
VUCC Awards 2 weeks
Friendship Awards 3 weeks
Specialty WAS Awards 3 weeks
For the coming week-Specialty WAS, Code Proficiency, Friendship, and VUCC
awards.
DXCC Branch
Weekly Report June 23, 2002
Beginning Cards 43,205
Cards Received 9,319
Cards Processed 11,553
Ending Cards 40,971
Applications Pending 276
Processing Time 1 Week
Year-to-date
Cards Received 281,147
Cards Returned 346,297
QRP Issued this week 4
QRP YTD 211
DXCC is currently mailing applications received on June 11, 2002. DXCC is
currently entering cards received on June 18, 2002. 1 DXCC card checker was
nominated this week bringing the total to number of checkers to 149.
Contest Branch
The automated Logs Received process working with the log-processing robot
was tested and went "live" on Friday June 14. We are still working with it,
tweaking in a few features that will be used for the IARU HF Championships
in July. The draft of the January VHF SS was received from the team doing
the write-up, matched with the line scores and sent to production. Mailing
of IARU certificates was completed. Numerous email and phone queries have
been coming in for this weekend's Field Day event. The on-line web article,
boxes, etc for 2001 160 Meter Contest and 2002 January VHF Sweepstakes were
prepared and sent to the Web Services Department for layout and posting for
preview. Final drafts of the 160 Meter and January VHF SS for QST were
proofed and sent back to production.
QSL Branch
QSL service status: Current. Cards mailed year to date as of 06/23/2002 -
1,016,100. No cards were mailed this week. Janet Rocco spent 5 hours
conducting tours around HQ.
W1AW
Field Day 2002 went quite well at W1AW! Thanks to the following staff for
operating and visiting during the event: Jerry Hill, KH6HU; Rosalie White,
K1STO; Mary Hobart, K1MMH (plus 5 guests); Steve Ewald, WV1X; John
Hennessee, N1KB; Mary Lau, N1VH; Joel Kleinman, N1BKE; Brennan Price, N4QX;
Helen Dalton, KB1HLF; Danny Sayad, KB1IIP; and Dave Mello, W1DGM. Special
thanks to Dan Henderson, N1ND, for his operating during most of the event.
526 CW and 623 SSB QSOs (including 5 RTTY QSOs) were made on 80 to 10
meters, including 6 and 2 meters, for a claimed score of 1463. Joe Carcia
spent time preparing the station for Field Day. He built stubs to reduce
interference between the stations. He also upgraded the logging software on
all the PCs and worked on the networking as well. Scott Gee worked on fast
and slow code practice runs for the latter part of the month of June. He
also handled some evening phone sales in the 5 PM to 8 PM time slot. W1AW
telephone sales year to date (2002): $4,802.
Field & Educational Services
Cosmonaut Valery Korzun was heard operating Field Day from the International
Space Station on at least two passes! Last week Astronaut Jim Voss (not a
ham) spoke before the Senate Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space
about education in space (including quite a lot about Amateur Radio) -- NASA
Hq provided numbers on ARISS schools for him to cite. Rosalie took part in
an ARISS telecon with ARISS international officers. Steve and Rosalie
provided assistance to an editor of NARTE's (National Association of Radio
and Telecommunications Engineers) magazine who wanted to re-work Rick's
story about amateurs and Colorado fires.
Field Organization/Public Service Team
The entire department hosted Betsey Doane, K1EIC, and her sister, Barbara,
K1EIR, Tuesday as we prepared to take part in the ARRL/UTC grant
announcement. This news was also sent to the SM Reflector as was the news
about President Bush's greeting to Amateur Radio operators.
Leona has been preparing material for the Puerto Rico Section Manager
election; candidate statements were formatted and proofread. Section
Manager Workbooks for the new SMs starting in July are nearly ready for
shipping, and Leona entered expense reports for various SMs. Thirteen
appointment supply packages were sent, including 6 OO test packages.
Steve Ewald prepared and proofread the August QST public service and field
organization columns. "Section News" from Nevada, Virginia and Northern
Florida reminded readers to contribute ideas to the ARRL Section Web sites.
Steve contacted eight SMs about their use of the ARRL Section Web sites.
The South Texas SM has a good prospect in mind to serve as a designated
person to update their Section's Web site. The North Texas Field
Organization hopes to upload news and photos about Field Day in their
Section. Steve's contacts also included the newly-elected SMs who will
begin their terms in July.
Field & Educational Support Team
Mary Lau relayed SM e-newsletters for the following Sections this week: KY
= 6; MS =3; AR, NH, SDG, = 2, and GA, CT, MN, RI, NLI = 1. Mary was able to
expedite check and contribution acknowledgments signing when Tom Frenaye
stopped by following Tuesday's ARRL/UTC press conference.
Jean Wolfgang has been working on short blurbs (to be used in the
newsletters and the web) for the 2002 Ham Radio...Planning for the Future.
While reviewing the past few Kid's Day survey results, Jean found the most
popular participation age is 8-12. She is also assisting Jerry with
creating The Big Project display board for the BOD meeting.
Margie Bourgoin reports adding 13 new affiliated clubs; this represents
increased club affiliation activity. She also reports one new SSC renewal.
Responses to the Instructor survey have now reached 257. She sent the W1AW
bulletin about The White House proclamation to affiliated clubs.
Jo-Ann Arel registered 4 Instructors and 1 teacher, updated 20 affiliated
clubs, and shipped 6 graduations kits, 5 videos, 8 exhibit kits, 275
Archies, and 445 brochures.
Gail Iannone co-ordinated travel for HQ staff for the following conventions:
Brennan Price, N4QX, EWA Section Convention to be held October 12th in
Spokane; Rick Lindquist, N1RL, New Mexico State Convention to be held August
23rd-24th in Albuquerque; Dan Henderson, N1ND, Alabama Section Convention to
be held August 17th-18th in Huntsville; and Bill Moore, NC1L, Roanoke
Division Convention to be held September 28th-29th in Virginia Beach, VA.
She also sent 5 hamfest and 3 convention approval letters to the sponsoring
committees confirming the Division Director's approval of the events as
ARRL-sanctioned, processed 21 door prize orders and sent 24 handout packages
for upcoming events.
C-CE
Jerry Ellis has been processing the backlog of in-person classes and exams
as well as processing many certificate requests. He opened the very first
UTC-funded Level I course for CT residents, and the first class for our
brand new course -- Satellite Communications. He is handling more CCE
e-mail.
Dan Miller says the interest from CT hams to participate in the new
UTC-funded training exceeds his best expectations. Already 37 people have
enrolled and the word is only beginning to spread. At least one ham
employed by the CT Office of Emergency Management and one at Sikorsky have
asked how they can participate. Thanks to UTC, CT hams are really getting
involved in emergency communications!
Regulatory Information
John updated covenant information on the regulatory Web page that points
amateurs to the information on HR 4720. He also prepared information for
the page announcing the upcoming CLE course, taught by Chris Imlay and Fred
Hopengarten on Friday, August 23 at the New England Division Convention at
Boxboro, MA. He also processed the Volunteer Counsel application of Travis
Wise, KB8FOU, of San Jose, and corresponded with Ohio SM Phillips on a
possible attempt to codify PRB-1 as a state statute.
The Big Project
Jerry Hill has another teacher who will be participating in the curriculum
review this summer. Jerry compiled all the lessons from when his teacher
group was here a week ago, and gave them new assignments while he edits the
lesson plans for consistency and content flow, and looks for "holes" to be
addressed.
73,
Sincerely,
Mark Wilson, K1RO
Chief Operating Officer
MW:lk
Staff Absentee List
Name Date(s) Reason
All Staff 7/4-7/5 Holiday
Mark Wilson 7/1-7/3 Vacation
Dave Patton 6/25-7/1 Friedrichshafen
`` 7/8-7/16 Vacation
Wayne Mills 6/25-7/1 Friedrichshafen
`` 7/2-7/16 Vacation
Jennifer Hagy 7/1-7/8 Vacation
Monique Levesque 6/27pm-7/8 Vacation
Rosalie White 6/28 Vacation
Dan Miller 7/1-7/8 Vacation
Margie Bourgoin 7/8 Vacation
Joe Carcia 6/28pm-7/3 Vacation
Judy Miller 7/1-7/8 Vacation
Joel Kleinman 7/2 Vacation
`` 7/8-7/12 Vacation
Rick Lindquist 7/1-7/8 Vacation
Jan Carman 7/1-7/3 Vacation
Mary Lau 6/25-7/8 San Francisco Section
Convention/Vacation
Zack Lau 6/25-7/8 San Francisco Section
Convention/Vacation
Zoe Belliveau 6/24-7/3 Vacation
Lisa Tardette 7/8-7/19 Vacation
Bob Inderbitzen 7/8-7/12 Vacation
Debbie Jahnke 7/1-7/3 Vacation
Dennis Motschenbacher 7/2-7/16 Vacation
