August 2002 - arrl-odv - reflector.arrl.org

[ARRL-ODV:7685] FW: Notification of candidates
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 16 Aug '02

16 Aug '02

> -----Original Message----- > From: Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ > Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 5:23 PM > To: Frahm, Bruce (Vice Dir, Midwest); 'bwheeler(a)socket.net'; Mondro, Richard (Vice Dir,GL); Johnston, Gary (Dir, GL); 'Xtraclass(a)aol.com'; 'k8je(a)arrl.net'; Leggette, Henry (Vice Dir, Delta); 'w4gkm(a)arrl.net'; Roderick, Rick (Dir, Delta); Bellows, Jr., John (Dir, Dakota; Greenheck, Twila (Vice Dir, Dakota); Fuller, Bernie (Dir, Atlantic); 'n2ss(a)comcast.net'; Walstrom, Wade, W0EJ, (DIR, MW); Edgar, William (Vice Dir, Atlantic Div.) > Subject: Notification of candidates > > The ARRL election schedule calls for the Secretary to notify each candidate of the names and call signs of other candidates on Monday, August 19. I will be away that day, so I am taking the liberty of notifying you now. Here is the list of petitions and candidate's questionnaires that were received as of today's noon deadline. As yet, not all of the candidates have been certified to be eligible by the Election Committee. > > In the case of candidates that do not have opposition, all of whom happen to be incumbents, once they are certified to be eligible they will be declared re-elected. > > David Sumner, K1ZZ > Secretary, ARRL > > Atlantic Division > > Director: > Bernie Fuller, N3EFN > Anthony Gargano, N2SS > > Vice Director: > Bill Edgar, N3LLR > > Dakota Division > > Director: > Jay Bellows, K0QB > > Vice Director: > Twila Greenheck, N0JPH > > Delta Division > > Director: > Rick Roderick, K5UR > > Vice Director: > Henry R. Leggette, WD4Q > Nicholas R. Smith, W4GKM > > Great Lakes Division > > Director: > Paul Daley, WT8S > Gary Johnston, KI4LA > Jim Weaver, K8JE > > Vice Director: > Dick Mondro, W8FQT > > Midwest Division > > Director: > Wade Walstrom, W0EJ > > Vice Director: > Bruce Frahm, K0BJ > Bill Wheeler, K0DEW > > -end- >

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[ARRL-ODV:7684] Emergency Communications Grant letter to SMs
by Wilson, Mark K1RO 15 Aug '02

15 Aug '02

Here is the text of the letter to the SM reflector regarding the Level 1 Emergency Communications Course under the Federal grant. We will have a news story on the Web site tomorrow afternoon (Friday Aug 16). 73, Mark K1RO ___________ Dear ARRL Section Managers, The recent grant to ARRL from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) provides a unique opportunity to expand the League's successful national Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course (ARECC). While our grant request was for a three-year training program, only Year One has been funded thus far. Funding for years two and three will be contingent on our success in Year One and on the availability of federal funds. Basically the CNCS federal grant for Year One will reimburse the $45 registration fee for the ARECC Level 1 course only for approximately 200 new instructors and 1500 hams -- all ARRL members -- when they successfully complete the Level l course, and pass the certification exam. You may be asked why we will be requiring prepayment of the $45 course fee, to be reimbursed by the grant upon completion of the course. In doing so we are following an accepted tuition reimbursement process. When each student has a financial stake in completing the course, each dollar of the grant will have maximum impact. Our goal is to dramatically improve our course completion rate from the current 68% to nearly 100%. When we do that, everyone benefits - your Section, your ARES network, Amateur Radio and your community. I know you have been eager to learn the details of the grant and I appreciate your patience as we have worked with our Program Officer to finalize the budget and national implementation plan. Now we are ready to move forward with the first steps in that plan and we want you to be the first to participate. Our first challenge is to identify, train and certify 200 hams as instructor/mentors for the program -- and we need your help for two important reasons. Because this is national program we want to ensure that we have qualified, active and interested instructors in each Section. And we want to make sure that the importance of active participation in ARES networks is emphasized to all students in all Sections. You know who are the most loyal and experienced emcomm volunteers in your Section. During August we would like you to nominate / recommend up to five of your best hams who are ARRL members - ARES volunteers, SECs or others who have been leaders in emergency communications -- who haven't yet been certified in the Level 1 course. Of course you may sign up for the course yourself if you have not done so already. These nominees will enjoy fee reimbursement of $45 as part of the CNCS grant. >From this group we want to identify a total of 200 new instructor/mentors to guide other hams through Level 1. I hope you'll especially encourage seniors who have the time, experience, equipment and passion for this arena of public service. When selecting nominees, please consider the person's emcomm background, the capability of their ham station, their computer hardware and their expertise in using the Web. More information on the mentor program is available on the Web at www.arrl.org/members-only/cce/mentor/. Another consideration is timing - your nominees for the initial course must start the course in early September and finish during October. It is essential that we end the initial course with at least 200 instructors/mentors so that we may open additional courses and pair students with mentors in their Section. If your nominees are not likely to be interested in volunteering to become mentors, they should wait for a later class. Those nominees who agree to become mentors will receive additional information and training. Mentors learn to help students through the online course and its activities, and they stress the expectation that graduates make an ongoing commitment to their communities as an active ARES participant. They help encourage students to keep their skills sharp by taking part in regular drills. Mentors need to focus on motivating students to complete the course and ensure a high pass rate on exams, tracking how students progress toward certification, and inviting grads into the Field Organization and ARES. On October 1, as this new group of mentors is finishing up training, course registration will open so that ARRL members will have the chance to register for Level 1 courses beginning October 14. The first seats (up to 200) that open in October will be open only to Field Appointees. And based on response and mentor availability we may extend that to the November classes. Thereafter, classes will open monthly until we've met the goals of the grant for Year One. Enrollment will be publicized via the Web, e-mail and section reflectors. ARRL members will receive ample advance notice so they can be ready to enroll. Course participants will be reimbursed by the CNCS grant upon successful completion of the course, and passing the certification exam. The details of the grant have been accepted by CNCS and cannot be changed. In fact, once we train and certify approximately 1500 hams, we will have exhausted our grant funds. And we are not guaranteed to get CNCS funding for 2003-2004. You will be able to let us know who your initial five candidates are via a Web form accessible from the SM page on the ARRL Web site at www.arrl.org/members-only/SM/. [This link will be available Friday August 16.] You will supply call signs. The system will then verify the candidates' membership records and check to see if they have already completed the course (anyone who already has Level 1 [EC-001] certification is already eligible to become a mentor). Please note that your candidates will still have to go to the Web site and complete the enrollment form. The system will verify that they are on the list of SM-nominated candidates. If you know of members in your Section who have already completed the ARECC Level 1 training and certification and would like to become mentors, please encourage them to visit mentor Web page (www.arrl.org/members-only/cce/mentor/) to learn about the program and contact me to apply. Please nominate your candidates and ask them to complete the enrollment form no later than August 30. If you have any questions, please contact me. Thank you for your help as we launch one of the most exciting opportunities for ARRL members in years! 73, Dan Miller, K3UFG Emergency Communications Course Manager ARRL 225 Main St Newington, CT 06111 email k3ufg(a)arrl.org tel 860-594-0340 fax 860-594-0259 P.S. As you share the excitement of this program with your Section and your community, please remember that all media relations regarding the CNCS grant are being coordinated by Media Relations Manager Jennifer Hagy at ARRL HQ. You can reach her at 860-594-0328.

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[ARRL-ODV:7683] Technical Relations update
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 15 Aug '02

15 Aug '02

Technical Relations Manager Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, provides this update to his report to the Board (Doc. 15) concerning "Spectrum Deliberations" in Washington. Dave K1ZZ * In early August, the FCC Spectrum Policy Task Force held a series of private and public panel discussions in which Part 15 devices were discussed. The SPTF is still seeking input and it will be a while until they produce a report indicating which way they are leaning with respect to low power devices. Receiver standards were discussed in these panels and it is possible that the SPTF may recommend that the FCC review its reluctance to regulate receivers, including those in Part 15 devices. * In an indication that there is ongoing activity on the SAVI 425-435 MHz petition (ET 01-278, RM-10051), on August 9 an engineer at NTIA called the Technical Relations Office to say that he had just finished an analysis of the SAVI Technology RFIDs. He asked for details about EME, which we are providing. He said it was just curiosity, as his father was a ham. * There are reports, such as one in the August 12 issue of Electronic Engineering Times, that there are as many as 1 million outdoor 802.11b (2400-2483.5 MHz) sites installed for uses such as Internet access. Their success could be their own downfall because of interference resulting from dense buildup and the possibility that carriers could take the matter to courts to stop sharing Internet access. * The NTIA engineer said he is studying the interference from US Navy ships when in port to Part 15 devices in the band 225-450 MHz. We also saw an article in NARTE News saying that the USS Carl Vinson probably caused the remote keyless entry systems on nearly every vehicle in the Bremerton-Port Orchard, WA area to stop working. * A number of Part 15 advocates, including Carl Stevenson for IEEE, filed in opposition to the upgrade the status from secondary to primary of the amateur and amateur-satellite allocation at 2400-2402 MHz and gratuitously suggested that the entire 2400-2450 MHz band allocated to the amateur-satellite service be restricted to uplink only. * There is still no indication what the FCC will do with the WECA petition, which among other things requests a primary allocation to the mobile service for wireless access systems including radio local area networks in the amateur secondary allocation of 5650-5725 MHz. NTIA opposes the allocation. ARRL has objected to this allocation in the FCC WRC Advisory Committee. * Ultrawideband (UWB) remains an issue in Washington and Europe. The UWB Coalition, of which ARRL is a part, is urging the FCC to go slow. Some of the UWB device manufaturers are lobbying the FCC to hasten the day when they loosen the regulations. As a result, the FCC is getting pressure from Congress from both sides. * The ITU has created a Task Force 1/8 to study the impact UWB on other communications systems. ARRL and IARU will be tracking TG 1/8 and attending its meetings. *The Europeans have held a number of meetings on UWB from two standpoints: Is there money to be made? What is the interference potential? In summary, "crunch time" seems to be nearing for Part 15 regulations.

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[ARRL-ODV:7682] CNCS Grant Plan
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 15 Aug '02

15 Aug '02

This is the grant implementation plan rather than the grant proposal/budget but I hope you will find it of interest. Please keep this document confidential and do not distribute beyond the Board as it is not designed for publication. Dave Sumner, K1ZZ > <<CNCS goals.doc>> > >

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[ARRL-ODV:7681] Re: Emergency Communications Training Grant Update
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 15 Aug '02

15 Aug '02

I raised the very same points Tom raises. It took some selling, but eventually I was persuaded that "up to 5" is the best formulation for the SMs' designees because (1) it's best to keep it as simple as possible, (2) this is just a short-term implementation step, and (3) this group of additional mentors simply supplements those who have already taken the course and who are already spread more evenly through the population. At the next stage all appointees will have an equal chance, so the sections with more appointees will have more chances. Dave K1ZZ -----Original Message----- From: Tom Frenaye [mailto:frenaye@pcnet.com] Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 11:11 AM To: arrl-odv Subject: [ARRL-ODV:7680] Re: Emergency Communications Training Grant Update At 03:29 PM 8/14/2002 -0400, Wilson, Mark K1RO wrote: >Who Gets the Training > >There has been discussion of possible ways to ration the available seats. As we get further into the program, this will be less of an issue -- particularly if the UTC national grant and Years 2 and 3 of the CNCS grant come through. After considerable thought, we have settled on this... > >First we need to train an additional 200 mentors/instructors to coach students under the grant. As this is a national program, our goal is to have mentors in each Section, and whenever possible to pair students with local mentors. In addition to helping students through the course, local mentors are in the best position to encourage them to become active (or more active) in their Section's ARES activities. To ensure that we have sufficient mentors in each Section, we are asking each SM to nominate up to 5 candidates in their Section to receive Level 1 training and supplemental mentor training. Classes for up to 355 mentor candidates (71 Sections x 5 candidates) will begin in early September. This should ensure at least 200 mentors; if we have more, that's a good thing. Rather than five per Section, I'd suggest a variable number. There are seven Sections with fewer than 500 members (and two more just over 500) and there are seven Sections with more than 4000 members. That works out to 1:100 mentors for the small Sections (1:10 in the USVI) and 1:800 in the larger ones. An overall average of 1 per 400 members makes it come out "right" proportionately. That'd give Delaware one mentor for their 380 members, and Illinois 13 for their 5,386 members. I'd think the same issue will come up when the gates are open for non-mentor training. Or has it already been cast in stone? -- Tom ===== e-mail: k1ki(a)arrl.org ARRL New England Division Director http://www.arrl.org/ Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444

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[ARRL-ODV:7680] Re: Emergency Communications Training Grant Update
by Tom Frenaye 15 Aug '02

15 Aug '02

At 03:29 PM 8/14/2002 -0400, Wilson, Mark K1RO wrote: >Who Gets the Training > >There has been discussion of possible ways to ration the available seats. As we get further into the program, this will be less of an issue -- particularly if the UTC national grant and Years 2 and 3 of the CNCS grant come through. After considerable thought, we have settled on this... > >First we need to train an additional 200 mentors/instructors to coach students under the grant. As this is a national program, our goal is to have mentors in each Section, and whenever possible to pair students with local mentors. In addition to helping students through the course, local mentors are in the best position to encourage them to become active (or more active) in their Section's ARES activities. To ensure that we have sufficient mentors in each Section, we are asking each SM to nominate up to 5 candidates in their Section to receive Level 1 training and supplemental mentor training. Classes for up to 355 mentor candidates (71 Sections x 5 candidates) will begin in early September. This should ensure at least 200 mentors; if we have more, that's a good thing. Rather than five per Section, I'd suggest a variable number. There are seven Sections with fewer than 500 members (and two more just over 500) and there are seven Sections with more than 4000 members. That works out to 1:100 mentors for the small Sections (1:10 in the USVI) and 1:800 in the larger ones. An overall average of 1 per 400 members makes it come out "right" proportionately. That'd give Delaware one mentor for their 380 members, and Illinois 13 for their 5,386 members. I'd think the same issue will come up when the gates are open for non-mentor training. Or has it already been cast in stone? -- Tom ===== e-mail: k1ki(a)arrl.org ARRL New England Division Director http://www.arrl.org/ Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444

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[ARRL-ODV:7679] Re: Emergency Communications Training Grant Update
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 15 Aug '02

15 Aug '02

The grant proposal is in the Board meeting documentation. I don't have an electronic copy. Mary is visiting potential donors this week but may be able to provide one next week if anyone needs it. In the meantime I can mail a copy to anyone who can't put their fingers on theirs. The announcement of the UTC grant for the Connecticut program was made 8 weeks ago and included both the amount of the grant and the number of trainees that it would fund. I haven't had a single question or comment about the $132 ratio although perhaps others have. The course fee for members, originally $40 and now $45, was not set at a level that covers the full (fixed as well as variable) cost of the program. We try to cover at least the variable cost so we're not in the position of losing money on each student while trying to make up for it in volume, but I don't think I need to work very hard to persuade you that many members would not willingly or uncomplainingly pay on the order of $100 for each level of emergency communications certification training. The grant proposals did seek to cover the full costs involved, including the costs of promotion to ensure that we can train as many people as we have promised. One of the first tests that is applied to a grant proposal is to determine whether the budget provides adequate resources to achieve the objective of the grant. If not, the applicant hasn't done their homework and the application will be denied. One of the effects of our receiving the federal grant is that UTC's funding of "their" national program is in some jeopardy. Reasonably, UTC is asking whether we can achieve some savings on their program in light of the federal funding. We can, and will be reviewing some changes in the budget for the UTC national program with them next month. We're hopeful that UTC will remain enthusiastic about funding a national program, particularly if we can reduce the cost somewhat. Dave K1ZZ

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[ARRL-ODV:7678] Re: Section News
by Wilson, Mark K1RO 15 Aug '02

15 Aug '02

Jim, This capability was suggested (in various forms) by a number of SMs. It addresses the issue of reaching members who want to receive news via e-mail and postal mail, and the issue of a continuing record of past section reports in a form that members can easily find. SMs are doing a monthly summary for QST Section News now, so this doesn't represent too much of a change. Will they really do it (or find a volunteer to help do it)? I don't know. We'll provide the tools and reminders and encouragement, but it's up to them. There is not always representation from 100% of the Sections in QST Section News, but lately it's been pretty good thanks in part to staff paying attention to those SMs needing reminders. Historically, staff has not ghostwritten Section News for SMs who didn't provide any. If at some point in the future we find that this capability is not something that the SMs or members find useful, we can reconsider. We will be publicizing the written request for mailed copies but will not turn away an email request from Joe Ham asking that Joan Ham be sent section reports, or a telephone request. We will require that the request be renewed periodically. Since we are sending the member an envelope each month, we can enclose a renewal notice at an appropriate time. 73, Mark K1RO > -----Original Message----- > From: jmax(a)attglobal.net [mailto:jmax@attglobal.net] > Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2002 5:57 PM > To: arrl-odv > Subject: [ARRL-ODV:7670] Re: Section News > > > Mark - > > Thanks for the update. > > I note that you are now planning to introduce a "highlights" > box, to be prepared by the SMs as part of their Section > web page. The contents of that box, and only that box > will be emailed to all registered members who have opted > in for receiving email bulletins and sent by snail mail to > those members who have no electronic capability. > > That sounds good, but will it work? We have been > encouraging SMs to use the web, making it possible for > them to have more complete reports, even photos, no > real limit in length. But now the SMs have suddenly been > assigned a brand new monthly task: fill in the box. Will > they do it? The only material to be emailed, mailed, or > archived, will be that special text appearing in a special text > box. > > Quesions: > What appears in that text box if the SM doesn't choose > to fill it? Will Steve Ewald fill it? > What information will be archived from a Section > whose SM doesn't fill the box? > What evidence do you have to indicate that our > hardworking SMs will be pleased with this new > assignment? > > Incidentally, I understand your reason for requiring a > written request from those who have no web capability. > But that also excludes the possibility of Joe Ham asking > Joan Ham if we would please drop an email to HQ in > his behalf, asking for mailed Section reports, an > additional reason for our members to become peeved. > I assume that you will also require the request to be > renewed periodically. > > 73. Jim, W6CF

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[ARRL-ODV:7677] Re: Emergency Communications Training Grant Update
by K5ur＠aol.com 15 Aug '02

15 Aug '02

Good points, Jim. Tnx. 73, Rick - K5UR In a message dated 8/14/02 8:43:47 PM Central Daylight Time, jmax(a)attglobal.net writes: << Thanks, Mark - No, I don't think the Board was given a copy of Mary's proposal. Could you post a copy on ODV/ I knew when I asked that there would be new expenses connected with administering a government grant, and I don't have any problem with that. What I am worried about is the fact that I'm not the only person in hamdom who can divide one number by another, and when our members and non-members do that and find that the cost of taking one of our courses cost $45 BG (Before Grant) but that the price is now $107 AG, what do we tell them? We should know *exactly* how to answer that question. The fact that we may be able to train folks for $100 per head while other non-profits might do some kind of training for $150 doesn't really tell the story. Our members will be looking at $107, will then compare it with $45, and the questions will fly. 73. Jim, W6CF >>

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[ARRL-ODV:7675] Re: subband bandwidths
by W3KD＠aol.com 15 Aug '02

15 Aug '02

In a message dated 8/14/02 1:56:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time, dsumner(a)arrl.org writes: Writing a regulation based on bandwidth to preserve that condition would be challenging even for Chris. That is why Paul Rinaldo is working on it. Just kidding. We are doing a rules draft which would be nothing more than an option piece. Chris

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