IN-Newsletter
Vol 26, No. 19
May 14, 2003
Development
Representatives from the Corporation for National & Community Service
visited May 7 & 8 to review ARRL's progress to date with the CNCS
grant-funded emergency communications training and to conduct a more
thorough examination of related financial reporting. Mary Hobart, Dan
Miller, LouAnn Campanello, Rosalie White, Mark Wilson and other staffers
were involved in the meetings. The visit went very well with compliments
all around for staff involved in executing the grant. CNCS staff
introduced the new eGrant system which will be used to apply for renewal
of the grant for year two. Some suggestions were presented at the close
of the two-day meeting which ARRL will evaluate. The renewal
application is due to CNCS June 30. A decision is expected by
mid-summer to ensure that course registrations will not be interrupted.
The special campaign for WRC-03 has reached $25,000 with contributions
from 550 donors.
The Education & Technology Fund now totals $66,000 from 1371 donors.
Attendance at the International DX Convention in Visalia provided an
opportunity to renew acquaintances and forge new ones. Notes will be
written to donors and prospects contacted during the weekend.
The second Major Donor Reception scheduled for Thursday, May 15 will be
attended by 55 donors and prospects -- 10 more than last year.
The Historic Preservation campaign will be launched upon return from
Dayton.
Development is coordinating plans for a campaign focused on BPL with the
team in Membership. A special Defense mailing is planned to ARRL
members, lapsed members and never members for contributions. Timing TBA.
Production/Editorial
Dan Wolfgang and Sue Fagan successfully worked against the clock to get
TravelPlus Version 7 off to the duplicator in time for delivery at
Dayton.
The Book Team compiled changes for the next printing of the General
Class License Manual and it was sent to the printer this week.
Rick Lindquist reports that The ARRL Letter went out to 65,523 ARRL
members May 9. In addition to covering and reporting ARES/RACES/SATERN
tornado-related activity in several states, he wrote/edited stories on
NTIA Administrator Nancy Victory's cautionary praise for the FCC's
broadband over power line NOI, the return to Earth of the all-ham ISS
Expedition 6 crew, the signing of amateur antenna bills in Tennessee and
Indiana by their governors, a hefty fine in an amateur interference case
and the visit of an RSGB delegation to HQ. Rick edited and produced
ARRL Audio News with voiceover assistance from Jennifer Hagy, and
Brennan Price.
Dave Hassler wrote two articles about the ARRL Amateur Radio Education
and Technology Program ("The Big Project") for the membership journals
of the Society of Broadcast Engineers and the National Association of
Broadcasters. The opportunities to "spread the word" were created by
President Haynie. Dave also edited four feature pieces for the Web and
created several news briefs and bulletins.
Sales & Marketing
Sales & Marketing and Development staff met to hammer out the early
strategy for dealing with the Broadband over Power Line HF interference
threat from a membership and development point of view. The two
departments will work closely has this issue heats up in the coming
weeks and months.
The Advertising Team is currently working on insertions for July and
August QST. Reminder postcards are also being sent.
Bob Inderbitzen, Debra Jahnke and Kathy Capodicasa, met with Alan Cohen,
ARRL's computer consultant and Mike O'Connell of Klein Management
Systems to review requirements for ARRL's upcoming Web E-Store. Bob
prepared a listing of examples of sales promotions that was incorporated
into a report that summarizes the web store requirements.
The Dayton show final preparations were completed on time and the booth
is on its way to Ohio.
Deb Jahnke worked on membership mailing and other related analysis
reports. In addition, Deb also spent some time teleconferencing with
Ingram Publishing's Marketing Specialist to review our distribution
goals and determine the best methods of further expanding our
publications through the Ingram outlet. The new edition of the ARRL
Publications catalog is on the way, so that Ingram can peruse new
editions.
ARRL's 3rd edition of the Technician Q&A arrived into stock last week.
Fulfillment staff processed over 250 back orders for this new title.
We have just started to see early returns for the April membership
mailing to 35,000 lapsed/never-been members General through Extra class
licensees.
Lisa has been contacting ARRL dealers to determine which ones will carry
ARRL publications at the National Convention/HAM-COM.
Members of the Advertising, Sales and Marketing groups gathered for a
post-June QST meeting. This is the second month the group has met to
evaluate the current production effort and to help identify ways to
improve efficiencies in the overall advertising workflow.
Dennis met with his staff managers to review performance indicators for
the first quarter. Time was spent going over each measured category to
insure that staff remains committed to budget goals.
Membership Services
Awards Branch
WAS QSL Cards Checked 50
WAS Certs. (850 QSLs F/C) 17
WAS Certs. (600 QSLs ES/C) 12
WAS Ends. (50 QSLs F/C) 1
WAC QSL Cards Checked 54
WAC Certs. (24 QSLs F/C) 4
5BWAC Certs. (30 QSLs F/C) 1
L/T Member Inquiries 4
A-1 Operator Noms. 12
A-1 Operator Certs. 4
LTMAs Records to Siebel (Thanks go to Janet Rocco for her patient
tutelage.) 99
Foreign WAC Awards Mailed 138
VUCC Initial Awards Mailed 8
HF Awards Manager appt.: Ed Pflueger, AB4IQ, Paducah, KY. Processing
Status: Current or up to three weeks. For the coming week-WAS and more
WAC card checking, OTC and U.S. WAC awards processing, Extra Class
certificates, finish entering LTMAs-issued into their Siebel records,
mail out awards processed this week, and on-going VUCC awards
processing/mailing.
DXCC Branch
Weekly Report
May 11, 2003
Beginning Cards 107,582
Cards Received 10,025
Cards Processed 13,782
Ending Cards 103,825
Applications Pending 815
Processing Time 6.5 Weeks
Year-to-date (2003)
Cards Received 186,389
Cards Returned 291,187
QRPs Issued this week 0
QRP's Issued total 293
DXCC is currently mailing applications received on March 24, 2003. DXCC
is currently entering cards received on March 26, 2003. There are 3
card checker nomination applications pending, one for the USA and two
foreign.
Contest Branch
The results article for the 2002 Ten Meter Contest was written.
Photographs and additional material for the Web version of the article
were gathered and edited. Sidebars and several additional new
charts/tables for the web were prepared, as well as the Web database.
Work continued on the 2003 RTTY Roundup results with the log checking
team and the author. Rules announcement and full rules for the 2003
August UHF and 10 GHz and Up contests were prepared for QST and the web.
Gavels for recent Affiliated Club Competition events arrived and were
shipped or saved for in-person presentations.
W1AW
Joe Carcia updated the web code practice files. He worked the Thursday
and Friday late afternoon/night shifts for a vacationing Scott Gee.
Scott Gee worked on slow and fast code practice files for the month of
May. W1AW Telephone Sales year to date (2003): $7,373.
Field & Educational Services
Rosalie spent much of Wednesday in meetings with our federal grantors.
She worked with Chris Imlay and ON4WF to iron out a third party ARISS
issue for non-ham kids of US Air Force personnel in Belgium. She and
Chris networked on updating the NWS MOU. She, Margie, Jerry and Steve
publicized the ARRL National Convention school/youth forum to clubs and
teachers.
Field & Education Support Team
Mary Lau is busy contacting the ARRL Foundation's 2003 scholarship
winners. She will be supplying Jennifer Hagy with backgrounder on the
winners so Jen can pass along the info for winners' local press
coverage. Mary also updated the scholarship database records of the
University of Oregon InfoCareers Program.
Margie Bourgoin reports 2 new clubs' affiliation paperwork was sent on
for Director approval. With a very heavy volume of SSC applications
received this week, Margie added 4 new approved Special Service Clubs to
the database.
Jean Wolfgang has sent Educational award nominees' paperwork to the ARRL
Educational Advisors. Hiram Percy Maxim Award nominees have been sent
to the VRC, and the Technical Award nominees have been sent to the
Technical Task Force. She also handled 2 ARISS applications and several
JOTA questions.
Gail Iannone wrote 55 hamfest and 8 convention announcements for July
QST. She also sent 3 convention applications to the Executive Committee
for their approval and notified the sponsoring clubs that they were all
approved as ARRL-sanctioned. She also coordinated travel for Margie
Bourgoin, KB1DCO, as HQ rep at the New Mexico State Convention, August
22-23 in Albuquerque.
Linda Mullally updated 182 club records and did 2 club reactivations.
She registered 6 Volunteer Instructors and 4 schoolteachers, and sent
out 8 Exhibit kits and 1 JOTA Kit. Linda also sent out 36 initial
supply packages to new appointees.
Field Organization/ Public Service Team
A rash of tornadoes struck Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee and
Oklahoma--Steve Ewald and Chuck Skolaut were in touch with SMs and SECs
to gather information about the Amateur Radio response. The FCC
declared a general communications emergency to cover 3900 kHz net
operations to support Oklahoma emergency operations. Over the past two
weeks, 15 e-newsletters originated by 13 different SMs were relayed by
our service.
Chuck Skolaut received more reports about encrypted voice signals on the
40-meter CW band, and a Volunteer Monitoring Station operator was able
to provide some information possibly linking it as the same type
interference noted on 5620 kHz in the short-wave band. Five new reports
on unlicensed 10-meter operations arrived; this included reports of CB
shops or truck stops selling amplifiers.
Leona Adams reports that SM ballots are still arriving from members in
Maryland/DC, New Hampshire and San Joaquin Valley; May 16 is the
deadline. Ed Bruette, N7NVP, has been nominated for the Western
Washington SM position. Receipt deadline for SM nominations for terms
beginning in October is June 6.
A petition for a recall election for Oregon SM Marshall Johnson, KK7CW,
has been received and certified by the Election Committee. Recall
election ballots will be mailed May 19 to members in the Oregon Section
and must be returned by June 20. Ballots will be counted the week of
June 23 under the supervision of our accounting firm.
Regulatory Information
John Hennessee assisted amateurs in the following communities with local
government zoning problems: Wethersfield, CT (KD4BWT); Broward County,
FL (K4MVO); Riverhead, NY (W0MMR); Scotch Plains, NJ (KA2FIR); and
Corona, CA (KF6NYR). John assisted amateurs with covenant restrictions
in Lovettsville, VA (N3GMW); Lawrence County, IN (N1MRR); and
Breinigsville, PA (WB3LFG). He made updates/corrections to the ARRL
regulatory Web pages. The SGL Reflector, which John will moderate, goes
live next week.
Amateur Radio Education & Technology Project
Jerry Hill is adding material to update the Web info on how a ham
license is beneficial for students interested in technical careers. He
is organizing his files before moving back home to Hawaii, to aid the
transition to the new Amateur Radio Education & Technology Project
coordinator. F&ES had a going-away lunch for Jerry, whose last day in
the office is next Wednesday -- we will miss him. We congratulate Nani,
his yl, on graduating from Yale Divinity School.
EmComm Grants
Dan Miller spent most of two days meeting with our federal grantor,
CNCS. He prepared material for his upcoming trip to the national
conference of the National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters,
and for his forums at Dayton, immediately following on the heels of the
NVOAD event. We have more than 1200 Level I graduates under the CNCS
grant.
C-CE
Howard Robins says our new on-line course, VHF/UHF -- Life Beyond the
Local Repeater, should be ready for registration by May's end. Howard
is seeking more efficient ways to handle registration by phone for
people afraid to post credit card numbers on our Web pages. Around 20
mentors were listed as inactive because they requested it or because
they haven't responded to inquiries. Thanks go to Tom Hogerty for
updating all of our course-specific information Web pages.
Jerry Ellis has processed results from field exam sessions received
recently. Graduates of CNCS and UTC classes, and field exam sessions
were shipped their printed certificates, ID cards and refund checks
(where appropriate) by Jerry.
VEC Department
A 3rd grandchild has joined the Ann Brinius family! Jason Ryan Nash was
born Friday April 25, 2003 at 2:58 p.m. He weighed 7 lbs, 4 oz and was
20-1/2 inches long. Congratulations Ann!
Perry Green has seen an increase in inquiries from non members seeking
services from ARRL for their FCC-license renewals or modifications.
With some silver-tongued charm, Perry has talked several of them into
joining ARRL as full members (and getting their FCC processing as their
first free members-only service).
The VEC Dept is busily making preparations for the new Technician
question pool exams and ExamWin software update, which will take effect
this July 1. While these operations are being performed, a review of
submitted questions for the General class question pool update is
underway. Assisting Larry Wolfgang, Perry Green and Bart in the review
process has been Ed Hare, Zack Lau, Steve Ford and Dean Straw, whose
advice has been of great value and appreciation. More work to come, as
the General pool review will not be complete around December 1, 2003.
73,
Sincerely,
Mark Wilson, K1RO
Chief Operating Officer
MW: lk
Staff Absentee List
Name Date(s) Reason
All Staff 5/26 Holiday
Dave Sumner 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Jennifer Hagy 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
`` 5/19 Vacation
`` 6/30-7/7 Vacation
Dan Miller 5/13-5/14 NVOAD
`` 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Brennan Price 5/13-5/15 Vacation
Scott Gee 5/15-5/16 Vacation
Rick Lindquist 5/16-5/19 Vacation
Joel Kleinman 5/15pm-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Stu Cohen 5/15pm-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Dave Hassler 5/15pm-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
`` 5/30-6/2 Vacation
Joe Bottiglieri 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Kathy Capodicasa 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Jennifer Hagy 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Dan Henderson 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
John Hennessee 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Jerry Hill 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Mary Hobart 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Bob Inderbitzen 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Debra Johnson 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Wayne Mills 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Bill Moore 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Dennis Motschenbacher 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Danny Sayad 5/15-5/18 Dayton Hamvention
Joe Carcia 5/27-5/30 Vacation
