IN-Newsletter
Vol. 27, No. 47
November 24, 2004
Upcoming Meetings
Board Meeting
January 21-22, 2005 in Windsor, CT
CEO
The ARRL HQ will be closed on Thursday the 25th and Friday the 26th in
observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday. Sending good wishes your way
for a safe and happy holiday weekend!
Lisa and the Election Committee would like to thank Greg Kwasowski, Mark
Dzamba, Gail Iannone, Norm Fusaro, Maty Weinberg, Nonie Madone, Ann
Brinius, Rose-Anne Lawrence, Dan Henderson, Pete Warner and Sandy Lund
for making ballot counting go so smoothly this year. Thanks also to the
managers who also contributed to the effort by supplying the staff.
Development
The 2005 Spectrum Defense Fund has topped $160,000 from 2995 donors with
a high average contribution of $53.66. We are beginning to receive
gifts from clubs, following our email solicitation. We will launch a
new Honor Roll on the web for clubs and organizations supporting
Spectrum Defense. Summary reports on the campaign shows 10 gifts of
$1000 or more, 11 gifts of $500 - $999 and 35 gifts in the $250 - $499
range. In other statistics, 78.4% of respondents do not wish to receive
a thank you gift so all of their contribution goes into the Defense
Fund. 14.7% of the contributions are coming from Life Members. In a
report of contributions by Division, the leading Division is Great Lakes
which have contributed 13.8% of the revenue so far, followed by
Southeast Division at 9.9% and West gulf Division with 9.7%. A third
round of letters will mail by the end of the month to prior donors who
have not yet responded.
The new Year -End campaign is in the mail. The first couple of
responses arrived on November 22. The goal of this campaign is to
"close the budget gap" by the end of the fiscal year by raising
$116,000. The target audience for this campaign is unique with no
overlap with the extra Defense Fund effort.
Holiday cards are being prepared for major donors.
A draft of the minutes from the A & F meeting on November 20 will be
complete before Thanksgiving.
Media & Public Relations
The last package of toys for the children in Florida will be shipped
from the 2nd floor lounge on Monday Nov 29. Next status report from
United Way is expected by Dec 10th in time to compile into a QST
article. A full report will not be available until early January.
Creation of bios and media releases about new Directors are in progress.
Production/Editorial
The January 2005 issue of QST was released to the printer November 23.
Editorial and production work is wrapping up on the January/February
2005 issues of QEX and NCJ.
We checked printer's proofs for The Emergency Communication Handbook.
Rick Lindquist reports The ARRL Letter, Vol. 23, No. 46, went out
November 19 to 66,763 members. Rick prepared/edited stories on ARRL's
cooperation with IEEE and industry groups in establishing BPL standards,
the results of the ARRL divisional elections, Jonathan Adelstein's
re-appointment to the FCC, Part 5 Experimental licensees on LF, ARRL Toy
Drive update, FCC Warning Notice to NJ ham and "The Amateur Amateur"
column by Gary Huffman, KB0H. Rick voiced, edited and produced ARRL
Audio News for November 19.
Reminder: The next editions of The ARRL Letter and ARRL Audio News will
be dated Friday, December 3.
Sales and Marketing
The Advertising crew is having a good month bumping page count from some
of our clients. Amateur radio equipment and publication dealers,
particularly the small independents, appear to be experiencing a
particularly slow buying period before the holiday season. We are
hearing of layoffs at some of the dealer stores, one more sign that the
whole industry appears to be in a very stagnant "holding pattern" likely
driven by the outcome of the FCC ruling on BPL, uncertainty about timing
and details for license restructuring and a sluggish economy.
We are also seeing indicators that competitors for our advertising
clients' dollars are feeling the pinch just like us, in some cases
offering magazine page space at deep discounts. Our strategy in this
market includes not responding specifically to the pricing pressure from
the other magazines. Instead, we are working closely with each
individual client to determine what we need to do to earn a bigger
portion of their promotion budget, showing respect in every reasonable
way for the challenges they face in this lean profit market.
Our latest membership mailing, featuring a totally new package look and
enhanced premium offer, sent to 20,000 lapsed General, Advanced and
Extra Class licensees has met our expectations in a very short time. At
present, the return percentage from this group of our best sales leads
is 3.30%. It has been quite some time since we have seen return
percentages at this level.
Ingram Publishing, one of our three major mainstream wholesalers, uses a
catalog to promote books with their clients. We placed a full-page ad
in their Fall/Winter catalog as part of our comprehensive 2005 Handbook
sales campaign. When we received a copy of their catalog, we were
delighted to discover that Now You're Talking was listed at number 17 of
the Top 25 General Technology titles (in order of demand) offered by
Ingram.
We are Sold Out! The first printing of the hardcover 2005 Handbook, all
1,750 copies, is in the hands of happy customers. Sales continue to be
brisk, though. Additionally, the hardcover edition now has the
attention of a major wholesaler so we are going back to the press for
another run. This is the first time in recent history that a Handbook
edition has sold out this early--within 1-1/2 months of its release.
Two publication promotions introduced this week were aimed at boosting
online orders throughout the remainder of the month. Online customers
receive free shipping for orders of at least $75. In addition, we are
offering a free package of holiday greeting cards (featuring QST) for
orders of at least $50 or more. The campaign has already increased the
average order size to above $60. Thanks go to Jon Bloom for helping
pull together the special web programming required to support the online
promotions and to Diane Szlachetka for her eye-catching (and fast)
design work on the promotion graphics.
Members of our group, with Steve Ford, are discussing quality concerns
with QST printer, R. R. Donnelley.
Membership Services
Awards Branch
WAS QSL Cards Checked 150
WAC Certs. (18 QSLs ES/C) 18
WAS in the 90th Awards 41
A-1 Op. Noms. 3
LTMA Inquires 7
VUCC Initial Apps. 2
Grids 157
VUCC End. Apps. 1
Grids 50
Awards Mailed 35
Processing Status: Current or up to three weeks. For the coming
week-WAS QSL card checking, WAS specialty awards, Extra Class
certificates, VUCC awards processing/mailing, and mail out all awards
processed this week.
Contest Branch
Numerous queries for CW and Phone Sweepstakes have been handled during
the last two week period. All certificates for both modes of the 2004
DX Contest have been mailed. We received the plates for the DX Contest
plaques and they are being processed for shipping. Final checked scores
for the 2004 September VHF Contest were received and are being processed
into the database. Data entry for the 10 GHz Contest was completed.
Logbook of the World
QSO records entered into the system 56,031,914
QSL records have resulted 2,111,120
Logs Processed 80,093
Active Certificates 12,069
Users registered in the system 8,935
Current Applications 43
Ready Applications 0
Applications Awaiting Mail 43
QSL Bureau
Processing time is 3 days. This week 132 pounds of cards were received
from members. Cards mailed as of 11/21/04: 961,060. Cards mailed on
11/19/04: 78,750.
W1AW
Special thanks "again" go out to "Team Icom" members Dick Dievendorff,
K6KR, Mike Mraz, N6MZ, (of Icom), Ray Novak, N9JA (also of Icom), Julia
Whitenight, KD7PJC and Dan Henderson, N1ND. They all participated in
the ARRL November SSB Sweepstakes. In addition to working another
"Clean Sweep," they worked 1231 stations, on 80 to 15 meters, for a
claimed score of 196,960.
During the weekend, John Webb, W7NWH and Sara Saeger, K3OOO, were on
hand to film a video production about Amateur Radio, W1AW and ARRL.
This video (which is being used as part of a "Walking Tour" of W1AW) is
sponsored in part by Icom.
In addition to operating ARRL SS, Mike, N6MZ also made meteor scatter
contacts for W1AW. Using the program WSJT, Mike made three M/S QSOs on
6 meters, with stations as far west as Minnesota.
Mark Spencer, WA8SME and Ron Cady, K1RKD were here with Scouts from
Troop 883 to demonstrate amateur radio. With permission granted by the
Scouts' parents, the scouts were also part of the W1AW video.
W1AW received as a donation two (2) AOR ARD9800 digital modems. Taka
Nakayama, KW6I, presented the modems to Joe Carcia, NJ1Q. Dennis
Motschenbacher, K7BV accompanied Taka over to W1AW, and took some
publicity photos for QST and ARRLWeb.
Aside from the contesting and filming, the 2004 Frequency Measuring Test
also took place on Wednesday, November 17. An audio tone was
transmitted on published frequencies for 80, 40 and 20 meters. The
object of this year's FMT was for amateurs to measure the frequency of
that tone. Conditions were not that great, however. With the past two
FMTs, at least 10-12 entries were received within the first few days
after the runs. For 2004, only three have so far been received. And
the entrants indicate that the band conditions were so poor, they were
unable to copy us on 20 meters, and just barely on 80 and 40 meters.
Joe uploaded W1AW/90 logs to LoTW. He performed final frequency
measuring tests on the Harris exciters in preparation for the 2004 FMT.
He carried out the 2004 FMT with no glitches. Joe was interviewed and
taped for the "Walking Tour" video. He also stuffed and mailed the
certificates for the Hiram Percy Maxim 135th Birthday Celebration.
Scott worked on fast and slow code practice files for the latter part of
the month of November and early December. He assisted Joe with the 2004
Frequency Measuring Test, worked the early afternoon shift on Friday for
a vacationing Joe Carcia and also handled some evening phone sales calls
in the daily 5 PM to 8 PM time slots.
Field & Educational Services
Rosalie met with Dan and Mary to review CNCS/UTC graduate numbers and
news dispersal on classes. Thanks to Dan Wolfgang, Di Szlachetka, Sue
Fagan, Steve Ford and Mary Hobart for meeting with Bill Barrett to move
ahead on plans for the new grant. Astronaut Leroy Chaio, KE5BRW, did
his first school QSO -- a middle school and two elementary schools
shared the QSO. Field Day shirts / pins were presented to the ISS Exp 9
crew at an informal Johnson Space Center gathering; Mike and Gennady
excited many hams with Field Day Qs, especially on 430 MHz.
Gail Iannone sent nine hamfest approval letters to the sponsoring
committees confirming the Division Director's approval of their events
as ARRL-sanctioned. She sent three new club applications for
ARRL-affiliation to the Division Directors and SMs for their approval
and sent three acknowledgement letters to the club officials. She also
coordinated travel for Norm Fusaro to be the HQ Rep at the Oklahoma
State Convention on March 18-19 in Claremore. She volunteered to help
count ballots for the 2005 Director/Vice Director elections.
Mentor/Club/Volunteer Instructor Program
Norm Fusaro prepared two stories for the web. He seeded the club
presidents reflector with comments on one-day licensing classes with
follow-up mentoring, and he received numerous responses, both pro and
con, from presidents. These will be useful for an upcoming story. Norm
reviewed several submissions for possible future QST articles. He
facilitated some donations to ARRL, netting a substantial contribution
for the Spectrum Defense Fund.
Margie Bourgoin and Norm crafted a survey for the Volunteer Instructors;
Margie sent this to all of them electronically. She began receiving
significant responses within the first hour. The information will be
useful in refining the program and enabling us to better support
instructors. She registered four new instructors and one schoolteacher,
and updated 20 club records. Margie did data entry of emcomm and PSAR
surveys, and worked on a database for the digital survey conducted by
the ARES-Com committee; thanks goes to John Proctor and Andy Shefrin for
their assistance.
Field Organization/Public Service
Improved propagation brought more CODAR interference reports on 12
meters from the Midwest; Chuck Skolaut has been forwarding these reports
to the FCC. We continue to gather and forward complaints about illegal
10-meter operation as well as interference from high power CB-type
amplifiers. At the FCC's request, Chuck coordinated OO monitoring
assistance on cases in Kentucky and Missouri.
SM elections in Nebraska, New York City/Long Island and West Central
Florida will conclude on November 23. Leona Adams is heading up the
Team effort to count the ballots. She also received SM nominating
petitions on behalf of incumbents Jim Lasley, N0JL of Iowa, and Malcolm
Keown, W5XX, of Mississippi, for new terms beginning in April, 2005.
Steve Ewald participated in two telecons--one, the monthly Citizen Corp
Affiliates who are planning a December in-person meeting, and two, the
ARES-Comm telecon. SEC reflector discussions are on the SET, seeking
ideas to improve reporting and overall exercise performance. Steve
hosted Don, KK3G, whose training CT emergency managers on new Disaster
Management Interoperability Services software by MTS Inc, a DHS
contractor training states on reporting emergency situations and
documentation. Don discussed Winlink 2000 and ham radio being used
somehow to get data between EOCs and other government facilities in case
the Internet fails in an area during an emergency.
Amateur Radio Education & Technology Program
Mark Spencer mailed the school grant applications and his
recommendations to the Executive Committee for their consideration and
vote. He has already received the first application for the May 2005
round of grants! The basic electronics curriculum that Mark is working
on is in the final stages of development.
Regulatory Information
John Hennessee corresponded with Ward Silver on changes that occurred in
FCC rules; Ward is working on an update of his book, Ham Radio for
Dummies. John also reports that he has received an advanced copy of the
new edition of the FCC Rule Book (with changes he made affecting 65
pages). He assisted amateurs with local government zoning problems in
Thousand Oaks, CA (N6ZOA); Hartland, WI (Chris Meier, call pending) and
Cuyahoga County, OH (W8WH).
Community Education Program (grant)
Bill Barrett is reviewing choices of days given to him by the assistant
to the Danbury (CT) mayor, who is also the contact person for the
Citizen Corps Council. The assistant chief is very receptive to having
Bill give a presentation -- and it will be a good "practice" session for
Bill. He set up a calendar of preliminary but specific strategize and
complete set of travel dates for the 12 councils around the US. Quite a
number of inquiries are being handled from hams in locations not
selected. Three comprehensive meetings were held at HQ on all aspects
of the program, and work on the program to final form continues.
EmComm Grants
Dan Miller reviewed and updated the ad that will be used in QST about
online classes. Graduates of emcomm classes thus far for UTC Year 2
(ending December 31, 2005) total 824. Graduates of the first few emcomm
classes for CNCS Year 3 (ending September 1, 2005), thus far total 92 --
most of these classes are still in progress. Dan received a nice
compliment from a member about ARRL's presence at the International
Association of Emergency Managers Annual Convention.
Sincerely,
Dave Patton, NN1N
Special Assistant to the
Chief Executive Officer
DCP: lk
Staff Absentee List
All Staff 11/25-11/26 Holiday
Mary Hobart 11/29-11/30 Vacation
Robert Inderbitzen 12/2-12/3 Vacation
Rick Lindquist 11/22-11/24 Vacation
Mark Dzamba 12/24-12/30 Vacation
Pam Dzamba 12/24-12/30 Vacation
Jon Bloom 11/22-11/24 Vacation
Shelly Bloom 11/22-11/24 Vacation
Dan Miller 11/22-11/30 Vacation
Steve Ewald 11/29-12/6 Vacation
Rosalie White 11/24-11/29 Vacation
Wayne Mills 11/22-11/30 Vacation
Allen Pitts 12/10 Vacation
Chuck Skolaut 11/29 Vacation
Gail Iannone 12/20-12/31 Vacation
Bill Moore 11/23-11/30 Convention-Pescara,
Italy
Scott Gee 12/13-12/14 Vacation
Stu Cohen 11/23pm-11/24 Vacation
Maryann Macdonald 11/29 Vacation
Debra Jahnke 11/24 Vacation
