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May 2006

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FW: [ve-list:234] ARRL VE update for Spring - April 2006
by Kramer, Harold, WJ1B 02 May '06

02 May '06

Hi, FYI, here is the VEC Newsletter that Maria sent out last week. If you would like to be on the VE mailing list let her know and she will add your name. 73, Harold Subject: [ve-list:234] ARRL VE update for Spring - April 2006 Dear VE: As the number of VEs who have signed up to receive the VE Express Newsletter has 'grown', I thought now would be a good time to 'Spring' some information on you. National Volunteer Week is April 23-29, 2006. This week is about thanking one of America's most valuable assets - our volunteers. The 2006 National theme is "Inspire By Example" because it truly reflects the power volunteers have to inspire the people they help, as well as, to inspire others to serve. I want to take the opportunity to personally thank our volunteers, for their dedication and service to the amateur radio community. We recognize and appreciate all that you, our Volunteer Examiners, do to help our community grow. We thank you for your support! If you are planning to attend the Dayton Hamvention this year, I will be operating the ARRL VEC booth. Stop by and say hello! 73, Maria A. Somma, AB1FM Manager ARRL VEC vec(a)arrl.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------- In This Issue: ARRL VEC Announces Vanity Call Sign License Renewal Program Article of interest in March QST on IRAQ VE Team Priority Mail Envelope with Our Return Label Being Refused at the Post Office ARRL VEC National Exam Day Weekends New Question Pool Schedule New Technician Class Element 2 Exams ExamWin Software Updates Overlay Grading Templates Session Tidbits ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------- ARRL VEC Announces Vanity Call Sign License Renewal Program The ARRL VEC just recently announced that we can now process vanity license renewals. Software changes have been implemented so that the VEC can begin renewing Amateur Radio station licenses that have been assigned vanity call signs. We will process vanity license RENEWALS electronically to the FCC for a modest fee (see "ARRL Processing Fee Schedule" below). Requests for new vanity call sign are still handled directly with FCC by the individual. ARRL VEC implemented this service now, because the first of those licenses are due to expire as soon as June. The service is available to ARRL members and nonmembers, although League members will pay less. Routine, non-vanity renewals continue to be free for ARRL members. In addition, trustees of club stations with vanity call signs may renew either via the Universal Licensing System (ULS) (http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls <http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls> , Online Filing) or through a Club Station Call Sign Administrator, such as ARRL VEC. As the FCC has already noted, licensees who want to keep their vanity call signs must pay the regulatory fee, currently $21.90 for the 10-year license term, when renewing their licenses. Licensees who don't want to pay the mandatory regulatory fee to retain a vanity call sign may request a sequentially issued call sign at the time of renewal. There is no fee to renew an amateur service station license when the licensee requests that the call sign be changed to a sequentially assigned call sign. Renewal applications must be filed no earlier than 90 days before the license expiration date. All radio amateurs must have an FCC Federal Registration Number (FRN) before filing any application with the Commission. Applicants can obtain an FRN by going to the ULS web page and clicking on the "New Users Register" link. You must supply your Social Security Number to obtain an FRN. Those holding vanity call signs issued prior to 1996 are exempt from the vanity call sign regulatory fee. That's because Congress did not authorize the FCC to collect regulatory fees until 1993. Such heritage vanity call sign holders do not appear as vanity licensees in the ULS http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls <http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls> Amateur Radio database. To renew licenses using ULS, licensees should log into ULS License Manager (http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls <http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls> , Online Filing) using their FCC Registration Number (FRN) and CORES password. Licensees that wish to keep their vanity call signs should select "Renew" under the "Work on this License" option. Fees for electronically filed applications may be paid online or may be mailed. For mailing instructions visit the Fees website at http://www.fcc.gov/fees/appfees.html <http://www.fcc.gov/fees/appfees.html> . Interactive filers that choose not to renew their vanity call sign must select the "Systematic Call Sign Change" option from the "Work on this License" list. In order to obtain a new call sign, licensees should answer "NO" to the question "Your license is eligible for renewal. Renew call sign (vanity call sign)?" This will result in a new license, with a sequentially assigned call sign, being issued. For additional information or assistance from the FCC on how to renew a Vanity Call Sign, visit the Web at http://esupport.fcc.gov <http://esupport.fcc.gov/> or call the ULS Customer Support Hotline at 877-480-3201 (TTY 717-338-2824). Hours are from 8 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays). To provide quality service and ensure security, all telephone calls are recorded. ARRL's new license renewal/modification Web pages contain complete information on license-filing procedures, including step-by-step instructions on how to renew or update a license using the FCC's ULS site. League members should visit the "ARRL Member Instructions for License Renewals or Changes" http://www.arrl.org/fcc/memberlicenseinstructions.html <http://www.arrl.org/fcc/memberlicenseinstructions.html> page, while the "Instructions for License Renewals or Changes" page http://www.arrl.org/fcc/licenseinstructions.html <http://www.arrl.org/fcc/licenseinstructions.html> covers general renewal procedures for nonmembers. There's additional information on the ARRL VEC's "FCC License Renewals and ARRL License Expiration Notices" page http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/renewals.html <http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/renewals.html> . It is important to note, these ARRL Processing Fees cannot be waived or reduced, and VE Teams may NOT keep a portion of these non-session related processing fees. For these renewals and changes sent along with the session - the $6 VE reimbursement fee may not be retained. ---------------------------------- ARRL Processing Fee Schedule For ARRL Members: Non-Vanity License Renewal or Change -- No charge Vanity License Change (address, name) -- No charge Vanity License Renewal - $26.90 (includes the current $21.90 FCC regulatory fee and a $5 ARRL VEC processing fee) For Nonmembers: Non-Vanity License Renewal or Change -- $14 ARRL VEC processing fee Vanity License Change (address, name) -- $14 ARRL VEC processing fee Vanity License Renewal -- $35.90 (includes the current $21.90 FCC regulatory fee and a $14 ARRL VEC processing fee) For Club Stations: Non-Vanity License Renewal or Change -- No charge Vanity License Change (address, name) -- No charge Vanity License Renewal - current $21.90 FCC regulatory fee ARRL cannot process requests for NEW vanity call sign. They must be done directly with FCC. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------- Article of interest in March QST on IRAQ VE Team The article is titled "VE Testing in Iraq - How to set up a test session in a Combat Zone" and is written by Bruce McPherson, AB3AC/YI9AC. You can find it on page 46 of QST magazine. While he was in Iraq, Lt Col McPherson worked with the ARRL VEC staff to assemble an exam team and then the real work began: identifying candidates and getting them safely to the test session! After months of planning, the VEC had a major success with the assembly of a VE Team in Iraq. Two sessions, held in May 2005, were conducted at the Baghdad embassy. Candidates arrived heavily armed, and many came in by helicopter. These historic sessions, believed to be the first exam sessions given in a combat zone, produced 5 new technicians. The article is well written and worth reading. We continue to encourage the setting up of a VE team in Iraq, as there are still requests from potential candidates. The problem is geographic and cultural - how to find and assemble a minimum of 3 amateurs who are VE's, in an area about the size of Idaho, while in a combat zone. If you have e-mail contact with a VE, or are a VE yourself - serving in Iraq - please let us know. You too could be a part of history ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------- Priority Mail Envelope with Our Return Label Being Refused at the Post Office. Please know that your use of our BRM (Business Reply Mail) First-Class Mail Label with the Priority Mail envelope is very much valid when returning your session materials back to the ARRL VEC. The problem lies with the postal clerk's lack of knowledge regarding First-Class Mail and Priority Mail. Priority Mail is First-Class Mail according to the USPS postal regulations. If you encounter a problem, ask politely to see the Postmaster; and refer them to the BRM notice below. This comes from their own website! If you have had a problem in the past, please go back to the Post Office where you did your mailing and refer them to the BRM notice below. If you have any further problems, contact the VEC, and please supply us with the name of the person(s) with which you talked, and their telephone number. There is a chapter and verse permitting use of the BRM for Priority Mail in the "Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service Domestic Mail Manual". You can also check the "Quick service guides" Section 507a on the USPS web site http://pe.usps.com/text/QSG300/Q507a.htm <http://pe.usps.com/text/QSG300/Q000.htm> . A Printer-Friendly PDF version is available at http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/qsg300/q507a.pdf <http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/qsg300/q507a.pdf> . THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS AN EXCERPT FROM USPS QUICK SERVICE GUIDE. Pay particular attention to the underlined text. ---------------------------------- Quick Service Guide 507a Additional Services Business Reply Mail (BRM) January 2006 Overview ---------------------------------- For an annual permit fee, a Business Reply Mail (BRM) permit is available for distributing business reply cards, envelopes, self-mailers, cartons, and labels. BRM allows the permit holder to receive First-Class Mail and Priority Mail back from customers by paying postage only on the mail returned. The BRM permit holder guarantees payment of First-Class Mail postage plus a per piece charge for pieces returned by the USPS (see payment options below). When designing a BRM mail piece or label, mailers must consult with their local post office. The piece must conform to a specific format to qualify as BRM, including a unique ZIP+4 code assigned by the USPS. Proofs for regular BRM should be approved by the USPS before printing. Proofs for Qualified Business Reply Mail (QBRM) must be approved by the USPS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- 2006 ARRL VEC National Exam Day Weekends ARRL sponsored national exam day weekends are held annually on the last full weekends of April and September. Spring national exam day weekend is April 29 -30, 2006. Fall national exam day weekend is September 23-24, 2006. We thank you for your support of these events. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- New Question Pool Schedule Technician class (Element 2) Pool released January 23, 2006 and updated February 6, 2006, will take effective July 1, 2006. The current Technician Pool is valid until midnight June 30, 2006. General class (Element 3) will be released December 1, 2006 and will become effective July 1, 2007. The current General Pool will now be valid until June 30, 2007. Extra class (Element 4) will be released December 1, 2007 and will become effective July 1, 2008. The current Extra Pool will now be valid until June 30, 2008. Be sure to use only the February 6, 2006 version of the Technician pool when preparing classroom materials or new examinations for the July 1st release date. The newer version of the pool includes an errata sheet that provides a quick reference to all changes in the new version. New Exams are due to be mailed to Stocked VE Team Leaders about the 3rd week in June. For additional information see "New Technician Class Element 2 Exams" below. The current Question Pools can be viewed or printed from the ARRL Web at http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/pools.html <http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/pools.html> . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- New Technician Class Element 2 Exams The new Technician class question pool will take effect for all Element 2 Technician class license written exams on July 1, 2006. With the Technician class exams changing July 1st, new test designs must be used effective that day. ARRL VEC will be supplying all its (near 1,000) Field Stocked VE teams with new test booklets about the 3rd week in June. Current ARRL VEC supplied Technician class test booklets versions (2-1-2003, 2-2-2003, 2-5-2003 and 2-6-2004) are valid until midnight June 30, 2006. At that time you may destroy the old versions of the Technician exams. ExamWin Software Updates The ARRL VEC ExamWin Software will get updated too. If you use our ExamWin Software package, an ExamWin software update will be available on the web site about mid-June 2006. If your team is using ExamWin software, please be sure that you have the latest update. The current version, ExamWin - (vers. 1.25), was released July 2004. It can be downloaded from the VEC web site at http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examwin/ <http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examwin/> . If you will need any NCVEC Form 605s, CSCEs, other exam summary forms or code supplies to go with your current ExamWin (vers. 1.25), please contact us directly. Do not toss out Overlay Grading Templates, ever! The blue plastic overlay grading templates used to grade the exams at test sessions, should never be thrown away or destroyed when new exam versions are introduced. We specifically designed the plastic templates so that they will always be useful, no matter what exams are created. They will never become obsolete. The "Key for Templates" is what will be replaced (paper instructions - explains how to line up the template and explains which template corresponds which exam version for proper grading). The KEY will simply be changed or updated to let you know how to match up the templates with any new exams that are issued. Simply put, the overlay grading templates will never go out of style ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- SESSION TIDBITS * Exam Session Registration and Supplies Team liaisons should contact the ARRL VEC directly so that we have the most up to date information posted in our computer and on the ARRL VEC Exam Session Search page http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml . Under normal situations, the team should try to register 3 to 4 weeks in advance of the session. This way we can make certain the materials requested reach the team in a timely and cost effective manner. Field Stocked teams should be especially vigilant about keeping us informed of who has possession of the exam supplies. Notify us immediately when the teams Field Stock changes hands to ensure that any exam updates will be mailed to and received by the proper person. Periodically check your supplies to make sure they are current and that the quantities are sufficient. We thank you for your ongoing exam session support ! * Test Results Be sure to show on your Candidate Rosters the results of all exams passed and failed, and show where credit was accepted. For failed tests, you must return those along with any passed test documents back to the ARRL VEC in your completed test session package. Each Candidate Roster entry will have an accompanying $14 fee payment. * Fees ARRL VEC Test Fee for 2006 is $14.00. For necessary and prudent expenses incurred at a session, a team can retain up to $6.00 per EXAM fee collected for reimbursement. For Renewals and Changes sent in with the session to be processed by ARRL VEC - the $6 may not be held back for these NON-EXAM related transactions. ======================================================================== == VE Express Newsletter is published by the American Radio Relay League, Inc. The National Association For Amateur Radio ARRL VEC 225 Main St Newington CT 06111 USA Email: vec(a)arrl.org ARRL VEC telephone: 860-594-0300 ARRL VEC Fax: 860-594-0339 ARRL telephone: 860-594-0200 Joel Harrison, W5ZN - President David Sumner, K1ZZ - Chief Executive Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B - Chief Operating Officer Maria Somma, AB1FM - VEC Manager / Editor *eof ===========================================================

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[arrl-odv:14031] Trip Report
by Joel Harrison 01 May '06

01 May '06

I have just returned from a series of trips on behalf of ARRL I want report on. As always, I'll be happy to address any questions or comment you may have pertaining to this recent activity. 1. International DX Convention - April 21-23: On Friday, April 20, I traveled to Visalia, California to attend the International DX Convention. Visalia is located approximately half way between Los Angeles and the San Francisco bay area (app. 180 miles each way) and provides an excellent mid-point location for the convention jointly sponsored by the Southern California DX Club and the Northern California DX Club, with conference organization rotated each year between the two groups. The event is held and the Holiday Inn - Visalia which has been an adequate facility to host a convention of this size. This was my second opportunity to attend. Approximately 800 radio amateurs were present at this year's event. Given the fact that just about every DX'er is a DXCC participant, an extremely high percentage of the attendee's were League members. In addition, a number of these are contribute in various ways to our Development program. Among the group this year were, as usual, a number of prominent hams from the DX community not only from the west coast, but across the U.S. and around the world. I had the opportunity to meet Andy, EU7SA, who I have worked many times, and was even presented with a QSL from our recent 30 meter QSO. Andy was attending with his wife Larisa, EU7BBL, who both were enjoying their first trip to the U.S. Attendee's affiliated in an official way with ARRL included Directors Dick Norton, N6AA and Bob Vallio, W6RGG, Vice Directors Ned Stearns, AA7A, and Bill Sawders, K7ZM, Honorary Vice President Fried Heyn, WA6WZO and Sandi Heyn, WA6WZN, Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, Membership Services Manager Wayne Mills, N7NG, and Sales & Marketing Manager Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV (please note that many of these were attending at their own expense). ARRL is provided and maintains a booth in the new vendor display area that was ably staffed off and on by a number of the individuals mentioned above in addition to former Southwest Division Vice Director Tuck Miller. This convention is a "non-flea market" type event with the time filled with forums relating to various operating and technical topics. The key-note presentation at the banquet Saturday evening was by Bob Allphin, K4UEE on "The 3Y0X Experience". If you've seen a presentation and video from one Antarctic DXpedition, you've basically seen them all, however Bob's presentation contained some excellent photography from the trip. I would note, although no specific band was identified, that during a video clip from the operation that showed one of the operators working U.S. stations that K1KI was clearly heard and worked on SSB (Tom, $20 will buy a statement from me that you were LOUDER than K5UR, $40 will get me to say you walked on him!). There were also comments at the banquet by Rebekah Dorff, WG4Y, a 13 year old DX'er from Alabama. During the event I talked individually with a large number of members. There were no complaints or concerns expressed about any pending League action, however I do know that Mary and Dick Norton received a few comments pertaining to the pending regulation by bandwidth topic. Wayne Mills addressed a number of DX related items during the DX Forum. Dick Norton and Ned Stearns sat on the contest forum panel. During the Saturday morning DX breakfast, the San Diego DX Club presented "DX Fear Factor" and Director Norton was one of the judges for part of the contest that required the participant to send a message in Morse with a J38 key, but without the use of their hands and arms! This is a well organized, efficiently executed convention with a League friendly crowd this year. 2. NAB Convention April 24-27: The National Association of Broadcasters convenes a conference annually in Las Vegas. It is the world's largest electronic media event with an attendance of approximately 130,000. In addition, since there is obviously similar interest, the Radio & Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) holds a joint convention. A large number of radio amateurs are employed in the broadcast industry. Thanks to efforts many years ago by Honorary Vice President Fried Heyn and John Marino, KR1O (who works for NAB in Washington) amateur radio and ARRL has an official presence with a League booth provided by NAB and an Amateur Radio Reception sponsored by our good friends Bob and Sarah Heil of Heil Sound, Ltd. This year's even was held April 24-27. Attending on behalf of ARRL other than myself were Pacific Division Director Bob Vallio, W6RGG, Vice Director Andy Oppel, N6AJO and Allen Pitts, W1AGP. Also in attendance were Honorary Vice President Fried Heyn, WA6WZO and Sandi Heyn, WA6WZN. The ARRL booth is fully staffed by local League volunteers under the leadership of Stan Perkins, W7SLP. Complementary booth space as well as registration is provided to ARRL thanks to NAB and John Marino, KR1O. The Las Vegas Convention Center, a 3 million square foot convention facility, is completely filled with everything you could imagine in the way of professional broadcast products ranging all the way from news helicopters to remote-location vehicles to towers, transmitters and antennas. There is also a continuous flow of meetings that occur simultaneously throughout each day. On Monday morning, Bob and I attended the "Washington Policy & Politics Breakfast" featuring Stu Rothenberg, a Washington political insider and CNN political analyst. His approximately 45 minute presentation detailed his view (he referred to himself as a weather man, reporting the conditions and probable outcome) of what the mid-term elections would bring this fall and what the climate would be like in Washington for the remainder of the current administration. Stu's remarks were not slanted toward either political party, however boiled down in a nutshell his conclusion was if you think there is gridlock in Washington now, just wait!! Monday afternoon Bob and I attended an "FCC Roundtable". This was a unique meeting. It was held in a room approximately 40'x40' with four large round tables. At each table were a couple of FCC staff persons available to listen to and address questions or concerns from whoever wanted to speak. Attendees were invited to sit at or stand around a table, then encouraged to move around to the different tables. The discussion at the first table Bob and I were at quickly drew pretty boring with some guy complaining about being fined $32,000 at his TV station in North Dakota for airing "obscene" material that appeared during a CBS episode of "Without a Trace". I was just surprised they had TV in North Dakota (sorry Jay!). I did not recognize or know any of the FCC staff at this table, so I decided to mill around the room. I was quite surprised to see seated at the third table I came to was Aaron Goldberger, the senior legal aide to FCC Commissioner Tate. Dave, Chris and I had just met with him in Washington on March 30, although he was called away from our meeting early. At a break in the discussion at this table, I stepped up to him and asked if Dana Shaffer, Commissioner Tate's staffer that attended our entire meeting in D.C., was at the convention. Goldberger advised she was not, however he acknowledged he did remember ARRL and the meeting (at least that is what he told me.......) I asked him to pass our regards to the Commissioner. I then moved to listen to the discussion at the fourth table. During that time, Goldberger got up to grab a bottle of water and walked over to me and asked when we would be at FCC for another meeting, and to touch base with them. (Again, you can conclude for yourself if it was earnest, I have concluded nothing yet however I viewed it with interest that he would walk to me and make that statement and then return). Nothing of particular importance to amateur radio from this session, other than the opportunity that arose to identify ARRL and amateur radio once again to Goldberger. Tuesday morning I attended the "FCC Chairman's Breakfast". This was nothing more than a "chat" between FCC Chairman Martin and some NAB muck that reminded me of Rush Limbaugh (No, that is not a compliment). Frankly, it was the most boring lack of substance I've seen in quite sometime. Even the broadcast people attending said it was the most unproductive discussion they had seen in quite some time, comparing it to a fireside chat between Ozzie and Harriet. To quote a famous line from the movie "Catch Me If You Can", I concur! Tuesday afternoon Bob and I attended a meeting entitled "FCC Face-off" that was a moderated forum with FCC Commissioners Kopp, Adelstein and Tate. Nothing of significance from this meeting other than an opening statement from Kopp that some of the agenda and decisions of the previous FCC Chairman were ill-advised! That drew laughter and some applause from the crowd, so obviously we aren't the only ones that thought the former Chairman was, well....what Kopp said. Kopp continues to be the only Commissioner (at the moment) that seems to make any sense to me. During the FCC Open Meeting a couple of years ago when the BPL rules were announced, each commissioner made a statement about interference to other services, however Kopp was the only one that appeared (at least to me) by his statement to have a real concern about it. Wednesday evening was the Amateur Radio Reception sponsored by Heil Sound, Ltd. It was held in a very large room at the Convention Center and attended by approximately 1,000 radio amateurs. Drinks and snacks were served and a large number of donated amateur radio related prizes were given away, including a 3CX800, 3CX1500D7 (new type 8877), and a couple of top-end Heil microphones autographed by Joe Walsh. By the way, Bob Heil will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, the first "industry" person to receive such an honor. I am now the proud owner of a T-shirt that on the front says "I Rocked the Hall with Heil" and on the back has a list of the tours Bob worked in the early 70's, including ZZ Top, Ike & Tina Turner, the WHO, Eagles, Seals & Croft and B.T.O (although I liked Randy Bachman better when he was with the Guess Who). A snapshot from the greatest decade of music in history, 1965-1975. Ok, I'm sure some of you disagree, but I'm the President and I get to write this report! (hi). Back to a serious note, Allen Pitts had 50 DVD level copies of the Hello video PSA that were all given to media and he has more requests to fill. He gave out 25 of the audio CD's and 5 are already reported to be playing regularly on Clearchannel stations in Florida. More importantly, all 60 press books that he had containing the higher quality DV video files for broadcasting use plus the press releases and background data were requested - most after talking with a media related person. While not the focus of the campaign, people in 12 countries are now using our materials plus there has been a request from the United Nations. Interestingly, the NAB's own Campaigns staff were interested and wanted to talk more with Allen in the next 2 weeks. Of the 4500 brochures taken to the NAB, only about 300 were left at the end of Wednesday. Excellent work on Allen's part. All in all, it is worth the expense for ARRL to be present at this convention. It puts us not only in front of and in contact with a large number of radio amateurs, but in direct contact with an additional resource of people to get our message about amateur radio out to the general public. 3. Southeast VHF Society Conference - April 28-30 I was invited to speak at the opening luncheon of the Southeast VHF Society Conference. I have had the honor to be the keynote speaker at this event on two previous occasions in the past 8 years. The event this year was held in Greenville, South Carolina. The topic I was asked to speak on was BPL, and it was good timing for me to share the news about the Ross amendment being included in the committee telecom bill. Also in attendance this year were Vice Director Les Shattuck, K4NK, and South Carolina SM Jim Boehner, N2ZZ. The conference was attended by approximately 125 radio amateurs. This event includes a Friday morning antenna range setup for individuals to bring an antenna for test and there is also test equipment setup for the purpose of testing noise figure and gain of preamps, transverters, etc. The luncheon on Friday officially kicks off the event, followed by technical presentations Friday afternoon through Saturday on a wide variety of topics from equipment design, operating, and propagation. The event concludes on Saturday evening with a banquet. This year the keynote speaker was my good personal friend (and the League's!) Dr. Joe Taylor, K1JT. I addressed a number of general questions and comments while at the event. I did not encounter any hostile comments or questions about the League. A good group to be with. Also in attendance was another good friend of mine, Jimmy Long, W4ZRZ, of Long's Electronics in Birmingham, a very large consumer electronics wholesaler and at one time years ago an amateur radio dealer. Jimmy is a major supporter of and contributor to ARRL and was one of the individuals/companies that contributed equipment to ARRL for the communications relief effort during last fall's hurricanes. 4. A&F Committee Meeting - April 29 On Friday evening I arrived in Hartford for the A&F Committee meeting. A very good, productive meeting chaired by Tom Frenaye. You will receive the minutes of the meeting in due time. It was good to arrive back home Sunday evening, kick back, turn on the radio and even work a new one on 30 meters (Afghanistan). The previous ten days were not only fast, furious, and busy, but somewhat stressful in that Thursday morning just as I woke up and turned on my phone, I received a call that my church Pastor, an energetic, enthusiastic 40 year old man, had died suddenly of a massive heart attack very early that morning. A terrible loss.......but we continue on. Thank you for the opportunity to represent you on this recent trip. 73 Joel W5ZN President

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