May 2006 - arrl-odv - reflector.arrl.org

Re: A Thought Regarding ARRL Contest Administration
by Kay Craigie 17 May '06

17 May '06

The Frankford Radio Club, chief competitor of the club Tom belongs to, says in their most recent ARRL affiliated club report that they have 185 voting members, 165 of whom are said to be ARRL members. The Florida Contest Group reports 187 voting members, with 185 ARRL members. Mt. Airy VHF Radio Club reports 65 ARRL members out of 84 voting members. Rochester VHF Group reports 47 out of 65. The last two clubs are major players in ARRL's VHF contests. It's easy to look up the reported membership stats for affiliated contest clubs that show up in the line scores database from your own Division or others. It is true that we don't have the leverage over individual contesters that we have over DXCC and VUCC aficionados. However, I don't think we are blowing smoke when we say that active hams tend to be ARRL members. Even if we just go by the volume of complaints about those *#%! contesters hogging the bands, contesters qualify as active hams. 73 - Kay N3KN

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[arrl-odv:14080] Re: membership stats for groups
by Kramer, Harold, WJ1B 17 May '06

17 May '06

We recently also ran a membership check on ARRL Instructors. Over 90% are ARRL members. I would agree with Tom's conclusions. Harold Harold Kramer, WJ1B Chief Operating Officer ARRL - The National Association for Amateur Radio 860 594 0220 -----Original Message----- From: Tom Frenaye [mailto:frenaye@pcnet.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 9:10 AM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:14079] Re: membership stats for groups At 02:37 AM 5/17/2006, K8JE wrote: >It would be an interesting comparison (but for curiosity, only) to know the >percentage of active ARES members and total ARES members who belong to the League. It just takes a little time and patience... Get a list of callsigns (ARES members, club members, net members, etc) and type them in one at a time in the member lookup page. Then tally the results. http://www.arrl.org/members-only/ODV/memlook.html I did the same thing for a list of 500+ random (non-contest, non dx-pileup) people I heard on the air one weekend (160-2m) about 6-8 years ago. The results showed about 70% ARRL membership. My conclusion - active hams are mostly ARRL members. Finding ways to get more hams on the air translates into more members. If you have a long list of callsigns (>100) in a file and have a good reason, it may be possible for the IT department to do the matching when they have the time and send you back a list of membership types (some translation needed). Talk to Barry. -- 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:14077] Re: A Thought Regarding ARRL Contest Administration
by Jim Weaver, K8JE 17 May '06

17 May '06

Tom, Tnx. Dick said much the same thing, but without precise numbers. Again, not being a contester, the figures you cite are pleasantly surprising to me. My experience with just a couple of DX clubs is roughly the same as the contest experience Dick and you cite. It would be an interesting comparison (but for curiosity, only) to know the percentage of active ARES members and total ARES members who belong to the League. Jim Weaver, K8JE Director, Great Lakes Division Chairman, Legislative Action Committee 5065 Bethany Rd. Mason, OH 45040 K8JE(a)arrl.org; Tel., 513-459-0142; FAX, same ARRL, the Reason Amateur Radio is! Members, the Reason ARRL is! -----Original Message----- From: Tom Frenaye [mailto:frenaye@pcnet.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 2:16 AM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:14076] Re: A Thought Regarding ARRL Contest Administration At 11:09 PM 5/16/2006, K8JE wrote: >With CQ and so many other sources of quality contests running around the world, I'd be >a little surprised if the contest fraternity is nearly as ARRL-oriented as the DX community. > >Anyone have any sort of valid estimates about this? From June 2001: >Total Yankee Clipper Contest Club members = 420 > > ARRL members 377 89.8% > full 262 62.4 > life 115 27.4 > previous members 27 6.4% > never member 16 3.8% > >YCCC shows about 90% ARRL membership, and one quarter of the members are Life members I suspect the totals are similar today. -- 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:14078] Re: A Thought Regarding ARRL Contest Administration
by Henry R. Leggette 17 May '06

17 May '06

Hello, I agree with Dick Isely, W9GIG saying on ARRL Contest Administration. Kay made an important point about us sending out certificates in a timely fashion. If it is not going to break the bank, so to speak, why not contiune what we are doing. It is always room to fine tuning and attempt to do a better job. I always used the term "work smarter". Henry - WD4Q ----- Original Message ----- From: <dick(a)pobox.com> To: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv(a)reflector.arrl.org> Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 3:41 PM Subject: [arrl-odv:14066] Re: A Thought Regarding ARRL Contest Administration > 15 MAY 2006 - 1520 CDT > > Hello Dick... > > ARRL contest administration is a noticeable item in our annual budget. > But in defense of this expenditure, I would like to point out that in > descending order; contesters (both HF and VHF & Higher), DXers, and > satellite users generally spend much more for equipment than other groups > of hams. They also have larger percentages of ARRL members, and I believe > they each donate more to the ARRL than any other comparable group. =D> > > On this basis, I believe the expenditure of 150 K on contest, DX, and > other operating awards programs is money well-spent. :-) > > You point out that CQ incurs zero cost with its contest (operating) > programs. In this part of the country, one of the most persistent > complaints is how > long it takes to get CQ contests scored and the awards distributed. Some- > times the CQ awards, even the certificates, arrive two or more years after > the contest. :-( This is because they use unpaid volunteers who have to > first earn a living before they can administer amateur radio > operating programs. > > See you at Dayton... > > 73 - Dick, W9GIG > > > > > >

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[arrl-odv:14076] Re: A Thought Regarding ARRL Contest Administration
by Tom Frenaye 17 May '06

17 May '06

At 11:09 PM 5/16/2006, K8JE wrote: >With CQ and so many other sources of quality contests running around the world, I'd be >a little surprised if the contest fraternity is nearly as ARRL-oriented as the DX community. > >Anyone have any sort of valid estimates about this? From June 2001: >Total Yankee Clipper Contest Club members = 420 > > ARRL members 377 89.8% > full 262 62.4 > life 115 27.4 > previous members 27 6.4% > never member 16 3.8% > >YCCC shows about 90% ARRL membership, and one quarter of the members are Life members I suspect the totals are similar today. -- 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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RE: [arrl-odv:14064] Re: Hamvention Figures
by JIM WEAVER, K8JE 17 May '06

17 May '06

Heck, Dick, I thought you had been flying around, seeding the clouds to cause this! This weather patter is also a bit unusual down here in southern Ohio and Indiana for this time of year. I hope it's persistence the past week and its gradual move from the area will have a beneficial effect on Hamvention(R) weather. Incidentally, I've already alerted the border guards so they won't attempt to send you back home as you enter the GLD. Some of our local constabulary have begun to be much less friendly to the undocumented visitors from our Southwestern borders, though. Jim Weaver, K8JE Director, Great Lakes Division ARRL; http://www.arrl.org/ Chairman, ARRL ad hoc Legislative Action Committee 5065 Bethany Rd., Mason, OH 45040 Tel.: 513-459-0142; E-mail: k8je(a)arrl.org ARRL: The reason Amateur Radio Is! MEMBERS: The reason ARRL Is! -----Original Message----- From: dick(a)pobox.com [mailto:dick@pobox.com] Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 4:03 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:14064] Re: Hamvention Figures 15 MAY 2006 - 1455 CDT Hello Jim... I wish I had the power to control, or at least modify, the weather. The gigantic "cut-off" low pressure system that first soaked portions of the upper midwest, is now creating havoc in New England. This type of storm pattern is unusual for this area, this time of the year. Lack of jet stream directed weather usually happens around here in mid summer. But the jet stream has taken a northerly (summer) track 2 or 3 times the last 30 days. However these two cut-off lows have broken a two year drought in the Chicago area - which the U.S. Weather Service described as extreme from last summer through February of this year. Hopefully, we will see at least some partially sunny days in Dayton later this week. 73 - Dick, W9GIG

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RE: [arrl-odv:14066] Re: A Thought Regarding ARRL Contest Administration
by JIM WEAVER, K8JE 17 May '06

17 May '06

Dick, One of your statement surprised me. You may be correct, but do contesters, DXers and (oh-my-gosh) satellite users really represent the majority of ARRL members? I've always been impressed with the low percentage of hams who are DXers, for example. I do believe it is accurate to say that most serious DXers are ARRL members. Not being a true contester, I have no idea about them as a group. With CQ and so many other sources of quality contests running around the world, I'd be a little surprised if the contest fraternity is nearly as ARRL-oriented as the DX community. Anyone have any sort of valid estimates about this? Jim Weaver, K8JE Director, Great Lakes Division ARRL; http://www.arrl.org/ Chairman, ARRL ad hoc Legislative Action Committee 5065 Bethany Rd., Mason, OH 45040 Tel.: 513-459-0142; E-mail: k8je(a)arrl.org ARRL: The reason Amateur Radio Is! MEMBERS: The reason ARRL Is! -----Original Message----- From: dick(a)pobox.com [mailto:dick@pobox.com] Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 4:41 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:14066] Re: A Thought Regarding ARRL Contest Administration 15 MAY 2006 - 1520 CDT Hello Dick... ARRL contest administration is a noticeable item in our annual budget. But in defense of this expenditure, I would like to point out that in descending order; contesters (both HF and VHF & Higher), DXers, and satellite users generally spend much more for equipment than other groups of hams. They also have larger percentages of ARRL members, and I believe they each donate more to the ARRL than any other comparable group. =D> On this basis, I believe the expenditure of 150 K on contest, DX, and other operating awards programs is money well-spent. :-) You point out that CQ incurs zero cost with its contest (operating) programs. In this part of the country, one of the most persistent complaints is how long it takes to get CQ contests scored and the awards distributed. Some- times the CQ awards, even the certificates, arrive two or more years after the contest. :-( This is because they use unpaid volunteers who have to first earn a living before they can administer amateur radio operating programs. See you at Dayton... 73 - Dick, W9GIG

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[arrl-odv:14073] Director Workbook
by Kustosik, Lisa, KA1UFZ 16 May '06

16 May '06

Please update your books with the title change for section 5.6B under the note section. TNX Lisa <<SEC05.DOC>>

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[arrl-odv:14072] 5 MHz Update - Progress
by Joel Harrison 16 May '06

16 May '06

On May 12, we received a signed letter from NTIA agreeing to a number of changes we requested for the 5-MHz band, namely: · Replacing 5368 KHz with 5358 kHz (to relieve interference) · Allowing addition modes such as: CW, data, PSK31, PACTOR3 provided that amateur operators listen before transmitting to avoid interfering with federal operations. · Increasing the power limit from 50 to 100 watts, again avoiding interference with federal operations. NTIA could not at this time go along with a 50-kHz band in light of spectrum requirements of federal agencies. This expansion will require Part 97 changes and therefore require a petition to FCC, however with the "green light" from NTIA this should encounter no problem (other than the lifeless movement of FCC) in obtaining approval. While we have not yet reached an agreement on an expanded band, this is a significant move in that direction as well as increasing the privileges of radio amateurs at 60 meters. Expansion of the band beyond the current "channelized" arrangement my well require action at a future WRC. Rinaldo and the TRO are investigating. Imlay is in the process of preparing a draft petition regarding the above three items. Thanks to Paul Rinaldo for his excellent work obtaining NTIA approval of this expansion of amateur privileges on this band. 73 Joel W5ZN

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RE: [arrl-odv:14063] Hamvention Figures
by Joel Harrison 16 May '06

16 May '06

According to the presentation at Visalia regarding KP5, the "controversy" over the recent operation was NOT amateur radio related nor caused by a radio amateur, but rather related to and caused by political "in-fighting" and squabbling within U.S Fish & Wildlife between a person in the Atlanta office and the big office in D.C. All of the radio amateurs, even the guys pursuing legislation regarding KP5, were very pleased to see it happen (and spoke highly of it) and their presentation was very well prepared and quite informative 73 Joel W5ZN (already have KP5 wrked and confirmed on all HF bands and modes) -----Original Message----- From: Jim Weaver, K8JE [mailto:k8je@arrl.org] Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 1:59 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:14063] Hamvention Figures Ladies and Gentlemen, I just received an E-mail that reports the Hamvention(r) has received about 20 additional indoor vendor registrations vs. last year and that ticket sales are up somewhat over last year. Add to this that the weather forecast is improving a little (we've "enjoyed" the effects of a strong stationery front over Lake Michigan the past several days - thanks Dick) so that we have hope for better-than-typical Hamvention weather. All this is leaving the Hamvention folks optimistic. Provided the forecasts pan out, ARRL ought to experience an excellent weekend. Incidentally, the DX Banquet on Friday evening will highlight a couple of controversial operations. Probably most controversial of these is the abbreviated KP5 operation. The after-dinner activities might prove interesting. It wasn't intended to be so, but events subsequent to banquet scheduling might make it so. Jim Weaver, K8JE Director, Great Lakes Division Chairman, Legislative Action Committee 5065 Bethany Rd. Mason, OH 45040 K8JE(a)arrl.org; Tel., 513-459-0142; FAX, same ARRL, the Reason Amateur Radio is! Members, the Reason ARRL is!

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