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Vol. 33, No. 49
December 8, 2010 -- Covers the period November 28-December 4.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
Programs & Services Committee:
January 20 @ 8:30am - ARRL HQ
Administration & Finance Committee
January 20 @ 8:30am - ARRL HQ
Annual Board Meeting
January 21-22, 2011 @ 9:00am in Windsor, CT
Regulatory Information
Reported by Dan Henderson, N1N
Thanks to the IT Department for their administrative fixes for the VC
and VCE databases. All pending VC/VCE changes, additions and deletions
have been implemented.
Questions on reciprocal operating in Ghana and Haiti were answered for
members, as well as several general CEPT questions. We also answered
several queries regarding specific modes (such as CHIP64). A request
for information on how the FCC and US regulate DSSS was received from
Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, SARL Councilors Regulatory. We
provided Hans with the appropriate sections of Part 97.
Several antenna regulations questions continue to remain on the front
burner. Cleveland County, NC (Shelby, NC) has a new ordinance that
requires a conditional use permit for all towers. This ordinance was
adopted after county officials decided to consider each case on an
individual basis. This is the result of disputes between various
amateurs, clubs and factions in the county (which have boiled over into
working with county zoning officials and commissioners while trying to
resolve this issue). NC Section Manager Bill Morine, N2COP and the RI
Manager continue to stay in close contact with county officials and
various county amateurs to try to resolve the current dispute.
Also in NC, Ryan Cairnes, K3XC, has received an order from the county to
remove his tower, which was just approved in August and erected in
September. This appears to be the result of an informal neighborhood
group objecting after the erection of the tower. The grounds for
rescinding the permit are that it was issued in violation of another
part of the zoning ordinances. Morine is working with two former NC
Section Managers living in Charlotte, as well as General Counsel and
ARRL HQ staff as this proceeds. Cairnes may decide to challenge this in
state courts, which could be a potential test for the NC state PRB-1
ordinance.
Jay Buscemi, NY2NY, contacted the Regulatory Information office
regarding the state of NY issuing the NY state automobile license plate
NY2NY to a non-amateur business as a general vanity license plate for
the state and not to him as an amateur. He contends that NY DMV has not
followed their rules for amateur radio and vanity license plates. We
have recommended he contact a VC to see what their take on the NY state
DMV laws are and to see if he could find a remedy through that avenue.
Mr. Buscemi has been in touch with various levels of bureaucracy at the
NY DMV as well as the NY State Attorney General's office seeking
clarification. There is no current ARRL involvement in this matter, but
we continue to monitor how this plays out.
We have tried to finalize our work with Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, on
revising the OO training guide. Final draft comments from the
Regulatory Information office have been made with several things vetted
by ARRL General Counsel. We will continue to work with Chuck as this
progress to publication. We also worked with Sean Kutzko, KX9X, of the
ARRL Contest Branch in making changes to several contest databases, as
well as preparing several sets of certificates. The printing of these
certificates has been delayed by rules changes that required
implementation in the certificate printing programs. This will continue
in 2011 as several contest databases will have to be updated to reflect
recent changes in the rules for several contests.
We have been working on some short articles and informational materials
in preparation for a new Grassroots - Legislative Action newsletter - to
be launched in late January. We have also consulted with the IT
Department about developing a means for signing up for this
electronic-only newsletter, as well as discussing its actual
distribution procedures. Thanks to N3KN and K1ZZ for their guidance in
setting up this project.
Media & Public Relations
Reported by Allen Pitts, W1AGP
The December CONTACT! was put up on the web and also sent out email. A
letter to every ARRL PIO and PIC was mailed thanking them for their
efforts this year and encouraging them for next year. The last of the
Leonard Award nominations are due this week and the announcement for the
McGan Award was written for QST. I took part in a webinar continuing ed
training on intellectual property law. Postings, information and
various forms of the release were done for Skywarn Appreciation Day, but
while there were many announcements about it coming, so far there has
been very little about the day seen in the media after the event. Work
continues in planning a 2011 tech-DIY video and I now have the full,
high definition video files from NASA that were done by Col. Wheelock on
the ISS for part of it.
Development
Reported by Mary Hobart, K1MMH
Development continues to work on activities to boost contributed revenue
before December 31.
An email solicitation was sent to qualified ARRL members encouraging
contributions of $30 or more to earn a $10 gift certificate. The same
message was posted in selected pages of the Development area of the ARRL
website.
The third and final issue of Spectrum Defense Matters newsletter is at
the printer and will mail to prior ARRL donors this week. The
electronic version will be sent to donors who requested that format.
The pdf of the newsletter has been posted in the Spectrum Defense area
of the web site.
Production/Editorial
Reported by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE
Joel Hallas provided his stand-up "Doctor is IN" presentation to the
West Central Florida convention in Palmetto on December 4 to an
appreciative crowd of about 80 amateurs.
Khrystyne Keane wrote and distributed The ARRL Letter for December 2,
2010.
Sales and Marketing
Reported by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R
November ended with 155,977 members, a loss of 38 gain over October
(year-to-date goal: 158,199). 75% of November expirees paid on time,
compared to 73% in November 2009. Retention is good, and the response
to (smaller) targeted mailings has been consistent and high. On the
flip side, new ham numbers are down 2,200 over last year by this time,
reducing the pool of rich membership prospects. Lower new ham
membership acquisition along with the din of a sluggish economy have
countered our efforts to grow membership in 2010.
November product sales were $354,189, exceeding the sales forecast of
$272,304. Direct sales were $211,360; dealer sales were $142,829.
Cumulative sales of the new 2011 Handbook in October (debut month) and
November have exceeded goal by $18k. The revised 2nd Edition of The
ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, reintroduced this month with a new exam
review CD-ROM feature, contributed sales of $48,391 (57% dealer sales;
43% direct sales). New items contributed the following gross sales: The
ARRL Guide to Antenna Tuners-$6,088, The ARRL Antenna Compendium Volume
8-$4,137.88, 50 Years of Innovation CD-ROM-$3,915, ARRL's PIC
Programming Kit - $10,317.
Now Shipping: ARRL's PIC Programming Kit, manufactured exclusively for
ARRL by Cana Kit (Canada).
Coming later this month: The ARRL General Class License Manual, revised
6th edition, now including practice exam software; ON4UN's Low Band
DXing, new Fifth Edition.
Membership & Volunteer Programs
Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N
DXCC Branch Credits Applications
2009 Carryover 182,204 1,344
2010 Received 742,429 6,132
Cumulative Total 924,633 7,476
2010 Processed 841,861 6,916
Remaining 82,772 560
Processing Time 7 Weeks
Logbook of the World
Category
November 2010 Percentage Change
Jan - Nov 2010
QSO Records Entered Into System 311,453,837 18%
QSL Record Matches 34,599,199 28%
Logs Processed 1,775,412 38%
Active Certificates 55,912 17%
Registered Users in System 37,030 18%
QSO Records Entered Into System 263,021,280
QSL Record Matches 26,986,753
Logs Processed 1,287,609
Active Certificates 47,683
Registered Users in System 31,474
Logbook (Email Only) Inquiries November 2010
Maintenance 1,221
Initial Setup Inquiries 1,022
Award Related Concerns 228
Customer Usage Issues 638
Phone Calls 294
Total 3,403
W1AW
Thanks to Mike Corey, W5MPC, and Sean Kutzko, KX9X, for operating W1AW
in the ARRL 160-Meter CW contest. They made 977 QSOs, with 93 sections,
for an initial claimed score of 195,035.
Joe updated the web code practice files and web Qualifying Run
schedules. He created the texts for the December W1AW Qualifying Runs.
Joe installed a repaired Icom IC-756 ProII for use as the 80-meter
broadcast transmitter. (It replaces the Ten-Tec Orion I that was in use
in this slot.) He reinstalled the K9AY terminated 160-meter receiving
loop and 160-meter wire vertical for use in the ARRL 160-meter contest.
Joe also readied the equipment in the first studio for the contest.
Scott worked on slow and fast code practice files for the first part of
the month of December. He also assisted the DXCC department the
processing of cards.
Sincerely Compiled by,
Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ
Assistant to the CEO
Staff Absentee List
All Staff 12/24 Holiday
All Staff 12/31 Holiday
Margie Bourgoin 12/20-12/23 Vacation
Jackie Ferreira 12/23 Vacation
`` 12/30 Vacation
Steve Ford 12/23-12/31 Vacation
Scott Gee 12/23-12/27 Vacation
Joel Hallas 12/22-12/29 Vacation
Dan Henderson 12/6-1/10 Medical Leave
Mary Hobart 12/27-12/28 Vacation
Bob Inderbitzen 12/27-12/30 Vacation
Maryann Macdonald 12/10-12/13 Vacation
`` 12/27-12/31 Vacation
Bill Moore 12/9-12/13 Vacation
`` 12/27-1/4 Vacation
Diane Petrilli 12/20-12/22 Vacation
`` 12/27-12/29 Vacation
Allen Pitts 12/17 Vacation
`` 12/24-12/31 Vacation
Steve Sant Andrea 12/27-12/30 Vacation
Barry Shelley 12/16-12/23 Vacation
Dave Sumner 12/10 Vacation
`` 12/22-12/23 Vacation
`` 12/30 Vacation
