July 2013 - arrl-odv - reflector.arrl.org

[arrl-odv:21864] Document 7, Report of the CEO
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 11 Jul '13

11 Jul '13

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[arrl-odv:21863] Document #3 - First Vice President Report to the Board
by k5ur＠aol.com 11 Jul '13

11 Jul '13

Hi all: Please find attached the First Vice President Report to the Board, document #3. 73, Rick - K5UR .

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[arrl-odv:21862] Digital QST for the Visually Impaired
by Kramer, Harold, WJ1B 11 Jul '13

11 Jul '13

Hi, There has been some recent discussion on ODV about us producing a separate digital edition of QST for the visually impaired or making our current digital edition more compatible with devices used by the blind and visually impaired. The more that I delve into this, the more complicated it appears. Anecdotally, we have heard that some visually impaired members can use the current digital edition with the proper hardware and software tools. Bob Inderbitzen is checking this with a member that he has worked with in this area. I have also sent an inquiry to the Library of Congress, who has supplied an audio version of QST to the visually impaired for years, since we have heard that they have updated their accessible edition of QST with digital technology. I am waiting for their response. Magdalena has inquired and she has learned that Nxtbook does provide a version of their digital platform that is more accessible to the visually impaired. The magazine is reformatted for easier access and it does include pictures and graphics. This edition is selected by the user by pushing a button on the top menu of the current browser-based digital edition of QST. This opens a separate URL that connects to and opens the accessible edition. A version of the accessible edition also appears on smart phones and tablets. This accessible edition costs $500/month. However, cost is not the main factor. The problem is that Nxtbook has no capability at present of enabling Digital Rights Management (DRM)on this edition. Therefore, the URL can be sent to anyone who could then openly access this version of QST. The URL can (and will!) also be posted on websites for anyone to access. Magdalena has asked Nxtbook for an estimate of adding DRM to the browser and mobile accessible versions and we are awaiting their response. After I receive the requested information, I will share it with you and we can go from there. 73, Harold Harold Kramer, WJ1B Chief Operating Officer ARRL -the national association for Amateur Radio 225 Main Street Newington, CT 06111 (860) 594 -0220 www.arrl.org

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[arrl-odv:21861] Document #12, Report of the Office of the General Counsel to the Board of Directors; CONFIDENTIAL, ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION
by Chris Imlay 11 Jul '13

11 Jul '13

Greetings. Attached for your review prior to the upcoming meeting, please find the Report of the General Counsel to the Board of Directors. As usual, please keep this document entirely confidential and do not distribute it or any part of it, inasmuch as it contains legal advice and information that, if disclosed could seriously damage ARRL's advocacy effort. Should you have any questions or concerns, or if I have inadvertently not addressed a legal or regulatory issue, please let me know prior to the meeting. Thanks. 73, Chris W3KD Christopher D. Imlay Booth, Freret, Imlay & Tepper. P.C. 14356 Cape May Road Silver Spring, Maryland 20904-6011 (301) 384-5525 telephone (301) 384-6384 facsimile W3KD(a)ARRL.ORG

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[arrl-odv:21859] Centennial committee report
by Kay Craigie 11 Jul '13

11 Jul '13

73, Kay N3KN

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[arrl-odv:21860] President's report
by Kay Craigie 11 Jul '13

11 Jul '13

Here is my report to the Board. See you soon! 73 - Kay N3KN

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[arrl-odv:21848] FW: FW: Digital Access to QST By Blind Hams
by Kramer, Harold, WJ1B 11 Jul '13

11 Jul '13

Cliff, We have researched and discussed this issue in the past on a few occasions and we were unable to come up with an easy solution at that time particularly since we require digital rights management. Magdalena Owczarska and I will research the issue and report back on what we find out from Nxtbook. Digital publication technology continues to evolve, so new technology may now be available. 73, Harold Harold Kramer, WJ1B ARRL Chief Operating Officer 860 594 0220 -----Original Message----- From: Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 9:34 AM To: 'Cliff Ahrens'; Kramer, Harold, WJ1B Cc: arrl-odv Subject: RE: [arrl-odv:21846] FW: Digital Access to QST By Blind Hams Cliff, this issue also came up at the ARRL Forum at the Rocky Mountain Division Convention last month. It occurs to me that once we get this issue resolved there no longer will be a rationale for the special blind membership rate of $8.00 per year that is specified in Bylaw 7(a). That rate is based in large part on our not being able to deliver QST in a form that is fully useful to blind members. That currently remains the case, but will not be once they can use the digital edition. Dave K1ZZ -----Original Message----- From: arrl-odv-bounces(a)reflector.arrl.org [mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org] On Behalf Of Cliff Ahrens Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 9:17 AM To: Kramer, Harold, WJ1B Cc: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:21846] FW: Digital Access to QST By Blind Hams Harold, here's a request from an ARRL member from the Midwest Division, writing as President of the National Federation of the Blind Ham Radio Division, requesting ARRL explore and implement the Nxtbook solution for digital QST that will provide a fully accessible experience to blind hams. I would appreciate it if staff could study and advise the board concerning the feasibility and cost of offering this service to blind hams. Since this is an issue that impacts blind hams nationwide, I'm copying ODV. Thanks. Cliff K0CA -----Original Message----- From: Tony Olivero [mailto:anthony@olivero.us] Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 12:13 AM To: k0ca(a)arrl.org Subject: Digital Access to QST By Blind Hams Director Ahrens, I am writing to you this evening as an ARRL member, a member of your division (through the Nebraska section), and as the president of the National Federation of the Blind Ham Radio Division. As you are aware, the League last year launched an online version of QST available on the web and iOS devices. I, and other blind hams, were excited about the potential a digital version of QST could offer us. Currently we have to wait for a recorded version to be produced by the National Library Service for the Blind or a digest version to be recorded by the Courage-Kinny HandiHam organization. Both of these options offer disadvantages placing blind hams on an unequal footing with our sighted League member colleagues and other QST readership. Until June, 2013, the recorded version of QST often took up to a month from release to be recorded resulting in some information being out of date. Additionally, due to postal regulation, advertising is omitted from the magazine. This is a result of the method which the recorded magazines are shipped, and the illegality of providing advertising when using the Free Matter for the Blind service. However, I, and many of my colleagues, are interested in keeping up with the latest trends, and knowing what manufacturers are putting on the market. I'm sure you can see reasons we had high hopes that a digital edition of QST would provide both the full content and timely delivery of the magazine to blind readers. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case. The Nxtbook digital publishing platform the League uses to publish QST on the web by default includes a Flash based interface that does not expose the text to programs used by the blind to read the contents of the computer screen. certain controls are exposed, but they can take us to different pages of the publication, we just can't read any of the articles. After doing some research, I have found scattered references to the Nxtbook Liberty platform offering a version of published magazines compatible with screen reading technology for the blind, but have found no way to access this version from the Nxtbook interface for QST. I understand the board is having a meeting in the near future where you will set policy and direction for the League and actions for the League staff. I would like to ask that you, and your fellow directors, direct the staff responsible for the online version of QST to explore and implement the Nxtbook solution that will provide a fully accessible experience to blind hams. For background, I did contact HQ staff in reference to this issue last year, but was directed to the aformentioned organizations and told accessibility would be considered at a later date. I am happy to assist the League in any way I can in this endeavour. Please feel free to contact me through the below information. I appreciate your time and attention to this matter. Sincerely, Tony Olivero, AD9O President, National Federation of the Blind Ham Radio Division 765-977-1683 anthony(a)olivero.us _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv(a)reflector.arrl.org http://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv

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[arrl-odv:21853] Document #26 - UHF / Microwave Band Plan Committee Report
by k5ur＠aol.com 10 Jul '13

10 Jul '13

Hi all: Please find attached the UHF / Microwave Band Plan Committee Report, Document #26. 73, Rick - K5UR Please find attached the UHF / Microwave Band Plan Committee Report, Document #26. 73, Rick - K5UR

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[arrl-odv:21846] FW: Digital Access to QST By Blind Hams
by Cliff Ahrens 10 Jul '13

10 Jul '13

Harold, here's a request from an ARRL member from the Midwest Division, writing as President of the National Federation of the Blind Ham Radio Division, requesting ARRL explore and implement the Nxtbook solution for digital QST that will provide a fully accessible experience to blind hams. I would appreciate it if staff could study and advise the board concerning the feasibility and cost of offering this service to blind hams. Since this is an issue that impacts blind hams nationwide, I'm copying ODV. Thanks. Cliff K0CA -----Original Message----- From: Tony Olivero [mailto:anthony@olivero.us] Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 12:13 AM To: k0ca(a)arrl.org Subject: Digital Access to QST By Blind Hams Director Ahrens, I am writing to you this evening as an ARRL member, a member of your division (through the Nebraska section), and as the president of the National Federation of the Blind Ham Radio Division. As you are aware, the League last year launched an online version of QST available on the web and iOS devices. I, and other blind hams, were excited about the potential a digital version of QST could offer us. Currently we have to wait for a recorded version to be produced by the National Library Service for the Blind or a digest version to be recorded by the Courage-Kinny HandiHam organization. Both of these options offer disadvantages placing blind hams on an unequal footing with our sighted League member colleagues and other QST readership. Until June, 2013, the recorded version of QST often took up to a month from release to be recorded resulting in some information being out of date. Additionally, due to postal regulation, advertising is omitted from the magazine. This is a result of the method which the recorded magazines are shipped, and the illegality of providing advertising when using the Free Matter for the Blind service. However, I, and many of my colleagues, are interested in keeping up with the latest trends, and knowing what manufacturers are putting on the market. I'm sure you can see reasons we had high hopes that a digital edition of QST would provide both the full content and timely delivery of the magazine to blind readers. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case. The Nxtbook digital publishing platform the League uses to publish QST on the web by default includes a Flash based interface that does not expose the text to programs used by the blind to read the contents of the computer screen. certain controls are exposed, but they can take us to different pages of the publication, we just can't read any of the articles. After doing some research, I have found scattered references to the Nxtbook Liberty platform offering a version of published magazines compatible with screen reading technology for the blind, but have found no way to access this version from the Nxtbook interface for QST. I understand the board is having a meeting in the near future where you will set policy and direction for the League and actions for the League staff. I would like to ask that you, and your fellow directors, direct the staff responsible for the online version of QST to explore and implement the Nxtbook solution that will provide a fully accessible experience to blind hams. For background, I did contact HQ staff in reference to this issue last year, but was directed to the aformentioned organizations and told accessibility would be considered at a later date. I am happy to assist the League in any way I can in this endeavour. Please feel free to contact me through the below information. I appreciate your time and attention to this matter. Sincerely, Tony Olivero, AD9O President, National Federation of the Blind Ham Radio Division 765-977-1683 anthony(a)olivero.us

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[arrl-odv:21845] Document #20 - ARRL EMC Committee Report
by Kermit Carlson 10 Jul '13

10 Jul '13

Greetings; Please find attached the ARRL-EMC Committee Report, Document #20, and four Appendices (labeled A through D) as PDF files. If you have any questions, comments or corrections please do not hesitate to contact me directly. I look forward to seeing all of you in Newington next week ! 73, Kermit Carlson W9XA

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