IN-Newsletter Vol. 28, No. 6 February 9, 2005 Development Permission letters for donor recognition in the Annual Report have been mailed. Postcards to major donors announcing the date of the Donor Reception in Dayton have been mailed. Work continues on the 40-year member recognition awards for more than 4000 members. A draft letter for the Education & Technology campaign is under review. Nearly 300 Foundation scholarship applications are being processed for review in March and April. The Foundation Annual Meeting took place via teleconference on Tuesday evening, Feb 8. Media & Public Relations 50 DVD copies of the audio PSA were made and it was released on Friday 2/4/05. By Monday afternoon 2/7/05 we had requests from PIOs who were placing it with 21 broadcast stations, 41 cable franchises, and six other locations. "Other" includes such uses as schools and universities, state park welcome areas, and a CBS program in development. In other areas, a new-ham recruitment project is being developed for Field Day week, Bacon's is reporting that they too are finding "oddities" in the December clippings report and investigating, and concepts for Dayton are being developed to increase interaction and interest. Production/Editorial The March/April issues of QEX and NCJ have been released to the printer. Mike Daniels and Dave Pingree deserve kudos for rendering a large number of complex drawings in time to meet the publication deadlines of QEX and NCJ while maintaining the QST schedule. Rick Lindquist reports that The ARRL Letter, Vol. 24, No. 05, was distributed on February 3. Rick voiced, edited and produced ARRL Audio News for February 4. While on vacation, Rick wrote a detailed report on the ARRL’s Petition for Reconsideration of the FCC’s BPL Report & Order. Sales & Marketing This week, we supplied Section Managers Roy Rabey, AD5KZ, (NTX) and Mal Keown, W5XX, (MS) with materials and free book incentives for membership recruitment. Our Diane Szlachetka is consulting with members of the Production Department and ISD as we consider upgrading desktop production software. We are negotiating terms that may support a "sale" on RSGB publications purchased through ARRL in the spring or summer months. Thanks go to Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG for returning a big handful of completed membership applications from a hamfest he attended over the weekend. Chuck worked with the local Section Manager, Malcolm Keown, W5XX, to offer a free book incentive to applicants joining or renewing at the show. SMs are regularly offered free Repeater Directories to help with their membership recruitment activities. ARRL National Convention Update A handful of activities are underway, supporting the 2005 ARRL National Convention at Dayton Hamvention (May 20, 21 and 22). This team is helping coordinate an expanded plan that was developed through an ad hoc committee appointed by President Haynie during the July Board of Directors meeting. On Wednesday, we met with other department managers to begin coordinating the enhanced event with those activities that occur as usual at Hamvention and our national conventions. This meeting produced a number of additional good ideas and considerations. A primary component of the event is the donation of a large exhibit area (hall) by the Hamvention Committee to ARRL. This area will feature ARRL booths, exhibits, demonstrations and displays. Approximately 20-30 booths may comprise the "ARRL EXPO." We are presently in negotiations with DARA to procure furnishings for the space. Bob Inderbitzen will travel out to Hara Arena to review the space with Hamvention General Chairman Gary Des Combes, N8EMO and Director Jim Weaver on February 8. He has also been invited to attend a Hamvention Committee meeting. The following activities have been initiated: A convention logo and web page have been produced. Visit www.arrl.org/expo. A link to the page has also been added to the ARRL web home page. All departments are encouraged to contribute additional content, as we help "grow" the information available from this web page. Contributions can be emailed to Janet Rocco, jrocco@arrl.org. Janet has also started to receive general convention inquiries via expo@arrl.org. We are working with Dayton Hamvention volunteers to encourage more National Convention content on the hamvention.org web site. A cooperatively produced ARRL National/Hamvention ad appears in February and March QST. The ads will continue through May. Exhibit space reservations have been made with Hamvention. May QST might accommodate an article produced by the Hamvention General Chairman. We have met with two companies that produce display solutions for tradeshows as we plan to update our exhibit in time for this year's event. We are working with The National Association of Radio and Telecommunications Engineers (NARTE) as we work to include them within our national convention planning. Through ARRL's assistance and partnership with Dayton Hamvention, NARTE will offer FCC testing for commercial license exams at the event. NARTE has included exam registration information on their home page at www.narte.org. Similar planning is underway with the United States Power Squadrons. John Dilks, K2TQN (QST's Old Radio column) may be interested in exhibiting his mobile radio museum as part of ARRL's convention exhibit. We are working through a handful of considerations that might help make this a reality. Advertising Staff is currently working on insertions for April 2005 QST. We are also querying advertisers regarding their advertising for the May "Dayton" issue of QST. They have appreciated the early heads up and some advertisers are discussing expanded spreads for this issue. End of the month membership reports and preliminary publication sales and advertising reports have been prepared. Targets have been exceeded by small margins in all areas. Membership Services Awards Branch WAS QSL Cards Checked 300 WAS Certs. (550 QSLs F/C) 11 WAS Certs. (300 QSLs ES/C) 6 WAS End. (250 QSLs F/C) 5 LTMA Inquiries 1 Awards Mailed 34 Also filed the VUCC applications from 2004 and worked on some LTMA projects (ongoing). Processing Status: Current or up to three weeks. For the coming week—Compile the latest list of VUCC award recipients for April QST, 25-year member and VUCC awards, Extra Class certificates and WAS/90th awards, and mail out awards processed this week. Contest Branch The 2005 Field Day packet was finalized, converted to PDF and posted to the ARRL Web. 2005 Straight Key Night entries were entered into the database and the results article is being written. The 2005 IARU HF announcement and rules were finalized and are being prepared for Production and the ARRL Web. Data entry for several contests continued. 2004 Phone Sweepstakes results were received from the log checker and were processed into the master database. Tables were then prepared for the author. Emails were sent to problem logs for the 2005 RTTY Roundup. DXCC Branch For the week of: February 6, 2005 Beginning Credits 50,333 Credits Received 5,218 Credits Processed 3,373 Ending Credits 52,178 Applications Pending 433 Processing Time (Conventional) 6.5 Weeks Processing Time (LoTW) 1 Working Day DXCC is currently mailing applications received on December 22, 2004. DXCC is currently entering applicationss received on January 3, 2005. Logbook of the World QSO records entered into the system 62,933,574 QSL records have resulted 2,578,717 Logs Processed 96,840 Active Certificates 13,138 Users registered in the system 8,878 Current Applications 43 Ready Applications 0 Applications Awaiting Mail 43 Jon Bloom worked to have LoTW data backed-up on a 250-GB network drive installed at W1AW. Thanks to Don Durand for getting the network upgrade we needed to make this work, and to Joe Carcia for providing a home for the drive. Backup will occur each night. At present, there is sufficient space on the drive to hold two full copies of the Logbook data. QSL Bureau Processing time is 7 days from receipt. This week 87 pounds of cards were received from members. Cards mailed as of 02/06/05: 61,600. No cards were mailed this week. W1AW Scott worked on slow and fast code practice files for the month of February. He continues with work on assembling modules for the Elecraft K2 QRP transceiver. (He’s at the parts inventory stage at this point.) Scott also handled some evening phone sales calls in the daily 5 PM to 8 PM time slots. Joe placed on the web another update to the web code practice files. He uploaded logs to LoTW and upgraded another PC to XP for WL2K testing. Joe also processed additional W1AW QSL card requests and continues work on the 2004 FMT certificates. Field & Educational Services Field - Education Team Rosalie and Steve began determining who should be a part of the new emcomm digital network management team. The Pinon Elementary School ARISS QSO was taped by University of California Television for use in their "Behind the White Coat" series for schools. The ARISS SuitSat Team will meet at Johnson Space Center to address thermal and vacuum issues, dual-band antenna, and interface between the computer and the radios. The US ARISS Team acquired an A31 computer to test with the SSTV equipment. Jean Wolfgang ensured that the announcements for the opening of registration for our newest course, Analog Electronics, were done. The course will soon be added to the online catalog, and the first class will begin on February 25. Already, 18 students have registered for the course. Jean processed 44 graduates along with six field test students, and transferred six other students. She created the mentor stipend list for January 2005 in order for checks to be prepared, and she created the Technical course Web crawlie announcements for February. Norm Fusaro completed a new PowerPoint program on HF operating; thanks goes to Tom Hogerty for posting it on the web. The program has a companion handout to download, making for a complete program for club meetings or mentoring sessions. Tom uploaded another PowerPoint program on APRS, submitted by WB3W. Norm received numerous positive responses to the NTS program uploaded to the web last week. Several ARES groups and clubs are using it as a training aid. This program also has a companion handout to download for a complete presentation package. Norm helped a young lady find information for her class project on using flashing light for Morse code; she reported receiving an "A." Norm sent congratulatory letters to 20 youths who recently passed their Technician and CW exams. Margie Bourgoin updated 153 club records and processed two SSC renewals. She registered 13 Volunteer Instructors and assisted several instructors with answers to questions and with publication orders. She trained with Jean Wolfgang on how to print new CCE grad certificates and ID cards for the times when Jean is on vacation. Margie conducted the monthly F&ES inventory of paper goods, and the monthly revenue report. Revenue for the month of January brought in by F&ES totaled $1970, which was for sales of licensing publications and video library selections, and for postage reimbursement by clubs for exhibit materials. Gail Iannone sent 25 hamfest approval letters and two convention approval letters to the sponsoring committees confirming the Division Director’s approval of events as ARRL-sanctioned. She processed 12 handouts and door prize orders, and two label requests for upcoming events. She coordinated convention travel for the following HQ staff: Wayne Mills, North Carolina, March 12-13 in Charlotte; Steve Ewald, Maryland, April 2--3 in Timonium; and Norm Fusaro, Midwest Division, June 10-11 in South Sioux City, NE. Gail sent records of four new clubs seeking ARRL-affiliation to the Division Directors and Section Managers for their approval, plus 1 new SSC approval letter and certificate to The Villages ARC in Florida. Community Education Program Bill Barrett 's time was spent on the phone and email, setting up travel plans and transport for materials for the next Citizen Corps Council show. The story on the Web about the first show resulted in a lot of email messages from hams and a few from Citizen Corps non-hams who'd spotted the story. Bill developed a boiler plate response to these folks, since the grant doesn't cover but the 12 locales that Bill will visit. For the others, he is offering guidelines and helpful advice. Field Organization/Public Service Team Chuck Skolaut prepared for his trip to the Mississippi State Convention in Jackson, February 4-6. Official Observers have been asked to monitor for interference on two Missouri traffic nets, and to listen for unidentified 2-meter activity in California. More documentation concerning unlicensed 2-meter operation by bear hunters in West Virginia has been forwarded to the FCC. Chuck prepared a short item for editing for the Web about the International Humanitarian Award winner. Leona Adams is still receiving SM election ballots for North Texas and Arkansas; deadline is Feb 18 and ballot counting is Feb 22. She did updates, changes and appointments to the Field Organization database, and sent 30 initial supply packages to new appointees. This included three newly certified OOs. Leona submitted the SM nomination schedule/announcement for April QST (for new SM terms beginning in October). Steve Ewald has been in touch with Eastern Washington Section Leaders. They are making final plans to conduct a simulated emergency test that will check operator skill in handling messages, and test Winlink 2000 and other digital modes. ARRL's Emergency Communication Handbook has been nicely received by the Field Organization. One SM enthusiastically said: "Frankly, it exceeded my expectations considerably. I anticipated it would be a summary of forms, how-to, and dos and don'ts and other valuable reference details. It was all of this but much more. It was also interesting to read, not a dry text book. It had construction articles such as QST would contain. It had related anecdotal chapters to bring Amateur Em Comm into the context of reality." Regulatory Information John Hennessee worked on a "Frequently Asked Questions" for the Web on FCC matters of interest to clubs. He also reviewed constitutions for pending clubs seeking ARRL affiliation. He assisted an amateur with local government zoning problem in Tremonton, UT (N7HZB), and with covenant problems in Whittier, CA (NU6A) and Celebration, FL (K6ZSB). Amateur Radio Education and Technology Program Our Web pages now feature Mark Spencer's new project. The project's theme is handheld wireless technology, specifically, exploring the technology behind wireless PDA and palm computers. Briefing materials for Mr. Haynie's South American trip were mailed. Mark met with a local weather forecaster to discuss Mark's Space in the Classroom program (it includes weather satellites) in the hopes it will get exposure when the forecaster makes presentations. Mark is waiting for a bid for equipment from a retailer; if the response isn't timely after Mark's reminder, the company will lose the bid. EmComm Grants Dan Miller prepared a short Power Point presentation for use at the Hurricane Watch Net Conference. He prepared new surveys and door prizes for the amateur radio exhibit booth at the NEMA event in Washington, DC. The table-top display includes an up-to-date version of the ARRL logo, complete with our Web site address; thank you, Bob I! Dan solicted local hams to assist him at the event. The next event he will be preparing for is Comm Academy, April 1-3 in Shoreline, WA. Sincerely, Dave Patton, NN1N Special Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer DCP: lk Staff Absentee List All Staff 2/21 Holiday Dave Sumner 2/3-2/11 Vacation Mary Hobart 2/11-2/13 Hamcation Orlando, FL `` 3/2-3/4 CNCS Meeting, Washington, DC Rick Lindquist 2/22 Vacation Dennis Motschenbacher 2/16-2/22 Vacation `` 3/4-3/5 Icom meeting, Miami, FL Bob Inderbitzen 3/21-3/23 National Postal Forum `` 3/24 & 3/28 Vacation `` 3/31-4/1 AES Superfest Roseanne Lawrence 2/7-2/18 Vacation Fatima Lorusso 3/7-3/11 Vacation Bill Moore 2/11-2/15 North Florida Section Convention/Vacation `` 2/11-2/15 Nat'l Emergency Mgt Association, Washington, DC Kathy Capodicasa 3/21-3/23 National Postal Forum `` 4/14-4/18 Vacation Mark Dzamba 2/14-2/16 Vacation Pam Dzamba 2/14-2/16 Vacation Joel Kleinman 2/11-2/15am Vacation Penny Harts 2/9-2/15 Vacation `` 2/24-2/25 Vacation Steve Ewald 2/25-3/8 Vacation Steve Ford 2/18 Vacation `` 2/25 Vermont Section Convention Stu Cohen 2/11±2/18 Leave of absence