We're on a roll...that's for sure. Even though you may have read most of this in IN-NEWS (thanks Lisa), here's a quick update on what is happening. This has been a very busy couple of weeks for all of us here at HQ. Actually, to quote, Mary, K1MMH, we have seen a "confluence of events" that has escalated the overall interest in amateur radio nationally. These events include elimination of the CW examination requirement and the heightened interest in Emergency and Public Service Communications. I would like to thank all of you for your extra efforts during this busy time. All of us Officers, The Board, and the Amateur Radio community appreciate your efforts. So what is happening? The Sales and Marketing Department is still busy selling licensing publications. However, because of the "a rising tide lifts all boats" effect, Bob tells me that we are selling many other ARRL publications as well. We have added some member service enhancements to our Publications ordering system. Thanks to the efforts of Steve Capodicasa, John Proctor, Jon Bloom, Amy Hurtado and others, we are now sending most customers an email with a Federal Express tracking number after they have placed their order so that they can track the shipment. In the near future, we will be offering an improved menu of shipping choices as well. Thanks, team - a job well done. Other members of the Web/Siebel integration team, including, Hugh, Micah, Amy, John Proctor and Barry are working on improving our web based credit card processing. The new web membership pages are being tested and should be up and running in a few weeks. As most of you know, we activated our new 24 hour answering service last week. Around the Clock Telemessaging Service now answers our main lines, but not our direct lines, after we close. Thanks to Jackie and Bob for coordinating the process and thanks to Greg for his technical assistance. We are receiving about 20 - 25 inquiries a day from this service. Most of these are membership and publication ordering questions. So far, members and prospective members like this service. We have also made extra efforts to follow up on all the messages that we receive. Due to popular demand, we will be printing twenty thousand additional Band Charts http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/Hambands_color.pdf for our members. We will make these available through normal distribution channels including Directors, SMs, hamfests and conventions. Thanks to Dave Pingree and Sue Fagan for their outstanding design work. What can I say about VEC, but thanks to Maria, Perry and crew for keeping up with a very heavy workload. As Maria has said, they are "busy, busy, busy." http://www.arrl.org/?artid=7300 Maria also tells me that the number of hams who want to be VE's is also going up. She has also seen a rise in new Technician licensees and Extra Class as well as the expected upgrades to General. On the publications side, QST will feature a special 8-page Field Day insert in the June issue. Joel Kleinman is leading this effort. This insert will be full of Field Day tips, tricks, and techniques and a little whimsy! Based on positive comments we have received, our Field Day Bug seems to have created quite a buzz (ouch) with our members. Also on the publications side, during the next few months we will be introducting these new books: Low Power Communications, The Antenna Book -21st Edition, The DXCC Handbook, The General Q &A, and The General Class License Manual based on the new Question Pool. Steve, Shelly, Sue, Maty and the publication group have been busy! In the MVP Department, Sharon and Bill report that DXCC and Outgoing QSL Bureau activity is up. Is this the rising tide again? It may be due to contest season but, according to NN1N, some of the activity is due to the two new DXCC entities that we added last summer. Logbook of the World activity is up and we are trying to keep up with the high demand for user support. Norm also reports that, based on his survey and anecdotal evidence carried back by our intrepid traveling staffers, Hamfest attendance across the country is also up MVP is still in the process of hiring the new EmComm Manager. We have received over 25 applications and Dave P, Kay Craigie and I are reviewing them. We hope to have the new position in place by May. Mary reports that she is selling "a ton of bricks" since we began promoting The Diamond Terrace on the web site and in QST. Diamond Club memberships are also up 35%. That's my brief update. Let me know if you have any questions. 73, Harold Harold Kramer, WJ1B Chief Operating Officer ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio 225 Main Street Newington, CT 06111 Telephone: 860 594 0220 email: hkramer@arrl.org web: www.arrl.org/ <http://www.arrl.org/>
