IN-Newsletter

Vol. 28, No. 40

October 5, 2005  --  Covers the period September 25-October 1.

Upcoming Meetings and Events

Executive Committee Meeting

October 22 – Dallas, TX

CEO

At Wednesday’s luncheon Harold Kramer passed out certificates to employees that helped out with the Katrina disaster.  Harold, Mary Hobart, and Dennis Motschenbacher spoke very kindly about staff and the way staff came together during a disaster.

Staff would like to thank them for their determination!

John Hennessee worked on the regulatory section of the Technician Question Pool.  He received a number of inquiries on the recently enacted Connecticut cell phone Act which doesn't appear to apply to most Amateur Radio operators.  The Act, Connectict Public Act 05-220, can be found at http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/act/Pa/2005PA-00220-R00HB-06959-PA.htm is poorly worded.  There are still unanswered questions regarding the Act, and CT SGL Mike Keane and John are interested in hearing about any problems Connecticut hams face as a result of this law.  He also assisted amateurs with local government antenna zoning questions in Upper Darby, PA (WA3IVX) and Davies, FL (KE4F) and with a covenant problem in Stuart, FL (W4NJV).

Development

The Spectrum Defense campaign is on schedule to mail October 10 to the entire ARRL membership.  The summer campaign has topped $179,000.

The Diamond Club has reached a new high of 1788 donors.  More detailed analysis to follow.

ARRL has received an estate gift of $43,000 which will be added to the ARRL Endowment in the Spectrum Defense and W1AW funds.

Work of the ARRL Question Pool group of the Growth Task Force is moving forward rapidly, to dovetail with other submissions to the QPC.  The QPC's target date to complete the selection is October 31, 2005 with a release date of January 1, 2006.

CDO Hobart traveled to Vancouver WA to join the 75th anniversary celebration of the Clark County ARC.  This strong club of 270 members held a formal dinner in the new Hilton in Vancouver.  Joining the celebration was Vancouver's Mayor Royce Pollard who noted the significant contributions of the club during local events and emergencies over the years.  Club members shared interesting anecdotes on the club's history during the evening.  It was a great celebration!

Final reports for the three-year CNCS grant being prepared for submission October 7, 2005.

At the request of CNCS management in Washington Development will begin development of a formal concept paper for CNCS to license and emcomm train all VISTA*Americorps volunteers nationwide will begin the week of October 17.  Other grant opportunities tied to emergency communications are being reviewed.

The development budget for 2006 has been submitted.

Media & Public Relations

CONTACT was put out on the web – it had been delayed due to Katrina events.  Interviews were done with Newington Life and Raleigh Adams (radio).  Press releases for the “AR Admin for Regulators” class, Toy Drive and Harold Kramer’s testimony were done.  A warehouse in Memphis, TN has been donated for the toy drive use as a holding spot while United Way groups in coastal AL, MS, LA and TX reorganize.  Richard Lubash and Patty Loveless have made promotional audio/video clips.  Distribution is expected to be Dec 15.  Katrina pictures are still being collected.

Production/Editorial

The November/December issues of QEX and NCJ have been released to the printer.

Rick Lindquist reports The ARRL Letter, Vol. 24, No. 38, distributed to 66,733 ARRL members on Sep 30.  Rick prepared/edited stories on the FCC’s suspension of vanity call sign processing, HRK’s remarks before the US House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet; Update on Amateur Radio hurricane volunteer situation; ARISS school group contact in MA, SSETI Express launch postponement and several news briefs and announcements.  Rick voiced, edited and produced ARRL Audio News for Sep 30.

Lab

EMC

Mike Gruber’s findings of RFI caused by electric utility equipment were confirmed by the FCC Field Investigator.  Mike hopes that this will result in enforcement action.

USTTI

The ARRL Lab contributed to the training effort.  Mike Gruber started off with a presentation on RFI and RF safety.  Zack Lau gave a radio demonstration using 10GHz equipment.  Mike Gruber and Mike Tracey assisted the students in assembling 40 meter receivers.

Membership Services

Awards Branch

WAS QSL Cards Checked   50     
WAS Specialty Certs. (250 QSLs F/C)     5      
WAS Specialty Certs. (150 QSLs ES/C)    3      
WAC Certs. (72 QSLs F/C) (Foreign)      12     
A-1 Operator Nominations        3      
A-1 Operator Certificates       3      
Long-Term Member Inquiries      1      
VUCC Initial Applications       3      
Grids   111    
VUCC Endorsement Applications   5      
Grids   349    
Awards Mailed   28     

In addition, did the research and data entry for 17 DXCC Challenge Plaques and placed the order with Barker.

Processing Status: Current or up to three weeks.

For the coming week—Basic WAS awards for September, VUCC awards, Extra Class certificates, ship out the various DXCC plaques (if the plates come in), and mail out all the processed awards.

Contest Branch

We finished drafting the QST and Web versions of the 2005 Field Day results.  Several hundred photos were reviewed to select the ones to be included in the articles.  The QST version was sent to Production and the Web-version to Web Services for layout.  Contests announcements for the 2006 Straight Key Night, January VHF Sweepstakes, RTTY-Roundup, and International DX Contests were prepared for QST and sent to Production, and the full rules for the Web were sent for posting.  We have begun preparing the shipping documents for the 2005 International DX Contest plaques and they should start leaving the building in the coming two weeks.

DXCC Branch

 For the week of:

October 2, 2005        
Beginning Credits       84,890 
Credits Received        4,518  
Credits Processed       15,113 
Ending Credits  74,295 

Applications Pending    935    
Processing Time (Conventional)  10.2 Weeks     

Year-to-date (2005)

Credits Received        482,281
Credits Returned        469,424

DXCC is currently mailing applications received on July 20, 2005.  DXCC is currently entering credits received on August 15, 2005.

Logbook of the World

QSO records entered into the system     79,841,738     
QSL records have resulted       3,847,350      
Logs Processed  147,457
Active Certificates     15,946 
Users registered in the system  10,588 
Hybrids Pending Mail    119    

QSL Bureau

There is a 2 day processing time delay.  This week, 75 pounds of cards were received from members.  No cards were mailed this week.

W1AW

Thanks to Diana Szlachetka for her quick work in producing a special W1AW QSL card for the Emergency Power Operating Event (EPOE) that took place September 17.

Joe updated the web code practice files.  He also processed regular W1AW QSL card requests (and started on the EPOE requests).  Joe also processed three Qualifying Run endorsements and six new Qualifying Run certificates.  He created the texts for the October W1AW Qualifying Runs and also worked the Thursday and Friday late afternoon/night shifts for a vacationing Scott Gee.

Field & Educational Services

Field Organization/Public Service Team

Amateur Radio continues to provide emergency communications to support shelters and emergency operation centers, portable kitchens and mass-care facilities in the hurricane-stricken states and especially along the Gulf coast of Mississippi and in Texas.  Steve Ewald has continued to maintain contact with the Section Leaders within the Gulf Coast region by way of a daily ARRL telebridge conference where the leaders are able to coordinate with one another.  As a by-product, we are also able to gather news and share it with the rest of the SMs and SECs via their reflectors and also with Rick, N1RL, who reports the news on the ARRL Web page.

ARRL has received nearly 50 applications so far for the "Ham Aid" from radio amateurs who have helped in the Katrina-relief efforts.

Steve received positive feedback from the Section Managers about their visit last weekend to HQ for the Workshop.  We also note that many Sections have been announcing their plans for this year's Simulated Emergency Test.  The main weekend for SET was October 1 and 2.  ARRL and the National Weather Service, once again, will co-sponsor SKYWARN Recognition Day.  This on-air event is December 3.

Leona Adams continued to prepare the SM statements and pictures for the Western Massachusetts section and had them printed.  Thanks to the Mailroom staff, the statements and ballots were mailed out on September 30th and ahead of schedule.  Leona also entered over 20 new field appointments into the database, and she contacted SMs regarding their section budget updates.  Eric Olena, WB3FPL, incumbent SM for the Eastern Pennsylvania section, has been nominated to run for a new term of office.

Chuck Skolaut says that several reports of a ham causing interference to the 7290 kHz traffic net were received.  He received an updated report of unlicensed fishermen using 2 meters off the coast of California.  Intruders this past week included Over the Horizon radars on 17 and 40 meters as well as an unidentified signal on 75 meters.  The Russian “O” and “D” beacons were heard on 40 meters.  Chuck and Steve took part in Amateur Radio Awareness Day and the Emergency Power Operating Event from W1AW on September 17th.

ARISS

Rosalie helped draft an ARISS funding proposal for 2006--NASA gave it initial positive reaction.  The proposal would extend use of Echolink in classrooms.  AMSAT's Website carries a video on SuitSat at www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/videoNews.php.  Rosalie assisted with a quarterly ARISS report to NASA.  ARISS Europe built and successfully tested the first flat-model S-band antenna for their Columbus ISS module.  They formed a team to study what equipment should be onboard.  At the recent IARU REgion 1 conference, video greetings from Sergei Krikalev were shown; attendees formed a Space Working Group.  The ARISS US Team reviewed ideas from Bob Bruninga for a 2007 space project.  NASA reported their Aerospace Education Specialists are starting to use their relatively new ham licenses for fun, besides showing them at teacher lectures.  Boston Museum of Science personnel attended Kuss Middle School's (MA) ARISS QSO, and posted "Postcards from the Very Edge" about the QSO on the museum's Web site.

WGCL, a local radio station, interviewed Rosalie about the upcoming presentation of the ARRL Professional Educator of the Year Award.  She sent follow-up news releases to 9 other media outlets.  She participated in a Growth Team meeting, and submitted comments about licensing materials.

Rosalie prepared goals and objectives for budget-planning purposes.  In line with that work, she drafted an Hq archival item on ARISS' evolution, how NASA works with ARISS, and on ARISS international and US teams.

Follow-up Katrina and Rita reports were prepared for a request from the Homeland Security Institute.  She edited and distributed a special Hurricane Rita edition of the ARES E-Letter.  She took part in two NVOAD telecons and four ARISS telecons.

Field Education Team

This week Norm Fusaro attended the Washington State Convention in Spokane, WA.  He met with members and gave a presentation on HF radio.  Norm helped field questions and concerns at the ARRL forum along with NW Director Greg Milnes, W7OZ, Vice Director Jim Fenstermaker, K9JF and SM Mark Tharp, KB7HDX.

Back at HQ Norm assisted several clubs with various concerns.  He also worked with the F&ES team to clear out some space in the office and display some artifacts and memorabilia in the showcases in the hall.

Rosanne Lawrence Pre filled several JOTA and Exhibit kit orders.  She also was able to turn one of those orders into a new ARRL membership with 4 additional family members.  Rosanne’s selling skill allowed her to recognize an excellent opportunity to convert a routine query into a large publication order.  (Over $400)

Rosanne also updated 54 clubs and processed several SSC club renewals.  She helped organize some of the files and other materials in F&ES as we continue to optimize the office.

Gail Iannone sent 13 hamfest approval letters and 2 convention approval letters to the sponsoring committees confirming the Division Directors’ approval of their events as “ARRL-sanctioned,” processed 26 handout and door prize material orders and 2 label requests for upcoming events; sent a Wouff Hong supply package for the ceremony to be performed at Pacificon on October 14th-16th in San Ramon, CA and coordinated travel for Dan Henderson to be the Hq Rep at the South Carolina State Convention on October 29th in Conway and for Bill Moore to be the Hq Rep at the Indiana State Convention on November 19th-20th in Ft. Wayne.  She also sent 17 EC approval letters to newly-affiliated clubs and 13 Charter of Affiliation certificates to these clubs and entered 8 new clubs into Siebel.  She sent 7 SSC renewal approval letters and certificates to those clubs renewing their SSC status.

Amateur Radio Education & Technology Program—Mark Spencer

Kid’s Day article drafted and submitted for QST publication in January.  Coordinated with Tom Hogerty to update the JOTA web pages with current information.  Participated in the education team meeting for the growth working group.  Competed review of assigned questions of the tech pool and drafted changes and suggested new questions.  Re-worked draft syllabus outline for submission to the Education team.  There were a number of queries from schools on setting up radio programs in their schools.  Now that the new school year is in full swing, teachers are looking for ways to improve their offerings.  Many of the schools were stimulated by recent hurricane events.  Some of these schools expressed interest in the Project.  Also JOTA queries have increased indicating perhaps increased interest in the activity over last year.

Sincerely,

Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ

Assistant to the

Chief Executive Officer

Staff Absentee List

Dave Patton             10/7-10/10      Vacation

                        10/20-10/24     Vera Cruz, Mexico (FMRE Convention)

                        11/21-11/28     Cartagena, Colombia (CQWW CW)

Dave Sumner             10/3-10/9       IARU R3 Directors meeting and SEANET meeting, Bangalore

Ed Hare                 10/31-11/2      Vacation

    ``                  11/9-11/11      IEEE BPL study project, Portland, OR

Bob Inderbitzen         10/21           Vacation

Allen Pitts             10/5-10/7       Vacation

Wayne Mills             10/5-10/10      RSGB Convention

Kathy Allison           10/19pm-10/21   Vacation

Joe Carcia              10/21pm         Nat’l Science Teachers Assoc. AR presentation, Hartford, CT

Steve Ford              10/10           Vacation

Dan Henderson           10/28           Myrtle Beach Convention

Leona Adams             10/18           Vacation

Steve Ewald             10/19-10/26     Vacation