<<072507.doc>>

IN-Newsletter

Vol. 30, No. 30

July 25, 2007  --  Covers the period July 15-21.

Regulatory Information

Reported by Dan Henderson, N1ND

The PAVE PAWS teleconference with the Air Force Spectrum Management team happened on Monday July 16.  Ed Hare, Dave Sumner and Dan Henderson represented the ARRL on the call.  There was a good open exchange of information on several topics including possible wrong identification of some repeaters and technical questions from the ARRL Lab.  ARRL provided the PAVE PAWS team current updated information to assist them in properly identifying repeaters, as well as information on the current status of voluntary power reductions.  The DoD will send us a corrected list of repeaters shortly and ARRL will follow-up with those repeater owners.  In the next two weeks Ed Hare will begin contact with individual repeater owners on additional mitigation needs and strategies.  The DoD acknowledged this is likely not to be a one-shot deal and that additional mitigation requests may have to be made.  They also acknowledged that a re-tasking of the mission of the PPR system meant that interference that could previously be tolerated was now no longer acceptable, hence this becoming an issue of concern.  As on Friday July 20^th we have confirmed power reductions from 88 of 105 California and 12 of 15 New England involved repeaters.

During the week there were discussions with various directors in for the Board meeting on a variety of topics.  On Friday we assisted ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD on two presentations for the ARRL Board.  I also provided Janet Worthington of John Chwat’s staff with a tour of ARRL HQ before taking her to the airport.  We also handled a routine number of phone calls and emails related to international operating.

Daily updates of Field Day entries received via the web applet at www.b4h.net/cabforms are being posted.  Thanks to assistance from the MVP Department, the data entry for logs received via the regular mail has begun.  The Field Day Online Soapbox continues to grow, with many interesting photos and stories being shared by 165 groups.  As of Friday July 20, a total of 1285 FD entries had been submitted via the web applet.

Development

Reported by Mary Hobart, K1MMH

The past week was filled with preparations for the ARRL Committee and Board meetings.  At the A & F meeting on Thursday afternoon I presented a brief overview of the Target Analysis results on the 5-year study of membership and development donor behavior.  Initially the reports pose interesting questions rather than answers on some topics, but further dissection of the large amount of data resulting from this study will assist membership and development to test new tools to increase response and revenue for both departments.

Scholarship award checks are ready to be mailed to the 2007 ARRL Foundation Scholarship winners.  In all 61 scholarship awards will provide education funding for young hams seeking higher education.

The Education & Technology Program has reached $190,065 on the year, including grants to the Teachers Institute with a high average gift of $72.61.

Production/Editorial

Reported by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE

The September issue of QST, our first Emergency Communications special issue, was released to the printer July 19.

Khrystyne Keane wrote and prepared the ARRL Letter, Vol. 26, No. 29, for Friday, July 20.  It was distributed to 66,095 members, an increase of 191 over the previous week. Since June 15, we have added 929 new subscribers.  Khrystyne also voiced and produced the July 20 edition of ARRL Audio News.  Since she will be on vacation July 27, Joel Kleinman will produce the Letter and Allen Pitts will produce Audio News.

Khrystyne also took more than 400 photographs of the Diamond Terrace, all the way from pre-installation to ribbon cutting ceremony.  Most pictures are available on the Diamond Terrace Web site at http://www.arrl.org/development/donations/diamondclub/terrace/photos.html.

Business Services

Reported by Deb Jahnke

We put together proposals for several manufacturers and retailers to sell ARRL publications and our efforts are beginning to pay off.  We are pleased to welcome Radio Daze and Powerwerx as new ARRL Publication Dealers.

The September issue of QST has wrapped and advertisers were very interested with the Emergency Communications theme.  A number of advertisers tailored their ads to feature emergency related products or used an emergency use spin on their own products.  Based on the theme, ICOM America reserved an additional 8 pages.  In addition, we have also recruited the following new advertisers beginning their ads in this issue:  Dishtronix, Gamma Research, Josef Pehan, W4LIG, and TAC-COMM.  We also welcome back US Interface LLC and Tashjian Towers Corporation.

Last Thursday we sent send an email solicitation for ARRL Handbook advertising.  Early response has been very positive and we are half-way to meeting our revenue goal for this project.  Both inside front and back covers have been sold to Ham Radio Outlet.

In response to our proposal, ICOM America has, again this year, been persuaded to act as Principal Awards Sponsor for the 2007 November Sweepstakes.

Membership & Volunteer Programs

Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N

Contest Branch

To date; 3,600 IARU, 1,864 June VHF and 3,397 Field Day logs have been received.  The plates for the 2007 RTTY plaques and the 2007 International DX Contest pins have arrived from the engraver.  We will begin to ship the plaques and pins shortly.

QSL Branch

There is no delay in opening mail and a 2 day delay in slotting of cards.  This week, 112 pounds of cards were received from members.  This past week, we mailed 124,400 cards, which brings the total of cards shipped year-to-date to 554,350.  Due to a substantial USPS rate increase in May 2007, the Outgoing Bureau did not ship any cards out for the month of June 2007.  It was decided to discontinue USPS and employ the services of an international mailing firm.  BleuChip International is now handling our mailing requirements at a reduced rate.

W1AW

Scott worked on slow and fast code practice files for the latter part of the month of July.  He also assisted the DXCC department with checking 182 database-inputted cards against DXCC applications.

Joe updated the web code practice files and their archives.  He also compiled the logs from the W1AW/4.

Field Organization/Public Service Team

Leona reports that she received two Section Manager nomination petitions this week for the term beginning January 1, 2008.  Just a reminder that all the Section Manager nomination petitions for this term are due here at ARRL HQ by Friday, September 7, 2007.

James Latham, AF6AQ – East Bay

Glen Clayton, W4BDB – Tennessee

Leona is also in the process of updating our Field Service database with new appointments, cancellations and changes.  She hopes to generate a new appointment listing to Section Managers via email next week.  She entered a dozen new appointments along with supply packages for appointees.  She also sent out five OO tests to those who were recommended for the OO appointment.

Chuck reviewed and forwarded documentation to the FCC regarding a 20 meter frequency following an earlier monitoring request by them.  Investigation is being done on several reports of unidentified signals on 40 and 75 meters.  Assistance was requested from the FCC regarding locating an unidentified beacon on 30 meters and unlicensed users of a 60 meter frequency.

The Section Managers of the New England Division joined the monthly teleconference hosted by Steve Ewald, Chuck Skolaut and Katie Breen.  It was held Tuesday evening, July 17.  The 2007 Section Managers’ Workshop at Headquarters has been scheduled for October 12 -14, and we will be handling reservations for the group of new SMs who are planning and able to attend.

Web/Software Development

Reported by Jon Bloom, KE3Z

The new web-based Membership Application went live on Monday 7/23 and handled about $3,000 worth of memberships, donations and subscriptions during its first day.  So far everything seems to be working smoothly.  There are just a few things still need to be tweaked in the screens.

After people enter their membership info online, their credit cards are charged immediately and the information goes to Circulation for entry into the Siebel system.  We hope to 'close the loop' on this by pushing the member info directly into Siebel.  This may take several more months to accomplish.

We are also testing a new Automated Recurring Billing feature with Development, which will allow them to set up members of the Diamond Club to have their cards automatically charged on a monthly or quarterly basis.  Once tested this should also work for Life Memberships.

Micah and Hugh also handled a number of web page uploads and changes, including some urgent ones around the time of the Board meeting.  There were also a number of website support issues handled, as well as some for the ExamWin and Travel Plus software.

Sincerely Compiled by,

Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ

Assistant to the CEO

Staff Absentee List

All Staff       9/3             Holiday

Leona Adams             7/20pm          Vacation

Jon Bloom               7/9-7/27                Vacation

      ``                        9/26-10/5       Vacation

Katie Breen             7/30-8/3                Vacation

Hugh Brower             9/7-9/14                Vacation

LouAnn Campanello       7/19-7/31       Vacation

Steve Capodicasa                9/4-9/10                Vacation

Joe Carcia              7/13            Vacation

      ``                        7/20            Vacation

      ``                        7/27            Vacation

       ``                       8/3-8/10                Vacation

Jackie Cornell          7/30-8/3                Vacation

Carole Dimock           7/9-7/20                Vacation

Steve Ewald             7/20-7/27       Vacation

Steve Ford              7/30-8/3                Vacation

Scott Gee               7/30-7/31       Vacation

    ``                  8/20            Vacation

     ``                 9/4             Vacation

    ``                  9/21            Vacation

Perry Green             7/25-7/28       NCVEC Conference, Gettysburg, PA

Joel Hallas             7/13            Vacation

     ``                 8/3-8/4         Texas State Convention, Austin, TX

Ed Hare                 7/8-7/13                EMC Society Symposium Committee Meeting, Honolulu, HI

Dan Henderson           7/25-7/28       NCVEC Conference, Gettysburg, PA

        ``                      8/16-8/28       ARRL National Convention, Huntsville, AL/Vacation

        ``                      9/21-10/1       Wash. State Conv., Spokane, WA/PC NW VHF Conf., OR

Mary Hobart             8/3             Vacation

     ``                 8/10            Vacation

      ``                        8/17-8/19       ARRL National Convention, Huntsville, AL

      ``                        8/20            Vacation

      ``                        8/24            Vacation

       ``                       8/31            Vacation

      ``                        9/7-9/9         MFJ Anniversary/Starkville MS

       ``                       9/14-9/16       W9DX Convention, Chicago, IL

       ``                       9/28-9/29       TenTac, Pigeon Forge, TN

Tom Hogerty             7/2-7/6         Vacation

Amy Hurtado             8/13-8/15       Vacation

Gail Iannone            8/17-8/31       Vacation

Bob Inderbitzen         7/16-7/20       Vacation

Karen Isakson           8/6-8/13                Vacation

Debra Johnson           7/2-7/11                Vacation

Khrystyne Keane         7/26-7/27       Vacation

        ``                      8/17-8/19       ARRL National Convention, Huntsville, AL

Joel Kleinman           8/2             Vacation

Monique Levesque        7/5-7/10                Vacation

        ``                      8/6-8/10                Vacation

        ``                      8/30-9/4                Vacation

Carol Michaud           7/11            Vacation

Bill Moore              7/13-7/16       Vacation

Frankie Perez           7/27            Vacation

AnnMarie Pinto          8/13-8/24       Vacation

Allen Pitts             7/2-7/6         Vacation

Eileen Sapko            7/10            Jury Duty

Barry Shelley           7/5-7/9         Vacation

       ``                       8/10-8/24       Vacation

Chuck Skolaut           7/5-7/10                Arizona State Convention, Williams, AZ/Vacation

Maria Somma             7/13-7/22       Vacation

      ``                        7/25-7/28       NCVEC Conference, Gettysburg, PA

      ``                        8/16-8/19       ARRL National Convention, Huntsville, AL

Dave Sumner             8/1-8/6         Vacation

        ``                      8/15-8/19       GAREC/ARRL National Convention, Huntsville, AL

         ``                     9/8-9/15                IARU Reg. 2 Conference, Brasilia

Sharon Taratula         7/26            Vacation

Maty Weinberg           7/2-7/20                Vacation

Perry Williams          7/19-9/4                Vacation

Larry Wolfgang          8/13-8/21       Vacation