<<082008.doc>>
IN-Newsletter
Vol. 31, No. 34
August 20, 2008 -- Covers the period August 10-16.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI)
October 13-17 – ARRL HQ
Executive Committee Meeting
October 18 @ 9:00am in Chicago, IL
Ballot Counting for Director/Vice Director Elections
November 21 in Newington, CT
Regulatory Information
Reported by Dan Henderson, N1ND
A series of email exchanges was made with two individuals in the Atlantic Division about the legality of using of club callsigns and checking into ARES nets. The queries centered on their belief that it was illegal for an individual to use a club callsign or another callsign which they had been authorized to use. They were provide with correct Part 97 citations, interpretations from the FCC as well as my office stating that what they were claiming to be illegal was in fact allowed by the rules. As it turned out neither party were ARRL members and had been involved with previous disputes with the ARRL on regulatory matters.
Numerous emails/phone calls are coming in regarding the third PAVE PAWS list. We are not aware if the FCC has begun contacting licensees/trustees from the new list and have become aware that George Dillon at the FC (who is handling this issue until the new Special Counsel for Amateur Enforcement is hired) is out of the office until September 2.
General regulatory questions on reciprocal operating, antenna heights near airports, sale/purchase of potential illegal 10-meter equipment, a help identifying a repeater that is hanging up and causing problems to other systems, and Part 15 devices were answered.
Data entry for the paper and non-web applet Field Day entries continued and will continue during the upcoming week. It appears the complete Logs Received page for Field Day – which will include all entries (applet, non-applet email, and paper), will be posted around September 5.
Media & Public Relations
Reported by Allen Pitts, W1AGP
Allen was on vacation last week. While Storm Fay did not become a hurricane or major PR story, the cooperation and reporting by the three Florida Section Managers was most appreciated in following events
Production/Editorial
Reported by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE
The September/October 2008 issue of QEX has been released to the printer.
Khrystyne Keane wrote and distributed The ARRL Letter, Vol. 27, No. 32, for August 15, 2008. It went out to more than 71,000 subscribers. She also voiced and produced ARRL Audio News for August 15. There will be no ARRL Audio News August 29.
Sales and Marketing
Reported by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R
August product sales have reached $100,244. This month’s forecast is $222,002.
A 50,000 piece membership solicitation to previous and “never” members is hitting mailboxes this week and is already producing returns.
A “tell a friend” international membership solicitation is beginning to produce returns.
A new MetLife solicitation featuring their new insurance campaign is being developed and will be mailing by the end of August.
Thank you to field volunteers Ti-Michelle Connelly, NJ6T and Jeff Beals, WA4AW for working together at the Huntsville Hamfest with Director Sarratt, recruiting members. At least 71 membership applications were taken throughout the event.
The Warehouse crew fulfilled 813 packages for publication and product orders, shipped 212 free book membership premiums, and sent an August QST mailing supplement.
Copies of September QST have arrived.
Warehouse Supervisor Steve Capodicasa gave a tour of the warehouse to North Texas SM Tom Blackwell, N5GAR during his visit to HQ.
Membership & Volunteer Programs
Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N
The MVP Department says farewell to Jamie Campanello who has been with us for several years. Jamie is moving on to her career and will start teaching next month. Jamie has been an invaluable asset to the department and we wish her well in her new position.
Contest Branch
Field Day logs are coming along nicely. Kathy Allison, KA1RWY, Jo-Ann Arel, Carol Michaud, KB1QAW, and Alex Tara have been instrumental in the Field Day data entry.
The Dakota Division Convention, held the weekend of August 8-10, was a great experience. I gave a talk with Al Dewey, KØAD, (NCJ Editor) to approximately 100 people, touching on Skimmer, the upcoming 75th running of Sweepstakes, and general status on contest awards. It was well-received and the League was given a lot of kudos for the new appearance of the Radiosport content in QST. Thanks to Dakota Division Director Jay Bellows, KØQB, for the invitation.
The IARU deadline has passed, with 3,343 logs received electronically.
We have received 127 logs for the August UHF Contest so far, with 2 weeks to go before deadline.
The October QST issue will be our first Radiosport edition. There will be lots of articles relating to all aspects of contesting, including several "how-to" articles on electronic log submission, Log-Checking Report analysis, and other practical guides for the new (and not-so-new) contest operator. Many people contributed to this effort.
W1AW
A special thanks to Scott Gee, WB9RRU, Bill Moore, NC1L, and Chuck Skolaut, KØBOG, for their handling the station operations during the month of July. They did so while Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, was out on sick leave and vacation.
Joe updated the web code practice files and their archives. He processed five Qualifying Run certificates and two endorsements. Joe also uploaded the July W1AW visitor logs to LoTW.
Scott worked on fast and slow code practice files for the latter part of the month of August.
Education Services
Reported by Debra Johnson, K1DMJ
Nancy Hallas completed edits to the online EmComm Level 1 course with CTDLC and a Web notes page. The revised course was loaded and made available to students. She also added 33 instructor or teacher registrations during July.
July enrollments in the Continuing Education Program were 171, up 14% over last year. Kim Mancuso mailed 278 certificates to students and bi-annual mentor stipend checks were mailed to mentors.
Education & Technology Program
Mark Spencer and Nathan McCray completed the last two Teachers Institute for 2008 at HQ. 25 teachers participated in the two workshops. Three teachers passed the Technician exam and one upgraded to General and one to Extra during the most recent TI session. Mark reports that he is still awaiting some grant acceptance letters from the schools from the May round of grants so that he can complete the execution of the grants.
ARISS
An ARISS school QSO took place with the United Space School in Texas. The contact was supported by a telebridge between NA1SS and ON4ISS. The United Space School is a two-week, once a year session of high school students from the US and around the world. Scientists and engineers mentor students who then put together a team project that they present to the Houston space community.
Astronaut Greg Chamitoff, KD5PKZ, had a great QSO last week with 200 summer campers; the contact was sponsored by the ARRL-affiliated club, New Providence Amateur Radio Club, and led by ARISS volunteer Barry Cohen, K2JV. The QSO received a lot of publicity on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azBvExXlbsY.
NASA’s writer finished a feature story about the activity of ARISS volunteers. The story is now posted on the NASA mission web pages and the Kennedy Space Center web pages. Check: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/index.html under "Features".
Sincerely Compiled by,
Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ
Assistant to the CEO
Staff Absentee List
All Staff 9/1 Holiday
Jon Bloom 10/4-10/13 Vacation
Hugh Brower 9/29-10/3 Vacation
Steve Capodicasa 9/2 Vacation
`` 9/26 Vacation
Joe Carcia 8/22 Vacation
Steve Ewald 8/18-8/21 Citizen Corps Conference, Oklahoma City, OK
Norm Fusaro 9/22-9/26 Vacation
Scott Gee 8/25-8/26 Vacation
`` 10/3-10/6 Vacation
`` 12/23-12/26 Vacation
Joel Hallas 8/22-8/26 Vacation
`` 8/28 Vacation
Dan Henderson 8/22-8/24 Roanoke Division Convention, Jackson’s Mill, WV
`` 8/25-9/2 Vacation
`` 10/10/10/13 Michigan Section Convention, Kalamazoo, MI
Mary Hobart 8/18-8/22 Citizen Corps Conference, Oklahoma City/Vacation
`` 9/5 Vacation
`` 9/19-9/20 W9DXCC, Chicago, IL
`` 10/3 Vacation
Gail Iannone 8/18-9/2 Vacation
Khrystyne Keane 8/22-8/29 Vacation
Joel Kleinman 9/11 Vacation
Rose-Ann Lawrence 8/25 Vacation
`` 9/5 Vacation
Dave Patton 8/18-9/1 Tokyo Japan Ham Fair
Ann Marie Pinto 8/11-8/22 Vacation
Steve Sant Andrea 9/2-9/8 Vacation
Barry Shelley 8/11-8/22 Vacation
Chuck Skolaut 8/18-8/22 Vacation
Maria Somma 8/13-8/22 Vacation
Dave Sumner 8/21-8/24 Halifax Hamfest, Halifax, Nova Scotia