IN-Newsletter Vol. 26, No. 49 December 11, 2003 Upcoming Meetings January 15th in Newington, CT at 8:30am A & F Committee January 15th in Newington, CT at 8:30am Volunteer Resources Committee January 15th in Newington, CT at 9:00am Membership Services Committee January 16-17, 2004 in Windsor, CT Board Meeting Development The 2004 Spectrum Defense Fund has reached $151,617 from 3,419 donors. The average contribution is $44.35 -- on par with prior campaigns. The Diamond Club continues to attract new donors, thanks to the editorial in the January QST. To date, 217 donors have renewed and/or upgraded with an average contribution of $193.69. The total revenue from renewals has reached $42,031. Renewals for the Diamond Club are mailed monthly based on the expiration date of their participation. Word on a new Notice of Funding Authorization from the Corporation for National & community Service indicates that ARRL will qualify to submit a grant proposal for Youth in Public Service. Details as they become available. The Citizen Corps Affiliates Conference in Emmitsburg, Maryland was designed for affiliates to give input into Citizen Corps strategies for 2004. In the course of discussion, Citizen Corps staff confirmed that all 2004 funding will go to state Citizen Corps Councils. Those councils will award funding to local groups based on the integration of strategies into the state's strategic plan for prevention, preparedness and recovery in disasters. Holiday greetings from ARRL Development have been mailed to donors who made 2003 contributions of $500 or more. The total mailed was 300 cards. Media Relations Jennifer participated in a conference call with members of the PR Committee, and briefed the group on recent PR activities and relevant HQ news. PRC members reported on their recent activities in the field. Chairman Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR, is working on the committee's report to the Board, and asked individual members for their input as well. Seven nominations were submitted for the 2003 Bill Leonard, W2SKE, Professional Media Award. The nomination packages have been sent out to the PR Committee for judging, and the group's recommendation is due at the end of December. In all, seventeen nominations were requested this year. Jennifer heard recently from Danny Gregory, KC2KGT, co-author of "Hello World: A Life in Ham Radio." Danny has spoken with a producer who is interested in filming a DXpedition in progress. The two plan to go to National Geographic with the idea. Jen put Danny in touch with Wayne Mills for more information on upcoming DXpeditions. Jen worked with a PIO in Ohio who is submitting information on ham radio and its emergency capabilities to city and county officials. She reviewed the document he plans on sending and made a few minor changes. At Jen's request, Oregon Public Information Coordinator Everett Curry, W6ABM, worked with a member in his section who wanted to respond to a local newspaper article on BPL. Curry jumped at the chance to assist, and the two collaborated on a well-written letter to the editor. Production/Editorial The January/February issue of NCJ has been released to the printer, and we reordered the ARRL Instructor's Manual and the Amateur Radio Today VHS video. Rick Lindquist reports The ARRL Letter distributed to 67,043 members on December 5. In addition to compiling and editing the Letter, Rick wrote/edited "In Brief" for the Web (22 items), two stories on ARRL positions on FCC proceedings (migratory birds and towers and the 2390-2395 MHz compromise) as well as K8ZT's "QRP Community" Web column, two updates on the ARISS/Roy Neal special event, ARRL's imminent BPL study, a reminder for the ARRL/NWS special event, and C-CE and EC course offering announcements. With voiceover assistance from Jennifer Hagy, Rick voiced, edited and produced ARRL Audio News. Dave Hassler wrote and edited a number of articles for the ARRLWeb. Joel Hallas has completed work on the January/February issue of NCJ and the February QST Product Review column. Bob Schetgen has turned in the Technical Correspondence and Hints & Kinks columns for February QST. Sales & Marketing The week after Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest week of the year for our Warehouse crew. This year was no exception - the ever-hard working staff shipped an average of 340 packages per day - about 1,700 individual packages for the week. Of course, many - if not most - of these packages included more than one publication. In addition, we shipped 300 complimentary books and 1,200 issues of December QST. The much-anticipated Tech Class Video/DVD courses finally hit the Warehouse floor last week. Although Advertising staff has an Advertising Matters newsletter in the works, Deb Jahnke and Joe Bottiglieri have contacted advertisers with the new 2004 QST, QEX and NCJ reservations and materials due schedule. The dates are slightly earlier in the month than in past years so an early heads up helps our clients plan their business expenses. To avoid having to make duplicate calls to advertisers, we have changed QEX and NCJ reservation date to be identical to the QST dates. Deb generated publication restocking reports, preliminary publication sales reports for November and year-to-date, processed royalties and generated calling assignments for February QST ad solicitations. Joe Bottiglieri wrapped up advertising for Jan/Feb QEX and NCJ. Billings for January QST and Jan/Feb QEX have been submitted to Accounting. Bob Inderbitzen turned in revisions for the 2003-2004 Winter edition of the ARRL Publications Catalog. The catalogs will arrive in January, and replace the Fall 2003 edition used throughout the holiday season. Third renewal notices have been mailed to 2,900 December expirees. As previously reported, these mailings include tests of some new appeal letters. The test mailings will also carry into January and February expiration notices. There have been nine membership applications received because of the recent ICOM/ARRL membership recruitment initiative. Amateur Electronic Supply has started planning for Superfest 2004. Its annual "meet the industry" show is held at their headquarters store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The event is tentatively scheduled for April 2-3. Bob exchanged some email with the software developers of TravelPlus for Repeaters CD-ROM as they have begun planning for the 2004/2005 edition. A handful of new features are being considered. Holiday greeting cards were mailed to many of our advertising clients and publication dealers. Janet Rocco led the effort that included collecting 400 hand-signed cards from the entire Sales & Marketing Department staff. Membership Services Awards Branch WAS QSLs Checked 250 WAS Certs. (450 QSLs F/C) 9 WAS Cert. (50 QSLs ES/C) 1 5BWAS Certs. (500 QSLs F/C) 2 WAC Certs. (90 QSLs F/C) 15 5BWAC Certs. (60 QSLs F/C) 2 OTC Certs. 72 LTMA Inquiries 6 A-1 Op. Noms. 3 Awards Mailed 90 VUCC Initial Apps. 7 Grids 606 VUCC Ends. 3 Grids 229 Processing Status: Current or up to four weeks. For the coming week-Basic WAS awards for November, RCC and Friendship awards, Extra Class certificates, compile the latest list of VUCC award recipients for February QST, mail out VUCC, OTC, and Specialty WAS awards, and work on report for BOD. Contest Branch The IARU write-up was received from the author and work began on getting it ready for production for QST and the web. The new address database has taken considerable time to set up but we are continuing to work on it. Mailing of DX Contest certificates continued. Data entry for SS continues, as well as data entry for various cups and pins for that event. DXCC Branch For the week of: December 7, 2003 Beginning Cards 139,682 Cards Received 2,694 Cards Processed 8,657 Ending Cards 133,719 Applications Pending 1,109 Processing Time 10.4 Weeks Year-to-date (2003) Cards Received 597,536 Cards Returned 677,289 DXCC is currently mailing applications received on September 25, 2003. DXCC is currently entering cards received on September 30, 2003. QSL Bureau QSL Service Status: There is a delay of approximately 1 week. Cards mailed as of 12/07/2003: 1,273,775. No cards were mailed this week. W1AW Thanks to Mark Spencer, WA8SME for braving the snow and operating W1AW in the SKYWARN event. He also made the first contacts (on three bands) with the (Marshall) Ensor Museum Special Event Station W9BSP in commemoration of the reactivation of this callsign. Matt Strelow, KC1XX and Andrew Toth, both of XX Towers, Inc., were on hand Monday to install a new M2 Rotator on the North tower. (The old rotator on this tower had failed.) This failed rotator has been sent back to M2 for repair. Joe repaired a problem within the Harris Keying Matrix. He also updated the web code practice files. Joe is in the process of inputting Frequency Measuring Test submissions. (To date, there are 125+ submissions.) He also worked the late afternoon/night shift on Friday for a vacationing Scott Gee. Scott worked on slow and fast code practice files for the month of December. He also handled some evening phone sales calls in the 5 PM to 8 PM time slot. W1AW Telephone Sales year to date (2003): $33,386. Field & Educational Services Rosalie worked on a re-forecast of the departmental budget for 2003. She took part in an ARISS-International telecon. An ARISS QSO took place with a German school; 2 TV stations, 4 radio stations and 2 newspapers covered the event. We appreciate Rick Lindquist's Web stories on the Roy Neal astronaut event. CCE Jerry Ellis recruited mentors for students for the next Level l course that will open. He posted information on the Antenna Modeling class that will open for student registration next week. He processed emcomm field exam results. Amateur Radio Education & Technology Project Mark Spencer informed schools about grants offered by Best Buy stores, and a number of schools are submitting grant applications. He worked with a North Carolina teacher who wants to approach that state's department of education about statewide inclusion of wireless technology in the curriculum. Eleven Project schools sent requests to the FBI regarding the offer of free surplus HTs, and some have been shipped. Field and Educational Support Team Mary Lau forwarded a Pennsylvania emergency communication group's proposal to the Foundation Proposals Committee for review. Mary thanks Development's Debra Johnson for her work on an ACCESS database process that will benefit Foundation contribution acknowledgment activities. Mary sent a notice to staff managers to ask for their assistance on a video filming to take place at HQ on December 9th. Tom Cote processed 2 new SSC applications, 1 SSC renewal application,1 club re-affiliation request,1 vanity email update, and 1 new club affiliation for director approval. He also assisted the CCE program with supplies-packing. Gail Iannone sent 9 hamfest approval letters and 3 convention approval letters to the sponsoring committees confirming the Division Director's approval of the events as ARRL-sanctioned, processed 7 label requests, 2 door prize orders and sent 4 handout packages for upcoming events. Jean Wolfgang worked with a member who is planning on participating in GOTA 2004. She received several more JOTA 2003 reports, and is now working on compiling JOTA comments. She also responded to questions about the Radio Merit Badge and contacting the ISS. Linda Mullally updated 40 club records, with 4 reactivations. She registered 10 Volunteer Instructors and 2 schoolteachers, plus completed this month's Video Inventory, F&ES Inventory, and F&ES Monthly Revenue Report. She worked on contact information about new hams for clubs that request this, as well as Label Requests. Field Organization/Public Service Team Leona Adams reports she received two SM petitions for San Diego Section: Pat Bunsold, WA6MHZ, and Stephen M. Early, AD6VI, but none from the incumbent. Other SMs who sent petitions before Friday's deadline are: Eastern New York, Eastern Pennsylvania, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Dakota and Virginia. A new petitioner for Pacific Section, Kevin Bogan, AH6QO, submitted. Chuck Skolaut received reports on illegal 10-meter activity, on buzz-saw-like interference on 40-meters, and got more reports on the beacon-like signal on 14.318. He processed paperwork and handled correspondence on a number of OO activities. Regulatory Information John Hennessee assisted an amateur with a local zoning problem in Pima County, AZ (K7KI), and with a covenant problem in Hilton Head Island, SC (W3HEA). With assistance from Bart Jahnke, John helped an amateur, N5BU, whose call was also a tail number in the Aviation Service and cancelled by an aviation company in 1999; Riley Hollingsworth was notified. John also worked on the new printing of the FCC Rule Book and edited the text of a new regulatory Web page on Voice over the Internet Protocol (VoIP). 73, Sincerely, Mark Wilson, K1RO Chief Operating Officer MW:lk Staff Absentee List All Staff 12/25-12/26 Holiday All Staff 1/1 Holiday Dave Sumner 1/29-2/5 Vacation Mark Wilson 12/24-1/2 Vacation Jennifer Hagy 12/24 & 1/2 Vacation Lisa Kustosik 12/29-1/2 Vacation Mary Hobart 12/24 Vacation Steve Ford 12/12 Vacation `` 12/24-1/5 Vacation Rick Lindquist 12/22-12/24 Vacation Zoe Belliveau 12/29-12/31 Vacation Lisa Tardette 12/24pm-1/2 Vacation Cathy Stepina 12/23-12/24 Vacation Scott Gee 12/29 Vacation Deb Jahnke 12/24-1/2 Vacation John Hennessee 12/19-12/29 Vacation Perry Williams 12/23-12/29 Vacation Joe Carcia 12/19 Vacation Bill Moore 12/11-12/17 Vacation Jeri Forest 12/15-12/16 Vacation Wayne Mills 12/19-12/31 Vacation Dan Henderson 12/22-12/29 Vacation Martin Cook 12/29-12/30 Vacation 12/31pm Vacation Sandy Lund 12/29-12/31 Vacation Kathy Allison 12/29-1/2 Vacation Joel Kleinman 12/16 Vacation Monique Levesque 12/24pm-1/2 Vacation Fatima Lorusso 1/2 Vacation Dave Hassler 12/29-12/31 Vacation Bob Schetgen 12/17 Vacation `` 12/22-1/5 Vacation Steve Capodicasa 12/22-12/24 Vacation Mark Spencer 12/15-12/24 Vacation Gail Iannone 12/22-1/2 Vacation