<<061108.doc>> IN-Newsletter <<Microsoft Word Picture>> Vol. 31, No. 24 June 11, 2008 -- Covers the period June 1-7. Upcoming Meetings and Events Annual Board Meeting July 18-19, 2008 @ 9:00am in Windsor, CT Regulatory Information Reported by Dan Henderson, N1ND The FCC has notified us that they are working on an updated Public Notice to replace DA-99-2344 on CEPT operating. It will be several weeks before it is released but it is in the works. While we have not received the specific information, we have received a heads-up memo from Air Force Space Command that they have completed the latest round of testing at the Beale AFB PAVE PAWS site. The preliminary indications are that there are additional repeaters that will have to be addressed. Also of the already identified 180 repeaters needing mitigation, 140 have either mitigated or gone off the air. We will begin working with the FCC on the third list as soon as we receive it. The Field Day location added 214 new sites since being pinned to the top of the ARRL Web main-page last week, bringing the current total to over 1148 sites listed. But listing the sites is only half of the purpose of the location. The second half is it being used by individual between now and Field Day weekend - June 28-29 - in order to find locations to visit. The weekly email and phone queries for information centered around reciprocal operating, Echolink, and several PRB-1 queries asking for general information. We have provided information to an amateur in the Raleigh, NC area who is trying to determine if the CC&Rs on the property he is considering are still valid. There was also a query about California personalized license plates for a handicapped amateur. His family would like to have the plates put on the van they use to transport him, but apparently California motor vehicle codes states that amateur radio plates can only be put on a vehicle which is registered to the amateur. Media & Public Relations Reported by Allen Pitts, W1AGP Allen returned from a very pleasant trip to SeaPac in Oregon where the Technology Campaign was warmly received. The PR forum was full and there were many ideas shared about how to effectively promote Amateur Radio in the region. Audio PSAs from the campaign have now been requested by the WIA in Australia too. Meanwhile, although Field Day is weeks away, the media hits are already piling up including proclamations by Michigan and Ohio. A new press release was sent out containing information about the FD locator Web page and that opportunity has already brought positive results as news organizations are reported to be using it to locate places where they can film the hams this month. The ARRL main Web page article about the campaign brought a flurry of requests for PR materials which are being fulfilled as quickly as possible. Development Reported by Mary Hobart, K1MMH The first 75 returns from the BPL Thank You campaign have arrived and have yielded a total of more than $5,100. There is no follow up scheduled for this campaign. Campaign mailings to members for Education & Technology, Historic Preservation and a test mailing for the Lab Fund will take place over the summer. The W1AW Endowment campaign has topped $47,000 from 599 donors. The Diamond Club continues to run behind its goal for 2008, however, a new group of 50 bricks are in production for the Diamond Terrace. An additional $10,000 contribution has been received for the Education & Technology Program's Teachers Institute. Two new donors have been welcomed into the ARRL Maxim Society since Dayton Hamvention: Ti-Michelle Connelly, KJ6T and William Mueller, AA5WM. These new additions bring the total number of Maxim Society donors to 49. Steve Futernick, the grant writer who is working with Development , has identified 12 prospects for letters of interest/proposals to support our education program. Production/Editorial Reported by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE One of our newer titles, ARRL'S VHF Digital Handbook, had another print run, as it sold out quickly. Larry Wolfgang, WR1B, said he hopes to get QEX out to the printer this week. Khrystyne Keane wrote and distributed The ARRL Letter, Vol. 27, No. 22, for June 6, 2008. It went out to 69, 627 subscribers. She also voiced and produced ARRL Audio News for June 6. Sales and Marketing Reported by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R Product Sales Update May product sales were $340,028, exceeding the sales forecast of $271,596 by over $68k. With the exception of the Handbook introduction in October each year, this is the top sales month since before 2004. There were many "wins" this month: Sales at our exhibit in Dayton contributed $58k ($48k in 2007). The new edition of TravelPlus CD-ROM began shipping-contributing $35k. Dealer sales are up considerably over May 2007. And, a direct mailing featuring our newest publications yielded $24.5k this month. Membership Update The membership total for May ended with an increase of 377 members, bringing us to 153,714 (234 above our goal for the month). We had a higher retention this month due to the large number of renewals at Dayton. We had an increase in newly licensed hams as members, 213 - the highest number we've seen in quite some time. We also enjoyed brisk returns from a recent direct mail campaign. An additional order of Field Day shirts was placed (500 more!), delivered and then shipped within the last 5 days. The requests far exceeded all expectations this year. Let's hope it is an indication of how successful Field Day will be in 2008! July QST was mailed on schedule - June 3-10. A follow-up mailing to New Hams is scheduled to begin next week. We currently mail a 9x12 package to every new licensee via first class. The follow-up will mail approx. 30 days after the initial mailing. We anticipate a return equivalent to at least 50% of the first mailing. An email solicitation focusing on new books introduced throughout the spring is being sent out Friday afternoon. The solicitation will offer $5.99 Flat Rate Shipping valid thru 6/23. The email campaign is a follow-up to a previously successful mail campaign. Now Shipping: The ARRL Extra Class License Manual-9th ed and ARRL's Extra Q&A-2nd ed. The mailing data for June's issue of QST was pulled incorrectly from our membership database. As a result, it was discovered that approximately 4,000 members were not mailed this most recent issue. All of the missing mailing data has been identified--and those copies were mailed to members on June 10 and June 11. An apology and explanation was emailed to members affected by the mistake. Business Services Reported by Deb Jahnke, K1DAJ We will exceed our goal for the August issue of QST by a small margin. In addition, our solicitation to fill 5 advertising spots in the ARRL Contest Update E-Newsletter yielded very positive results and all ad spaces designated for paid advertisements have been sold. Proposals have been sent to several advertisers for either a 6 page or 8 page QST fold-out similar to the one feature in June QST. Membership & Volunteer Programs Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N Contest Branch Sean, KX9X has been busy testing the Contest robot in preparation for the ARRL June VHF QSO Party this weekend. Of particular importance is to make sure Cabrillo headers will properly categorize the new Rover categories. The new Rover rules and categories were ratified less than a week before the 2008 ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes, so the June VHF QSO Party will be the first time the Robot will be able to automatically separate the three Rover categories that are now in play. Sean will activate W1HQ on a part-time basis in this weekend's June VHF QSO Party, marking the first time W1HQ has been used in an ARRL VHF Contest. Participation pins for the 2008 ARRL DX Contest have just arrived. We will begin sending out the pins ASAP. W1AW The kitchen area of W1AW is now painted. The entire lower level of W1AW is finished. For painting, next up will be the hall and stairway heading up to the conference room, with the room itself being painted afterwards. This work will commence probably in mid-August. Special thanks to US Power Squadron members John Graves, WA1JG, Carlton Lee, W2PTZ, Bob Schober, K2CRR, Vi Schober, Marjie Stark, N3HOZ, Don Stark, N3HOW and Ed Summers, KG4SZJ for their operating W1AW over the weekend as a special event station promoting Safe Boating for the National Safe Boating Council's campaign. They made 736 contacts, on 80, 40, 20, 17 and 6 meters (including one Satellite QSO) using primarily SSB and some PSK31. They beat their 2006 QSO count by 217 QSOs! A blog was maintained during the event and can be found at, http://www.arrl.org/blog/USPS%20at%20W1AW. Thanks also to Katie Breen, W1KRB for her support in this event. In addition to covering the station during the USPS event and painting of the kitchen area, Joe updated the web code practice files and their archives. He created the texts for the June W1AW Qualifying Runs and processed regular QSL card requests. Scott worked on slow and fast code practice files for the middle part of the month of June. Field Organization/Public Service Team The Chinese Fire Dragon music jammer returned to several frequencies on 20 meters this week including 14010 and 14070 MHz. Reports from many points in the US were forwarded to the FCC HFDFing station, and they are in the process of following up on it. Chuck Skolaut notes that several reports of Internet sites selling uncertificated "CB type" equipment were received. With the recent band openings on 10 meters, a number of reports of amateurs using phone in the CW portion were received. A caution message was posted on ARRL Web and OOs were alerted. Chuck Robertson, KX7ID, has been nominated to run for Idaho Section Manager. Ed Stuckey, AI7H, the other Idaho nominee, will also be on the ballot this summer. As reported earlier, Western New York will also have a Section Manager election this season. Incumbent Scott Bauer, W2LC, will run against Kevin Romer, KC2MLC. Leona Adams and Steve Ewald have been in touch with the candidates and will be making preparations for the elections. Ballots will be mailed from Headquarters no later than July 1. Web/Software Development Reported by Jon Bloom, KE3Z Jon Bloom worked with the Advertising Department to set up the first issue of an HTML newsletter (The ARRL Contest Update) that includes advertising. The initial issue contains only ARRL house ads, but succeeding issues will contain paid advertising. Hugh Brower added needed features to the recurring credit-card billing system and worked with Micah Murray to integrate the recurring billing into the membership application system for those members making multiple payments. Micah also handled a heavier-than-normal load of Web site updates, including some upcoming contest result stories. Sincerely Compiled by, Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO Staff Absentee List All Staff 7/4 Holiday Kathy Allison 6/30-7/7 Vacation Jo-Ann Arel 7/7-7/14 Vacation Jon Bloom 6/13 Vacation Katie Breen 7/10-7/14 Rocky Mt. Division Convention, Bryce Canyon, UT Joe Carcia 6/20 Vacation `` 7/7-7/11 Vacation `` 7/18 Vacation `` 7/21 Vacation Jackie Cornell 6/19-6/23 Vacation `` 7/7-7/11 Vacation Dennis Dura 6/13-6/15 Delta Division Convention, Knoxville, TN `` 6/16-6/18 NPSTC Quarterly Meeting, Crystal City, VA `` 6/19 Meet w/ DHS/FEMA Citizen Corps, Washington, DC `` 6/23 Vacation `` 6/24-6/30 Friedrichshafen, Germany `` 7/1-7/8 Vacation Steve Ewald 6/19 Vacation Steve Ford 6/24 Vacation Scott Gee 6/30 Vacation `` 7/1-7/3 Vacation Dan Henderson 6/21-7/7 Friedrichshafen, Germany/Vacation `` 8/23-8/30 Vacation Bob Inderbitzen 6/24-7/1 Friedrichshafen, Germany Debra Johnson 6/27-7/6 Vacation Khrystyne Keane 7/24-7/28 Vacation Joel Kleinman 7/7 Vacation Harold Kramer 6/13 Vacation Lisa Kustosik 6/20-6/30 Vacation Zack Lau 6/19-6/20 Vacation Mary Hobart 6/13-6/14 HamCom, Dallas, TX `` 9/19-9/21 W9DXCC, Chicago, IL `` 10/3 Vacation Kim Mancuso 6/23-6/27 Vacation Micah Murray 6/23-6/27 Vacation Frankie Perez 6/19 Vacation Steve Sant Andrea 7/7-7/9 Vacation Dave Sumner 6/13-6/16 Vacation `` 6/23-7/1 IARU AC Meeting/Friedrichshafen, Germany Sharon Taratula 6/20 Vacation