<<121609.doc>> IN-Newsletter <<Microsoft Word Picture>> Vol. 32, No. 50 December 16, 2009 -- Covers the period December 6-12. Upcoming Meetings and Events Annual Board Meeting: January 15-16, 2010 @ 9:00am in Windsor, CT Administration &Finance Committee: January 14 @ 8:30am - ARRL HQ Web Site Update Reported by Katie Glass We're continuing to populate the pages with content. We're about 90% of the way to completion. We will stop populating the page editor at the end of the first week in January in order to begin the testing and polishing phase for launch at the end of the month. Thank you to all of the team leaders for their hard work and patience during this phase of the project. Technical Relations Reported by Brennan Price, N4QX ARRL will attempt to resolve the impasse on the US position on AI 1.23 by proposing 472-487 kHz. If the Coast Guard insists on substantially less spectrum than 15 kHz, then ARRL will insist on returning to the 493-515 kHz range. Jon Siverling is resisting efforts by Current Technologies to insert what can only be described as a puff piece for BPL-based Smart Grid into an ITU-R Report. We have conducted interviews for the vacant office administrator's position and anticipate filling it soon. Regulatory Information Reported by Dan Henderson, N1ND Plans have been finalized for ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, and ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, to visit the Beale AFB PAVE PAWS radar site January 5-10. During the meeting, Ed and Dan will hold a series of meetings with both Air Force officials and local amateurs. The focus will be to begin developing cooperative, constructive engagement between the local amateurs and the staff to continue cooperative efforts to mitigate interference to the radar voluntarily while maintaining as much access to the 70 cm band as possible. We will also meet with Major "Tank" Anderson, KR4YO, and Barbara Burnett, the PIO for Cape Cod AFS, to write an article for the ARRL Web, an Air Force publication, and possibly QST updating the efforts of the Air Force, ARRL and the local amateur communities on both coasts on this project. During the week a rough draft document was prepared in conjunction with General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, discussing several options for addressing the continuing concerns over the appropriate use of amateur radio, especially in relationship to drills and exercises. When finished, it will be forwarded by Imlay to the Executive Committee for their consideration. The FCC dismissed two petitions during the week. The first, from Murray Green, K3BEQ, would have abolished closed repeaters. The second, from Glen Zook, K9STH, would have changed station ID rules back to a more stringent standard. Finally, there was the usual assortment of renewal and licensing questions, as well as questions on reciprocity and third party traffic. Media & Public Relations Reported by Allen Pitts, W1AGP Media Hits for Feb was written noting the string of technical publications that recently promoted Amateur Radio with ARRL's help and climaxing with Linux Journal special edition. While we await the 2010 broadcasts of several TV and radio segments in which we have aided producers with info about Amateur Radio , Ted Randall of the QSO Radio Show and I are looking into plans for doing some live broadcasts from ARRL HQ, probably in February. Nominations for the Leonard Award were due for postmark on Dec 11 and we await the final entries coming in the mails - there are not many of them, but some of what were sent in are really excellent works. Development Reported by Mary Hobart, K1MMH Development revenue year- to-date now totals $847,246 from all sources. This total is 90.5% of the 2009 goal of the originally budgeted goal of $936,425. The ARRL Diamond Club has reached $228,555 toward the 2009 target of $250,000. Donors who contribute $100 or more before December 31 will receive a 2010 ARRL Calendar as a bonus. The Spectrum Defense Fund has garnered $ 226,087 for the year or nearly 73% of its 2009 target of $310,000. Contributions of $30 or more to ARRL between December 1 and December 31 will receive a $10 discount coupon for use on their next publications purchase from ARRL. Development received the proceeds from the Dorothy Edmiston estate totaling $25,000. That gift has been added to the ARRL Endowment, bringing the total 2009 contributions to the Endowment to $97,314. Letters to 2009 donors to the Education & Technology Program were mailed including an advance copy of the article on 2010 plans that will appear in February 2010 QST. The content for the Development section of the new ARRL website is 98% complete. Production/Editorial Reported by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE The January/February 2010 issue of QEX has been released to the printer. Khrystyne Keane wrote and distributed The ARRL Letter for December 10, 2009. She also voiced and produced ARRL Audio News for December 10. The ARRL Letter and ARRL Audio News will not be produced December 24 and December 31. Sales and Marketing Reported by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R A 20,000 piece mailing sent to Technician licensees has returned 176 new and lapsed members since it was mailed 6 weeks ago - a .88% response rate so far. The mailing was divided to test 2 different appeals, one with a "get involved" appeal, and the other focusing on a membership incentive (leading). Membership Manager Diane Petrilli participated in a West Gulf Division webinar on Wednesday, discussing plans for an upcoming Club Recruitment Drive. The drive, suggested by Director Woolweaver, involves radio clubs throughout the West Gulf Division-promoting ARRL membership and club membership. The last major membership mailing of the year has returned 68 applications in the last week. Recent holiday-themed broadcast emails have helped solicit gift memberships, multi-year memberships, and product sales. A recent emailing to 1,500 lapsed international members with an incentive for 3-year terms has returned 20 responses so far. During the last week, the warehouse crew fulfilled 1,394 packages for publication and product orders, shipped 110 member premiums, and completed 1 QST mailing supplement. ARRL Conventions Date Name Division City State ARRL HQ Rep. Jan 10 NLI Section (Ham Radio University) HU Bethpage NY Steve Ford Jan 29-30 Delta Division DL Jackson MS Feb 6 South Carolina State RK Ladson SC Feb 6 Virginia State RK Richmond VA Feb 12-14 Northern Florida Section SE Orlando FL Feb 27 Vermont State NE Colchester VT Membership & Volunteer Programs Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N W1AW Joe worked the early afternoon/night shifts on Monday and Tuesday for the vacationing Scott Gee. He processed both regular QSL card requests and cards going to foreign operators who contacted W1AW/qrp during the ARRL Sweepstakes CW contest. Joe also rewrote text that will be used on the ARRL Web page. This text details the visitor operating studios and main areas in W1AW. Joe updated the N1MLogger logging software on all the studio PCs and prepared Studio Three for the ARRL 10-Meter contest. Scott worked on fast and slow code practice files for the middle part of the month of December. In addition, he continued work on processing various DXCC plaque applications. Field Organization/Public Service Team Marc Tarplee, N4UFP, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, has been appointed the new ARRL South Carolina Section Manager starting January 1. He will complete the term of Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, who will become the Roanoke Division Vice Director in January. This SM term continues for one more year (until December 31, 2010). When Jim announced that he was stepping down from his SM position after being elected in November as a Vice Director, he recommended Marc, who has been the South Carolina Technical Coordinator since 2003. MVP Manager Dave Patton made the appointment after consulting with Roanoke Division Director Dennis Bodson. Steve Ewald and Leona Adams have been in touch with Marc, N4UFP, to assist him with the upcoming Section Manager transition. Steve has also been compiling Field Organization Reports for February QST. Leona has contacted Section Managers who will starting new terms of office on April 1. Now that the end of the year is approaching, Leona is also working with Section Managers on their 2009 section budget expense reports and reimbursement requests. Radio amateurs from Nebraska, South Carolina, and North Carolina have recently completed their certification to become Official Observers. Chuck Skolaut received the monthly monitoring report from the IARU Region 1 coordinator. An unidentified digital signal was reported on 10.140 MHz and it was forwarded to our volunteer monitors to listen in. Meanwhile, Tennessee Official Observers are investigating weather information that is being broadcast on several repeaters. Interference cases in Michigan and New Hampshire, as well as on 3.910 MHz have caught the attention of OOs. The FCC has also asked Official Observers to monitor and document possible business use of Amateur Radio request from the FCC was forwarded to the appropriate area OOs and an FCC letter was sent regarding business use of amateur frequencies. Sincerely Compiled by, Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO Staff Absentee List All Staff 12/25 Holiday All Staff 1/1 Holiday Margie Bourgoin 1/1-1/11 Vacation Steve Capodicasa 12/28 Vacation Joe Carcia 12/22pm Vacation Jackie Cornell 12/24 Vacation Steve Ford 12/22-12/31 Vacation Scott Gee 12/23-12/24 Vacation `` 12/31 Vacation `` 1/4-1/5 Vacation Joel Hallas 12/24 Vacation Penny Harts 12/24-12/31 Vacation Mary Hobart 12/24 Vacation Dan Henderson 12/21-1/4 Vacation `` 1/5-1/11 Beale AFB - PAVE PAWS project `` 3/5-3/7 S. Texas Section Convention/Greater Houston Hamfest Amy Hurtado 12/24-12/29 Vacation Gail Iannone 12/21-12/31 Vacation Khrystyne Keane 12/18 Vacation `` 12/23-12/31 Vacation Linda Kleinschmidt 12/29 Vacation Maryann Macdonald 12/28-12/31 Vacation Bill Moore 12/28-1/6 Vacation Diane Petrilli 12/21-12/28 Vacation `` 12/31 Vacation AnnMarie Pinto 12/24 Vacation Allen Pitts 12/24-12/31 Vacation Steve Sant Andrea 12/24-12/31 Vacation Sharon Taratula 12/24 Vacation Perry Williams 12/23-12/28 Vacation