IN-Newsletter Vol. 40, No. 15 April 29, 2015 - Covers the period April 19-25. Upcoming In-Person Meetings and Events LoTW Study Committee July 15 @ 9:00am in Newington, CT Administration & Finance Committee July 16 @ 8:30am in Newington, CT Programs & Services Committee July 16 @ 8:30am in Newington, CT Second Board Meeting July 17-18 @ 9:00am in Windsor, CT Regulatory Information Reported by Dan Henderson, N1ND HR-1301 continues to be a primary focus of the Regulatory Information Office. To date a total of 877 letters going to 267 US House of Representative districts have been opened or printed, sorted, then sent to the Keelen Group for distribution. (Thanks to Lisa Kustosik for helping with the opening and sorting). To date we have also prepared and sent 97 listings of FCC-licensees in individual US House district offices to support the ongoing visits being conducted by ARRL representative to various members of the US House. Several times each week we do a search and review of all newly introduced bills into the various state legislatures that are in session using the StateNet service of LexisNexis. This involves running a search query on their databases that is keyed to a series of key terms / words that might appear related to Amateur Radio (such as towers, FCC, antenna, etc). Each item generated by that report is then manually reviewed to determine its relevance or potential impact. The vast majority of these bills can be "suppressed" after being reviewed since they have no bearing. When a bill is found to have the potential to affect Amateur Radio, it is tagged to track and the appropriate Division Director and Section Manager/s are contacted. HQ staff then provides support service as requested as the section leadership works the issue. StateNet also generates a daily report that gives an update on tagged legislation any time there is some action involving it in the legislature. This can range from being assigned to committee or being amended to being approved to not being moved by the state legislative process. Updates are provided as appropriate to section leadership. We worked with Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, and several members of the Amateur Auxiliary on questions arising from claimed interference to ongoing disaster relief communications from Nepal. US stations were reminded that emergency communications always have priority on any frequency. With the release of the R&O and NPRM FCC 15-50 we reviewed changes that will be required for various documents on the ARRL Web once the changes in the R&O go into effect, as well as to be able to answer questions. Finally, the regular "routine" questions on reciprocal licensing, and rules questions have been handled. Production/Editorial Reported by Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY Propagation and Radio Science by Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, is back from the printer. Lab Reported by Ed Hare, W1RFI Product Review Bob Allison tested a new synthesizer board for an established HF/6 Meter transceiver. Before and after tests showed significant improvements of transmitted phase noise and (receiver) reciprocal mixing. The test results we compile in the form of a data table and passed along to the Product Review editor and the manufacturer. Radio Frequency Interference Mike Gruber worked with ARRL EMC Committee member Gordon Beattie to forge a new MOU with ATT. This MOU will primarily pertain to U-Verse RFI complaints and how they will be handled in the future. Thanks to help from ARRL Lab volunteer Pete Turbide, we've been testing a surveillance camera for ADT. This camera has resulted in a case of harmful interference to a neighbor of the ADT subscriber in Arizona. It appears that the camera (and power supply) could exceed the FCC limits under certain conditions. Mike Gruber has sent details of our findings and recommendations to ADT. Research and Development Zack Lau worked on some ideas for a simple antenna for folks just starting out in ham radio-something that covers 10 and 20 without a tuner, and offers good performance with the typical in-radio autotuner. Zack is investigating simple weatherproofing techniques. Volunteer Work Laboratory volunteer Pete Turbide, W1PT made repairs of a vintage HF transceiver, which is slated for display in the lobby. Jonathan Allen has completed inventorying all items in our hardware collection that were moved from our warehouse to our new storage area. A total of 1,059 items are on the list. Jonathan Allen, Mike Marinaro, WN1M and Bob Allison will look over items that do not fit the criteria of our collection. A list of all such items will be compiled, with photographs included for review by the ARRL Historical Committee. Sales and Marketing Reported by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R Diane Petrilli reports that April ended with 167,098 members, putting us 447 members ahead of the year-to-date goal. This represents a gain from March of 321 members; a loss of 62 was forecasted. The on-time renewal rate for April is 72.47% vs. 73.17% last April. Responses to the April membership direct mail campaign have started to come in. The next membership mailing (and last until September) will mail on May 18. Information accompanying our mailings to new hams has been improved to include an updated summary of ARRL membership benefits. These changes were made following our review of the recent national market study of key radio amateurs-which suggests giving additional attention to our universal benefits supported by members for the benefit of all radio amateurs. Jackie Ferriera reports that April product sales were $269,100, exceeding the sales forecast of $268,593. Direct sales were $138,743; dealer sales were $130,357. Our newest title, Oscilloscopes for Radio Amateurs, contributed $17K. The 2015 ARRL Field Day product line (t-shirts, hats, pins, patches, mugs) contributed $32,404 in sales this month. And, the springtime mailer contributed sales of $20,517. Flyers promoting the new book Radio Propagation and Radio Science and the 2015-2016 edition of TravelPlus for Repeaters(tm) CD-ROM were prepared for mailing. Now shipping: ARRL's General Class Q&A fifth edition and The ARRL General Class License Manual eighth edition, for exams given on, or after, July 1, 2015. The new General Class License Manual is available, optionally, in a new spiral-bound lay-flat edition. A Kindle e-book edition of the license manual will be introduced soon. Our big shipment to Hamvention left for Dayton on May 6. Apple and Google have approved and published our new versions of the ARRL Repeater Directory App, produced for ARRL by DHF Systems. The apps can be found in Apple's "App Store" and the "Google Play" store. The latest iOS version includes a couple of enhancements and an optional registration module, similar to the Android version-which will help us when we're supporting users. Yvette Vinci reports that our Member Services team is quickly getting acclimated to our new telephone system. Yvette and Kim McNeill have been training themselves on the new telephone reporting software-and have setup our graphic display board to show real-time data about our call handling. Summary of warehouse fulfillment activity, reported by Steve Capodicasa: Week ending Packages fulfilled Member Premiums 5/1/2015 1,086 471 4/24/2015 1,146 974 4/17/2015 1,104 1,061 4/10/2015 1,921 105 Field Services & Radiosport Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N DXCC Paper/Fieldcheck Processing Time 3 Weeks LogBook Processing Time 2-4 Business Days Number of Centennial applications processed: Centennial Challenge QSO 1763 W1AW/WAS 1369 W1AW Thanks to members of the Candlewood Amateur Radio Association (CARA) for their participation in the 2015 New England QSO Party (NEQP). They made 370 QSOs, using CW and SSB on 20 and 15 meters, for an initial claimed score of 33000. On Monday (4/27) workers from Accurate Insulation, LLC were on hand to complete the installation of sheetrock in the areas of the cellar where they had previously removed old sheetrock contaminated with mold. Joe designed and constructed an interface box to be used the SSB Electronics Sequencer boxes. These boxes are used to control the 2m and 70 cm preamps that will be installed on the Satellite antennas used at W1HQ. The interface box allows for PTT and voltage control for each sequencer. Joe also created the texts for the May W1AW Qualifying Runs. He updated the web code practice files and their archives, as well as the CW practice QST web source and Qualifying Run schedule web pages. Joe processed one Qualifying certificate and one endorsement. Scott hosted the CARA members during the NEQP. He also worked on fast and slow code practice files for the week. Education Services Reported by Debra Johnson, K1DMJ * Met with IT team to outline specifications for Instructor Activity Database project * During March and April we received 81 license instructor registrations and posted 67 class listings for 2015. * Completed plans for coordination of astronaut luncheon with selected youth at Dayton Hamvention, signage and display for Education booth and coordination of guest booth within ARRL Expo area. License Instruction We completed editing and layout for the new Technican-General Instructors Manual by authors Rick Crockett, W0PC and Ron Ochu, KO0Z. Education & Technology Program During March and April we have been promoting the Teachers Institute through email bulletins, ARRL news stories, Facebook postings and ads in QST. We received 39 applications for the sessions we've planned for this summer. Most of the applications have come in during the last week prior to the May 1 deadline. ARISS On April 24 students from the Tuskeegee Airmen Youth in Aviation Program and from Oxon Hill High School in Oxon Hill, MD interviewed astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF during a telebridge contact. A story<http://www.dcmilitary.com/article/20150501/NEWS09/150509961/oxon-hill-afjrotc-makes-live-contact-with-international-space-station> published in local media recounts student reactions. During the March/April period Cristoforetti also made successful contacts with students in four schools in France, two in Italy and one each in Belgium and Turkey. Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Komiyenko, RN3BF spoke to students in Chelyabinsk, Russia. During the proposal window that closed April 15, we received 16 proposals from US schools desiring to host a contact during Jan-June 2016. The ARISS proposal review team met to begin discussing the proposals and will announce decisions in late May. Sincerely Compiled by, Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO Hamfest/Member Contact/ARRL Representative/Meetings/Vacations All Staff 5/25 Holiday All Staff 7/3 Holiday Leona Adams 5/22 PTO Bob Allison 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Joe Carcia 5/22 PTO Lauren Clarke 5/15-5/19 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH/PTO `` 5/26-5/27 PTO Mike Corey 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Steve Ewald 5/14-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Trish Feeney 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Jacqueline Ferreira 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Steve Ford 5/14-5/19 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH/PTO Norm Fusaro 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Scott Gee 5/14-5/15 PTO Amanda Grimaldi 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Mike Gruber 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH `` 6/1-6/5 PTO `` 7/20-7/24 PTO `` 8/24-8/28 PTO `` 9/28-10/2 PTO Ed Hare 6/5-6/7 Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, OR Dan Henderson 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH `` 5/26-5/29 PTO `` 7/16-7/18 Board Meeting/Committee Meeting Ian Humphreys 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Bob Inderbitzen 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH `` 8/7-8/9 South Texas Section convention, Austin, TX Karen Isakson 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Debra Johnson 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Harold Kramer 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH `` 6/5-6/7 Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, OR `` 6/19-6/26 PTO `` 7/16-7/18 Board Meeting/Committee Meeting Lisa Kustosik 5/8 PTO Sean Kutzko 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Kim McNeill 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Cassandra Parkman 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Dave Patton 7/24-7/26 Oklahoma Section Convention, Oklahoma City, OK Diane Petrilli 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH `` 6/5-6/7 Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, OR Brennan Price 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Michael Scharr 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Barry Shelley 7/16-7/18 Board Meeting/Committee Meeting Dave Sumner 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH `` 5/26-6/5 PTO `` 6/11-6/14 West Gulf Division Convention, Irving, TX `` 6/23-6/29 Friedrichshafen Convention, Germany `` 7/16-7/18 Board Meeting/Committee Meeting Yvette Vinci 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Matt Wilhelm 5/15-5/17 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH