<<082609.doc>> IN-Newsletter <<Microsoft Word Picture>> Vol. 32, No. 34 August 26, 2009 -- Covers the period August 16-22. Upcoming Meetings and Events Section Manager Workshop September 25-27 - ARRL HQ United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) October 12-16 - ARRL HQ Technical Relations Reported by Brennan Price, N4QX I worked on a proposal for the 500 kHz agenda item at WRC-12. The proposal, suggesting a secondary allocation at 495-510 kHz, was approved at the August 24 IWG-2 meeting, chaired by Jon Siverling. Jon is also engaged in preparations for the September meeting of ITU-R Study Group 1 in Geneva. A BPL proponent participating in this study group continues to take a very aggressive stance, particularly aggressive for the relatively diplomatic international stage. Jon is among a few members of the group working to counter some of the proponent's more wild claims. Regulatory Information Reported by Dan Henderson, N1ND We have received responses from nine of the repeaters involved with the latest round of PAVE PAWS testing in New England. So far, all have implemented mitigation techniques. As of August 21, Chwat and Co had received approximately 1550 letters of support for HR 2160 going to 359 members of the US House and 15 members of the US Senate. We have responded to approximately twenty email queries related to the September "It Seems To Us" on pecuniary interests. We also spoke at length with VP Kay Cragie, N3KN, and General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, who asked for any input related to the Ad Hoc Committee's report on the topic. Working with MVP staff, the combined list of Logs Received for 2009 ARRL Field Day was finalized and posted to the ARRL Web. Preliminary totals show all-time records for the number of entries received as well as for number of participants. We will continue to work on outstanding issues of missing data/information in about 40 entries. In the absence of Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, we handled requests for clarification of information from OOs in California and Pennsylvania. Besides the normal queries and information requests, we received an update on Georgia automobile license plates, new contact information for reciprocal operations in V2, as well as PRB-1/CC&R queries from Washington State, Florida and North Carolina. Web Site Content Update Reported by Katie Glass We're right on track for our September 10th content deadline. I'm very happy with the effort and results that are coming from the team leaders and their teams. Our next steps will be working with Fathom's tech team to begin content management training. We'll let you know when that will start. * Licensing, Education & Training is about 85% done. * Regulatory & Advocacy is about 80% done. * On the Air is about 85% done. * Technology is about 90% done, with a video tour of the lab scheduled soon. * Get Involved is about 90% done. * Public Service is about 90% done. This section is made up of all brand new material. * About ARRL is 100% done. * Membership is 100% done. * News & Features is about 80% done * Publications & Store is working on a new e-commerce. application. Content-wise is very light, bringing over the content from the current store with minor edits. Development Reported by Mary Hobart, K1MMH So far in August the Diamond Club has raised nearly $17,000 and the Education & Technology Fund has raised more than $6,300. The next big project is the Spectrum Defense Fund to mail in September with a goal to raise $310,000 by the end of the year. Work continues on revised content for the new ARRL website. Production/Editorial Reported by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE The October 2009 issue of QST has been released to the printer, as has the 2009 ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference Proceedings. Khrystyne Keane wrote and distributed The ARRL Letter, Vol. 28, No. 33, for August 21, 2009. She also voiced and produced ARRL Audio News for August 21. Sales and Marketing Reported by Diane Petrilli, KB1RNF An email soliciation featuring some of our most popular antenna titles was sent out Friday morning. The email included an offer for $10.00 off online orders $50.00 or more. Our publication announcements email list broke 70,000 that day too! A 70,000 piece 2010 Handbook direct mailing is being prepared and is schedule to be released to the printer early-mid September. An email soliciting membership was sent to a selection of lapsed and never members. The email returned 28 members. A small mailing (710) sent two weeks ago to never members who made online purchases in the first half of 2009 has returned 10 members - a return rate of 1.4%. The ARL Hamfest and Convention Planner is in the process of being updated. Distribution data files for the October QST has been pulled and sent. QEX for September/October has been distributed and received at HQ. Member Services will begin an online training program with an intro this week and implementation next week. The training focuses on Increased Member/Customer Satisfaction and employee morale. The warehouse crew shipped 664 packages for publication and product orders, and shipped 360 free book membership premiums and QST mailing supplements. ARRL Conventions Date Name Division City State ARRL HQ Rep. Sep 11-12 Delta Division DL Mena AR Sep 12 GL Division Symposium GL Findlay OH Sep 12-13 Virginia Section RK Virginia Beach VA Dan Henderson Sep 18-19 W9DXCC CL Elk Grove Village IL Sean Kutzko Sep 19 Ohio Section GL Reynoldsburg OH Sep 26 SEDCO V Conference DL Pigeon Forge TN Sep 26 Mid-AT States VHF Conf. AT Plymouth Meeting PA Sep 26 Washington State NW Spokane Valley WA Oct 3 EMCOMM East AT Rochester NY Harold Kramer Oct 4 W. New York Section AT West Seneca NY Oct 9-11 Pacific NW VHF NW Seaside OR Gene Zimmerman Oct 11 Connecticut State NE Wallingford CT Joel Hallas Membership & Volunteer Programs Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N Contest Branch The biggest story last week was the re-scoring of the 2008 IARU contest. I had received a couple of reports from contesters who felt there were anomalies in their Log-Checking report from the event. I checked it out, with the help of a different log-checker, and realized there were some problems with the scoring of the event. The only honest thing to do was to re-score the entire contest. I made the announcement this past Friday. Response to the news has been quite respectful. Most comments have been along the lines of, "Sorry this had to happen, but way to step up to the plate and get it right." Data for the 2009 June VHF Contest has been received from the adjudicator. 3,639 logs have been received for the 2009 IARU event. The log deadline has passed. 181 electronic logs have been received for the 2009 August UHF Contest. The log deadline is Sept. 2. W1AW The changeover to "new" digital modes for W1AW broadcasts took place on Monday, August 17. The software being used to send Baudot, PSK31 and MFSK16 is MixW (http://www.mixw.net/). Despite a small glitch here and there (these things NEVER happen during testing!), overall the changeover went smoothly. Joe is still working with the authors of MixW to iron out a few more small details. Scott worked on slow and fast code practice files for the latter part of the month of August and early September. In addition to working on the last details of the digital changeover, Joe also readied W1AW for any possible activation during Hurricane Bill. Field Organization/Public Service Team On Tuesday, August 18, Lee Cooper, W5LHC, of Leander, Texas, was elected Section Manager in South Texas, and David Greenhut, N6HD, of Woodland Hills, California, was elected Section Manager in Los Angeles. Their terms of office begin October 1. In South Texas, Lee, W5LHC, will take the Section Manager reins from Ray Taylor, N5NAV, who decided not to seek another term of office. Ray has been Section Manager since 1997. In Los Angeles, David, N6HD, defeated incumbent SM Phineas Icenbice, W6BF, in the election. Phineas has been SM since 1987. Thanks to department staff members Ashley Rakus, Leona Adams, Dennis Dura, Norm Fusaro, and Steve Ewald, for their work in counting the ballots. In Georgia, Gene Clark, W4AYK, of Albany, will become the Section Manager on October 1. Gene ran unopposed for the office, and incumbent SM, Susan Swiderski, AF4FO, decided not to seek a new term of office. The following incumbent ARRL Section Managers did not face opposition and were declared elected for their next two year terms of office beginning October 1: Ron Murdock, W6KJ, Sacramento Valley; Mark Tharp, KB7HDX, Eastern Washington; Jeff Ryan, K0RM, Colorado; Jim Pace, K7CEX, Western Washington; Ann Rinehart, KA8ZGY, West Virginia; and Bill Hillendahl, KH6GJV, San Francisco. Alabama Section Manager Jay Isbell, KA4KUN, and Alaska Section Manager Jim Larsen, AL7FS, have been nominated to run for new terms of office starting in January 1, 2010. Chuck Skolaut returned to the office after representing ARRL Headquarters at the Kansas State Convention in Salina on August 16. Seventeen new and renewed League memberships were obtained at the convention. This includes one brand new radio amateur who passed the exam at the convention, and one Life Member. Sincerely Compiled by, Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO Staff Absentee List All Staff 9/7 Holiday Leona Adams 8/26-8/28 Vacation Kathy Allison 9/25-9/28 Vacation Bob Allison 9/25-9/29 Vacation Margie Bourgoin 9/25 Vacation `` 10/2-10-6 Vacation Steve Capodicasa 9/8-9/14 Vacation Scott Gee 8/27-8/28 Vacation `` 9/17-9/18 Vacation Mike Gruber 8/24-8/28 Vacation Joel Hallas 8/24-8/28 Vacation Dan Henderson 9/11-9/13 Virginia Section Convention, Virginia Beach, VA Mary Hobart 8/28 Vacation `` 9/4-9/8 Vacation `` 9/25 Vacation `` 10/2 Vacation Bob Inderbitzen 8/24-8/28 Vacation Debra Johnson 9/3-9/11 Vacation Sean Kutzko 9/18-9/20 W9DXCC Convention, Elk Grove Village, IL Monique Levesque 9/3-9/8 Vacation Diane Petrilli 9/8-9/11 Vacation AnnMarie Pinto 8/17-8/28 Vacation Alex Tara 8/24-8/28 Vacation