IN-Newsletter Vol. 38, No. 19 June 18 2014 - Covers the period June 8-14. Upcoming Meetings and Events Centennial Convention Steering Committee Meeting July 1 @ 3:30pm in Newington, CT Centennial Convention July 17-20 in Hartford / Newington, CT Administration & Finance Committee July 20 @ 8:30am in Hartford, CT Programs & Services Committee July 20 @ 8:30am in Hartford, CT Second Board Meeting July 21-22, 2014 @ 9:00am in Hartford, CT Development Reported by Lauren Clarke, KB1YDD We are pleased to welcome ten new Maxim Society members: Gerry Boudreaux, W5IC, Joseph, W1RGH, and Carla, N7OPU, Chaet, Ken Garg, W3JK, Joel, W5ZN, and Kim Harrison, John C. Kanode, N4MM, Ian H. Keith, N8IK, Martti Laine, OH2BH, Wayne A. Mills, N7NG, Alfred Rousseau, W1FJ, and Ron Tingle, K4ML. All ARRL Foundation scholarship recipients have been notified - please see the complete list at: www.arrl.org/news/arrl-foundation-awards-79-scholarships-in-2014. Installation has begun on the ARRL Centennial Terrace, honoring the Second Century Committee and major donors to this initiative. The Terrace will be unveiled at the Recognition Event on the eve of the Centennial Celebration, July 17, 2014. Production/Editorial Reported by Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY The August issue of QST is at the printer. Lab Reported by Ed Hare, W1RFI Travel Bob Allison and Ed Hare traveled to Synergy Microwave in Patterson, NJ to visit Dr Ulrich Rohde, N1UL. Dr Rohde helped to acquire a new phase noise test set and a spectrum analyzer for the ARRL Laboratory. One of Dr. Rohde's engineers showed Bob and Ed how to make phase noise measurement with it. Bob and Ed visited Dr. Rohde's ham shack, which was filled with elaborate test equipment, including the same model phase noise set. Dr. Rohde has proclaimed, "The ARRL now has the best phase noise instrument in the World." Product Review Bob Allison tested a solid state HF amplifier for Product Review. The amplifier had an issue with harmonics and was sent back to the manufacturer, who discovered a certain condition for which they occur. A solution was found and Bob will have the amplifier back shortly and the review process will continue. While that amplifier was away, Bob started testing of another solid state, HF amplifier. Bob discovered a parasitic oscillation while observing its operation at 50 MHz. Bob is working on documenting the data and will be working with the manufacturer to solve this issue. The ARRL has a new Spectrum Analyzer from Agilent, the NXA9030A. The new lab equipment will be installed shortly. The rest of the Lab's test equipment is scheduled to be shipped to Essco for calibration on the 25th. Historical Collection Bob Allison and Volunteer Mike Marinaro continue to work on the lobby display for the Centennial. The display will feature hardware from different eras of Amateur Radio Technology, focusing on each significant step of the radio art. Volunteer Jonathan Allen is still finding unusual items from our historical collection; some will be used with in the lobby display. Bob Allison is also contributing to the display from his personal collection Radio Frequency Interference Mike Gruber sent the completed upcoming QST article on how to locate grow light RFI to the Steve Ford for final editing. As previously reported, these have been a significant source of RFI complaints. Lab testing has shown that some of them exceed the FCC emissions limits by a considerable margin. Interestingly enough, a contact in Europe also reports similar issues with grow lights in Europe. Mike Gruber attended a telephone conference of the EMC Committee. RFI locating equipment on loan to Kermit Carlson is now back in the Lab. Web Zack Lau put up a new web page on printed circuit boards-some of the material was part of the circuit construction web page. It may help readers find QST/QEX files via a Google search. Centennial Celebration The ARRL Laboratory and workshop continues to take shape for our Centennial celebration. The workshop area has been extensively cleaned and arranged for it to once again be useful for construction of projects. All obsolete equipment and parts have been removed, all useful parts are now stored in what was once the circuit board etching room. Membership & Volunteer Programs Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N DXCC Paper/Fieldcheck Processing Time 4 Weeks Logbook Processing Time 3-5 Business Days Logbook of the World Category May 2014 QSO Records Entered Into System 589,231,068 QSL Record Matches 90,443,177 Logs Processed 5,975,795 Active Certificates 100,490 Registered Users in System 67,349 Logbook Inquiries May 2014 Time on the Phone 24 Hours Phone Calls 168 Emails 1,636 Total 1,804 W1AW Thanks to Frank Fascione, K1MAA, for volunteering time on Friday (6/6) to sort out QSL cards coming in for the various W1AW/portable operations. More and more cards are received each day, especially now that Incoming QSL bureau cards are beginning to show up. Scott and Joe spent some time clearing the cellar of old radio boxes (cardboard) in addition to discarding old, unnecessary equipment. Scott also put in an effort to clear an entire area of old boxes that were no longer needed to store radio equipment. Joe met with a representative from DiGiorgi Roofing and Siding to discuss the replacement of the old wood trim around W1AW's rear door with new AZEK molding (http://www.azek.com/). A contract has been signed with DiGiorgi to have them replace the old trim. (DiGiorgi had previously replaced all the station's windows.) Joe also met with concrete/masonry contractors to obtain quotes to replace the station's front cement stations - located near the front hedges - as well as the rear sidewalk pavers. He created the texts for the June W1AW Qualifying Runs. Joe continues updating Logbook of the World with the various W1AW/portable Centennial operations. He continues spending time tracking down - and uploading or correcting if necessary - missing contact information amateurs are reporting for the various W1AW/portable operations. Joe has also been in conversation with Matt Thomas, WX5S, to discuss the possible upgrade of W1AW's DOS-based CW broadcast software to a Windows-7 GUI-format. Field Organization/Public Service Team Leona Adams reports the following activity with regard to the June 6th deadline for Section Manager petitions for the current SM election cycle. Now that the deadline has passed, there will be one election this summer in Southern Florida. Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was nominated to run for the Section Manager's position. Southern Florida Section Manager Jeff Beals, WA4AW, is also in the running for the two-year term that begins October 1. Ballots and candidate statements are scheduled to be mailed from ARRL Headquarters by July 1. Laura Peters-Mueller, N2LJM, of Falconer, New York, was the only nominee for the next term as Western New York Section Manager starting on October 1. Incumbent Western New York Section Manager John Mueller, K2BT, decided not to run for another term of office. Lloyd Colston, KC5FM, of Altus, was nominated to become Oklahoma Section Manager for the next term of office starting October 1. Upon receipt of this nomination, incumbent Section Manager Kevin O'Dell, N0IRW, who was previously nominated, withdrew his nomination. Therefore there were no additional nominees in Oklahoma, Lloyd, KC5FM, will become the new SM in Oklahoma this fall. Incumbent Section Manager of the Virgin Islands, Fred Kleber, K9VV, of Christiansted, was also nominated for a new term of office. Since no other nominees were submitted, he will begin a new term on October 1. Here is the list of other incumbent Section Managers who were previously nominated earlier in the cycle. They do not face opposition, and will begin new terms of office starting on October 1. Betsey Doane, K1EIC, Connecticut; Ed Stuckey, AI7H, Idaho; Scott Yonally, N8SY, Ohio; Skip Jackson, KS0J, Minnesota; Rene Fonseca, NP3O, Puerto Rico; Lynn Nelson, W0ND, North Dakota. Chuck Skolaut compiled and forwarded the monthly ARRL Monitoring System/Intruder Watch report to the Region 2 IARU Monitoring Coordinator. More reports were received regarding interference on 3.955 MHz and Official Observers were updated. Questions this week dealt with AMTS stations, Motorola Mototrbo systems, operating overseas, and identification requirements. Interference continues on 3.955 MHz in the New York/Connecticut area, and OOs are monitoring. A complaint was received regarding interference on the satellite uplink frequencies. Methods are being investigated on how to spread the word about the frequencies being used and urging operators to be considerate. Sincerely Compiled by, Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO Hamfest/Member Contact/ARRL Representative/Meetings/Vacations All Staff 7/4 Holiday Leona Adams 6/30-7/3 PTO Bob Allison 7/2-7/3 PTO `` 8/11-8/14 PTO Allison Barbieri 8/25 PTO Steve Capodicasa 6/23 PTO `` 9/22-9/26 PTO Joe Carcia 6/26 PTO `` 6/30-7/7 PTO `` 7/25 PTO Lauren Clarke 8/16-8/17 Southeastern Division Convention, Huntsville, AL Mike Corey 8/8-8/10 Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Albuquerque, NM Steve Ewald 6/20 PTO Jackie Ferreira 6/24 PTO Steve Ford 7/3 PTO `` 7/22-8/4 PTO Scott Gee 6/23-6/24 PTO Mike Gruber 6/27 PTO `` 8/25-8/29 PTO Dan Henderson 6/21-7/3 Friedrichshafen Hamfest / PTO `` 8/1-8/2 Texas State Convention, Austin, TX `` 8/16-8/17 Southeastern Division Convention, Huntsville, AL Bob Inderbitzen 8/16-8/17 Southeastern Division Convention, Huntsville, AL Zack Lau 6/30 PTO