In-Newsletter Vol. 25, No. 21 May 29, 2002 Upcoming Meetings June 8th in St. Louis, MO at 8:00am Volunteer Resources Committee Development A second proposal for $243,000 over three years has been submitted to United Technologies for the national expansion of ARRL's ARECC program. The proposal will be reviewed in the final quarter of 2002 with a decision expected in January 2003. The Education & Technology Program campaign has reached $138,230 from 2679 members. The average contribution remains strong at $51.60. The followup letters to prior donors to the Education Program and major donors from the Fall 2002 Defense Fund have been mailed. This week several first time contributions of $1000 each have been received. Planned giving followup letters to 37 prospects have been mailed. About half requested more information on wills and bequests and half are considering including ARRL in their estate plans. A copy of the list of prospects will be sent to Board Members seeking more information on these prospects. Still awaiting response to the second informational mailing of 16,000. Contact made with a long time member in Vermont who is considering a gift of real estate. A visit will follow to discuss the gift. Publications The July issue of QST will be released to the printer May 29. The July/August issue of NCJ has been released to the printer. We checked printer's proofs for DXCC Yearbook 2001. Sales & Marketing Marketing 40,743 members received an email solicitation sent Friday offering a free ID badge lanyard for orders placed via the ARRLWeb catalog over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The solicitation highlighted a handful of new ARRL products. 449 orders resulted, yielding $16,594 in sales (excluding tax and shipping). Congratulations to Bob Inderbitzen who graduated from Central Connecticut State University (New Britain, CT) on Saturday. He achieved Magna Cum Laude, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Management and Organization (not-for-profit specialization). Bob enrolled in the CCSU School of Business in 1996, to complete a degree he had started before coming to work at ARRL 11 years ago. We concluded an effort assisting a major manufacturer with their new product rollout. While we were unable to immediately sway the company into expanding their advertising with ARRL, the Sales and Marketing Team, having applied a unique mix of competencies, believes that the effort was a worthwhile learning experience that can now be applied to other prospects. QST house ads for July QST have been drafted and submitted to the Graphics Dept. Most of the work involved minor changes to existing ads. Proofs of ARRL's new corporate sportswear have been received. The new items were added to freshen the apparel line. Finishing touches were made to the Force 12 ads for QST and NCJ, completing our concentrated effort to expand our relationship with this client. Sales Deb spent the majority of "post Dayton" week documenting Hamvention Sales. We took 524 memberships and we are awaiting consignment returns before coming to a final tally for booth book sales. Deb Jahnke gained a little more experience dealing with manufacturer/member intervention. Numerous misunderstandings were brought to acceptable conclusions. So far, 61 lapsed members have re-joined ARRL by responding to a Thursday special 10,500-piece email aimed at them. We can expect this number to grow somewhat through this week. Advertising Hanan and Joe closed advertising for July QST issue, the first full issue under the new organizational structure. They worked hard to overcome the traditional summer cutback in advertising, and the results look positive. Joe also successfully completed his effort to bump up Ad Insertions for the July/August NCJ. Obtaining QEX advertising continues to be a challenge so the Sales and Marketing Team will focus on this issue soon. Field & Educational Services Field Organization/Public Service Team Last Tuesday ballots were counted in the Oregon SM election; Leona Adams lead the ballot counting with help from Gail and Margie. Thanks to all for their assistance. Marshall Johnson, KK7CW, was declared the winner after he received 582 votes. His opponent, Lew Williams, WB7NML, received 417 votes. Steve drafted the election summary for ARRL news release and that included information about the entire July, 2002, Class of Section Managers. Steve Ewald gathered news on ARES response to wildfires in New Mexico and Colorado, and floods in Missouri. News about the June APRS experiment in New York was given to SMs and in "In Brief." Steve continues contacting SMs who've done little with their Web Section News page; he's asking what help they might want. One SM said he's had computer troubles the past few months, will ask a volunteer to help because he likes the pages although a few volunteers said they prefer reading QST in their easy chairs; he particularly likes the on-line certificate maker. One SM said he likes the Section Web pages, hadn't realized it was so easy to make postings, and will do more, though he hoped a small bit of Section News would remain in QST for members without computers. NFL SM Hubbard said he has a Webmaster who's been busy lately, so Steve helped Rudy upload two items. Arkansas and the Virgin Islands SMs have become active posting news. Iowa SM Lasley asked via QST for help from his Section with writing material, including traffic reports, for his Section Web page. EPA SM Olena sent an e-newsletter asking clubs for photos and news for his Web page. When June QST was uploaded to the Web Section News, Jon Bloom wrote: "...only 31 sections had to be updated because the rest of the SMs are maintaining their own pages now." E-newsletters relayed for SMs last week included: two for San Diego and Kentucky, one for Nebraska, Eastern Pennsylvania, Northern Florida, Minnesota and Arkansas. Field & Educational Support Team Jean Wolfgang received the Boy Scout World JOTA report -- a summary of worldwide activity that took place in last October's JOTA. There is a full page of information plus scattered references devoted to Astronaut Frank Culbertson's (KD5OPQ) participation! Jean is updating fliers for the National Girl Scout troop leader convention in October. Scholarship winners are returning their school confirmations in advance of the ARRL Foundation's July check mailing. Mary Lau reports that winner compliance has been much quicker this year. Gail Iannone sent 7 hamfest approval letters and 1 convention approval letter to the sponsoring committees confirming the Division Directors' approval of the events as ARRL-sanctioned. She processed 3 label requests, 14 door prize orders, and sent 11 handout packages for upcoming events. Jo-Ann Arel prepared and mailed 10 Exhibit Kits, 4 Videolibrary tapes and 941 Archies. She completed updates for 21 clubs, 2 teachers, and 4 instructors, and assisted with mail in Controllers. Margie Bourgoin reported 2 more sets of affiliation paperwork for clubs was sent to the pertinent Directors/SMs for affiliation approval. Margie assisted with ballot counting, and F&ES award chores for Jean Wolfgang. Regulatory Team Brennan Price graded several OO exams and re-examinations; 19 candidates earned the appointment this week, including 14 graduates of SM Victor Madera's OO workshop in Puerto Rico. The April Monitoring System report was sent to the IARU. At Martin Potter's request, Brennan included his stock answer to questions about the legality of internet-assisted operation via IRLP and similar protocols. John Hennessee is doing preliminary planning for the next printing of The FCC Rule Book. He received many questions on HR 4720, and consulted with Derek Riker, per Jennifer Hagy. John is working as a backup for Jen. John is also working with Marsh Affinity Group Services on their upcoming mailing to promote the ARRL Equipment Insurance Program. The Big Project Jerry Hill attended the Connecticut Technology Education Conference; 178 teachers were in attendance. He presented a Power Point presentation on the Amateur Radio Education & Technology Program, and spent two hours talking to small groups of teachers. He has worked with all but one of the schools from the last batch of approved Pilot Schools on equipment choices. C-CE Dan Miller gave a special recognition award for dedication in assisting C-CE on-line students to Marty Mendelson, N8MG, at a dinner in Dayton with C-CE mentors and instructors. Dan had good discussions at Dayton with Pat McPherson, WW9E, head of Salvation Army's SATERN, and Chet Hallberg and Jay Ferron who work with the Red Cross. These folks report both agencies are firmly behind our C-CE Emergency Communications courses. In-person courses this week included: West Chester, PA with 11 Level I graduates, 4 Level II grads and 4 Level III grads; Maumee, OH with 1 Level I grad; Norwood, MA with 2 Level I grads; and Long Beach, CA with 1 Level I grad. Rosalie updated data for the Educational Assistance Council on F&ES educational programs. The National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD) board of directors (including Rosalie) decided to vote in 3 state-level reps to add to the Board. Of the 13 nominees, 3 were hams, and 1 ham (Bill Feist, WB8BZH, Minn.) made the cut. Johnson Space Center distributed a nationwide news release on ISS Commander Frank Culbertson, KD5GSL, visiting several ARISS schools in person. Membership Services Awards Branch WAC QSL Cards Checked 54 WAC Certificates 18 WAC Endorsements 7 5BWAC Certificates 2 A-1 Operator Nominations 3 Long Term Member Inquiries 3 RCC Awards 4 OTC Awards 3 Friendship Awards 2 VUCC Endorsements 6 Grids (Data Entry) 587 Endorsement Awards Processed and Mailed 2 Also, the latest long-term member award recipients' award records were added to their membership records on TASS (41). Backlog Status A-1 Operator Awards 1 week Basic WAS 3 weeks Specialty WAS 3 weeks WAS QSLs 1 week WAC QSLs Current CP Awards 2 weeks RCC Awards Current OTC Awards Current Friendship Awards Current Extra Class 1 week VUCC Awards 1 week U.S. WAC Awards Current Foreign WAC Awards Current For the coming week-WAS QSL card checking, Specialty WAS, VUCC, and A-1 Operator awards, and WAS endorsements. DXCC Branch Weekly Report May 26, 2002 Beginning Cards 53,127 Cards Received 10,579 Cards Processed 10,118 Ending Cards 53,588 Applications Pending 388 Processing Time 1 Week Year-to-date Cards Received 243,692 Cards Returned 303,109 QRP Issued this week 3 QRP YTD 202 DXCC is currently mailing applications received on May 18, 2002. DXCC is currently entering cards received on May 18, 2002. At the Dayton Hamvention DXCC, with the assistance of 19 card checkers throughout the weekend processed: 178 DXCC applications totaling 16,949 country credits, plus WAS, WAC, VUCC. Letters are being sent to the card checkers who helped us. Contest Branch The Logs Received page for the 2002 ARRL International DX Phone Contest was received from the log processing team, merged with the database of paper entries, and posted to the web. The checked scores for the 2002 RTTY Roundup were received from the log checking team, merged into the master database. Preliminary boxes were prepared and emailed to the author who will be reporting those results. It was discovered that plaques for the June VHF QSO party (last ordered in 1995) are no longer available, as the company that provided them has gone out of business. We are working with the Graphics Department on a new design for the plaque, as well as new designs for contest certificates. Numerous member queries for Field Day continue to come in, both via email and phone calls. QSL Bureau QSL service status: Current. Cards mailed year to date as of 05/26/2002 - 870,325. No cards were mailed this week. Janet Rocco spent 7 hours conducting tours around HQ. Martin Cook covered the morning shift at W1AW for the vacationing Joe Carcia. W1AW Thanks to Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, for his operating W1AW in the CQ WW WPX CW Contest. He made 497 QSOs, with various North American and DX stations, for a claimed score of 380,265. Scott worked on slow and fast code practice runs for the latter part of the month of May and early June. He handled some evening phone sales calls in the 5 PM to 8 PM time slot, boxed up a Harris exciter for return to the Harris Corporation for repair and worked the Thursday and Friday early afternoon shifts for a vacationing Joe Carcia. Joe updated the web code practice files. He finally got working the GPS receiver/Frequency Standard that was donated to the station. Joe also processed text for the June W1AW Qualifying Runs. W1AW telephone sales year to date (2002): $4,138. 73, Sincerely, Mark Wilson, K1RO Chief Operating Officer MW:lk Staff Absentee List Name Date(s) Reason Barry Shelley 5/30-6/11 Vacation Jean Wolfgang 6/7 Vacation Dan Miller 6/8 EPA Convention, Bloomsburg, PA