Fellow ODV'ers, This past Saturday, I assisted with instruction at a general class amateur radio session conducted by the Microhams Club at the Microsoft campus in Redmond, WA. There were about 25 participants, eagerly soaking up the information and learning the material provided. About 1/2 the group are current ARRL members so I gave a pitch regarding the ARRL and signed up an additional 6 new members, with more to come. Most everyone passed the General exam so there are a number of enthusiastic new Northwestern Division General Class licensees waiting for the ARRL to "release" sunspots so they can work all the exciting DX awaiting them! Of note is one new general class licensee, Shirley Fenstermaker KE7CBH (she now prefers / demands to be called General Shirley...who would have known?) who informed me that an operating schedule would need to be created for my (woops...OUR) station in the near future. We'll see most of you in a few weeks at the national convention in Dayton. Jim Fenstermaker K9JF