<<040412.doc>> IN-Newsletter <<Microsoft Word Picture>> Vol. 35, No. 14 April 4, 2012 -- Covers the period March 25-31. Upcoming Meetings and Events Administration & Finance Committee April 14 @ 8:30am - Newington, CT Digital QST Reported by Katie Glass, KB1ULQ I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the lovely going away gathering last Friday and to Lisa Kustosik for organizing it. I will miss everyone! In my absence, please direct any website edits/changes to Magdalena Owczarska, and any website permission questions to Dennis Budd. Jodi Morin will be handling the production of digital QST and Amy Hurtado will be doing the project management/day-to-day coordination of digital QST. Thanks again and again! Media & Public Relations Reported by Allen Pitts, W1AGP March usually is a quieter time, but 2012 had more than the usual number of March media hits. These are summarized and posted on hallway bulletin board. The PRC's webinar for April 12th at 9pm EDT is on track and the April CONTACT! has been created and published. We await the FCC's posting regarding EmComm and CC&R's, but prepare what information I can at this point. Development Reported by Lauren Clarke The Development Team happily welcomed Mary Hobart back to work on Monday! Another member joined the Maxim Society, bringing total membership in this special club to 101. We are also preparing for a solicitation mailing for the Education & Technology Program to go out this month. We are also receiving many responses for the donor reception in Dayton; the reception is for donors who gave $1,000 or more this past year to any of the development funds or who is part of the Maxim Society or Legacy Circle. Advertisers are also invited to this reception. To Date: The W1AW Endowment Campaign has received $29,646 in contributions from 503 donors. This is 45 percent of goal. The Spectrum Defense Fund has received $38,798 in contributions from 260 donors. The Diamond Club has received $55,827 in contributions from 329 donors. The Education & Technology Program has received $19,056 in contributions from 57 donors. Production/Editorial Reported by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE The 2012 Southeastern VHF Society Proceedings has been released to the printer. Joel Hallas supported the AES Superfest in Milwaukee March 30 and 31. In addition to getting some information on products that will be announced in Dayton this year, he provided a stand-up Doctor-is In Q & A session for around 150 attendees. Khrystyne Keane wrote and distributed the ARRL Letter and produced and voiced ARRL Audio News for March 29, 2012. Sales and Marketing Reported by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R Great news for membership! March ended with 158,540 members, exceeding the month goal of 157,959 by 581 members. This is a gain of 465 members over February 2012. For the first quarter, we had predicted a gain of 146 but instead had a gain of 727. 74% of March 2012 expirees paid on time (74% last March, too). March product sales ended the month at $227,953, very close to achieving the sales forecast of $231,612. Direct sales were $122,158; dealer sales were $105,795. March sales contributed to a successful first quarter. Gross revenue for the first three months of the year was $761,767, exceeding the plan by $70,225, and placing these results ahead of both 2011 and 2010. RR Donnelley's quarterly review was conducted with Deb Jahnke and Amy Hurtado on Thursday 3/30. Paper pricing for the 2nd quarter will decrease slightly, and there's speculation that pricing may increase slightly in Q3 and Q4 due to capacity reductions evening out for the year. Freight fuel surcharges have increased, eating away at savings achieved in co-mailing. The Pontiac facility will be adding offline inkjet equipment which will benefit the ARRL, as monthly supplements are currently run on labels. With the departure of Katie Glass, Magdalena Owczarska will be handling some of the responsibilities for supporting members and other stakeholders using the website. These duties will include supporting individuals requiring assistance with ARRL website registration and login (Website Help Desk), and supporting staff and other users of the Content Management System. Magdalena will also be the lead support person assisting members with accessing the upcoming digital edition of QST. During the last week, the warehouse crew fulfilled 1,087 packages for publication and product orders, 587 membership premiums, plus QST mailing supplements. Bob Inderbitzen attended AES Superfest, March 30-31, 2012-the big in-store hamfest at Amateur Electronic Supply in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The event draws a particularly high number of active radio amateurs from Wisconsin, Illinois, and a few other neighboring states. Around 1,000 people attended over the 2 days. Bob greeted ARRL members and prospective members at the ARRL booth, along with Central Division ARRL Director Dick Isely, W9GIG, Vice Director Kermit Carlson, W9XA, and SM (Wisconsin) Don Michalski W9IXG. The team collected 94 membership applications, including a handful of sign-ups from new and previous members. Kermit also received a Life Membership commitment from a member. Applications totaled 135 membership years, including 19 three-year terms, plus a Life Membership payment. Revenue topped $5,000-one of our biggest takes at Superfest. The tenor of the event was very positive. Joel Hallas, W1ZR, also attended, and gave a forum to a packed room of 140+ on Saturday morning. Joel, in his role as "The Doctor," answered the audience's technical questions. Membership & Volunteer Programs Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N Field Organization/Public Service Team Chuck Skolaut corresponded with Laura Smith at the FCC regarding a prohibited activity happening on a California repeater. Western Pennsylvania Official Observers have been asked to check on reported interference to a net on 40 meters. The Connecticut OOC provided more information regarding interference experienced by a Bridgeport ham. Also, the Northern Florida OOC is checking on a report of jamming on a local repeater. Complaints were received (here at HQ) about music being played on 14.313 MHz and jamming and interference on 3.910 MHz. Radio amateurs in northern California are working with the regional coordinating body to propose suitable frequencies for digital repeaters. Thanks to the Mailroom staff for sending out the Section Manager election ballots last week (ahead of schedule) to members in Indiana and Northern Florida. These members will have until May 18 to return their filled-in ballots to ARRL Headquarters. Steve Ewald and Leona Adams have been assisting brand new Section Managers Bob Famiglio, K3RF (Eastern Pennsylvania), and Jim Coleman, AI5B (Louisiana), as they started their terms of office on April 1. Sincerely Compiled by, Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO Hamfest/Member Contact/ARRL Representative/Meetings/Vacations All Staff 4/6 Holiday Leona Adams 4/13-4/16 Vacation Margie Bourgoin 5/16-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Steve Capodicasa 4/16 Vacation `` 4/23 Vacation Joe Carcia 4/27 Vacation `` 5/25 Vacation Lauren Clarke 5/16-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Paul Cuppini 5/16-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Steve Ewald 4/27-5/4 Vacation Jackie Ferreira 4/20 Vacation `` 5/16-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Steve Ford 4/9 Vacation `` 4/18-4/20 Vacation Scott Gee 5/17-5/18 Vacation Mike Gruber 5/4 NEARfest `` 5/16-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH `` 6/4-6/8 Vacation Joel Hallas 5/16-5/21 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Dan Henderson 4/2-4/5 Vacation `` 4/19-4/29 Idaho State Convention, Boise, ID/Vacation Mary Hobart 5/15-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Amy Hurtado 5/16-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Bob Inderbitzen 4/5-4/9 Vacation `` 5/16-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Khrystyne Keane 5/16-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Joel Kleinman 4/5 Vacation Harold Kramer 4/2-4/5 Vacation `` 5/17-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Lisa Kustosik 4/5 Vacation Zack Lau 5/4-5/7 Vacation `` 6/14-6/15 Vacation `` 6/22 Vacation Diane Petrilli 5/17-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Allen Pitts 5/17-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH Dave Sumner 4/26-4/30 USA Science & Engineering Festival, Washington, DC/Vacation `` 5/16-5/20 Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, OH