[ARRL logo-and-logotype black gold vertical] IN-Newsletter Vol. 41, No. 41 November 18, 2016 Covers the period November 12 - November 18, 2016 Upcoming In-Person Meetings and Events ARISS Annual Meeting November 15 - 18, 2016 @ Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX West Central Florida Section Convention December 09 - 10, 2016 @ Tampa, FL Administration & Finance Committee Meeting January 19, 2017 @ Newington, CT Annual Board Meeting January 20 - 21, 2017 @ 8:00am in Windsor, CT Chief Executive Office Reported by Tom Gallagher, NY2RF Tom was invited to visit DX Engineering in West Middlesex, PA by CEO Tim Duffy, K3LR on November 9. While there, Tom toured the store, offices and manufacturing facilities, as well as Mr. Duffy's personal station. He also sat in on meetings, and participated in a lunch and Q&A session with all DX employees. Mr. Duffy also arranged for Tom to give a presentation at Penn State University Shenango Campus. Hosted by the Mercer County ARC, approximately 125 members of local clubs attended. The presentation, about on-going and new initiatives at ARRL, received an enthusiastic response, and Mr. Duffy continues to receive positive feedback from the attendees about the presentation. Education Reported by Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Week ending November 13, 2016 Teacher Registration Instructor Registration Graduation Kit Requests License Class Listings 4 23 10 19 Debra and the ARISS Team are working on finalizing all reports for the ARISS International Meeting that is scheduled for Nov. 14-18, in Houston TX. ARISS Contact A direct contact via N4BRF with students at Boca Raton Christian School, Boca Raton, FL, was successful on Monday, November 7. Astronaut Shane Kimbrough, KE5HOD answered 24 questions for an audience of 300 comprised of teachers, local government and students. A direct contact via I3XFY with students at Instituto Comprensivo, "Marco da Melo", Mel, Italy, was successful on Friday November 4. Astronaut Shane Kimbrough, KE5HOD answered 24 questions for an audience of 90 including 60 students, plus teachers and guests. We received 24 proposals for the upcoming ARISS Contact season. Debra has put together a strategy/vetting process to finalize 12 applications. Field Organization Reported by Steve Ewald, WV1 Mississippi Section Manager Malcolm Keown, W5XX, of Vicksburg, has been nominated to run for a new term of office that begins in April of 2017. Malcolm has been Section Manager since 1998. The nomination deadline for this election cycle is Friday, December 9, 2016. Simulated Emergency Test (SET) reports from around the country continue to arrive at Headquarters. October and November are prime times for local and section wide participation in the annual SET. This past week, we have also been receiving October Field Organization activity reports for the January QST column. Field Services & Radiosport Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N Dave Patton and Bob Allison visited the Greenwich Country Day School in preparation for the commemoration of the 95th anniversary of the first Amateur Radio signals being heard in Europe from North America. He and Bob met with the school's Headmaster, Security Manager, and Facilities Manager. The operating event, which includes a planned QSO with a station in Ardrossan, Scotland (where the signals were heard in 1921) will occur on December 11 and use the call sign N1BCG (1BCG was the call used from the Greenwich site). DXCC Paper/Fieldcheck Processing Time 2 Weeks Logbook Processing Time 1-2 Days Media & Public Relations Reported by Sean Kutzko, KX9X Sean has secured permission to transmit from the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford on November 30, Twain's 181st birthday. Special event station W1T will be on the air from November 28-December 4, manned by ARRL staff during their off-time. A special QSL card will be available to all stations who work the special event, and it will feature artwork from the Mark Twain Museum. The Museum staff are very excited to be working with ARRL for this event, and will feature the operation in their PR efforts surrounding their birthday celebrations. Another Special event is slated for December 11, to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the first transatlantic reception of a shortwave signal from Greenwich, CT to Scotland. ARRL is working with the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), the Radio Club of America (RCA) and our host, Greenwich (CT) Country Day School. The school is approximately ½ mile from the site of the original station location. Activity will be all day on December 11, using the call N1BCG. Sean promoted the current push for the Amateur Radio Parity Act efforts through Rally Congress via ARRL Social Media channels on November 16. Regulatory Information Reported by Dan Henderson, N1ND Preparation of the announcement to re-solicit nominations for the Southwestern Division vice-director was completed and is ready for distribution in the January 2017 QST (per the by-laws rules of 90-days after the close of the previous solicitation). Work has begun on the various announcements and notifications for the January 2017 ARRL Annual Board meeting. Thanks to Sean Kutzko, KX9X, a flier was prepared for use in the ARRL's pending trademark application for the NTS/National Traffic System registration. We continue to work in support of the DC team working to secure passage of the Amateur Radio Parity Act. The RallyCongress contract was extended for one-year, thanks to IT and Diane Petrilli for their work in prepping emails to all current and lapsed ARRL members urging them to support the Parity Act and contacting their members of the US Senate. A total of almost 64,000 letters were processed subsequent to the September RallyCongress appeal. The new appeal was started November 14, and through the first twenty-four hours a total of almost 25,000 letters had been processed through RC. Since the last report, the RIB manager also attended a sit-down meeting, along with General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, and Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, with FCC officials to discuss changes and improvements to the Amateur Auxiliary program. We have been working with Second Vice-President Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, who the Executive Committee has asked to head-up those efforts. Due to an extended medical leave 12/05 - 01/04, ARRL Lab staff has generously offered to handle FCC rules and questions, and any other regulatory questions. On a personal note, I would like to thank the staff and Board for their kind words and expressions to me on the recent passing of my mother. Being hundreds of miles away from my family has meant my friends here have been a strength to me through these days. Thanks to each of you. Sales and Marketing Reported by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R We are pleased to welcome Jon D. Faasen, KC1ECT to the ARRL staff. John has filled an open, part time position on our Member Services team. He has been serving our headquarters as a volunteer tour guide, and holds a General class license. Jon is also a member of the Insurance City Repeater Club in Farmington, Connecticut. With help from Sean Kutzko, a 30-second video<https://youtu.be/7-2Qo2gV_nc> promoting The ARRL Handbook was completed. It was published to our social media channels on Nov 14; Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. To increase its reach on Facebook, the video was promoted ("boosted") to target Facebook users outside of our page's usual reach, and in interest areas such as electrical engineering, IEEE, RF, radio communications, radio electronics, etc. The video reached 36,000 people. Yvette Vinci prepared the bulk email notification for the December 2016 digital edition of QST, distributed to ARRL members on Friday, November 11. The distribution list included 120,375 members. It also included a feature to help promote the 2017 ARRL Handbook. Jackie Ferreira reports that "happy birthday" postcards are being designed for 2017. The cards are mailed to all domestic members who share their birth date with us. Bob Inderbitzen reviewed announcements promoting RFinder's worldwide repeater directory subscription service. W1AW Reported by Joe Carcia Joe updated the web code practice files and their archives. He is troubleshooting the Yaesu G-5500 elevation rotator that is used with the ARISS Go-Kit. (The rotator apparently failed its first time out.) Scott worked on fast and slow code practice texts for the upcoming week. He also processed VUCC certificates and endorsements. Matt Strelow and Andrew Toth - both of XX Towers Inc. - were on hand the prior week to perform the Autumn antenna and tower inspections for W1AW and W1HQ. There were no serious issues found at W1AW, although it's suggested an antenna sidearm should be replaced in the Spring. Hamfest/Member Contact/ARRL Representative/Meetings/Vacations Leona Adams 11/18 PTO Bob Allison 12/26 - 12/30 PTO Shelly Bloom 11/14 - 11/15 PTO " 11/28 - 12/02 PTO Lauren Clarke 11/22 - 11/23 PTO Steve Ewald 11/28 - 12/06 PTO Jackie Ferreira 12/27 - 12/30 PTO Steve Ford 11/23 PTO " 12/22 - 01/02 PTO Norm Fusaro 11/28 - 12/02 PTO " 12/22 - 12/27 PTO Tom Gallagher 11/18 PTO " 12/04 Fairlawn ARC 60th " 12/08 Meeting with Joe Taylor and Craig Fugate, Princeton University, NJ Meriden ARC Christmas Party (as guest of Edward Snyder, MD of Yale's W1YU) Dan Henderson 11/21 PTO " 11/28 PTO " 12/05 - 01/04 Medical Leave Gail Iannone 10/07 - 01/09 Sick Leave Debra Johnson 11/14 - 11/19 ARISS Annual Meeting, Johnson Space Center, Houston " 11/23 PTO Sean Kutzko 12/08 - 12/12 West Central Florida Section Convention, Tampa, FL Diane Petrilli 11/18 PTO " 12/05 - 12/08 PTO Barry Shelley 12/02 PTO Sincerely Compiled by, Carla Pereira, Assistant to CEO