<<080509.doc>> IN-Newsletter <<Microsoft Word Picture>> Vol. 32, No. 31 August 5, 2009 -- Covers the period July 26-August 1. Upcoming Meetings and Events Section Manager Workshop September 25-27 - ARRL HQ United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) October 12-16 - ARRL HQ Technical Relations Reported by Brennan Price, N4QX The USTTI Amateur Radio Administration Course has been scheduled for October 12-16 in Newington. Jon Siverling is attending meetings of US Study Group 1 this week. He is also chairing Wednesday's session of IWG-2 of the FCC's WRC-12 Advisory Committee, at which Brennan Price will introduce a proposal on WRC-12 Agenda Item 1.23 (500 kHz). Media & Public Relations Reported by Allen Pitts, W1AGP The brochure for IARU emergency communications is progressing well. August CONTACT! has been posted and emailed. The new audio PSA that women can be hams too has been made available at http://www.arrl.org/pio/ARRL709D.mp3 plus an informal contest for people to create their own audio PSA's promoting Amateur Radio has begun and can be seen at http://pr101.wordpress.com . (It will run until Oct 1) Two NM radio interviews are scheduled in the next week in preparation for going to the section's convention at the Duke City Hamfest. Two related issues have come up. In Oregon they are looking at developing a subset of PIOs specifically tasked to ARES and working on the scope, requirements and job descriptions for those positions. Meanwhile in Kentucky, an ARES activity received local media attention which was overall positive despite no PIO on scene - but held quotes from a local leader that Amateur Radio is "dying." The KY-PIC, Nick White, NV9V, was alerted and working on correcting this when the article was repeated in the New York Times (Aug 2). There has been a great deal of discussion about these two activities. Development Reported by Mary Hobart, K1MMH The Diamond Club logged nearly $20,000 in gross revenues for the month of July 2009, bringing the 2009 year-to-date revenues to $152,349 from 1150 contributions. Revenues for July are up 36% over July 2008 with particularly strong renewal response - up 12% over July 2008 renewal responses - with a strong 2009 average renewal gift of $177.26 compared to $119.18 in 2008. These results are due in part from a solicitation mailed to lapsed Diamond Club members. Analysis of the Spectrum Defense Fund is nearing completion. This in-depth look at results from past years will help fine tune the fall campaign which is scheduled to mail in early September. Production/Editorial Reported by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE The Compass, the online publication for members of the US Power Squadrons, has published <http://www.theensign.org/uspscompass/compassindex.htm> a shortened version of the article Joel Hallas wrote for the July 2009 issue of QST. Khrystyne Keane wrote and distributed The ARRL Letter, Vol 28, No 30, for July 31, 2009. She also voiced and produced ARRL Audio News for July 31. Lab Reported by Ed Hare, W1RFI Annual Auction A break in testing has allowed Bob Allison prepare radios for our annual on-line auction. Several radios recently donated (very dirty) worked after minor repairs and running on the bench. Once deemed sellable, they were cleaned up and made presentable. Equipment that did not work will be sold at a future flea market. Quite a bit of past Product Review equipment was turned over to the sales department for our on-line auction. Bob Allison's new system of keeping track of equipment brought into and leaving the Lab helps this process. RFI Thanks to help from Mike Martin, we may finally see resolution in a longstanding power line noise case in Florida. Laura Smith will help facilitate a Mike Martin investigation later this month. Based on my urging, Ms. Smith will provide full FCC support, including a requirement that the involved utility provide a repair crew during the investigation. Up until now, the FCC has not pursued this case in a manner a satisfactory manner. Apparently the Field Office closed the case and didn't even tell the complainant. Laura Smith indicates they determined the noise was not strong enough to be considered harmful interference. As the record shows however, the same Field Office issued a citation in the same case for the same noise level. A more complete timeline is as follows: o Approximately 1995 - Complainant hears noise and notifies utility o 01-29-01 - Complainant first notifies ARRL o 07-13-01 - Complainant notifies FCC o 06-10-02 - FCC issues first letter to utility o 01-09-03 - FCC issues second letter to utility o 05-20-04 - FCC issues third letter to utility o December 2005 - I visit site of complaint and generate noise report o 05-16-06 - FCC issues citation to utility o November 2007 - Two FCC field agents attend Mike Martin workshop and use this case as a training exercise. Two sources are quickly located in the neighborhood. Mike Gruber has located a new volunteer to maintain the Sounds of RFI page, Craig Miller, KA1GYB. Craig has programming skills, in addition to his interest in RFI sounds. Mike Gruber continued discussions with the Kansas City FCC Field Office-they want Mike to assist them in a difficult power line noise case when he heads out that way. Mike Gruber has completed his update of the RFI web pages. Mike Gruber is reviewing options for updating the RFI book's TVI pages. QST Bob Allison worked with Joel Hallas testing open wire transmission line. Technical Information Service Bob Allison corresponded with a ham who wanted to know how to conduct a CW class. Bob explained how he did it years ago, but added what would be useful as far as equipment goes. Zack Lau, at the same time, placed a PowerPoint series of photos on "How to build a Practice Code Oscillator" on our web site. Strangely enough, Mike Gruber brought in a practice code oscillator to the Lab as a donation! Sales and Marketing Reported by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R Membership ARRL ended July with 155,308 members -- a net loss of 331 members over June. Membership is up 681 members (goal 1,776) for the calendar year. Returns from a large 50,000 piece membership campaign are expected to help boost August figures. The mailing dropped on July 30. Product Sales July product sales ended the month at $208,397-just short of goal by $9,793 (about a day's worth of sales). Direct sales were $111,884; dealer sales were $96,513. For the calendar year, sales are ahead by $5,739. The Warehouse crew fulfilled 1,016 packages for publication and product orders, and shipped 481 free book membership premiums and QST mailing supplements. ARRL Conventions Date Name Division City State ARRL HQ Rep. Aug 7-8 Texas State WG Austin TX Dennis Dura Aug 7-9 Pacific Northwest DX NW Spokane WA Sean Kutzko Aug 14-15 New Mexico State RM Albuquerque NM Allen Pitts Aug 15-16 Alabama Section SE Huntsville AL Bill Moore Aug 15 Southwestern Division SW Santa Barbara CA Chris Imlay Aug 16 Kansas State MW Salina KS Chuck Skolaut Aug 22-23 West Virginia State RK Weston WV Ed Hare Aug 23 W. Pennsylvania Section AT New Kensington PA Sep 11-12 Delta Division DL Mena AR Sep 12 GL Division Symposium GL Findlay OH Sep 12-13 Virginia Section RK Virginia Beach VA Sep 18-19 W9DXCC CL Elk Grove Village IL Sep 19 Ohio Section GL Reynoldsburg OH Sep 26 Mid-AT States VHF Conf. AT Plymouth Meeting PA Sep 26 Washington State NW Spokane Valley WA Oct 3 EMCOMM East AT Rochester NY Harold Kramer Oct 9-11 Pacific Northwest VHF NW Seaside OR Oct 11 Connecticut State NE Wallingford CT Membership & Volunteer Programs Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N DXCC Branch Credits Applications 2008 Carryover 105,955 944 2009 Received 401,765 3,412 Cumulative Total 507,720 4,356 2009 Processed 417,442 3,652 Remaining 90,278 704 Processing Time 7 weeks Category July 2009 Year-to-Date Triple Play WAS 10 291 WAS Certificates (Manual) 31 184 WAS Certificates (LoTW) 21 200 A-1 Op Nominations 27 126 A-1 Op Certificates 16 159 Extra Class Certificates 4 56 WAC Certificates 30 207 VUCC New / Grids 10/1,880 71 / 6,860 VUCC Endorsement / Grids 9/346 61 / 3,533 Processing Time Current Logbook of the World Category July 2009 Percentage Change Jan - July 09 QSO Records Entered Into System 233,090,318 14% QSL Record Matches 22,295,402 24% Logs Processed 1,044,545 28% Active Certificates 42,779 15% Registered Users in System 28,129 16% Logbook (Email Only) Inquiries July 2009 Initial Setup Inquiries 100 Award Related Concerns 33 Maintenance 114 Customer Usage Issues 34 Total 281 W1AW Thanks to Bill Moore and Chuck Skolaut for covering the Thursday and Friday morning shifts. Joe updated the web code practice files and their archives. He created the texts for the August W1AW Qualifying Runs. He also updated the Qualifying Run web page. He processed one Qualifying Run endorsement. In addition to regular logs, Joe also uploaded to LoTW the logs from 2009 Dayton Hamvention Special Event Station W1AW/8 and 2009 ARRL Northwestern Division Convention Special Event Station W1AW/7. He also processed regular QSL card requests. Scott worked on fast and slow code practice files for the latter part of the month of July and early August. He assisted the DXCC department with plaque processing. Scott also worked the Thursday and Friday early afternoon shifts (in addition to his regular night shifts) for Joe Carcia. Field Organization/Public Service Team Steve Ewald participated in the quarterly Citizen Corps Affiliates' Teleconference Call on Monday, July 27. Plans for the National Conference on Community Preparedness in Arlington, Virginia, were discussed. This national conference is hosted by Citizen Corps and the International Association of Emergency Managers. Steve will be representing ARRL Headquarters at this conference from August 9th to 12th. Leona Adams reports that New Mexico Section Manager Don Wood, W5FHA, has been nominated to run for another term of office as Section Manager. Petitions for this particular SM election cycle are due at Headquarters by September 4. Sincerely Compiled by, Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO Staff Absentee List All Staff 9/7 Holiday Kathy Allison 9/25-9/28 Vacation Bob Allison 9/25-9/29 Vacation Steve Capodicasa 9/8-9/14 Vacation Joe Carcia 8/7 Vacation `` 8/14 Vacation `` 8/21 Vacation Jackie Cornell 8/6-8/10 Vacation Dennis Dura 8/6-8/11 Texas Emergency Management Meeting, Austin, TX Steve Ewald 8/9-8/12 NCCP, Arlington, VA. Steve Ford 8/24 Vacation Scott Gee 9/17-9/18 Vacation Mike Gruber 8/24-8/28 Vacation Joel Hallas 8/3-8/14 Vacation `` 8/24-8/28 Vacation Ed Hare 8/15-8/21 IEEE EMC Symposium , Austin, TX `` 8/22-8/23 WV State Convention, Weston, WV `` 8/24-8/25 Vacation Penny Harts 7/31-8/11 Vacation Dan Henderson 7/27-8/10 Vacation Mary Hobart 8/12-8/14 Vacation `` 8/28 Vacation `` 9/4-9/8 Vacation `` 9/25 Vacation Berta Hould 8/3-8/14 Vacation Amy Hurtado 8/10-8/14 Vacation Bob Inderbitzen 8/24-8/28 Vacation Linda Kleinschmidt 8/10-8/14 Vacation Harold Kramer 8/3-8/7 Vacation Sean Kutzko 8/7-8/9 Pacific NW DX Convention, Spokane Valley, WA Monique Levesque 7/31-8/7 Vacation Diane Petrilli 9/8-9/11 Vacation AnnMarie Pinto 8/17-8/28 Vacation Allen Pitts 8/6-8/7 Vacation Ashley Rakus 8/7 Vacation `` 8/14 Vacation Steve Sant Andrea 8/24-8/25 Vacation Barry Shelley 8/10-8/21 Vacation Dave Sumner 8/19-8/26 Tokyo Ham Fair & GAREC-09 Alex Tara 8/24-8/28 Vacation Sharon Taratula 8/7 Vacation