<<102710.doc>> IN-Newsletter <<Microsoft Word Picture>> Vol. 33, No. 43 October 27, 2010 -- Covers the period October 17-23. Upcoming Meetings and Events Programs & Services Committee: November 13 @ 8:30am - ARRL HQ Ballot Counting for Director/Vice Director Elections November 19 in Newington, CT Administration &Finance Committee November 20 @ 8:30am - ARRL HQ Regulatory Information Reported by Dan Henderson, N1ND Several items have been on the front burner during the past several weeks. A proposed ARES volunteer policy was received and reviewed with ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, and Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Mike Corey, W5MPC. Several concerns were raised and shared with Ohio SM Frank Piper, KI8GW. There have been several discussions and numerous questions on the legality of several modes (such as MOTOTRBO and DStar). These have sprung from the September 2010 column in WorldRadio Online written by John Johnston, W3BE. The issues have been discussed with Imlay and ARRL Chief Technology Officer Brennan Price, N4QX, and responses drafted to several individual queries. We also have worked with Imlay and ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, in examining the emission designators reported by Motorola for the product. The PowerPoint used during the annual New Section Manager's Workshop was updated. In my absence, Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, made the presentation to the group (thanks Chuck). A PowerPoint on "Reciprocal Operating - Know Before You Go" was prepared and presented at the SEDCO / W4DXCC Convention in Pigeon Forge, TN. We attended the tenth annual TenTec hamfest in Sevierville, TN over the same weekend. We prepared and participated in an Air Force / ARRL presentation on PAVE PAWS for the Pacificon convention over the weekend of October 15-17. On Monday October 18, I accompanied ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, to the radar site for a tour and visit. The good cooperation between the Air Force and the ARRL continues. It has been confirmed that at the next EMI testing session at the Beale site, the FCC has been asked to send a field agent with appropriate clearance to monitor the testing. This is an effort to address problem individuals or stations that are causing interference and are in violation of other Part 97 rules, such as non-identification of their transmissions in an attempt to avoid detection. As in the past, we will be informed after the testing is finished. We do not have advance notice of specific testing dates. Among the routine queries fielded were questions on reciprocal operating, the requirements to qualify as a club in order to hold club callsign, review of a proposed zoning ordinance for Dothan, AL, and a question on the use of ROS in the US. A letter was written on behalf of Matt Strelow, KC1XX, regarding a claim by a town official that having non-amateur radio equipment (a WiFi antenna for his personal use) nullified his Amateur Radio license. We also addressed questions regarding the new Maryland and Massachusetts state cellphone and distracted driving bills enacted. We are also waiting for a web tool to allow administrative changes to the VC and VCE databases. Also during the past couple of weeks, we continued to work with MVP Manager Dave Patton, NN1N, and the Awards Committee on properly addressing the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles and its impact on the DXCC List. Finally, the 2010 Field Day results article for QST was finished, sent to production, and has been proofed. The extended web version will be posted in late October. We have been working to try and resolve several issues with the Volunteer Counsel and Volunteer Consulting Engineer database. This is in an effort to process numerous updates/changes/additions that are pending. Several updates have been received for reciprocal operating procedures and the website has been updated. We responded to several queries about antenna zoning situations and cellphone laws during the past few weeks as well. Media & Public Relations Reported by Allen Pitts, W1AGP The PRC phone conference call for October laid out goals for 2011. These include a complete re-write of the PIO handbook and inclusion of the "Swiss Army Knife for PIOs" into one work. In hopes of developing a new video showing the technical activities of hams in 2011, I am working on recruiting about 6-8 people to form a task group to look at these issues and make a working outline by mid-January. This will include video producers and also people who have a history of showing technology to others in entertaining ways. Joe Veras (technical author), Bill Pasternak (writer/producer), Dave Lane (Linux Journal), Don Carlson (commercial productions) and Kevin O'Dell (video production), Diana Eng (MAKE Magazine) - these are some of the people that I have already recruited. I am awaiting responses from Dave Bell (producer) and Gary Pearce (ARVN). Once we have the outline and funding is approved, a new implementation group can be formed for actual production. There continues to be a high number of local Media Hits for October. JOTA, SET and individual hams are getting more than normal levels of news coverage this month. This is good! Development Reported by Mary Hobart, K1MMH The second issue of Spectrum Defense Matters newsletter has been mailed to ARRL Spectrum Defense donors and donors to other ARRL funds. The issue has been posted on the ARRL website and will be emailed to other ARRL members. The current issue has generated $4717 in contributions in the first three days. Response to the recent Diamond Club mailing encouraging monthly and quarterly contributions has boosted revenues during October. ARRL received a partial distribution from the estate of Dr. Charles Mathias, W8KBD for $1,000,000. This amount will be added to the ARRL Endowment. As Stipulated in the will the earnings on this gift may be used for ARRL general operations. Production/Editorial Reported by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE Maty Weinberg has compiled the 2010 QST index <http://www.arrl.org/qst-annual-indexes> (in what you might call its "legacy" format-the way it appeared in QST until 2002). It's a useful complement to the electronic periodicals index. (If 2010 isn't available yet, it will be shortly.) Khrystyne Keane wrote and distributed The ARRL Letter and voiced and produced ARRL Audio News for October 21, 2010. Sales and Marketing Reported by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R Now Shipping: The ARRL Antenna Compendium Volume 8, and The ARRL Guide to Antenna Tuners by Joel R. Hallas, W1ZR. During the last week, the warehouse crew fulfilled 658 packages for publication and product orders, 231 membership premiums, and QST mailing supplements. A large membership campaign is being prepared for mailing around November 15. A smaller membership solicitation was prepared for mailing to past purchasers (individuals segmented as "never" members). An ad was completed for Trailer Life magazine. It will appear in the February and March issues. The ad includes ARRL's toll-free telephone number for prospective hams, and also includes a Web address directing readers to an ARRL resource page for RVers. A new "Member Services" page is in-the-works for Jan 2011 QST. The page includes a summary of ARRL membership benefits and programs. A couple of Halloween-themed broadcast e-mails were completed, touting membership and publications. We are testing a couple of ads on Facebook, one featuring the 2011 ARRL Handbook. The popular social networking site offers advertising opportunities targeting specific user "likes" and "interests." "A picture is worth a thousand words." An emailing featuring the 2011 Handbook with a large embedded graphic generated nearly 400 orders Thursday evening and throughout the weekend. Pre-orders are being taken for the New Revised Second Edition of The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual. The revised edition includes practice exam software on CD-ROM, and retails for $29.95. Revised editions of the General and Extra Class License Manuals, with software, will follow early next year. A planning summary and timeline for the 2011 ARRL National Convention at Ham-Com (Plano, TX) was produced for the EC Meeting. Amy Hurtado circulated a 2011 QST production schedule. The schedule includes mailing data and printer deadlines. Membership & Volunteer Programs Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N W1AW Matt Strelow, KC1XX and Andrew Toth, both of XX Towers Inc., were on hand Thursday (10/21) to perform the Autumn antenna/tower inspections. In addition, they also replaced the rotator atop the 120' tower and removed the R139 turnstile antenna (on the North tower) so it can be tested. A large group of amateurs from Rhode Island were on hand Friday (10/22) to visit ARRL, but specifically to visit and operate W1AW. They were accompanied by RI Section Manager Bob Beaudet, W1YRC. One of the group members was Richard Langlois, W1TBR. Earlier in the year, he offered to evaluate one of the non-functional Harris amplifiers. He brought the amplifier back to test it in the racks. Joe updated the web code practice files. He also updated the W1AW/West Coast Qualifying Run web schedules. Joe also processed regular QSL card requests and two Qualifying Run certificates. He and Greg Kwasowski also replaced both the side and rear doors to W1AW. Joe also created the 2011 schedules for both the W1AW and West Coast Qualifying Runs. Scott worked on slow and fast code practice files for the latter part of the month of October. He also assisted the DXCC department with the editing of applications. Field Organization/Public Service Team Leona Adams reports that she recently generated a new Field Organization Appointment Report to Section Managers via email. She has been updating our Field Service database with new appointments, changes and cancellations. She is also receiving expense reports from SMs and submitting them to Accounting. SM ballots continue to arrive from sections that have upcoming SM elections in Minnesota, South Carolina and Western Pennsylvania and Leona has been sorting them by sections. One radio amateur from Eastern Massachusetts successfully completed certification to become an Official Observer this week. Chuck Skolaut received another report of a Mexican beacon on 12 meters causing interference to another, information was passed on to the beacon coordinator. Also another report from several US stations copying Coast Guard weather FAX reports on 14001.9 KHz was forwarded to the station, prompt response from them indicated they were checking their automatic system for problems. An Over the Horizon Radar was reported on 18075 kHz and investigation continues regarding the carrier on 14151 kHz. Interference between a southern California repeater and one in Mexico is being checked out. Arizona OOs are following up on jamming occurring on local 2 meter repeaters. Education Services Reported by Debra Johnson, K1DMJ Licensing and Instructor Support Dewey Rykard KI4RGD joined our staff as Instruction and Resource Coordinator on September 27. Read more about him in the news story <http://www.arrl.org/news/dewey-rykard-ki4rgd-joins-arrl-staff-as-instru ction-and-resource-coordinator> posted Oct. 20. The revision of the Technician Instructor Manual being edited by Jeff Cantor K1ZN is progressing on schedule. I held a conference call with a group of instructors to solicit advice on this project. Scouts/Outreach Dewey assisted Steve Ewald WV1X and Ron Cady K1RKD to host a Cub Scout group at W1AW for JOTA. News announcements about JOTA and School Club Round-up were posted on the ARRL website home page. Education & Technology Program Mark Spencer WA8SME has announced that he will be leaving as ETP Coordinator to assume a full-time role in an engineering firm. ETP Instructors Nathan McCray K9CPO and Miguel Enriquez KD7RPP will assume additional responsibilities for teacher support over the next few months and Nathan will take on additional program coordination responsibilities. Nathan has already taken over the task of producing the daily satellite weather map composites for the ETP schools. A couple of west coast schools have expressed an interest in stepping in to produce the western component of the map. Plans for 2011 include training of an additional instructor. Over the next few months we will be working out a plan to address other responsibilities such as ETP curriculum development that will also need to be addressed. Mark has had a busy month promoting the ETP. He attended a symposium hosted by the W Foundation, a private foundation interested in promoting education about space exploration, to present the resources on space in the classroom offered by the ETP. His paper on educational opportunities with CubeSat was included in the recent annual AMSAT Symposium. He also attended Pacificon, where he led forums on the ETP Program and the Teachers Institute, "I have my license, now what?" and "Intro to PIC Programming." Mark's article on instructing Morse code with kids, "Code Kids <http://www.arrl.org/code-kids> ," was published on the ARRL website. He also provided his annual wrap-up report on the status of the ETP which provides good feedback for donors. ARISS Rosalie White K1STO has been receiving quite a few emails in response to the October QST article about ARISS and classroom activities at the Midvalley School in Utah. Carla Burningham, KC7HON, the principal at the school wrote her as well, saying: "Our school's ARISS educational activities were the epitome of my entire experiences in the education field." An ARRL news story <http://www.arrl.org/news/iss-astronaut-creating-ham-radio-buzz-taking-s cience-to-students> summarizing Doug Wheelock's KF5BOC ARISS activities was shared on our website. The story includes links to videos capturing contacts with Kopernik Observatory and Science in Vestal, NY (a science lab designed for physical science, astronomy, and earth science studies for K-12 teachers) with schools from the local Windsor school district, recounts a contact with Scouts in Utah, as well as an Oregon ham's recorded effort to procure a contact with Wheelock. Hams have also reported being excited about several ISS passes where SSTV images were being transmitted by the cosmonauts who are licensed hams. On October 4 Ohio ARISS Mentor Steve Michalski, KB9UPS, announced the grand opening of a satellite ground station at the Challenger Learning Center in Oregon, Ohio. Steve has mentored school groups at the Center, and led the students through an ARISS contact and educational activities. For the Center's grand opening, school officials from 9 Ohio districts were on hand along with many guests and several local TV station reporters. Steve was on the air all afternoon doing satellite contacts so that guests could observe. Continuing Education Program Jennifer continues to handle program communications and mentor and student issues as all sections of remaining online courses must wrap up by the end of the month when the current online course platform is retired. She is editing website information and messaging to keep mentors, field instructors and field examiners informed of changes. Content for the new Intro to EmComm course has been turned over to the instructional designer at CTDLC for development as an online course. Steve Ford is negotiating a contract with long-time CEP Mentor Terry Dettmann WX7S to write an Intro to Antenna Modeling course for print publication using material and experience gained from supporting our online course. Sincerely Compiled by, Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO Staff Absentee List All Staff 11/25-11/26 Holiday All Staff 12/24 Holiday All Staff 12/31 Holiday Leona Adams 11/5 Vacation `` 11/19 Vacation `` 12/3pm Vacation Hugh Brower 11/1-11/2 Vacation `` 11/22-11/24 Vacation Mike Corey 10/31-11/4 IAEM Conference, San Antonio, TX `` 11/17 NPSTC Meeting, Washington, DC Steve Ewald 11/29-12/3 Vacation Jackie Ferreira 12/23 Vacation `` 12/30 Vacation Steve Ford 10/28-10/29 Vacation `` 12/23-12/31 Vacation Scott Gee 10/28-10/29 Vacation `` 11/8 Jury Duty Dan Henderson 11/12-11/16 Indiana State Convention, Ft. Wayne, IN/Vacation `` 12/20-1/5 Vacation Mary Hobart 11/4 Vacation `` 11/5-11/6 Georgia State Convention, Lawrenceville, GA Amy Hurtado 11/2 Vacation Bob Inderbitzen 12/27-12/30 Vacation Sabrina Jackson 11/1 Vacation Khrystyne Keane 10/29 Vacation Diane Petrilli 11/22-11/24 Vacation `` 12/20-12/22 Vacation `` 12/27-12/29 Vacation Brennan Price 11/1-11/24 SCRPM, SG5 & subsidiary Working Parties, Geneva Steve Sant Andrea 11/8-11/9 Vacation `` 11/29 Vacation Barry Shelley 11/23-11/24 Vacation `` 12/16-12/23 Vacation Jon Siverling 11/3-11/5 FRACAP, San Salvador Chuck Skolaut 11/22-11/24 Vacation Sharon Taratula 10/29-11/1 Vacation