<<021710.doc>> IN-Newsletter <<Microsoft Word Picture>> Vol. 33, No. 7 February 17, 2010 -- Covers the period February 7-13. Upcoming Meetings and Events Executive Committee: March 13, 2010 @ 8:30am in Denver, CO COO We plan to launch the new Web Site on February 25th. Everyone here at HQ and the folks at Fathom are all working hard to make this happen. Staff and Board members have been testing the Site during the past couple of weeks and checking it for errors, bad links, etc. The site has improved immensely during the past month, so thanks to everyone who have been working on it and to those who have taken the time to carefully review it. Technical Relations Reported by Brennan Price, N4QX Brennan Price is in Geneva this week for the Radiocommunication Advisory Group, where an ARRL-authored contribution advocating for free online access to the ITU-R Radio Regulations was favorably received. Later in the week, the issue of distribution of PLT work within the ITU will be discussed. During the recent Working Party 1A, Jon Siverling participated in an effort to establish a rapporteur group through which interested ITU-T working groups could contribute to WP 1A issues. Although the State Department initially resisted this, the United States will support this approach at the RAG on the advice of Rob Haines (NTIA, SG1 chairman) and Brennan Price. Regulatory Information Reported by Dan Henderson, N1ND The Zubarau v City of Palmdale (CA) Court of Appeals case in California is scheduled for the Appellant brief March 23, 2010. We have received a proposed draft of the antenna ordinance for Mustang, OK from OK SM Dean Feken, KL7MA and are reviewing it with General Counsel for any recommended changes. We also continue to monitor cell phone legislation in MA, VT and PA (as well as a local ordinance from a town in AZ brought to us by AZ SM Tom Fagan, K7DF). After becoming aware of a series of proposed meetings between the Mt. Diablo ARC and the Beale PAVE PAWS radar personnel, we contacted MDARC President John Ronan, K3ZJJ, in order to make sure MDARC understands the "big picture" of the California 70-cm mitigation efforts. The visit by the CO of the Cape Cod AFS radar site scheduled for February 11 was postponed to March 8 due to weather concerns. We also worked with Mr. Ronan on inviting Laura Smith from the FCC to attend PACIFICON in October. A question was asked by Director Woolweaver related to some the current RACES and ARES activities in Laredo, TX. Thanks to Steve Ewald, WV1X, for his input on joint ARES/RACES cooperation. Several VC/VCE applications were processed and the web database was edited to ensure uniformity of data when it is transitioned to the new website. We also spoke with CTO Brennan Price, N4QX, about some edited and added materials for the Regulatory and Advocacy area of the new web site. Finally, with the posting of the 2010 ARRL Field Day rules, the queries have started to be received. This will be an ongoing process for the next few months. Media & Public Relations Reported by Allen Pitts, W1AGP The emails have been hopping with the collection of pictures, rights, and info to prepare a QST article summarizing Haitian activities. More work was done on the new, main ARRL website while a Russian hacker tried to play with the three campaign sites (Hello, EmComm and WeDoThat). The three campaign websites are stable or re-pointed for now and will be brought into the main ARRL web in about 6-8 weeks anyway. The Public Relations Committee's first official meeting of 2010 is coming up Wednesday, so nominations, plans and goals are being set. Development Reported by Mary Hobart, K1MMH Proceeds from the estate of David Gendle, K4DLG were received in excess of $115,000. These funds are added to the General fund of the ARRL Endowment. The mailing to Diamond Club contributors (both active and lapsed) had yielded results in monthly giving arrangements. Nearly a dozen donors have opted for this giving method including two at $100 per month. As active donors come due for renewal we hope to see more activity. Work on the Development section of the new website is nearly complete. New artwork has been resized thanks to Di Szlachetka of Business Services. Acknowledgements have been sent to industry partners who donated equipment to support Amateur Radio activities in Haiti in response to the earthquake there. Work has begun on the biennial W1AW Endowment mailing to 50,000 selected ARRL members. Production/Editorial Reported by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE QST was send to the printer. Khrystyne Keane continues to import items from the old Web site to the new Web site. Sales and Marketing Reported by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R The marketing team met to begin planning for ARRL EXPO at 2010 Dayton Hamvention. Over the past weekend, Membership Manager Diane Petrilli, KB1RNF attended Hamcation, the ARRL Northern Florida Section Convention, sponsored by the Orlando Amateur Radio Club. Diane helped support the ARRL booth along with Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, Director Greg Sarratt, W4OZK and Vice Director Jeff Beals, WA4AW. There were 109 membership applications taken at the event, including many 3-year memberships spurred-on by a promotion for a free coffee tumbler. During the last week, the warehouse crew fulfilled 811 packages for publication and product orders, 238 membership premiums, and QST mailing supplements. Watch for these new products: 2010 Field Day t-shirts, pins, mugs and hats (all coming soon). Membership & Volunteer Programs Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N W1AW Beginning March 15, W1AW will alternate its digital run broadcast schedule to give more exposure to PSK31 and MFSK16. The complete story can be found at, http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2010/02/16/11343/?nc=1 Joe updated the web code practice files and their archives. He also added a new section to the current W1AW web page that lists the code practice QST sources for the week. (The page can be found at http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html#w1awcodepracsked <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html> .) Joe also processed three Qualifying Run certificates and two endorsements. He also processed regular QSL card requests and updated a few W1AW web pages that will be ready for release on the new ARRL web site. Scott worked on slow and fast code practice files for the middle part of the month of February. He also assisted the DXCC department with editing of applications. Field Organization/Public Service Team Radio amateurs from Michigan, Western Massachusetts, Nebraska, North Carolina and two from Georgia, completed their certification exams to become Official Observers this past week. Leona Adams and Chuck Skolaut reported that these applicants (and several others in recent weeks) gained interest in the program from the January QST Public Service column that focused on the OO/Amateur Auxiliary program. The OOs from Connecticut conducted more monitoring and gathered documentation of a wide PSK 31 signal. A New York station reported a "numbers station" on 3.550 kHz, and we alerted our monitors to check for it. Here is an example of good cooperation on the Amateur Radio bands: A wide area recreational vehicle (RV) service net recently moved their net close to the lower edged of the General class band edge of 40 meters to avoid foreign broadcast interference. After discovering this, an OO notified his OOC of the potential problem. A note from the OOC to the RV net director prompted a move farther away from the band edge, thus eliminating the likelihood of band edge violations by General Class operator check-ins. After the two very large snow storms and blizzards struck the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States in early February some initial reports on Amateur Radio response to these storms have arrived at Headquarters. Amateur Radio helped with communications for emergency operation centers and Red Cross shelters. Meanwhile, Steve Ewald continued preparing the Field Organization Reports and the Public Service column for April QST. Sincerely Compiled by, Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO Staff Absentee List Leona Adams 2/26 Vacation Steve Capodicasa 3/1 Vacation `` 3/15 Vacation Kim Dotolo 2/16-2/17 Vacation Steve Ford 2/23 Vacation Scott Gee 3/8-3/10 Vacation `` 4/14-4/16 Vacation Mike Gruber 4/30 Vacation Joel Hallas 2/26 Jury Duty Ed Hare 2/26-2/27 VT Section Convention, Colchester, VT `` 3/10-3/12 IEEE Standards Dev. Committee meeting, San Diego, CA `` 3/15-3/19 Vacation `` 4/19-4/22 ANSI asc C63 EMC Comm. meeting, Piscataway, NJ Dan Henderson 3/5-3/7 S. Texas Section Convention/Greater Houston Hamfest Bob Inderbitzen 3/5 Atlantic Division Cabinet Meeting `` 4/8-4/9 AES Superfest, Milwaukee, WI Debra Johnson 2/26-3/1 Vacation Joel Kleinman 2/16-2/19 Vacation Amy Leary 2/26 Vacation Brennan Price 2/17-2/19 Radiocommunication Advisory Group, Geneva Dave Sumner 3/12pm-3/14 Executive Committee Meeting, Denver, CO