IN-Newsletter Vol 26, No. 12 March 25, 2003 Upcoming Meetings April 12th in St. Louis, MO at 8:30am Volunteer Resources Committee April 26th in Kansas City, MO at 8:30am A&F Committee Development The 2003 Education & Technology Program has produced more than $35,000 from 800 ARRL members, including several major contributions. The average contribution exceeds $44. More than 28,000 follow up postcards are in the mail in an effort to boost response. The ARRL Diamond Club contributors now number 494 representing nearly $78,000 in unrestricted income to ARRL. The average contribution is $157. A second monthly solicitation as part of the membership renewal process will be mailed in April. The special campaign for WRC-03 is in the final stages of development. The campaign solicitation will be mailed to more than 8500 ARRL members who supported the ARRL Defense Fund in 2001 and 2002 but not in 2003. When the design elements are complete, a web option will be prepared. Responses are being received from invitees to the Major Donor Reception to be held at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton on May 15. Donors who contributed $1000 or more in 2002 and individuals who have made planned giving commitments are being contacted to secure permission to list their names in the Development section of the 2002 ARRL Annual Report. These donors will receive a copy of the 2002 Annual Report. The first quarterly information mailing for planned giving will be a sample copy of the new ARRL Legacy Circle Letter. The first file of 4500 will be selected from members born between 1936 and 1950. In addition, the Legacy Circle Letter will be sent to the 26 individuals who have already told ARRL Development that ARRL is included in their estate plans and a file of approximately 175 prospects. Each targeted mail segment will receive a personalized letter to introduce the newsletter. Development is still awaiting word on possible Washington dignitaries to attend a press conference for the new UTC national grant. Media Relations As expected, we received calls from reporters who are interested in any ham radio angle with the war in Iraq. Jennifer talked with a reporters with the Yakima (WA) Herald-Republic and The Enterprise (Brockton, MA). Both were very interested in Amateur Radio emergency communications and the MARS program. Jennifer furnished contacts and spent more time with The Enterprise reporter, talking about ham radio in general. Eastern Massachusetts SM Phil Temples, K9HI, agreed to talk with The Enterprise reporter as well, and offer additional MARS contacts in the local area. Jennifer talked with several members in Virginia, including a PIO and the SM, regarding a possible war-related story they had brewing with CNN and a NBC network crew from New York. Unfortunately, the interviews did not end up taking place. That happens. Rhode Island SM Bob Beaudet, W1YRC, sent an e-mail to all section club presidents and used the recent QST article "Spreading the Word," along with other helpful PR-related information in a call to action to find more public information coordinators for the section, and its clubs. Jennifer suggested that Bob post his note on the SM reflector, as did Southern Florida SM, and PR Committee member, Sherri Brower, W4STB. Long Island/New York City PIC and PR Committee member Diane Ortiz, K2DO, already localized Bob's note and prepared it for the club president reflector in her section. Jennifer began working on the 2002 Annual Report. The ARRL booth supplies for this year's National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention have been shipped to our volunteer booth coordinator in Nevada. Thanks to Gail for putting together a package of brochures and handouts for the show. Production/Editorial Thanks to a dedicated effort by the Book Team, Graphics and Production staff, several important books are now being printed. The list includes new editions of Now You're Talking! and The Repeater Directory, and a new title, the Extra Class Q&A. We expect a new edition of the Technician Q&A and another new title, YASME: The Danny Weil and Colvin Radio Expeditions to be released to the printer next week. This past week, we ordered a new printing of Hints and Kinks and ordered the QEX Collection CD and the Microwave Projects CD. Sales & Marketing Deb Jahnke and Joe Bottiglieri concentrated on chasing down some habitual stragglers for May QST advertising. The issue will again exceed projections. An unusually high level of last minute activity hit us this month because many advertisers needed changes to update their ads with their just received Dayton booth numbers. All of the 2003 Field Day products are in stock and shipping (see http://www.arrl.org/FieldDay): Field Day T-shirts, Field Day/GOTA T-shirts, Field Day pins, GOTA pins. The cover design was completed for the new title, YASME -- The Danny Weil and Colvin Radio Expeditions. The book, published by ARRL, was commissioned by the YASME Foundation. Author Jim Cain, K1TN, hopes to be present for its debut at the International DX Convention in May (Visalia, CA). ARRL will soon carry the 3rd edition of The Complete DX'er, authored by Bob Locher, W9KNI. Bob Inderbitzen negotiated an agreement with the author that will allow ARRL a more exclusive marketing and distribution arrangement for handling the book. Bob and Lisa Tardette completed the next edition of the Dealer Newsline. The newsletter covers many of the new publications being released in March, April, and May: Now You're Talking!, 5th edition, ARRL Order No. 8810 (coming mid/late April) ARRL's Tech Q & A, 3rd edition, ARRL Order No. 8829 (coming early/mid April) ARRL's Extra Q& A, 1st edition, ARRL Order No. 8888 (coming early/mid April) The ARRL Repeater Directory, 2003-2004, ARRL Order No. 8918 (coming early May) Hints & Kinks for the Radio Amateur, 16th edition, ARRL Order No. 8926 (avail. now) The ARRL UHF/Microwave Projects CD, ARRL Order No. 8853 (avail early/mid April) The ARRL DXCC List, May 2003 edition, ARRL Order No. 8942 (available April/May) The Guide to ARRL Member Services, included in QST each month, now includes a note about ARRL product offerings, including books, software and operating resources. A handful of membership mailings are planned which will include some testing--comparing our usual "control" mailings against some "experimental" mailings. We are anxious to beat our typical return rates with some new direct mail approaches. The next edition of ARRL's most popular license manual, Now You're Talking!, will include a unique web address for prospective and new hams seeking additional help and resources. There are plans to build a web presentation that includes quick links to locating clubs, testing sites, practice tests, bonus material, and special membership invitations and offers. This type of "relationship marketing" uses the web to help build one-on-one relationships with customers. By bringing new customers to the ARRLWeb in a uniquely focused manner (and even before they're licensed), we will have greater success introducing them to other valuable ARRL services and products. Product Fulfillment and Warehouse staff processed orders for the approximately 200 Field Day and GOTA Pins that were on back order. Membership Fulfillment reports they are receiving a steady return from the February membership mailing. With instruction from ISD, Membership Fulfillment staff is now able to add call signs to membership records. If an FCC record contained a call sign for someone who had an Associate membership record (no call sign), staff could not add the call due to the duplication (two records cannot contain the same US call sign). We are now able to delete the call from the FCC record and add it to the Associate member record. This also holds true for members receiving vanity call signs (in that there are two different names having the same call sign). This provides instant gratification to our members who want to see their new call sign immediately on-line. ARRL's annual automatic renewal program is experiencing a greater number of declined credit card charges every month. With assistance from John Proctor, we emailed and mailed letters to the approximately 250 upcoming May membership expirees whose credit cards are expiring letting them know this fact; 50 responses have already been received. The QEX and NCJ subscription prices have been expanded on the web site to include two and three year rates in addition to the one year rates that were in place. Over the years, a number of subscribers have expressed interest in subscribing to these publications for more than one year at a time. Having multiple year discounts has generally not been the issue; just the convenience of paying for more than a year at a time. Recently, Steve Capodicasa and the warehouse crew shipped 714 ARRL Periodical CD ROMs 2002 to our International CD members (do not receive monthly QST.) This is a 115 member increase over last year. Membership Services Awards Branch WAS QSL Cards Checked 550 WAS Endorsements (150 QSLs ES/C) 3 5 Band WAS Cert. (250 QSLs F/C) 1 WAC QSL Cards Checked 138 WAC Certificates (210 QSLs F/C) 35 L/T Member Inquiries 4 50-Year Member Award 1 25-Year Member Award 1 A-1 Operator Nominations 2 VUCC Endorsement Apps. 7 Grids 558 VUCC Backfill Apps. 2 Grids 832 Awards Mailed 55 Processing Status: Current or up to three weeks. For the coming week-More WAS QSL card checking, U. S. WAC awards, enter long term member award recipients' records into their Siebel member records, (will require training with JP), order 5 Band WAS plates, and VUCC awards processing. DXCC Branch Weekly Report March 23, 2003 Beginning Cards 138,469 Cards Received 13,555 Cards Processed 15,617 Ending Cards 137,407 Applications Pending 1,278 Processing Time 9 Weeks Year-to-date (2003) Cards Received 113,251 Cards Returned 182,458 QRPs Issued this week 3 QRP's Issued total 287 DXCC is currently mailing applications received on January 16, 2003. DXCC is currently entering cards received on January 18, 2003. Contest Branch The DX plaques that were on back order came in and paperwork continued for processing the plaques. With the deadline for the International DX CW contest coming due, questions were answered, by email and phone, the regarding electronic submissions while many paper logs were also received. Non-Cabrillo format entries from overseas were fixed. QSL Branch QSL service status: 1 week delay. Cards mailed year to date as of 03/23/03 - 335,250. No cards were mailed this week due to staff illness. Martin ran the morning CW bulletins at W1AW on Thursday & Friday. Thanks to HQ Staffers who filled in as Tour Guide in Heather Dzamba's absence. W1AW Joe Carcia processed the texts for the April W1AW Qualifying Runs. He also processed regular QSL card requests. Joe also worked the Thursday and Friday night shifts for a vacationing Scott Gee, as well as handling some evening phone sales calls in the 5 PM to 8 PM time slot. Scott Gee worked on slow and fast code practice files for the latter part of the month of March and early April. He also handled some evening phone sales calls in the 5 PM to 8 PM time slot. W1AW telephone sales year to date (2003): $3,154. Field & Educational Services Rosalie edited FCC rules for kids' reading level for The Big Project. She provided data on 9/11 ham response at NVOAD's request for a report. She provided Section Manager contact info to several FEMA regional leaders, and wrote verbiage at Region 10's request for their workbook. Regulatory Information John Hennessee was honored at the Monday Manager's Meeting for being an ARRL member for 25 years. For the week he answered questions from a number of amateurs about whether the Amateur Service would shut down in the event of a war. He assisted hams with local government zoning problems in Troy, MI (KE8UM) and with covenant problems in West Hartford, CT (N1PHR) and Justin, TX (N7XYF). John processed an application for a new Volunteer Counsel -- Joseph Roby, Jr, K0JJR of Duluth, MN. Field Organization/Public Service Team Steve Ewald spoke with a few Field Organization leaders who have asked their ARES and RACES members to be even more alert for possible emergency activation at this time. Recent postings on the SM reflector about Section News have given Steve another opportunity to answer questions and offer clarification to SMs. Steve finalized preparations for the Nebraska State Convention. Leona Adams is formatting the SM Candidate statements. These will go to the printer next week, and ballots will be printed in-house. Leona sent monthly current and expired Field Organization appointment data to SMs. Chuck Skolaut networked with Riley Hollingsworth about interference to repeaters in Idaho. The source was possibly a pager at an Air Force base; Chuck called the OOC who contacted the base. The main problem seems to be resolved, but minor interference continues, so investigation continues. Chuck called the Georgia SEC about recent tornadoes; communications weren't crippled. Field & Education Support Team Mary Lau is working on a study of percentages of ARRL membership within our clubs. She made changes to the Goldfarb scholarship application on the Web to reflect the new deadline for 2004, and processed applications. Linda Mullally registered 10 Volunteer Instructors and 1 schoolteacher. She updated 56 club records and did 5 reactivations. She mailed out 25 initial field appointment supply packages. Jean Wolfgang communicated (through email and phone) with nominees, SMs and nominators about the Instructor of the Year awards and the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award. She has begun to receive endorsement forms and also nominee profiles. Gail Iannone wrote 38 hamfest and 3 convention announcements for May QST. She sent 18 letters to sponsoring committees confirming the Executive Committee's approval of their events as ARRL-sanctioned, 24 hamfest approval letters confirming Director's approval of events as ARRL-sanctioned, processed 9 door prize orders and 3 label requests for upcoming events. She co-ordinated travel for Steve Ewald as HQ rep at the Tennessee State Convention on June 13-14. Margie Bourgoin reports 2 new club applications sent for Director approval. She has also been busy helping clubs reactivate their records. She located better addresses for the clubs whose "AR Today" CD was returned. Margie also sent out monthly reports to the clubs and helped Leona proofread SM statements. Amateur Radio Education & Technology Project Jerry Hill notified 10 schools they were approved for the Big Project, and welcomed them: Allendale High School, Allendale, Michigan; Coronado Middle School, Coronado, California; James B. Castle High School, Kaneohe, Hawaii; Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School, Jamesville, New York; Marlington High School, Alliance, Ohio; Newington High School, Newington, Connecticut; Silver Stage High School, Silver Springs, Nevada; South Davie Middle School, Mocksville, North Carolina; Southern Baptist Educational Center (SBEC), Southaven, Mississippi; and Webster Intermediate School, Webster, Texas. Jerry prepared for the National Science Teacher Association national conference. Jim Kuhl, N2STK, from Central Square Middle School (NY) will be attending, and assist Jerry with set up and staffing the booth. Jerry arranged files for the Radio Lab Handbook -- the range of topics includes educational standards, station layout, and so on. C-CE Jerry Ellis processed results from several field exam sessions received recently; and fulfilled requests for field exam kits. He set up RFI and Satellite Communications classes for registration, and assigned mentors to the HF Digital and Level III emcomm classes that start the next two weeks. CNCS and UTC grads were mailed printed certificates, ID cards and refund checks. Howard Robins sent changes, thanks to Ed Hare and Mike Gruber, for the RFI course Q&A to our Web host. Several students suggested good revisions, too. Beta-testing for the VHF/UHF course will be done in early April; the course will be online in the 2nd quarter thanks to Steve Ford. Howard is negotiating with an author for Antennas 101, and seeks a proofreader. The author of the Propagation course has nearly completed his work. 73, Sincerely, David Sumner, K1ZZ Chief Executive Officer DS: lk Staff Absentee List Name Date(s) Reason All Staff 4/18 Holiday Dave Sumner 3/27 Washington Mark Wilson 3/25-3/31 Vacation Dave Patton 4/4 Vacation Dan Miller 3/29-3/30 Atlantic Div. Conv., Timonium, MD `` 4/4, 4/17, 4/21 Vacation Rick Lindquist 3/28 Vacation Joel Kleinman 4/1 Vacation Howard Robbins 4/11-4/21 Vacation Scott Gee 3/26 Vacation