IN-Newsletter Vol. 28, No. 39 September 28, 2005 - Covers the period September 18 -24. Upcoming Meetings and Events United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) September 26-30 - ARRL HQ Executive Committee Meeting October 22 - Dallas, TX CEO John Hennessee made a presentation at the SM Workshop. He also answered a wide range of regulatory questions. He assisted amateurs with local government zoning problems in West University Place, TX (K5LM) and Yonkers, NY (AB2PP). Development The 2006 Spectrum Defense Fund campaign will be headed to the production house on Wednesday. This campaign for the entire ARRL active membership is budgeted to raise $275,000. The message is focused on the need to protect Amateur Radio frequencies to protect ham radio's ability to respond as they did so well during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. With the shortfall from the summer campaign, the fall campaign is vital to our continuing work in advocacy. Work continues on the 2006 budget and the Growth Task Force. The ARRL Foundation has approved a $1000 grant to the Nixa (MO) ARC. Inquiries are being considered for new scholarships for 2006. Media & Public Relations While Rita did not generate the activity of Katrina, there were some smaller radio and newspaper interviews done. But there remains the problem of good PR opportunities lost because no one took video of hams in action during the first 36 hours and then made it available to news outlets. Other activities included PR orientation to new Section Managers and encouraging them to recruit PICs. As soon as Delta Division Vice Director Henry Leggette secures the promised location in Memphis, further announcements of the Toy Drive can be made, including that for a video being done this week by Rich Lubash featuring Patty Loveless. Rich is also working on a documentary of hams in Katrina actions which can be broadcast freely. Due to Katrina, the Hello campaign is about a month behind schedule but has now received videotape from NYC and Japan. The Sept Contact! is (finally) out on the web. Production/Editorial Maty Weinberg has prepared the 2005 Microwave Update Conference Proceedings for the printer. Rick Lindquist reports The ARRL Letter, Vol. 24, No. 37, was distributed to 66,576 ARRL members on September 23. Rick wrapped up work on the "Happenings" column and a Hurricane Katrina article for November QST. He also monitored teleconferences for and prepared/edited stories on Amateur Radio's Hurricane Rita response, the new "CC&R" bill just introduced in the 109th Congress, the IARU Administrative Council meeting (thanks to Dave Sumner for the info and photo) and several news briefs and announcements. Rick voiced, edited and produced ARRL Audio News (with sound bite assistance from President Jim Haynie) for September 23. Sales & Marketing We have accumulated over 5,500 pre-orders for the 2006 ARRL Handbook, exceeding the original sales forecast of 3,180 units. An email solicitation sent on Wednesday helped net another 203 direct orders. ARRL's newest product is a deluxe, 13-month Amateur Radio Calendar for 2006. The calendars begin shipping in mid-October (ARRL Order No. 9607--retail $12.95 plus shipping and handling). November 2005 QST went to press on Thursday. The advertising page count target was met, however dollar target fell short by $6,800.00. ALINCO opted out for November citing the fact that they did not budget for the specialty advertising they did in 2005. They will be in the December tear-out and will budget for the specialty venues in 2006. HamPROs did not place an ad in November QST; instead, they decided to try an ad in November CQ. They will most likely be back for December. Kenwood has cut back to two pages instead of three for the months of October and November. They have not indicated their plans for December as of yet. Work continues on NCJ and QEX advertising. J-TEC is out of both publications for this issue, but will be advertising in December QST as an alternative. A flyer has been sent to advertisers as a follow-up to the email solicitation for the December QST Holiday tear-out. Requests for new ham information were sent to 10 prospects. Product Fulfillment Supervisor Zoe Belliveau, KB1MPK, is now managing our publication store in the lobby. Zoe has already contributed some welcome, new ideas to help keep the store looking fresh and inviting for our visitors. Bob Inderbitzen participated in the SM training workshop on Saturday. Online Courses On September 26, registration begins for a level 1 and a level 2 Amateur Radio Emergency Communications class (100 slots in each). These are among the first EmComm course offerings that will not be grant subsidized. As part of the regular routine of administering the online courses, 12 rosters were sent to the Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium for classes that were being readied to open this week. Mentors have been contacted to help make assignments to the next set of classes. Field tests were registered and certificates mailed to students completing their tests. ON-LINE COURSES Registrations During this week Graduations Antenna Modeling (EC-004) 3 0 HF Digital (EC-005) 0 2 RFI (EC-006) 1 0 VHF/UHF (EC-008) 2 0 Antenna Design and Construction (EC-009) 0 Technician Licensing (EC-010) 6 0 Propagation (EC-011) 1 0 Analog Electronics (EC-012) 3 0 Digital Electronics (EC-013) 2 0 Emergency Comm. Level 1 (EC-001) 3 by mail 37 Emergency Comm. Level 2 (EC-002) 20 11 Emergency Comm. Level 3 (EC-003) 53 9 Membership Services Awards Branch Extra Class Certificates 15 A-1 Operator Nominations 4 LTMA Inquiries 1 VUCC Initial Applications 7 Grids 486 VUCC Endorsement Apps. 3 Grids 131 Awards Mailed 34 In addition, spent two+ days training, doing research and data entry for the DXCC Plaque program. On Friday, Eileen placed an order for 40 Honor Roll plates, 30 Top of Honor Roll plates, and 13 5BDXCC plates with Modern Craft Engravers. Processing Status: Current or up to three weeks. For the coming week-Foreign WAC, VUCC, and WAS Specialty awards, do research and data entry for DXCC Challenge plaques and place the current order, plus mail out all the processed awards. DXCC Branch For the week of: September 25, 2005 Beginning Credits 92,007 Credits Received 13,697 Credits Processed 10,993 Ending Credits 94,711 Applications Pending 981 Processing Time (Conventional) 9.5 Weeks New First-Time Ever Awards issued this period: 26 Year-to-date (2005) Credits Received 474,907 Credits Returned 454,311 DXCC is currently mailing applications received on July 20, 2005. DXCC is currently entering credits received on August 15, 2005. Logbook of the World QSO records entered into the system 79,406,176 QSL records have resulted 3,814,693 Logs Processed 145,688 Active Certificates 15,861 Users registered in the system 10,547 Hybrids Pending Mail 125 QSL Bureau There is a 2 day processing time delay. This week, 93 pounds of cards were received from members. No cards were mailed this week. Field Organization/Public Service Team Thanks to everyone at HQ for welcoming the ten Section Managers that were here this past week and weekend for the 2005 SM Workshop. Steve Ewald, Chuck Skolaut and Leona Adams served as primary hosts for the Section Managers who visited with all of the HQ staff members and participated in training sessions on the 24th and 25th in the HQ conference room. Thanks to Jon Bloom, Bob Inderbitzen, John Hennessee, Allen Pitts, Chuck and Mary Skolaut (along with Steve) for making presentations at the Workshop. The SMs who were here for the Workshop participated in the ARRL telebridge-sponsored teleconfernece with the SMs/SECs in the Hurricane Rita affected sections. Throughout the week, the Team kept in touch with Field Leaders in the Gulf Coast region as Hurricane Rita advanced toward shore, struck and moved on. Leona has also been making preparations for the Western Massachusetts Section Manger election, and has handled a number of updates and changes to the Field Appointment data base as requested by Section leaders. Carl Clements, W4CAC, has been nominated for another term of office as SM of Virginia. Rosalie edited and distributed the latest edition of the ARES E-Letter. Rick Palm reported getting emails an hour later. Readers now total 11,325 versus 10,898 for the Sept 11 issue, making for a gain of 427 readers in 11 days! Johnson Space Center (JSC) powered down Mission Control for Hurricane Rita evacuation; ISS control was given to the Russian Space Agency. Rosalie took on duties of an ARISS School Mentor who evacuated. Some JSC hams didn't evacuate; they are on the JSC Ride-out Crew for the EOC. With NASA shut down, MCI agreed to provide a free ARISS telecon on Friday -- this week Rosalie took part in 3 ARISS telecons. Rosalie kept the Brooklyn (NY) Bourough President, at his request, updated on the 3 Russian Space Tourist QSOs. She networked with Rick Lindquist on latest details about these 3 schools, and she routed their applications to the ARISS Ops. She networked one of the teachers with a teacher who had an ARISS QSO last week. Rosalie coordinated the Ga Tech Amateur Radio Club with the Georgia Tech Aerospace Engineering Dept staff, for their Exp. 12 QSO where area high school students will be guests -- the high school teacher is readying for his ham test. Thanks goes to RoseAnne for sending ARISS teaching aids to a Florida teacher who called after sending in her ARISS application. Taking part in some NVOAD telecons this week, Rosalie reported on ham radio response to Katrina and Rita. She updated a NVOAD information matrix that reports on its organizations' work. She followed up with the Kat Team about a message regarding New Orleans' water supply that we'd sent to FEMA. She took part in the HQ telecons regarding Rita, and forwarded a request from the Humane Society for lingering needs from Katrina. She monitored the local repeater during the Emergency Power Operating Event. She pointed an ARISS volunteer, whose neighbor is a Girl Scouter, to our resources for Scouts. Rosalie and Chris Imlay networked with a government employee (with SHARES) about insurance coverage for SHARES ham operators who are ARES disaster workers. Sincerely, Dave Patton, NN1N Special Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer DCP: lk Staff Absentee List Dave Patton 10/6-10/7 Vacation 10/19-10/24 Vera Cruz, Mexico (FMRE Convention) 11/21-11/28 Cartagena, Colombia (CQWW CW) Dave Sumner 9/30 Vacation 10/3-10/9 IARU R3 Directors meeting and SEANET meeting, Bangalore Mary Hobart 9/30 Vancouver, WA Scott Gee 9/29-9/30 Vacation Ed Hare 9/27-9/30 RFI Committee Meeting, Irvine, CA `` 10/3-10/5 Vacation `` 10/31-11/2 Vacation Bob Inderbitzen 10/21 Vacation Allen Pitts 10/5-10/7 Vacation Joel Kleinman 9/29 Vacation Wayne Mills 10/5-10/10 RSGB Convention Scott Gee 9/29-9/30 Vacation Kathy Allison 10/20-10/21 Vacation Joe Carcia 10/21pm Nat'l Science Teachers Assoc. AR presentation, Hartford, CT Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO ARRL: The National Association for Amateur Radio 225 Main Street Newington, CT 06111 Tel: 860-594-0245 Fax: 860-594-0259 email: lkustosik@arrl.org