<<102908.doc>> IN-Newsletter <<Microsoft Word Picture>> Vol. 31, No. 44 October 29, 2008 -- Covers the period October 19-25. Upcoming Meetings and Events Ballot Counting for Director/Vice Director Elections November 21 in Newington, CT Administration &Finance Committee November 22 @ 8:30am in Newington, CT Regulatory Information Reported by Dan Henderson, N1ND The FCC through Leo Cirbo has begun making the PAVE PAWS contacts for the third round of newly required mitigation repeaters around Beale AFB. We provided Mr. Cirbo copies of the materials ARRL had sent out in precious rounds of mitigation. We also inquired as to the status of how the FCC was going to handle previously notified repeaters that to date were not in compliance with required mitigation requests. The FCC has not yet determined how they will proceed on such cases. In conjunction with that Ed Hare in the Lab has been working with NARCC and NESMC on Longley-Rice plots for proposed new coordinations. Also a web story was prepared notifying the amateur community that the third round of contacts has begun. Member questions on a wide range of topics were handled including: the pending "white-space" issue at the FCC and its effect on the amateur service, a local city cell-phone ordinance in Paris, TX, queries about the ARRL's reconsideration petition on the experimental license that affected 40-meters, license renewal questions, vanity callsign issues, the usual reciprocal operating questions, and a couple of CC&R issues. We have begun working with Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, and Emergency Preparedness & Response Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, on a white paper addressing the appropriate use and integration of amateur radio by public service agencies in emergencies. This is in response to numerous queries and concerns coming to the ARRL concerning the way public service agencies, such as law enforcement and EOCs, are beginning to incorporate amateur radio into their response plans. Media & Public Relations Reported by Allen Pitts, W1AGP Jim Cross reports that things went well at the Marine Corps Marathon and Amateur Radio was seen, useful and noted by leaders. Rosalie White reported that the interview set up for her to promote ARISS with broadcaster Ted Randall (www.tedrandall.com) also went very well. More material has come in which is being edited and adapted to the proposed PR-101 course and we secured HD quality NASA video for a planned PSA in 2009. Allen did the audio news for 10/24, the November CONTACT! is almost completed as well as cooperative projects with our Regulatory Specialist. The web-emails have decreased now but continue to come in from the contact option on www.WeDoThat-Radio.org . These are being given individual responses and then also sent on to the TIS and/or Section Managers for follow-up as appropriate. Development Reported by Mary Hobart, K1MMH Development welcomed a new member of the Diamond Club at the Director Level. Information on the renewed charitable gift provision of the Pension Protection Act has been posted on the website and is included in all gift acknowledgement letters. The provision now permits qualified contributors, aged at least 70-1/2, to make contributions of up to $100,000 from an IRA or Roth IRA directly to a qualified non-profit organization before December 31, 2008 and again before December 31, 2009. Development has already received several inquiries about this giving opportunity. The annual fall Spectrum Defense campaign is in the mail to ARRL members. The goal is to raise more than $300,000 to meet the programs target for 2008. Production/Editorial Reported by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE On Friday, Joel Kleinman visited the printing plant where QST is printed each month (Pontiac, Illinois) as well as the co-mail facility where it's shipped from (Bolingbrook). The staff at both facilities were more than generous with their time and hospitality. The November/December 2008 issue of QEX has been released to the printer. Khrystyne Keane wrote and Allen Pitts distributed The ARRL Letter, Vol. 27, No. 42, for October 24, 2008. Allen Pitts voiced and produced ARRL Audio News for October 24. (Tnx Allen!) Sales and Marketing Reported by Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R We are pleased to welcome a new part time customer service representative, Kimberly Piatek, to our team. Kim has experience in customer service from working at a local bank and supervising the branch. She lives in Berlin, is an avid Red Sox fan and loves pets! She is already busy processing publication orders and membership applications. Welcome Kim! At the January Board meeting earlier this year, the senior membership discount was eliminated, effective January 1, 2009. We are currently updating all the forms and membership collateral to reflect this upcoming change in our rate structure. Please review any materials you or your department may have that need to be updated. Contact Amy Hurtado for assistance. The fall 2008 publications and product catalog mailed to 13,000 members and customers on October 16. Catalogs were also supplied to 65 ARRL publication dealers. Returns from the recent publication mailing, featuring the 2009 Handbook and other new titles, have produced sales topping $20,000. A great start! We have stocked out of our initial printing of 50 Years of Amateur Radio Innovation. A reprint is expected to arrive by the end of November, in time for holiday gift giving. The Warehouse crew fulfilled 1,087 packages for publication and product orders, shipped 289 free book membership premiums, and sent November QST mailing supplements. Membership & Volunteer Programs Reported by Dave Patton, NN1N Contest Branch Heavy promotion continues for the 2008 November Sweepstakes. Blogs and articles for the web have been written every week for the past three weeks and a special article for the ARRL Letter was included in the October 24th edition. Sean, KX9X, has been talking up SS and encouraging operators in rare sections to get on the air, even for a casual operation. Sean has even taken matters into his own hands and will be operating this weekend's CW Sweepstakes from Nebraska, a rare section in SS, especially CW. The remaining one-third of 2007 Sweepstakes plaques arrived last Friday. Carol Michaud, KB1QAW, will have them out the door early this week. This means all 2007 SS plaques have now been processed. Sean, KX9X, will be gathering a group of volunteers together and process the ARRL 10 Meter Contest certificates early this week. In Awards issues, West Gulf Division Director Coy Day, N5OK, made a presentation of the Fred Fish Memorial Award plaque #1 to Lee Fish, K5FF, the widow of Fred Fish, W5FF. Fred was the first Amateur to work and confirm all 488 grid squares in the contiguous US, and is the person the new ARRL Fred Fish Memorial Award is named after. The FFMA #1 plaque was awarded and presented posthumously to Lee by N5OK at the Texoma Hamarama in Ardmore, OK on Saturday, October 25, during the ARRL Forum. Lee was said to be "happy and sad at the same time" over the presentation and was thrilled the League has chosen to honor her husband. FFMA #2 will likely be awarded in 2009, as there are four Amateurs who have fewer than five grids to go for all 488. W1AW Joe processed one Qualifying Run endorsement. He also monitored and copied a number of SSTV images that were transmitted from the International Space Station. (Joe also attempted to make FM voice contact with Richard Garriott, W5KWQ, who was aboard the ISS.) Joe also prepared cabling, assembled replacement hardware and constructed a side-mount tower support in anticipation of the autumn antenna/tower work that is scheduled to be performed within the next week. He and Greg also pulled a new coaxial line and power control line through to the Satellite tower. Scott worked on slow and fast code practice files for the latter part of the month of October and the first part of November. Field Organization/Public Service Team Chuck Skolaut and Leona Adams received, processed and sent out 16 Official Observer test packets this week. One new member of the ARRL Monitoring System/Intruder Watch (from Maryland) has been approved to participate in the program. Making use of our online antenna zoning information and a Volunteer Consulting Engineer, an Ohio radio amateur reports prospects of a favorable re-writing of local zoning regulations with regard to Amateur Radio towers. After Chuck received a phone call that reported a continuous string of "dits" being sent on 7057 kHz, the FCC HF direction finding station was informed. The FCC responded quickly with a general location, and local Official Observers in Ohio were alerted to track it down. After having initial problems hearing the signal -- and for a time the signal ceased - Official Observers in the Columbus, Ohio, area were successful in locating the source. It was a stuck keyer at a radio amateur's home, and the problem was resolved. This was a good cooperative effort especially since the local FCC district office was not available for assistance at the time for follow up. Interference issues to an Arkansas HF net and unidentified transmissions on an Oklahoma repeater are currently under investigation by Official Observers. Section Manager Election ballots for five sections are still arriving at HQ via the postal mail. The ballots need to be at HQ by November 14, and they will be counted on November 18. Simulated Emergency Test results from around the country continue to arrive at HQ. Sincerely Compiled by, Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO Staff Absentee List All Staff 11/27-11/28 Holiday `` 12/25 Holiday Kathy Allison 10/27-10/31 Vacation Bob Allison 10/27-10/31 Vacation Steve Capodicasa 11/24-11/26 Vacation Steve Ford 10/31 Vacation `` 11/11 Vacation Scott Gee 12/8-12/9 Vacation `` 12/23-12/26 Vacation Dan Henderson 11/14-11/16 Indiana State Convention, Ft. Wayne, IN `` 11/21-12/3 ARI Headquarters Milan/Pescara Convention `` 12/19-1/5 Vacation Debra Johnson 10/31 Vacation `` 11/3 Vacation Bill Moore 11/24-11/26 Vacation `` 12/16-1/3 Vacation Allen Pitts 10/31-11/4 Vacation Brennan Price 10/29-10/30 Washington `` 11/3pm-11/4 Vacation `` 11/7-11/25 Vacation