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ARRL In Action: What Have We Been Up To Lately?

By Dave Hassler, K7CCC
Assistant News Editor
July 1, 2003

This feature is a quick monthly update of some of the things ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of June.

ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, testified before a congressional subcommittee June 11 in Washington, DC, on behalf of the Spectrum Protection Act of 2003, HR 713.

At the during the ARRL 2003 National Convention June 21, Haynie signed an official Statement of Affiliation with Citizen Corps, an initiative of the US Department of Homeland Security.

ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, Senior News Editor Rick Lindquist, N1RL, and Regulatory Information Specialist John Hennessee, N1KB, authored a 60-Meter FAQ covering all aspects of legally operating in the new, channelized allocation. Hare continues work on several technical papers concerning Broadband over Power Line (BPL) issues that may affect Amateur Radio.

ARRL Hudson Division Director Frank Fallon, N2FF, and Atlantic Division Director Bernie Fuller, N3EFN, called on New York ARRL members to help get the state's Amateur Radio antenna bill enacted, but the third try came up short as the legislature's session ended June 19 without action on the bill.

ARRL Technical Relations Manager Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, and Technical Relations Specialist Jon Siverling, WB3ERA, represented Amateur Radio as official US delegates to World Radiocommunications Conference 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, attended as an observer in his capacity of IARU Secretary.

ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist John Hennessee, N1KB, answered a number of questions on the 60-meter channels. He assisted amateurs with a local zoning problem in Ohio and Oklahoma, and assisted a ham with a covenant restriction in Indiana.

The League's 2002 Annual Report is currently available to members on-line as a PDF file. The report offers an overview of League activities for the year, messages from ARRL President Haynie and CEO Sumner, along with ARRL's complete, audited financial statements for 2002.

ARRL Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, received more information regarding possible illegal 2-meter operations in the New Jersey/New York area, in Missouri and also in California, where unlicensed hang glider pilots have been heard. Skolaut has collected reports of intruders on 30, 10 and 2 meters.

Responding to problems encountered by some early beta testers, the League released an updated beta version of Logbook of the World that should resolve these issues. Beta testers are encouraged to download the new version of the software, 1.02-beta, from the LotW page.

ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R; Circulation Manager Kathy Capodicasa, N1GZO, and Circulation Assistant Daniel Sayad, KB1IIP, promoted the benefits of joining the ARRL at Ham-Com in Arlington, Texas. A total of 164 hams signed up as new, renewing or returning members.

In California, Amateur Radio antenna legislation modeled on PRB-1 passed both the Senate and Assembly unanimously. Mike Mitchell, W6RW, has been spearheading the Amateur Radio community's effort to promote the bill and ARRL Pacific Division Director Bob Vallio, W6RGG, spoke at an Assembly hearing on AB 1228.

ARRL Emergency Communication Course Grants Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG, represented ARRL at SeaPac in Seaside, Oregon, June 13-14, giving a seminar on the AREC courses. He followed that with two seminars at the ARRL National Convention at Ham-Com in Arlington, Texas June 20-22.

New ARRL Amateur Radio Education and Technology Program Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME, hit the ground running. Along with Andy Schiller, AB1BA, Spencer operated W1AW for Kid's Day. Spencer has participated in several ARISS teleconferences and is enhancing the curriculum of the Education and Technology Program.

The Contest Branch prepared the 2002 10 Meter Contest results for the ARRL Web and handled numerous queries about Field Day. Line scores for the 2002 November CW and Phone Sweepstakes, and the 2002 160 Meter Contest were prepared and added to the PDF files available online.

ARRL RFI Engineer Mike Gruber, W1MG, helped 122 members with technical and RFI problems in May. He also wrote one letter to a utility company concerning an interference issue.

ARRL Section Managers, Public Information Coordinators and others worked for statewide proclamations honoring Amateur Radio in New Hampshire, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Maine, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

ARRL Educational Correspondent Margie Bourgoin, KB1DCO, set up a section on the Club Companion Web site for people to share their Field Day preparations. See what other clubs did to be successful.

Along with six other media outlets asking for interviews, a Detroit Free Press reporter talked with ARRL Media Relations Manager Jennifer Hagy, N1TDY, about Field Day activities. Hagy assisted a ham in Indiana with PR materials and provided information to a member who was making a presentation to his city council about the benefits of Amateur Radio.

The DXCC Branch continues to plow through card submissions faster than they come in, slicing the total processing time down to seven weeks.

Through June 15, the ARRL Outgoing QSL Service had shipped 681,400 cards to foreign destinations this year. There has been a significant decrease in cards coming in from members for processing. By the end of May 2002, the bureau had processed 951,000 cards for the year.

ARRL Field and Public Service Team Supervisor Steve Ewald, WV1X, represented the League at the Tennessee State Convention June 13-14. Field and Education Services Manager Rosalie White, K1STO spoke at the San Francisco Section Convention, while QST Product Review Editor Brennan Price, N4QX, attended the Iowa and Georgia conventions in June.

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