This feature--including convenient Web links to useful information--is a quick monthly update of some of the things ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of January.

• The ARRL Board of Directors approved a proposal to ask the FCC to create a new entry-level Amateur Radio license that would include HF phone privileges without requiring a Morse code test, as well as consolidate the current license structure to three levels. The proposal was filed with the FCC January 28. A Web FAQ on ARRL's proposal has been posted. Full minutes of the board meeting are also on the Web.

• The ARRL Board of Directors approved the development of a four-tier set of Amateur Radio mentoring programs. The mentoring program levels will be known as ARRL Club Mentor, ARRL Mentor, Interactive Mentor and Special Interest Mentor.

• The ARRL Contest Branch announced that a Web-based "applet" program is available that can create and e-mail contest logs in the Cabrillo file format ARRL requires for contest log uploads. Also, the complete 2003 CW and Phone Sweepstakes combined paper and electronic lists of logs were added to the ARRL Web.

• The ARRL Executive Committee approved 14 new project or progress grants for The Big Project schools. Initial e-mail notifications went out January 9.

• ARRL's views on the BPL issue got more exposure after ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, did an interview with IDG News Service. The finished piece appeared in Info World, IT World and PC World. United Press International also picked up the story and it appeared in The Washington (DC) Times.

• Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, received reports from ARRL Official Observers about a classical music broadcast station that suddenly appeared on 7040 kHz; ARRL Monitoring Station operators are gathering data. Documentation from OOs and OOCs about ongoing interference cases on 75 meters, gurgling noises on 20 meters and unlicensed operations on 10 meters also came to Skolaut's office.

• The ARRL Board of Directors removed a paragraph from the DXCC Rules criteria for determining a DXCC entity. The excised provision had the unintended consequence of generating applications for IARU membership that did not further the objectives of the IARU. See the ARRL homepage for the story dated January 20.

• W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, noted that log submissions were up 56% for the 2003 ARRL Frequency Measuring Test over the 2002 event. Preliminary results are now available on the FMT Web pages.

• The popular Kid's Day event was held January 4, with 701 children making 2668 contacts. Fifteen percent of the participants were in high school, 56% in middle school and 29% in grade school.

• ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist John Hennessee, N1KB, assisted amateurs with local government zoning problems in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Louisiana, Wisconsin and Arizona; he assisted hams in Florida, Hawaii and Montana who had covenant problems. He also researched and compiled a new FAQ for the regulatory Web page on repeaters, including auxiliary operation, ancillary uses, types of control and similar issues.

• ARRL Field and Educational Services urges amateurs involved with public service and emergency response activations to document these volunteer activities. The ARRL wants to use such reports to bring these activities to the attention of Congress, the FCC and other public officials. See the story posted January 27 to the ARRL homepage for details.

• Maxim Memorial station W1AW recently expanded its capability to allow visiting hams to use many of the newest HF digital modes. All three of the station's studios now have digital mode capability.

• ARRL Laboratory RFI Specialist Mike Gruber, W1MG, answered questions from 93 members on interference problems. He also sent out two informational letters to power utility companies, one to a manufacturer and prepared four cases for FCC involvement.

• ARRL Field and Educational Services (F&ES) is seeking Amateur Radio presentation programs or slide shows that utilize Microsoft PowerPoint or similar slide-viewing software to add to the materials in the ARRL Library Video Series. F&ES also is interested in VHS and digital video programs.

• The ARRL DXCC Desk has approved the Pratas Island, BQ9P, operation of September 9-16, 2003, for DXCC credit. Also approved are several operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda and Europa Island.

• Need to know a bit more about key ARRL Staff and Officers? A set of personal biographies of those who regularly attend ham radio events is up on the ARRL Public Relations Web pages. The information may be used in convention brochures, handouts promoting an upcoming speaker and club newsletters.

• ARRL Amateur Radio Education and Technology Program Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME, operated W1AW for both Straight Key Night and Kid's Day. For Straight Key Night, Spencer used the key from "Old Betsy," Hiram Percy Maxim's spark gap transmitter.

• ARRL Field and Public Service Team Supervisor Steve Ewald, WV1X, and Mayes County, Oklahoma Emergency Manager Lloyd Colston, KC5FM, were co-presenters at an Emergency Information Infrastructure Project virtual forum.

• ARRL Media Relations Manager Jennifer Hagy, N1TDY, gave a radio interview about the ARRL's Kid's Day to the Mars Hill Network, a Christian FM radio network with four stations in Central and Northern New York. The host of the network's "Spotlight" public affairs program is ARRL member Rich McVicar, AB2FN. She also aided a Tampa (Fla.) Tribune reporter working on a story about BPL.

• New resources to assist Section Managers with membership recruitment have been posted to the Section Manager-only Web area. New additions to the site include extensive "Tips on Recruiting" and a sign-up poster.

• ARRL Field and Public Service Team Supervisor Steve Ewald, WV1X, and Emergency Communications Courses Grants Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG, joined Connecticut ARES leaders at the State Office of Emergency Management on January 7 for a statewide discussion and simulated exercise with emergency management officials. Representatives from the Department of Homeland Security observed.

• Emergency Communications Courses Grants Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG, presented at two-hour seminar emergency communication seminar at Ham Radio University 2004 in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York on January 18.

• The DXCC Branch checked 59,287 cards in January for DXCC credit. The Awards Branch checked cards and issued 177 individual awards.

Dave Hassler, K7CCC, is the News Editor of QST and the ARRLWeb. He can be reached by via e-mail at k7ccc@arrl.org.

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