‰  NOW 40 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM MARCH 2006 QST  PAGES 73, 75 AND 43  ‰

NEW MARYLAND SECTION MANAGER NAMED ARRL FIELD AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
MANAGER DAVE PATTON, NN1N, HAS APPOINTED JIM CROSS, WI3N, OF LAUREL,
MARYLAND, TO SUCCEED TOM ABERNETHY, W3TOM, AS ARRL MARYLAND DC SECTION
MANAGER.  ABERNETHY WAS ELECTED ARRL ATL
‰  FROM PAGE 43  ‰
AK5Z KN6PE KK7EF K7QI KD7ZFV KC8MLK K8WXI N9MHG N0DNE KL0SW KE5KX KB5ZEA

FCC NEWS FCC ZIPS THROUGH VANITY APPLICATION BACKLOG ONCE THE FCC RESUMED
PROCESSING AMATEUR RADIO VANITY CALL SIGN APPLICATIONS IN EARLY JANUARY,
ITS WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU WTB BLAZED THROUGH THE BACKLOG.  A
TOTAL OF 990 VANITY APPLICATIONS PILED UP IN THE QUEUE AFTER THE FCC
SUSPENDED VANITY PROCESSING SEPTEMBER 23.  THE WTB DISPATCHED THEM IN
FAIRLY SHORT ORDER.  AN INITIAL BATCH OF 121 GRANTS JANUARY 6, WAS FOLLOWED
BY 195 MORE THE NEXT DAY.  APPARENTLY CONFIDENT BY THEN THAT THE SYSTEM WAS
WORKING OKAY, THE FCC LET LOOSE THE REMAINING 674 VANITY GRANTS JANUARY 10.
DURING THE VANITY HIATUS, APPLICATIONS APPEARED WITH A Y APPLICATION HAS
PROBLEMS FLAG IN THE UNIVERSAL LICENSING SYSTEM ULS, PROMPTING SOME CONCERN
ON THE PART OF THOSE WHO HAD CHECKED THEIR APPLICATIONS STATUS DURING THE
HIATUS.  THE WTB REPORTEDLY APPLIED THE Y STATUS TO PREVENT THE SYSTEM FROM
RUNNING THE ENTIRE BACKLOG AT ONCE.  THE WTB HALTED VANITY PROCESSING LAST
FALL AFTER REALIZING THAT FILING DEADLINE EXTENSIONS FOR LICENSEES IN
CERTAIN STATES AFFECTED BY HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA APPLIED TO AMATEUR
RADIOS TWO YEAR GRACE PERIOD AND COULD IMPACT THE VANITY SYSTEM.  IT
‰  FROM PAGE 43  ‰
N5XFW AA6NP KG7DE N7PAT W7YLV KA8LAY N8VV K9LCQ W0BUX K0RM W5JMW WF5X K6NTZ
K7DER N7PCE K7YMA W8LCZ N8WAV K9LGU WB0B NA0R KA5JNL W5XX KE6NZB KB7DFL
N7PFY WA7YNU K8LHM K8WDJ KB9LMK KN0BY NQ0R WT5J KC5YCH KQ6OB WB7DIE K7PGC

‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ

TYPICALLY TAKES APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS FROM THE TIME A VANITY
APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED UNTIL A CALL SIGN IS ISSUED.  THE CURRENT VANITY
CALL SIGN FEE IS 21R90 FOR THE 10 YEAR LICENSE TERM.  SOME INFORMATION
COURTESY OF FRED MAIA, W5YI TATE, COPPS SWORN IN AS FCC MEMBERS REPUBLICAN
DEBORAH T. TATE AND DEMOCRAT MICHAEL J. COPPS WERE SWORN IN JANUARY 3 BY
FCC CHAIRMAN KEVIN J.  MARTIN AS MEMBERS OF THE FCC.  BUT THE COMMISSION
STILL REMAINED ONE MEMBER SHY AT PRESS TIME.  TATE WILL COMPLETE THE TERM
OF FORMER FCC CHAIRMAN MICHAEL K. POWELL, WHO DEPARTED THE COMMISSION LAST
MARCH.  THAT TERM ENDS JUNE 30, 2007.  COPPS, AN FCC MEMBER SINCE 2001, IS
BEGINNING A SECOND TERM THAT WILL RUN THROUGH JUNE 30, 2010.  BEFORE
JOINING THE FCC, TATE WAS A DIRECTOR OF THE TENNESSEE REGULATORY AUTHORITY,
WHICH SHE CHAIRED IN 2003 AND 2004.  EARLIER IN HER CAREER, TATE WAS AN
ATTORNEY AND SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR TO TWO TENNESSEE GOVERNORS.  ON JANUARY
13, HER FCC COLLEAGUES VOTED TO APPOINT TATE TO BOTH SERVE ON AND ACT AS
‰  FROM PAGE 43  ‰
N7YOQ N8LJM KB8WFH K9LO W0CJV K0RTB W5JYJ KC5YED KE6OEJ K7DLD KC7PMU NH7YS
W8LKU N8WL K9LOV WB0CNK AE0S KD5KA N5YK KZ6O N7DRM NE7P AB7YU WA8LLM W8WN
‰  END OF 40 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ