*************** The ARRL Letter Vol. 28, No. 2 January 16, 2009 *************** IN THIS EDITION: * + FCC Chairman Kevin Martin Announces Resignation * + Julius Genachowski Reportedly Picked as New FCC Chairman * + Delta Division Leadership Attends Orientation Workshop at ARRL HQ * + FCC License Activity on the Rise * + Look for the February Issue of QST in Your Mailbox * + As Storms Pummeled Northwestern States, Hams Responded to Local Needs * Solar Update * IN BRIEF: This Week on the Radio ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration + David J. Strout Sr, W2YC, #1 Triple Play + ARES E-Letter Gets New Look Yaesu Donation New Section Manager Appointed in Wyoming Everett "Curly" Silva, K7HRW (SK) +Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> =========================================================== ==>Delivery problems: First see FAQ <http://www.arrl.org/members-only/faq.html#nodelivery>, then e-mail <letter-dlvy@arrl.org> ==>Editorial questions or comments only: S. Khrystyne Keane, <k1sfa@arrl.org> =========================================================== ==> FCC CHAIRMAN KEVIN MARTIN ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION The Aspen Institute, a non-partisan think-tank, announced on Thursday, January 15 that FCC Chairman Kevin Martin will join their group as a Senior Fellow in the Communications and Society Program on Tuesday, January 20, immediately upon his departure from the FCC. According to the Institute, Martin will be the fourth consecutive FCC Chairman to make the move to the group: Democrats Reed Hundt (1993-97) and William Kennard (1997-2001), as well as Republican Michael Powell (2001-05) have accepted fellowships with the Institute upon leaving the FCC. Julius Genachowski is expected to succeed Martin at the FCC <http://www.aspeninstitute.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=huLWJeMRK pH&b=4863373&ct=6603329> (see following story). ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, said that Martin's resignation is part of the "usual stuff we see when a new administration comes to office. We look forward to a positive relationship with the new Chairman and his administration." In his letter of resignation to President Bush, Martin wrote, "I have had the privilege of serving at the Federal Communications Commission for almost eight years, including four years as the agency's Chairman. During this period, we have seen a telecommunications industry undergoing rapid and unprecedented change. As a result of the market-oriented and consumer focused policies we have pursued the American people are now reaping the rewards of convergence and the broadband revolution including new and more innovative technologies and services at ever-declining prices." Chairman Martin stated that his philosophy during his tenure at the FCC "has been to pursue deregulation while paying close attention to its impact on consumers and the particulars of a given market, to balance deregulation with consumer protection" <http://www.arrl.org/news/files/FCC_MartinResigns.DOC >. He said that he "approached his decisions with a fundamental belief that a robust, competitive marketplace, not regulation, is ultimately the best protector of the public interest and the best method of delivering the benefits of choice, innovation, and affordability to American consumers." Martin said that during his tenure at the FCC, "the Commission has focused on establishing the appropriate regulatory environment that achieves the right balance between two competing interests: To encourage investment in communications infrastructure, and to make sure consumers and innovation are not unintentionally or intentionally disadvantaged by the owners of that infrastructure." Martin was a strong advocate of BPL technology, as was his predecessor, Michael Powell, but the limited number of BPL deployments show that BPL is not the success story it was hoped to be. "The technical problems of trying to get BPL to run reliably on wires that were never intended to carry high-speed digital signals make BPL less reliable than other technologies," said ARRL Laboratory Manager and BPL expert Ed Hare, W1RFI. "When coupled with poor rules that encouraged interference problems, BPL was given a poor start that it has never completely overcome." The ARRL has never been opposed to BPL per se, except when the technology causes harmful interference to the Amateur Radio Service. Under his chairmanship, Martin said the Commission "acted to level the playing field so that all entrants could fairly compete, facilitating increased investment in the next generation of communications infrastructure, [while at the same time, I] was able to push for more open platforms to spur innovation on the edges of these networks and deliver lower prices, improved services and greater choice to consumers." Executive Director of the Aspen Institute's Communications and Society Program Charles Firestone said that "Chairman Martin has been a longtime participant in Aspen Institute forums. We look forward to working with him and to the advice he will give us." Martin said he, too, looks forward to his time with the Institute: "I have long enjoyed and respected the Communications and Society Program, and I will relish the opportunity to reflect on the nature of leadership that I exercised in this field for the past several years." According to their Web site, The Aspen Institute is based in Washington, DC, Colorado and Maryland. ==> JULIUS GENACHOWSKI REPORTEDLY PICKED AS NEW FCC CHAIRMAN Democratic sources are reporting that President-elect Barack Obama has selected Julius Genachowski, 45, a technology executive and former classmate from Harvard Law School, to lead the Federal Communications Commission. If confirmed by the Senate, Genachowski would replace current Chairman Kevin Martin (see above story). After graduating from law school, Genachowski clerked for federal judge Abner Mikva; he also clerked for Supreme Court Justice David Souter. Genachowski later served as chief counsel to Reed Hundt, chairman of the FCC from 1993-1997. After leaving the FCC, Genachowski was a senior executive at IAC/InterActiveCorp, Barry Diller's e-commerce and media company. He went on to found an investment and advisory firm for digital media companies and co-founded the country's first commercial "green" bank. According to Obama's Web site, Genachowski raised at least $500,000 for Obama during the presidential election campaign. Referring to the management practices of current FCC Chairman Martin, ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, said, "We can only hope that under the new chairman, the FCC bureaus and offices that deal with Amateur Radio issues will be empowered to do their jobs without clearing every detail through the Chairman's office." Early in the Obama presidential campaign, Genachowski urged the candidate to capitalize on the organizing power of the Internet. The New York Times <http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/julius_gen achowski/index.html?inline=nyt-per> called Genachowski "a prolific fund-raiser and chairman of the campaign's group of technology-policy advisers, who produced a report advocating an open Internet, diversity in media ownership and a nationwide wireless system for emergency personnel." The Washington Post, which described Genachowski a "local venture capitalist," credits him with "spearheading Obama's online campaign strategy, which used social networking and other tools to spread Obama's campaign message and raise record campaign contributions" <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/12/AR20090 11203417.html>. The Post credited sources close to Obama's transition team who said that "Genachowski had been recently meeting with key Democratic lawmakers to see if the role of Chief Technology Officer would have policy-making authority and decided against taking the job when he realized the definition of CTO would not include a strong regulatory role. Instead, Genachowski expressed interest in the FCC [Chairmanship]" <http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/18/_speculation_is_r ife_in.html>. Genachowski explained in his Obama campaign blog that he "was fortunate to chair the group that advised Senator Obama and the [presidential] campaign on the tech & innovation plan, a large and hardworking group that generated terrific ideas, rooted in the great work that the Senator and his strong Senate staff have been doing in this area for quite some time" <http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/juliusgenachowski>. According to Bloomberg.com, the FCC may turn to expanding Americans' access to high-speed Internet service once the pressure from the digital television transition eases: "Obama has made universal broadband a cornerstone of his plan to boost US competitiveness. It is 'unacceptable' that the nation ranks 15th worldwide in high-speed Internet adoption rates, he said in a December 6 speech. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, has said broadband funds will be part of the economic stimulus package Congress intends to take up this month." ==> DELTA DIVISION LEADERSHIP ATTENDS ORIENTATION WORKSHOP AT ARRL HQ Just prior to the ARRL Board of Directors 2009 Annual Meeting, the newly elected leadership team in the ARRL's Delta Division -- Director Mickey Cox, K5MC, and Vice Director David Norris, K5UZ -- made their way to Newington for a day of orientation to learn the "ins and outs" of the ARRL Board and ARRL Headquarters operation. The Annual Meeting is scheduled for January 16-17 in Windsor, Connecticut. Cox was previously Section Manager of the Louisiana Section; Norris was Section Manager of the Arkansas Section when he was elected to his new position. According to ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, "The new Board members came to Newington to learn not only how the Board functions, but to see what each department does and how it interacts with and serves both Amateur Radio and ARRL members, through our five pillars: Public Service, Advocacy, Education, Technology and Membership. I am pleased they came to see how we support Amateur Radio each and every day here at ARRL HQ." One of the highlights of the group's visit to Headquarters was a tour of the ARRL Lab. Ed Hare, W1RFI, ARRL Laboratory Manager, explained the function of the Lab and its staff: "We showed them how we support Amateur Radio through the Technical Information Service, product review testing, RFI issues such as power line noise, and support for spectrum defense, including BPL issues." Cox said, "This is my third trip to ARRL Headquarters -- I came first as a new Section Manager in 2001, and again in 2005 to discuss lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina. I've always loved coming to Headquarters. I am learning a lot today about how to be a Division Director. So far, there have been no big surprises, as it is pretty much what I thought it would be. I'm looking forward to the meetings this weekend and serving the amateurs in the Delta Division as their Director for the next few years." Norris concurred: "I first came to ARRL Headquarters in September 2005. Like Mickey, I came to the orientation that HQ staff holds for new Section Managers. This visit has been a little more in-depth; I've seen more of the operational side of Headquarters this time around. From my first visit, I had a pretty good idea of what the staff does, but now I really get what they do for the members and the amateur community as a whole. I think every member needs to come up here and see what exactly goes on at Headquarters. I think they will gain a new appreciation for the League." ==> FCC LICENSE ACTIVITY ON THE RISE According to ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, there continues to be a heightened interest in Amateur Radio following the FCC's elimination of the Morse code exam requirement in February 2007: "The number of new license applicants remains strong under the new Amateur Radio Service rules. The following table chronicles all 14 FCC authorized VEC organizations' new license activity over the last few years." In 2008, the total number of US amateurs rose 1.2 percent, from 655,800 in 2007, to 663,500 in 2008: ----------------------------------- New Amateur Totals 2006 through November 2008 ----------------------------------- Month 2006 2007 2008 ----------------------------------- Jan 1274 1647 1755 Feb 1605 2435 2998 Mar 2531 3478 2816 Apr 1728 2673 3090 May 2283 2607 2562 Jun 1967 2281 2402 Jul 1401 1786 2077 Aug 1623 2183 2084 Sep 1357 1462 1763 Oct 1781 2109 2303 Nov 1993 2132 2197 Dec 1569 1935 2019 ----------------------------------- Totals: 21,112 26,728 28,066 ----------------------------------- Somma said that the number of General and Extra class upgrades is also on the rise. "When looking at 2006 totals," she said, "we see that upgrade applications for 2007 were up 286 percent; in 2008, they were up 146 percent over 2006. Requests for new club licenses also remain strong. In 2008, we had 671 applications for club licenses come in, while in 2007, there were 506 applications. That's an increase of 133 percent." Calling it a "ripple effect," Somma said that the number of amateurs who want to be volunteer examiners and who want to teach Amateur Radio classes is also going up. "Here at the ARRL VEC, we've seen a spike in the number of applications from General and Extra class radio amateurs who want to give back to their community by serving as examiners and instructors," she said. Somma further broke down the numbers to show the approximate number of licensees per FCC license class: Novice: 18,500 Technician: 322,500 General: 145,000 Advanced: 62,000 Extra: 115,500 Total US Amateurs: 663,500 "I can think back to the mid 1980s when there were approximately 450,000 US Amateurs," Somma recalled. "These are the highest numbers of General and Extra class licensees I have ever seen." As of April 15, 2000, the FCC no longer issues Novice or Advanced class licenses. "As expected, the number of Novice and Advanced class licensees has decreased," she said. "As I look toward 2009, I see Amateur Radio growing in a positive direction." -- Some information provided by Joe Speroni, AH0A ==> LOOK FOR THE FEBRUARY ISSUE OF QST IN YOUR MAILBOX The February issue of QST is jam-packed with all sorts of things that today's Amateur Radio operator needs. From product reviews to experiments to contesting, the upcoming issue of QST has something for just about everyone. Rick Campbell, KK7B, presents a homebrew project in the first of his two-part article "Designing and Building Transistor Linear Power Amplifiers." Juan Antonio Fernandez Montana, EA4CYQ, and Pedro Perez Alvarez-Cienfuegos, EB4DKA, look at "A Better Way to Work Low Earth Orbit FM Satellites." If you are concerned about how to get the best bang for your buck when it comes to your antenna system, be sure to check out "Keeping Current with Antenna Performance" by Eric P. Nichols, KL7J. Speaking of antenna systems, you won't want to miss the helpful pointers provided by Ray Fallen, ND8L, in his article, "Homeowners Insurance and Your Antenna System." Robert Gulley, AK3Q, shows how a group of Kentucky hams brought Amateur Radio to a young audience in his article "Amateur Radio and Public Education Make a Bright Future." And just as hams light the way for young people to get involved in ham radio, each year, the ARRL offers teachers a chance to get in on the fun, too! Find out more in "The ARRL Teachers Institute 2009," by ARRL Education and Technology Program Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME. ARRL Technical Editor Joel Hallas, W1ZR, reviews Tele-Post's LP-PAN Software Defined IQ Panadapter. According to Hallas, "The LP-PAN and associated software add a high performance panadpter and interactive computer control to the Elecraft K3 [reviewed in the January 2009 issue of QST] at a reasonable cost for those with a radio connected PC and quality sound interface." Be sure to check out the product reviews for the DV Dongle D-STAR Adapter and a variety of battery operated soldering tools, also in the February issue of QST. If it's February, it must be time for the ARRL International DX Contest (CW) <http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2009/intldx.html>. This is a great opportunity to contact many stations all over the world. ARRL Contest Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, explains in "This Month in Contesting" that you really don't need to win a contest to have fun. The results of the 2008 ARRL UHF Contest are in. Find out about upcoming contests in Contest Corral and mark your contest calendar for 2009. Of course, there are the usual columns you expect in the February issue of QST: Hints & Kinks, The Doctor Is IN, How's DX, Vintage Radio, Hamspeak and more. Look for your February issue in your mailbox. QST is the official journal of ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio. QST is just one of the many benefits of ARRL membership. To join or renew your ARRL membership, please see the ARRL Web page <http://www.arrl.org/join>. ==> AS STORMS PUMMELED NORTHWESTERN STATES, HAMS RESPONDED TO LOCAL NEEDS After another week of wild weather in Oregon and Washington (January 7-9), residents in those states are just beginning to see the Sun. With an onslaught of wind, snow and rain this winter season, hams in the affected areas have been called upon by local served agencies to lend a hand. From providing 911 support to helping out with communications in area shelters, Amateur Radio operators have assisted since the beginning of the storm events <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/12/24/10525/>. According to David Kidd, KA7OZO, District Emergency Coordinator for Oregon's District One <http://www.oregonaresd1.org/main.html>, the storms moved into his area on Wednesday, January 7 and continued throughout the rest of the week. ARES units in Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook Counties were activated in advance of the storms that brought flooding, mud slides, blocked roadways from downed trees, as well power outages. In Clatsop County, Kidd said that amateurs assisted in the county's Emergency Operations Center, while in Columbia and Tillamook Counties, the County Emergency Coordinator activated their local ARES units for the duration of the storms. "Columbia County deployed radio teams to four areas where they anticipated getting severe floods," Kidd told the ARRL. "These places can flood at the blink of an eyelash, so they pre-deployed hams to these areas." Luckily for Oregonians, the storm tracked through Washington. "We were spared somewhat when the storm stalled over Washington," Kidd said. "Granted, we got a lot of wind and rain, but not like they did north of us. All the counties here are watching their rivers go down and are in some level of recovery mode." In Lewis County, Washington, hams were prepared for the storms. On Wednesday, January 7, the Lewis County Board of County Commissioners declared the county a disaster area "due to exhausted resources and flood level predictions at or exceeding 1996, 2006, and 2007 flood levels." The Lewis County EOC placed Amateur Radio operators affiliated with local ARES units on standby. According to Lewis County Emergency Management Deputy Director Ross McDowell, the unincorporated areas of Packwood and Randle had been without land-line telephone service since January 7. "Repairs cannot take place until the flood waters recede. This area is without 911 service due to all alternate facilities being under water. Ham operators/radios will be used in emergencies [to facilitate 911 services]." On January 10, the Lewis County Department of Emergency Management expanded its use of RACES ham radio operators to stay in contact with the City of Centralia EOC and to continue communication with Morton, Randle and Packwood ham radio operators. RACES continued to provide support throughout the storm event. The storm brought rain and high winds to Washington, causing widespread avalanches, mudslides, flooding and road closures, as the heavy snowfall that buried parts of the state began to melt rapidly. More than 30,000 people were told to leave their homes in flood-endangered areas across western Washington as authorities warned of heavy flooding. Warmer temperatures and heavy rains were melting snow dumped on the mountains during the weekend storm, with 10 inches of snow melting in a 12 hour period at Snoqualmie Pass, about 50 miles east of Seattle. Throughout the state, about 60 highways were closed. ARRL Eastern Washington Section Manager Mark Tharp, KB7HDX, reported that hams in Kittitas and Yakima Counties were on standby during the storms, but "Spokane is holding their own." ARRL Northwestern Division Director Jim Fenstermaker, K9JF, said, "So far, most of the problems are in Western Washington. We here in Seattle are cut off from the rest of the USA by landslides and avalanches to the east, and flooding to the south and north. All major highways are affected, as is all rail transportation. The only way out or in is via air. We had more unexpected rain on Thursday, but it should clear up by the weekend." ==>SOLAR UPDATE Tad "Suns to light me rise" Cook, K7RA, this week reports: A nice sunspot group -- number 1010 -- appeared for five days from January 9-13. Daily sunspot numbers ranged from 11 to 20, and this one was another Solar Cycle 24 appearance. The Cycle 23 sunspots seem to be gone, while the new Solar Cycle 24 isn't picking up very quickly. 1010 was here for five days, following a whole solar rotation -- 27 days of no sunspots since 1009 was visible for just three days, December 10-12. Prior to that, there were 23 spotless days since seeing sunspot 1008, visible for eight days from November 10-17. Sunspot numbers for January 8-14 were 0, 14, 17, 20, 12, 11 and 0 with a mean of 10.6. The 10.7 cm flux was 68.7, 69.7, 70.9, 70, 69.3, 70.5 and 71.2 with a mean of 70. The estimated planetary A indices were 3, 4, 4, 2, 0, 3 and 5 with a mean of 3. The estimated mid-latitude A indices were 2, 4, 2, 1, 0, 2 and 6 with a mean of 2.4. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service Propagation page <http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>. To read this week's Solar Report in its entirety, check out the W1AW Propagation Bulletin page <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/>. This week's "Tad Cookism" brought to you by Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Man" <http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2428>. __________________________________ ==>IN BRIEF: * This Week on the Radio: This week, the ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes is January 17-19. The LZ Open Contest is January 17. The North American QSO Party (SSB), the Hungarian DX Contest and the UK DX Contest (RTTY) are all January 17-18. The Run for the Bacon QRP Contest is January 19 and the NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint is January 22. Next week, the NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint is January 22 and the CQ 160 Meter Contest (CW) is January 23-25. The REF Contest (CW), BARTG RTTY Sprint, the UBA DX Contest (SSB) and the SPAR Winter Field Day are January 24-25. The SKCC Sprint is January 28. All dates, unless otherwise stated, are UTC. See the ARRL Contest Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/>, the ARRL Contest Update <http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info. Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out the ARRL Special Event Station Web page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/spev.html>. * ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration remains open through Sunday, January 25, 2009, for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, February 6, 2009: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1; Radio Frequency Interference; Antenna Design and Construction; Technician License Course; Analog Electronics, and Digital Electronics.. Each online course has been developed in segments -- learning units with objectives, informative text, student activities and quizzes. Courses are interactive, and some include direct communications with a Mentor/Instructor. Students register for a particular session that may be 8, 12 or 16 weeks (depending on the course) and they may access the course at any time of day during the course period, completing lessons and activities at times convenient for their personal schedule. Mentors assist students by answering questions, reviewing assignments and activities, as well as providing helpful feedback. Interaction with mentors is conducted through e-mail; there is no appointed time the student must be present -- allowing complete flexibility for the student to work when and where it is convenient. To learn more, visit the CCE Course Listing page <http://www.arrl.org/cep/student> or contact the Continuing Education Program Coordinator <cep@arrl.org>. * David J. Strout Sr, W2YC, #1 Triple Play: On Thursday, January 15, ARRL officials confirmed that David J. Strout Sr, W2YC, of Williamstown, New Jersey, is the recipient of the very first Triple Play Award <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/12/05/10490/>. "Strout received the final needed confirmation -- Hawaii on phone -- just at 2004 UTC on January 15," said ARRL Information Technology Manager Jon Bloom, KE3Z. "He applied for the award at 2007 UTC, and it was issued by the Awards Branch at about 2130 UTC." The Triple Play Award is available to all amateurs who confirm contacts with each of the 50 states using three modes for each state: CW, phone and RTTY/digital. All 150 contacts must be made on or after January 1, 2009 and must be confirmed via Logbook of the World (LoTW) <http://www.arrl.org/lotw/>. All bands -- with the exception of 60 meters -- may be used in pursuit of the Triple Play Award. * ARES E-Letter Gets New Look: The ARRL ARES E-Letter <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/ares-el/about.html>, published on the third Wednesday of each month, makes the move from a plain text formatted newsletter to an HTML format this month. The second of the ARRL e-letters to update its look (the ARRL Contest Update switched over to an HTML format in May 2008), the ARES E-Letter is distributed to 33,000 ARRL members. According to ARES E-Letter Editor Rick Palm, K1CE, "It's always scary messing with a good thing. I hope readers will like the look -- with photos, graphics and better readability. They can always opt for the old text version, too." The ARES E-Letter is a digest available via e-mail full of news and information of interest to active members of the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and to hams concerned with public service and emergency communications. E-mail newsletters, such as the ARES E-Letter, the Contest Update and The ARRL Letter, are just some of the many benefits available at no charge to ARRL members. To sign up for any of the League's newsletters, go to the Member Data page on the ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/members-only/memdata.html>. * W1AW Adds Yaesu's "Top-of-the-Line" Rig to Station: Thanks to the generosity of Yaesu, W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, now boasts the Yaesu's premier transceiver -- an FTDX9000D <http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=102&encP rodID=28E11B5914B50E393EBF2BCAB2A6314C&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0>. Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, Executive Vice President for Yaesu's Amateur Radio Sales Division, visited ARRL Headquarters on January 13 to present the radio. "Yaesu is very happy to present ARRL and the world famous W1AW station with our top-of-the-line FTDX9000D transceiver," Motschenbacher said. "The transceiver comes loaded complete with recently released PEP9000 performance enhancements designed to affirm our commitment to Amateur Radio. We are very excited to know that the ARRL will place this elite class transceiver in one of their visitor operating studios, allowing many to have their first experience operating one of our three models of FTDX9000 radios." W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, thanked Yaesu for their donation of the FTDX9000D transceiver to W1AW: "This radio is installed in Studio One and is available for use to Amateur Radio operators visiting W1AW. In addition, the FTDX9000 will be used as part of the contesting station located in Studio One. With all its additional functions and features, the FTDX9000 will certainly improve upon an operator's ability to participate and be a worthy contestant!" Motschenbacher, who worked at ARRL HQ before moving to Yaesu, remarked that returning to Newington to make the presentation "was a wonderful personal experience for me. I was so happy to see many old friends inside HQ, friendships made during the four and half years I spent with ARRL before joining Yaesu. It didn't take me long to see that the staff is very busy supporting its membership and Amateur Radio as a whole!" * New Section Manager Appointed in Wyoming: Garth Crowe Sr, N7XKT, of Gillette, will assume the position of Section Manager in Wyoming as he takes over the reins from LeeAnne Sachau, WY7DTW, of Devils Tower; Sachau, who has served as Wyoming Section Manager since August 2008, has decided to step down. She was appointed last summer after Chris Pritchard, WY7UPR, moved out of the Section to start a new job. Crowe has served as Assistant Section Manager; he is currently holds positions as Emergency Coordinator and Official Observer. According to the Rules and Regulations of the ARRL Field Organization, Dave Patton, NN1N, Manager of the ARRL Membership and Volunteer Programs Department, made the appointment after consulting with Rocky Mountain Division Director Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, and receiving a recommendation from Sachau. Crowe's term of office will continue through March 31, 2011. The nomination announcement for the next term of office for Wyoming Section Manager is scheduled to appear in the October 2010 issue of QST. * Everett "Curly" Silva, K7HRW (SK): Former ARRL Nevada Section Manager Everett "Curly" Silva, K7HRW, passed away December 29, 2008 of cancer. He was 81. A retired captain with the Nevada Highway Patrol, Silva served as Section Manager from January 1994-June 1995. He was affiliated with Air Force MARS and was a Net Control Station. According to current Nevada Section Manager Joe Giraudo, N7JEH, a memorial service for Silva will be held at a later date. =========================================================== The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American Radio Relay League: ARRL--the national association for Amateur Radio, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259; <http://www.arrl.org/>. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, President. The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential and general news of interest to active radio amateurs. Visit the ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> for the latest Amateur Radio news and news updates. The ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> also offers informative features and columns. ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> is a weekly "ham radio newscast" compiled and edited from The ARRL Letter. It's also available as a podcast from our Web site. Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to The ARRL Letter/American Radio Relay League. ==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!): letter-dlvy@arrl.org ==>Editorial questions or comments: S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, k1sfa@arrl.org ==>ARRL News on the Web: <http://www.arrl.org/> ==>ARRL Audio News: <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> or call 860-594-0384 ==>How to Get The ARRL Letter The ARRL Letter is available to ARRL members free of charge directly from ARRL HQ. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail delivery: ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site <http://www.arrl.org/members/>. You'll have an opportunity during registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of The ARRL Letter, W1AW bulletins, and other material. To change these selections--including delivery of The ARRL Letter--registered members should click on the "Member Data Page" link (in the Members Only box). Click on "Modify membership data," check or uncheck the appropriate boxes and/or change your e-mail address if necessary. (Check "Temporarily disable all automatically sent email" to temporarily stop all e-mail deliveries.) Then, click on "Submit modification" to make selections effective. (NOTE: HQ staff members cannot change your e-mail delivery address. You must do this yourself via the Members Only Web Site.) The ARRL Letter also is available to all, free of charge, from these sources: * ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>. (NOTE: The ARRL Letter will be posted each Friday when it is distributed via e-mail.) * The QTH.net listserver, thanks to volunteers from the Boston Amateur Radio Club: Visit Mailing Lists@QTH.Net <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/letter-list>. (NOTE: The ARRL cannot assist subscribers who receive The ARRL Letter via this listserver.) Copyright 2009 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved