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ARRL Letter

 

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 21, No. 33
August 23, 2002
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +Space walk reset for August 26 to install ham antennas
* +ARRL members support frequency defense
* +FCC audits W5YI-VEC California test session
* +Ham leads team transatlantic model airplane attempt
* +CITEL resolution a step closer to global ham ticket
* +Incumbent Puerto Rico SM wins re-election
* +Leonard award nominations open
*  Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF:
     This weekend on the radio
     Certification and Continuing Education course registration
     MOM and DAD to hold Kids' Forum at ARRL New England Division
Convention
     ARRL welcomes new development associate
     FCC chairman launches FCC University
     DXCC reminder
     TRW September Swap Meet canceled

+Available on ARRL Audio News

===========================================================
Editor's note: This week's editions of The ARRL Letter and ARRL Audio News
are being distributed a day earlier than usual to accommodate convention
travel schedules. The Solar Update is not included in this edition. It
will be available August 23 on the ARRL Web site as well as to subscribers
via W1AW bulletin.
===========================================================

==>NEW ISS HAM ANTENNA INSTALLATION RESCHEDULED

There's been another switch in plans to install the last two Amateur Radio
antennas aboard the International Space Station. NASA and Russian
officials announced this week that the second space walk by members of the
Expedition 5 crew was rescheduled for Monday, August 26. It had been set
to happen August 23.

Installation of the new Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
(ARISS) antennas on the Service Module--the crew's living quarters--paves
the way for two separate ham stations in space. At least in the short
term, one station would be for VHF operation, the other for UHF--on 70 cm.
The antennas to be installed are capable of handling both VHF and UHF.
Similar flexible tape antennas for VHF-UHF and for HF were installed in
January by the Expedition 4 crew.

NASA and Russian sources indicate the schedule shift was made to
accommodate tasks that did not get done during the crew's first space walk
on August 16. At least for now, the two Amateur Radio antennas are on the
planned timeline for installation during the space walk or "EVA"
(extra-vehicular activity).

Expedition 5 Commander Valery Korzun, RZ3FZ, and Flight Engineer Sergei
Treschev, RZ3FU, are slated to begin the six-hour spacewalk at 0500 UTC on
August 26.

A scheduled ARISS QSO August 24 with Scout Jamboree station PI4RIS in The
Netherlands by US Astronaut Peggy Whitson, KC5ZTD, was postponed. It's not
known if the change in space walk schedules was a factor, however.

The two VHF-UHF flexible tape antennas--designated WA1 and WA2--will be
installed along the perimeter of the aft end of the Zvezda Service Module,
near the Soyuz docking port.

The August 26 space walk is scheduled to be covered live on NASA
Television, which is available via cable in many areas. NASA Television
also is available via the Web <http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/ntvweb.html>. The
live NASA Television coverage will include commentary on the space walk,
which is expected to last about six hours.

ARISS is an international project sponsored jointly by ARRL, NASA and
AMSAT. A paper entitled "2001: an Amateur Radio Space Odyssey on the
International Space Station," which details the development of ARISS and
discusses the four new ARISS antennas, is available via the ARISS Web site
<http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov/EVAs/amsat01.pdf>.

==>ARRL MEMBERS DIG DEEPLY TO DEFEND FREQUENCIES

ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, says ARRL members have
been especially generous in supporting the ARRL Defense of Frequencies
Fund.

"Since October 2001, the Defense of Frequencies Fund has generated nearly
$435,000 from more than 10,000 ARRL members," Hobart reported this week.
"This vital annual giving campaign provides key revenue to support ARRL
activities at Headquarters, in Washington and internationally."

Hobart pointed out that administrative overhead is low--83 cents of every
dollar raised goes directly for the defense of frequencies. But, while
members are responding more generously than ever to calls for support,
expenses for advocacy on behalf of Amateur Radio continue to far outstrip
revenues, she said. "In fact, ARRL spends more than $1 million a year on
efforts to defend the Amateur Radio spectrum, represent the service on
regulatory and technical issues and participate in critical international
conferences like World Radio Communication Conference 2003," she said.
"The success of the 2002 campaign raised only about one-third of the funds
needed to directly cover ARRL's advocacy efforts."

Hobart estimated that if every ARRL member contributed just $8 a year to
the Defense of Frequencies Fund, "we could fully fund ARRL's work to
protect Amateur Radio spectrum." To donate to any ARRL fund or to find out
more about how to support the future of Amateur Radio, visit the secure
donation page on the ARRL Web site
<https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/basic/>.

==>FCC AUDIT CONTINUES INTO W5YI-VEC CALIFORNIA TEST SESSION

The FCC audit of a W5YI-VEC Amateur Radio test session in California is
continuing. So far, the probe into a September 1, 2001, examination
session in Yucaipa has led to the suspension of seven volunteer examiners
and the cancellation of five Amateur Radio licenses. The FCC also is
looking into other test sessions conducted by the same VE team.

The W5YI-VEC's Larry Pollock, NB5X, said possible irregularities surfaced
earlier this year in the form of an e-mail and a telephone call concerning
two candidates at VE sessions in Yucaipa. "One of the reports was that
they had purchased a license in California," Pollock said. "The other was
that the individual in question could not copy code, and that if he had
passed the exam, he had done so fraudulently."

After considerable investigation on his own, Pollock said he saw "enough
questionable things" that he felt retesting was in order "and that's what
we proposed to Riley," he said, referring to FCC Special Counsel for
Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth.

Pollock identified the VEs as team leader Carl A. Alford, WB6RUF; Irene L.
Alford, KM6GT; Renato P. Songco, N6UAN; Ana Luz V. Saycon, W6LUZ; Khanly
V. Saycon II, KQ6OP; Mharloun V. Saycon, KQ6OR; and Khanly F. Saycon Jr,
KS6X. All were suspended as VEs last January 3, pending the outcome of the
FCC inquiry. Pollock said all had been VEs for more than two years.
Hollingsworth said the FCC would continue to investigate other
examinations administered by the VEs involved in the September 1, 2001,
session in Yucaipa.

In July, Hollingsworth announced that five W5YI-VEC exam candidates--four
from the September 1 Yucaipa session--had not appeared for retesting as
requested and had been stripped of their Amateur Radio licenses. Pollock
said the four September 1 candidates were current licensees seeking
upgrades that included the Element 1 5 WPM Morse code examination. All had
passed Element 1 during the original test session with perfect copy.

Cancelled by the FCC for failing to appear for retesting were Camito E.
Lopez, KG6GJG, of Los Angeles, a Technician licensee seeking HF
privileges; Marcial S. Rivas, KG6HCP, of Salem, Oregon, who had upgraded
to General; Manuel M. Vega, KG6GSP, of Anaheim, California, who had
upgraded to General; and Marcelino G. Llanes, KG6HBR, of Oxnard,
California, who had upgraded to General.

"They were no shows for the re-exam, and if they had actually done as well
in the original code test as it appeared, they should have had no problem
passing it," Pollock said this week. He added that there was no reason to
believe there were any irregularities involved in the written examination
elements administered at Yucaipa.

Also failing to reappear for retesting and cancelled by the FCC in
mid-July was Eddie C. Bartolome, N6YAG, of Los Angeles. Bartolome, an
Extra-class licensee, had been an examination candidate at earlier VE
sessions conducted by the now-suspended W5YI-VEC team. According to
Hollingsworth, Bartolome was alleged to have told another complainant that
he could get him an amateur license for $100.

Hollingsworth praised the W5YI VEC for acting promptly in the case.
"W5YI-VEC really did their homework on this one," he said, "picking up on
some comments and complaints on Internet newsgroups about the exam session
and, doing a little further research, found some good reasons to refer the
matter to us. We really appreciate the vigilance of the W5YI VEC in this
case."

==>HAM-LED TEAM ATTEMPTING TRANSATLANTIC MODEL AIRPLANE FLIGHT

A team of model airplane enthusiasts led by Maynard Hill, W3FQF, is
attempting a record-breaking crossing of the Atlantic by a model aircraft.
A model plane dubbed "The Spirit of Butts Farm" was launched August 20 and
was on its way to Ireland. Monitoring the flight, TAM-3, the third in a
series, from Newfoundland, Canada, Hill's team reports the plane was last
heard from August 21 at 0428 UTC. "We are still uncertain what happened,"
said a terse announcement on the team's Web site.

The Transatlantic Model Aircraft--or TAM--project is Hill's brainchild as
the president of the Society for Technical Aeromodel Research. Hill and
his design team have spent four years on the ambitious project. The TAM
aircraft are hand-launched and guided to an altitude of 1500 feet by radio
remote control. Upon reaching that altitude, a sophisticated GPS-based
autopilot system takes over. The aircraft sends periodic position reports
to the flight team, and these are posted on the TAM Web site
<http://tam.plannet21.com/index.html>.

The first two TAMs failed soon after launch. The last position report for
TAM-3 indicated that it had completed better than one-fourth of its
journey before contact with the airplane was lost. TAM-4 will be the final
attempt--at least for now.

A successful flight would mark the first transatlantic crossing by a true
model airplane--an aircraft weighing 11 pounds or less with an engine with
no more than 10 cc displacement, as specified by the Federation
Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) <http://www.fai.org/>. It would also set
a new world record for straight-line distance by a radio-controlled,
piston-powered model airplane.

More information on this historic effort is available on the TAM Web site
<http://tam.plannet21.com/index.html>. An article on the flight appeared
in the on-line edition of National Geographic
<http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/08/0805_020805_transatlantic
.html>

==>PENDING CITEL RESOLUTION IS A STEP TOWARD GLOBAL HAM TICKET

Ham radio has moved another step closer to an internationally recognized
license. Delegates to the Third Regular Assembly of the Inter-American
Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) this month approved a resolution that
would extend reciprocal recognition of the International Amateur Radio
Permit (IARP) Convention to member states of the European Conference of
Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT).

The resolution includes as a goal "to promote the development of a global
Radio Amateur Permit working with other regional organizations within the
framework of the International Telecommunication Union."

ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Jon Siverling, WB3ERA, attended the
CITEL Assembly August 12-16 in Washington, DC, as a member of the US
delegation. "In an ideal world, we'll one day have an international
Amateur Radio permit that's like an international driver's license--good
around the world," Siverling said. He conceded that CITEL-CEPT reciprocity
will not benefit US amateurs, however. Only licensees elsewhere in the
Americas would be affected, since US licensees already enjoy automatic or
nearly automatic reciprocal licensing in many countries throughout Europe
and the Americas.

Since the resolution requires modification of an existing agreement, the
next step is approval by the Organization of American States General
Assembly, which meets next June, Siverling explained.

The resolution builds on existing CITEL and CEPT arrangements. A CITEL
convention already provides for temporary amateur station operations in
one member state by individuals holding an IARP and licensed by another
member state "without further review." A similar CEPT mutual-recognition
arrangement in many European signatory countries--Recommendation T/R
61-01--makes possible operation by amateurs from CEPT countries during
short visits to other CEPT member countries or to non-CEPT participating
countries--including the US--without having to obtain a temporary license.

Among other things, the CITEL proposal, called Resolution 32, would
encourage CITEL member states to adhere to the IARP convention. It further
calls upon those member states to approve the draft protocol to the IARP
convention to extend to CEPT license holders from countries that have
implemented CEPT Recommendation T/R61-01 the same privileges IARP holders
enjoy.

International Amateur Radio Union <http://www.iaru.org> Region 2 President
Pedro Seideman, YV5BPG, represented the IARU at the CITEL assembly.

==>INCUMBENT SECTION MANAGER RE-ELECTED IN PUERTO RICO

ARRL Puerto Rico Section Manager Victor Madera, KP4PQ, has been re-elected
for another two-year term. He defeated challenger William T. Genter, KP3O,
173 to 48. Ballots were counted August 20 at ARRL Headquarters.

Madera has served as Puerto Rico Section Manager since January 2000. He
was first appointed to fill the term of a previous SM who resigned and was
the only nominee to run for SM for the October 2000 to October 2002 term.
He joins seven other incumbent ARRL section managers who did not face
opposition and will continue in their present positions when new terms in
the current SM election cycle begin on October 1.

Other incumbent SMs returning for new terms were Betsey Doane, K1EIC,
Connecticut; John Cline, K7BDS, Idaho; Randy "Max" Wendel, KM0D,
Minnesota; Kent Olson, KA0LDG, North Dakota; Joe Phillips, K8QOE, Ohio;
John Ellis, NP2B, Virgin Islands; and Scott Bauer, W2LC, Western New York.

Two newcomers also will join the ranks of ARRL SMs on October 1. Sherri
Brower, W4STB, of Vero Beach, will succeed Phyllisan West, KA4FZI as SM of
Southern Florida. Brower, who's served as the section's Public Information
Coordinator, was this year's ARRL Philip J. McGan Memorial Silver Antenna
Award winner. In South Dakota, Richard Beebe, N0PV, of Sioux Falls, will
take over for outgoing SM Roland Cory, W0YMB. West and Cory did not seek
new terms.

==>ARRL 2002 BILL LEONARD, W2SKE, PROFESSIONAL MEDIA AWARD NOMINATIONS
OPEN

The ARRL is accepting nominations for the annual Bill Leonard, W2SKE,
Professional Media Award--a tribute to the late CBS President Bill
Leonard, W2SKE. The award will go to a professional journalist whose
outstanding coverage in TV, radio, print or multimedia best reflects the
enjoyment, importance and public service value of Amateur Radio. The
deadline for entries is December 27, 2002.

Nominations will be judged by the League's Public Relations Committee, and
that panel's recommendation will go before the ARRL Board of Directors at
its January 2003 meeting. The winner receives a plaque and a cash award of
$500.

Leonard was an avid Amateur Radio operator and was most active on the air
during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1958, Leonard's contribution to Sports
Illustrated, "The Battle of the Hams," covered the "sport" of DX
contesting. To this day, the article remains one of the best Amateur Radio
feature stories ever published. Bill Leonard was inducted into the
Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 1996.

For more information about the award or to obtain a nomination form and
official rules for entry, contact Media Relations Manager Jennifer Hagy,
N1TDY, jhagy@arrl.org; 860-594-0328.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The TOEC Worldwide Grid Contest (CW), the SCC
RTTY Championship, the Ohio and Hawaii QSO parties, the SARL HF CW
Contest, and the CQC Summer QSO Party are the weekend of August 24-25.
JUST AHEAD: The YO DX HF Contest, the Michigan QRP Labor Day CW Sprint are
the weekend of September 1-2. See the ARRL Contest Branch page
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
<http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.

* Certification and Continuing Education course registration: Registration
for the Level III Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (EC-003) and HF
Digital Communications (EC-005) courses remains open through the weekend
of August 24-25. Registration for the Satellite Communications course
(EC-007) opens Monday, August 26. All registrations open at 4 PM Eastern
Time. ARRL Emergency Communications courses must be completed in order,
starting with Level I. Watch the ARRL Web for updates on the Corporation
for National and Community Service (CNCS) grant training. To learn more,
visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/cce> and the C-CE Links found there. For more
information, contact Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller,
K3UFG, dmiller@arrl.org.

* MOM and DAD to hold Kids' Forum at ARRL New England Division Convention:
Kid's Day regulars Peter and Jeanne Schipelliti, W1DAD and K1MOM, will
host a one-hour Kids' Forum at the New England Division Convention August
24 at 10 AM, in Boxboro, Massachusetts. The one-hour discussion will
introduce Amateur Radio;, review a typical QSO, complete with a hands-on
demonstration; and discuss QSL cards and Kid's Day. Free K1MOM Amateur
Radio Coloring Books for children will also be distributed. For more
information and a complete program schedule visit the Boxboro Web site,
<http://www.boxboro.org>. Children age 15 and younger are admitted
free-of-charge. As Kid's Day promoters, the Schipellitis and their own
youngsters activate special event station K1D every January and June to
introduce children to Amateur Radio.

* ARRL welcomes new development associate: Debra Johnson of Glastonbury,
Connecticut, joined the ARRL staff August 19 as a development associate in
the office of Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH. Johnson came
to ARRL from Connecticut Public Broadcasting, where she was executive
assistant to the president/CEO and to the chief financial officer and
handled some project management work. Johnson cited her past working
relationship with Hobart--also previously employed at CPB--as a factor
that attracted her to ARRL. "I know how dynamic she is," she said. "She
was willing to offer me an opportunity to contribute and to learn." In her
new role, Johnson will support Hobart's efforts in building the League's
development program. A graduate of Princeton University, Johnson holds a
degree in philosophy and religion and has completed some graduate-level
classes in counseling and social work. "I look forward to working in a new
department where I can contribute to shaping the future of ARRL's
development efforts," she said. "This is an incredible opportunity."

* FCC chairman launches FCC University: FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell is
encouraging Commission employees to go back to school so they can keep up
with current technology and trends. In a standing room-only ceremony on
August 15 for agency staff, Powell launched the FCC University. According
to the announcement, the FCC University was created to ensure that FCC
staff possess the cutting-edge knowledge and skills to respond to the
challenges of the communications field in the 21st century. "For the
Commission to function effectively and carry out its current and future
mission, it must build a first-class operation that is fluent in the
language of new and emerging technologies, in economics and market
analysis, and in the legal framework governing Commission activities,"
Powell said. "The FCC University is an exciting initiative that will
enable us to achieve that objective." Powell called for a major training
and development initiative at the FCC as part of his larger FCC reform
efforts since becoming chairman in 2001. The Office of Managing Director
will oversee the continuing professional development effort. Employees can
choose from a vast range of courses on generally applicable subjects as
well as sections specifically geared to meet the educational needs of
engineers, economists and lawyers. Courses are available in several ways,
including on-site through FCC staff and guest lecturers and off-site
through universities, professional associations and vendors/providers as
well as through self-directed or distance-learning programs. "When we
first conceived this idea last year, I wanted the FCC University to be the
very best employee development program that anyone can find in the United
States government," Powell said. "As we launch it today, I'm confident
that it is."--FCC news release

* DXCC reminder: The ARRL DXCC Desk reminds all DXCC program participants
that the September 30, 2002, deadline to submit items for the next DXCC
Annual List is rapidly approaching. The DXCC Annual List will include all
stations submitting an application to DXCC between October 1, 2001, and
September 30, 2002. To appear in the Annual List, you must submit an
application between those dates or be current on the DXCC Honor Roll. No
submission is necessary if you are now on the DXCC Honor Roll, but only
those modes that are Honor Roll will be shown. Applications must be
postmarked by September 30, 2002. For more information, contact the ARRL
DXCC Desk <dxcc@arrl.org>;; 860-594-0234.

* TRW September Swap Meet canceled: The W6TRW Amateur Radio Club's
September Swap Meet in the Los Angeles area has been canceled because of a
conflict with a corporate event at the Space Park Facility. There will be
no swap meet or Amateur Radio license testing in September. The remaining
2002 swap meets will be held on their usual dates--the last Saturday of
the month.--submitted by Art Goddard, W6XD

===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur Radio--225 Main
St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
http://www.arrl.org. Jim Haynie, W5JBP, President

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential news of
interest to active amateurs. The ARRL Letter strives to be timely,
accurate, concise, and readable. Visit ARRLWeb at http://www.arrl.org for
the latest news, updated as it happens. The ARRLWeb Extra at
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/extra offers ARRL members access to
informative features and columns.

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 and The American Radio Relay League.

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The ARRL Letter

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly summary of essential news of interest to active amateurs that is available in advance of publication in QST, our official journal. The ARRL Letter strives to be timely, accurate, concise and readable.

Much of the ARRL Letter content is also available in audio form in ARRL Audio News.

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