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ARRL Letter

 

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 22, No. 40
October 10, 2003
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +Broadcasters express BPL concerns
* +It's Round 2 in the Morse code debate
* +3C0V DXpedition ends abruptly and mysteriously
* +Concerted effort to track down unlicensed 10-meter operations continues
* +73 Amateur Radio Today ceases publication
* +Legendary DXpeditioner Danny Weil, ex-VP2VB, SK
*  Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF:
     This weekend on the radio
     ARRL Emergency Communications Course registration
     ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
     ARRL to sponsor ARECC/ARES seminar in Minnesota
    +Florida group poses "Tampa Bay Challenge" to raise funds to fight BPL
     ARRL Recognizes Special Donors
     Attention clubs! Time to check your ARRL affiliation status
     Vote on QST Cover Plaque Award

+Available on ARRL Audio News

===========================================================

==>WORLD'S BROADCASTERS JOIN ANTI-BPL CHORUS

A subcommittee of an International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
<http://www.itu.org/> panel of technical experts responsible for
terrestrial broadcasting issues has joined a growing chorus of concern
about the interference potential of power line telecommunication
(PLT)--better known in the US as Broadband over Power Line (BPL). ITU
Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) Sub Working Group (SWG) 6E1 expressed
the view that interference produced by systems employing PLT as well as by
Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) equipment and short-range
devices, would compromise broadcast reception.

"SWG 6E1 is of the opinion that any increase in the amount of noise due to
these systems is unacceptable," said a statement from the group's chairman
to the chairman of Working Party 6E (WP 6E). "In particular, broadcast
services should be protected from unwanted emissions from PLT systems,"
the panel asserted, "as these emissions are a byproduct of a system that
is not itself a user of the radio spectrum." The panel recommended the
formation of a group representing all users of the radio spectrum "to
coordinate development of limits to be imposed on the radiation from these
systems."

WP 6E says it will continue to study the effects of PLT/BPL, ISM equipment
and short-range devices on terrestrial broadcasting and send the results
to ITU-R Working Party 1A, which is responsible for spectrum engineering
techniques. WP 1A is scheduled to meet in Geneva October 30 to November 5.

ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, expressed strong support
and appreciation for the SWG's conclusions and the ongoing efforts of
parent Working Party 6E to study the issue. "If BPL is a problem for
broadcasters," Sumner said, "it's easy to see that it would be a disaster
for us."

Broadcasters themselves also have exhibited increased concern about the
potential of PLT/BPL to prevent their signals from reaching listeners. The
Research and Development branch of the highly regarded British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has released a White Paper
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/whp/whp067.html> reporting on a brief trial
in Scotland. The two competing PLT/BPL systems in operation in the town of
Crieff both interfered with HF reception. Tests were conducted at four
locations.

"The forms of access PLT that were tested in Crieff were found to have
demonstrable potential to cause interference to indoor reception of
broadcasting in relevant bands," the White Paper concluded. Significant
interference even occurred in one residential area with an underground
power distribution cable. BBC engineers described the interference as
varying between "annoying" and "a level sufficient to make the broadcast
completely unintelligible." Before commercially licensing PLT, the report
advised, regulators need to undertake further study of other PLT systems
and, among other issues, look into possible ways to make the PLT systems
compatible with radio reception.

A report prepared by the Australian Communications Authority (ACA),
Broadband Powerline Communications Systems--A Background Brief
<http://www.aca.gov.au/radcomm/frequency_planning/spps/0311spp.pdf>,
concluded that "a potential risk to HF radiocommunications services from
the widespread use of broadband powerline communications systems" appeared
to exist. Citing BPL trials in the US, Europe and Asia, the ACA brief
said, "The results of these trials have not alleviated concerns over the
potential interference risk to radiocommunications."

ARRL's comments <http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/et03-104/>, reply
comments
<http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/et03-104/reply-comments-index.htm
l > and technical exhibits filed with the FCC in response to the
Commission's Notice of Inquiry (ET Docket ET 03-104) are available on the
ARRL Web site. See also the article "BPL is a Pandora's Box of
Unprecedented Proportions, ARRL Tells FCC"
<http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2003/07/08/1/>. Additional information
and video clips are on the ARRL "Power Line Communications (PLC) and
Amateur Radio" page <http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/>.

To support the League's efforts in the BPL fight, visit the ARRL's secure
BPL Web site <https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/bpl/>.

==>FCC INVITES COMMENTS ON ADDITIONAL MORSE CODE-RELATED PETITIONS

The FCC has sounded the bell to begin Round 2 of the Morse code debate by
inviting public comment on another group of seven Morse-related petitions
for rulemaking. The FCC put the petitions on public notice October 8, and
comments are due by November 7. Members of the amateur community may make
their opinions known on any or all of these filings using the FCC's
Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) <http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/>.
The petitions are RM-10805 through RM-10811. To summarize:

* Charles L. Young Jr, AG4YO, asks the FCC to delete the 5 WPM Morse code
test (Element 1) for Technician-plus-Element 1 privileges (formerly "Tech
Plus"). Designated RM-10805, his petition would retain Element 1 as an
examination requirement for General and Amateur Extra applicants and give
Technicians limited HF SSB privileges.

* Describing CW as "the purest, most accurate, efficient, reliable and
economical form of radio communications ever devised," Frank Napurano,
K2OKA, requests that the FCC retain the 5 WPM Morse requirement "in the
interest of public safety, the preservation of a radio art and as a
tribute of support for a prized and respected avocation." The FCC
designated his filing as RM-10806.

* A petition by Robert G. Rightsell, AE4FA and Harry A.M. Kholer, N0PU,
designated RM-10807, would continue Morse testing but give applicants up
to 24 points of exam credit according to their success on Element 1. The
final exam score would be the sum of earned Element 1 points and the
written test score for a possible total of 100 points. Their petition also
calls on the FCC to consolidate the Novice and Technician and the Advanced
and Amateur Extra licenses, boost the number and range of written test
questions and give new Technicians CW and data privileges.

* Joseph Speroni, AH0A, seeks to have the FCC delete Element 1 for
applicants who want to operate phone on HF but retain Element 1 at 5 WPM
for applicants who want to operate CW. Designated RM-10808, his petition
would restructure the Amateur Radio testing regime to require specific
knowledge of "RTTY, data, image, spread spectrum, pulse/test, RACES/ARES
and space communications only for those wishing to operate these modes."
Under Speroni's plan, applicants would be under no obligation to pass
mode-specific examination elements for mode privileges they don't wish to
operate.

* The Puerto Rico Amateur Radio League (PRARL) asks the FCC to delete
Element 1 for Technician and General classes but to increase the rigor of
the written elements for those two license classes. The PRARL would keep
the 5 WPM Morse exam for Extra applicants. The PRARL also would eliminate
same-session retesting and require 30 days between retakes. The petition
is designated RM-10809.

* James Roux, W4YA, proposes in his petition, designated RM-10810, that
the FCC cut the number of license classes to two--General and Amateur
Extra--and the number of written examination elements to one--at the
General level. Roux's petition would eliminate the 5 WPM Morse code exam
for General but require Extra applicants to pass a 15 WPM test. Roux also
would give Generals all currently available amateur privileges except the
Extra-class CW subbands.

* A petition filed on behalf of FISTS CW Club <http://www.fists.org/> would
delete the requirement to pass Element 1 to obtain Technician plus Element
1 (ie, "Tech Plus") HF privileges. Designated RM-10811, it would merge
Tech and Tech Plus into a single class, emphasize technical content,
including digital modes, on written examinations and extend digital mode
privileges within Novice/Tech Plus subbands. It would not provide
additional HF phone privileges for Technicians, however. The FISTS
petition would retain a 5 WPM Morse exam for General applicants and raise
the Morse exam to 12 WPM for Amateur Extra applicants while increasing the
technical level on written examinations for both classes.

The FISTS CW Club petition had attracted more than 230 comments by week's
end. In all, the FCC had recorded a total of approximately 500 comments on
the seven petitions as of October 10.

Interested parties may file comments on any or all of these petitions
using the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS)
<http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/>, which also permits users to view all
comments on file.

To file a comment, click on "Submit a Filing" under "ECFS Main Links." In
the "Proceeding" field, type the full RM number and complete the required
fields. "RM" must be in capital letters, and you must include the hyphen
between "RM" and the five-digit number. You may type your remarks into a
form or attach a file. ECFS also accepts comments in active proceedings
via e-mail, per instructions on the ECFS page.

To view filed comments, click on "Search for Filed Comments" under "ECFS
Main Links" and type in the complete RM number, including the hyphen, in
the "Proceeding" field. "RM" must be in capital letters.

==>ANNOBON ISLAND DXPEDITION SHUT DOWN

The Annobon Island 3C0V DXpedition
<http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/ea5yn/> ended abruptly October 4.
Local officials reportedly ordered the operators to shut down and vacate
the tiny, mountainous South Atlantic island. The Daily DX
<http://www.dailydx.com/> reports that at least three of the 3C0V operators
have left Annobon--a part of Equatorial Guinea and located in the Gulf of
Guinea off Africa's west coast--while one remained at last report. The
Daily DX Editor Bernie McClenny, W3UR, got word of a very brief telephone
call October 6 from the DXpedition to pilot station Gaby Mardiros, OD5NJ.

"Gaby received a 10 second phone call from EA5BYP, Elmo [Bernabe], who
reported that 'the military soldiers allowed only the three operators to
go back to Spain,'" McClenny said, adding that it appeared that that Franz
Langner, DJ9ZB, Victor Polo, EA5FO, and Vicente Pastor, EA5YN, had been
released but that EA5BYP--the team leader--would be remaining on the
island. McClenny said the telephone call was cut off before Mardiros could
obtain additional information. At week's end, The Daily DX reported that
Langner was safely back in Germany, but there was no word concerning the
other three operators.

Some initial reports indicated that local authorities had given the
DXpeditioners 24 hours to pack up and get off Annobon "or else," McClenny
said. The details surrounding the shutdown remain a mystery, however.

The 3C0V operation took to the air September 26. Although struggling with
technical, antenna and weather issues, it was expected to remain
operational until October 11. The team had managed to log numerous
contacts on 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters but had not yet activated the
lower bands.

Also known as Pagalu, Annobon was the site of the 1999 3C0R DXpedition
<http://web.jet.es/lynx/annobon/annobon.htm> in which EA5BYP and EA5YN
also participated.

==>PUSH TO IDENTIFY UNLICENSED 10-METER OPERATORS CONTINUES

A concerted effort begun last spring to monitor for and possibly identify
unlicensed operators on 10 meters will continue through October. The FCC
already has asked the ARRL Amateur Auxiliary/Official Observers
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/oo.html> for assistance. Now, FCC
Special Counsel Riley Hollingsworth is inviting hard information on
suspected interlopers from all amateurs.

"If I don't receive reports, we'll have to conclude that unlicensed
operation on 10 meters no longer is a problem," Hollingsworth said this
week. Hollingsworth's initial request to beef up monitoring came in the
wake of complaints from the amateur community that rose to the level of a
major enforcement headache. He's expressed some disappointment, however,
that the number of solid reports received so far has been few, although
he's aware that a problem exists.

Hollingsworth asks amateurs to be specific in what they report. "Everybody
should police their own neighborhood," he suggested. "Turn on the radio,
and take a listen on the band. If you hear a loud signal that's obviously
an unlicensed interloper, see if you can track it down."

Hollingsworth said that in the case of a suspected unlicensed trucker on
the highway, amateurs should try to get the license plate number of the
tractor--not the trailer--or at least the company name and, if possible,
the DOT number.

The FCC does not require direction-finding data but would appreciate,
where possible, names and addresses of alleged or suspected operators.
Audio recordings of apparently illegal transmissions also can prove
helpful.

Individual amateurs with solid information on alleged unlicensed operation
on 10 or even 12 meters should report it to the FCC via e-mail
<fccham@fcc.gov>;. Official Observers should file their reports through
normal ARRL channels.

ARRL Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, says the FCC
wants to pin down specific areas where unlicensed operation is prevalent
in the US. He and Hollingsworth concede, however, that not all illegal
10-meter operation is of domestic origin.

The FCC's initial request last May request was made in accordance with the
Communications Act and a longstanding agreement between ARRL and the FCC
regarding the use of Amateur Radio volunteers to assist in enforcement.

==>73 MAGAZINE SAYS "73 AND QRT"

After completing 43 years of publication, 73 Amateur Radio Today magazine
is calling it quits. Plans to publish a joint October/November issue fell
through this week, and the September 2003 issue was the magazine's last.
According to self-proclaimed "El Supremo and Founder" Wayne S. Green II,
W2NSD, it was a simple matter of economics.

"After failing a last minute effort to collect on some larger accounts
receivable we decided yesterday to throw in the towel--that the September
issue will have to be the last," Green told ARRL October 9. "SK after 43
years of publishing."

The first issue of 73 was published in October 1960 from what Green--a
former editor of CQ--once described as "a small, dingy apartment" in
Brooklyn, New York. Since the summer of 1962, 73 has been based in
Peterborough, New Hampshire--Green's home state. The magazine was a
pioneer promoter of SSB, FM, solid-state, easy construction projects and
the marriage of personal computing and Amateur Radio. His interest in
microcomputing led Green in 1975 to found Byte, a magazine devoted to the
then-nascent and largely do-it-yourself computer hobby.

At the peak of its popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, individual issues of
73 totaled more than 300 pages of ads, articles and commentary. Heading
each issue was Green's inimitable "Never Say Die"--some would say
never-ending--editorial, in which he rarely missed an opportunity to tweak
the ARRL and his magazine competitors for their perceived shortcomings.

QST Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, says 73 published his first article in the
1970s. "I was saddened to hear that 73 has ceased publishing," Ford said.
"Wayne's excitement about the growing amateur FM repeater phenomenon at
the time was infectious."

Green's 73 editorials and regular round of personal appearances originally
concentrated on Amateur Radio and his ideas to improve, advance and grow
it. In recent years, however, they've veered into conspiracy theories,
cures for cancer, AIDS and other ailments and Green's proliferation of
book titles on those topics.

Green says he'll continue his essays on his Web site
<http://www.waynegreen.com/> "for those subscribers who mainly bought the
magazine for them." He told ARRL that no definite arrangements have been
made yet about how to handle outstanding 73 subscriptions.

CQ Publisher Dick Ross, K2MGA, said he takes no joy from the passing of
73. "The loss of any publication serving Amateur Radio leaves all of us a
bit poorer," he said. "Thank you, Wayne, for 43 entertaining, informative,
sometimes infuriating, and always interesting years of 73. We'll genuinely
miss it."

==>LEGENDARY DXPEDITIONER DANNY WEIL, ex-VP2VB, SK

DXer Danny Weil, ex-VP2VB, of YASME fame died October 3. He was 85. The
British-born Weil was active under a variety of call signs in the 1950s
and early 1960s while sailing one of three YASME yachts. His adventures
inspired a generation of Amateur Radio DXers as he operated from various
exotic ports of call. Late last year, Weil suffered a stroke and had been
living in an extended-care facility in San Antonio, Texas.

The DXploits of Weil and of Lloyd and Iris Colvin, W6KG and W6QL, are the
subject of the book YASME, The Danny Weil and Colvin Radio Expeditions
<http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?category=&words=Yasme>, by James D. Cain,
K1TN. Commissioned by the YASME Foundation <http://www.yasme.org/> and
published by ARRL, the book became available for the first time last
spring at the International DX Convention in Visalia, California.

A veteran of the Royal Air Force and inspired by Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki
voyages of the late 1940s, Weil completed his first solo crossing of the
Atlantic in 1954, landing in Antigua. He came to appreciate the potential
value of Amateur Radio as a means of communication on future voyages and
at one point contacted the ARRL about getting a ham ticket. As it turned
out, Weil--a watch and clockmaker by trade--ended up largely teaching
himself the radio theory and Morse code he needed to know to obtain a
British Amateur Radio license.

As Cain's book relates, among Weil's early ham radio acquaintances was
Dick Spenceley, KV4AA--an Amateur Radio legend in his own right--who
mentored Weil during his studies. It was Spenceley who also first
appreciated the potential benefits for Amateur Radio if Weil could get on
the air from various rare spots as he sailed the globe. Spenceley--who
died in 1982--eventually secured the ham gear that Weil would use on the
first YASME voyage, which began in 1955 and took him to the South Pacific.

Weil personally described some of his adventures in his only QST article,
"Yasme II to Aves Island," which appeared in the December 1958 issue. He
operated from a tent on the beach as YV0AB.

One of the original inductees into the CQ DX Hall of Fame, Weil eventually
gave up Amateur Radio. In the 1960s, he married an American--his wife,
Naomi predeceased him--settled in Texas and became a US citizen.

A memorial service was held October 8 in San Antonio. Memorial
contributions are invited to the Wild Animal Orphanage, PO Box 690422, San
Antonio, TX 78269. More information about Danny Weil is available on the
Danny Weil, VP2VB, page <http://www.qsl.at/common/weil.html>.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Propagation prognosticator Tad "Hey, Mister Sun" Cook, K7RA, Seattle,
Washington, reports: Average daily solar flux and sunspot numbers dropped
this week. The average daily sunspot number was 86.7, and the average
daily solar flux was 115.8. This week also represents the second in a row
in which geomagnetic indices have dropped, indicating a quiet and stable
Earth environment for HF radio propagation.

Currently we are within a solar windstream, but a north-pointing
interplanetary magnetic field keeps geomagnetic activity to a minimum.
Current projections from the US Air Force show stable geomagnetic
conditions over the next few days, with planetary A index around 10 from
October 10-12. Following this weekend on Monday, it shows planetary A
index rising to 30 for October 13-14.

Predicted solar flux from the Air Force is 105 for October 10-11, 100 for
October 12, and 95 for October 13-14. Following this is a rise in solar
flux, passing 110 around October 16, 120 on October 18, 130 on October 21,
and 135 on October 25-26. These are rough estimates based upon the last
solar rotation.

Sunspot numbers for October 2 through 8 were 75, 104, 89, 101, 93, 76 and
69, with a mean of 86.7. The 10.7-cm flux was 124.8, 120.1, 119, 109.6,
112.1, 111.9 and 113.3, with a mean of 115.8. Estimated planetary A
indices were 9, 16, 9, 9, 10, 13 and 9, with a mean of 10.7.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The North American Sprint (RTTY), Oceania DX
Contest (CW), Autumn Sprint (CW), Pennsylvania QSO Party, FISTS Fall
Sprint, Iberoamericano Contest are the weekend of October 11-12. The YLRL
Anniversary Party (SSB) is October 15-17. JUST AHEAD: The JARTS World Wide
RTTY Contest, the ARCI Fall QSO Party, the Worked All Germany Contest, the
W/VE Islands QSO Party, the Asia-Pacific Sprint (CW), the RSGB 21/28 MHz
Contest (CW) and the Illinois QSO Party are the weekend of October 18-19.
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.

* ARRL Emergency Communications Course registration: Registration opens
Monday, October 13, 12:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time (0401 UTC), for the
Level II Emergency Communications on-line course (EC-002). Registration
remains open through the October 18-19 weekend or until all seats are
filled--whichever occurs first. Class begins Tuesday, October 28. Thanks
to our grant sponsors--the Corporation for National and Community Service
and the United Technologies Corporation--the $45 registration fee paid
upon enrollment will be reimbursed after successful completion of the
course. During this registration period, approximately 50 seats are being
offered to ARRL members on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn
more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education (C-CE)
<http://www.arrl.org/cce/> Web page and the C-CE Links found there. For
more information, contact Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan
Miller, K3UFG, dmiller@arrl.org, 860-594-0340.

* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration for the ARRL Antenna Modeling (EC-004) course opens Monday,
October 13, 12:01 AM EDT (0401 UTC), and remains open through Sunday,
October 19. Class begins Tuesday, October 21. Those interested in taking
an ARRL Certification and Continuing Education (C-CE) course in the future
can sign up receive advance e-mail notification of registration
opportunities. To take advantage, send an e-mail to prereg@arrl.org. On
the subject line, indicate the course name or number (eg, EC-00#) and the
month you want to start the course. In the message body, provide your
name, call sign, and e-mail address. Please do not send inquiries to this
mailbox.  To learn more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing
Education <http://www.arrl.org/cce/> Web page <http://www.arrl.org/cce>
and the C-CE links found there.

* ARRL to sponsor ARECC/ARES seminar in Minnesota: The ARRL will offer a
free Amateur Radio Emergency Communications seminar Saturday, October 25,
in conjunction with Hamfest Minnesota <http://www.hamfestmn.org/index.htm>
at the Wilkins Auditorium at River Center in St Paul. The seminar will not
include the Level I course itself. This program is designed to explain in
greater detail the duties of all Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
Course participants and how their volunteer efforts are essential to the
ARES field organization. "This seminar will explain the importance of
every team player with emphasis on using lessons learned to effectively
move Amateur Radio emergency communications to the next level," said ARRL
Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG. All ARES
volunteers, ARECC course participants, and ARRL field organization
leadership are invited. Course participants at every ARECC level--mentors,
certification instructors, certification examiners and current
students--will be encouraged to come and share with everyone their
experiences with the ARECC Program. "We will focus on coordination between
ARECC volunteers and students, and their integration into the field
organization, helping us to provide the community impact stressed by CNCS
for Year 2," Miller added. The seminar will be held from 12:30 to 4:30 PM
on Saturday, October 25. Seating may be limited. Those planning to attend
should contact Dan Miller <k3ufg@arrl.org>;, 860-594-0340; fax
860-594-0259. Seminar attendance does not include hamfest admission.

* Florida group poses "Tampa Bay Challenge" to raise funds to fight BPL:
The Florida Gulf Coast Amateur Radio Council (FGCARC) has voted to donate
$1 to the ARRL's Broadband over Power Line (BPL) Defense Fund
<https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/bpl/> for every person
attending the West Central Florida Section Convention (Tampa Bay Hamfest)
<http://www.fgcarc.org/> on December 6-7. "The theme of the hamfest this
year is 'In protection of Amateur Radio,' and the entire back of each
ticket will be dedicated to this donation and the need to raise money for
the BPL Defense Fund," said ARRL West Central Florida Section Manager Dave
Armbrust, AE4MR. The Council has issued a challenge to all other major
hamfests to make similar pledges. Armbrust said he anticipates the
donation from the FGCARC to be in the vicinity of $2500.

* ARRL Recognizes Special Donors: ARRL's Development Office held its
second donor recognition event of the year September 15 at the Kellogg
Conference Center of Gallaudet University in Washington DC. ARRL President
Jim Haynie, W5JBP, CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, and host, Robert Weinstock,
W3RQ, were among those on hand to greet donors and the guest of honor, US
Rep Mike Ross, WD5DVR, of Arkansas. Ross is one of two Amateur Radio
licensees serving in Congress. The other is Rep Greg Walden, WB7OCE, of
Oregon. In his remarks, Ross talked about the importance of Amateur Radio
while he was growing up in Prescott, Arkansas, where, he said, he learned
two things: How to ride a unicycle and how to be a radio amateur. Among
the 680,000 voters Ross represents are many hams, whom he encounters as he
tours his district, covering up to 5000 miles each month. Ross also
discussed his commitment to education, based on his parents' careers as
teachers, a message that resonated with attendees, some of whom are
contributors to the ARRL Education and Technology Program ("The Big
Project") that funds Amateur Radio in some 50 schools across the US. Ross
also expressed his dedication to advocating on Amateur Radio's behalf and
to working with ARRL to expand the reach and voice for Amateur Radio in
"Official Washington."

* Attention clubs! Time to check your ARRL affiliation status: It's time
for ARRL-affiliated clubs to check and update their ARRL affiliation
status. Don't let your club affiliation lapse! To report changes in club
data, visit "The Affiliated Club Annual Report Form" page on the ARRL Web
site <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/forms/fsd2/>. Follow the
instructions under the heading "How to submit an update for your club
records." ARRL will update its club affiliation database as soon as it
receives new data, and updated listings typically appear on the ARRL Web
site within 24 hours. Renewing Special Service clubs should complete Form
FSD-7--Application for Renewal as an ARRL Special Service Club
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/forms/fsd7/renewal.html>. For more
information, visit the ARRL Club Companion Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/> or contact Margie Bourgoin,
KB1DCO, kb1dco@arrl.org; 860-594-0267.

* Vote on QST Cover Plaque Award: The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award
for September was H. Ward Silver, N0AX, for his article "Amplifier Care
and Maintenance." Congratulations, Ward! The winner of the QST Cover
Plaque award--given to the author--or authors--of the best article in each
issue--is determined by a vote of ARRL members. Voting takes place each
month on the QST Cover Plaque Poll Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/members-only/qstvote.html>. Cast a ballot for your
favorite article in the October issue of QST. Voting ends October 31.

===========================================================
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
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Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or
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==>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.)


 

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.

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.

Back issues published since 2000 are available on this page. If you wish to subscribe via e-mail, simply log on to the ARRL Web site, click on Edit Your Profile at the top, then click on Edit Email Subscriptions. Check the box next to The ARRL email newsletter, the ARRL Letter and you will receive each weekly issue in HTML format. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!): letter-dlvy@arrl.org

Editorial questions or comments: John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, at news@arrl.org.

Plain-Text

The ARRL E-Letter e-mail is also available in plain-text version:

Outlook Express

1. From the Inbox view, select the Tools menu and the Options selection.

2. Click the Read tab

3. Check the Read All Messages In Plain Text box.  When you open the e-mail, it will be in plain text without images. Other e-mail programs may be able to make a Mail Rule for e-mail received from the address memberlist@www.arrl.org so that the plain-text-only display is selected automatically.

Outlook 2007

Use the same procedure as for Outlook Express, although the global option is under "Tools/Trust Center/E-mail Security".

Thunderbird

Use the menu item "View/Message Body As/Plain Text" or "View/Message Source" options.

OS X Mail (Mac)

Use the "View/Message/Plain Text Alternative" menu item.

GMail

Use the "Message text garbled?" link in the drop-down menu at the upper right of the displayed message block. pine, alpine Set "prefer-plain-text" in your ~/.pinerc configuration file: feature-list=..., prefer-plain-text, ...

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