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ARRL Letter

 

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 24, No. 44
November 11, 2005
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +Indiana, Kentucky hams respond to killer tornado
* +White House taps two for FCC seats
* +ISS commander logs 200th ARISS school contact
* +ARRL Holiday Toy Drive TV announcement available
* +Dedicated LFers ply the nether spectrum
* +It's Frequency Measuring Test time again!
*  Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF: 
     This weekend on the radio
     ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
    +ARRL "Public Service Stories" page proves popular
    +Hurricane volunteers to be honored in QST
     Hurricane Wilma ARES/RACES Southern Florida activation praised
     Improved search capability debuts on ARRL Web site
     ARRL represented at USA Freedom Corps briefing
     Foundation for Amateur Radio announces scholarships
     SSETI Express is now OSCAR 53
     George Steber, WB9LVI, wins October QST Cover Plaque Award
     Darrell L. Thomas, N7KOR, SK
     DXCC Desk accredits operations

+Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> 

===========================================================
==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
letter-dlvy@arrl.org
==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org
===========================================================

==>INDIANA TORNADO "LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT," HAM RADIO VOLUNTEER SAYS

Amateur Radio volunteers continue to assist relief and recovery efforts in
the wake of a November 6 tornado that left 22 people dead and hundreds
injured. The twister, with winds of up to 200 MPH, originated within a line
of thunderstorms that struck during the early morning hours. It cut a more
than 40-mile swath through part of Kentucky and extreme southwestern
Indiana, wiping out a section of a trailer park in Vanderburgh County where
18 of the fatalities occurred.

"It was like a thief in the night, striking and having no mercy for anyone
or anything in its path," said Amateur Radio volunteer and police officer
Bob Pointer, N9XAW. For the first couple of days after the tornado, Amateur
Radio assisted Red Cross emergency response vehicles (ERVs) in the field to
communicate with their headquarters, a new facility in Evansville where the
communication system was not yet up and running.

At week's end, Pointer was expecting ham radio support for Red Cross
recovery and feeding operations to pick up again. "We'll have to set up
units at a warehouse and a couple of outlying cities," he told ARRL. 

During most of the week, Amateur Radio volunteers have been supporting
relief activities of The Salvation Army. The need was to set up
communication between mobile field and canteen units and The Salvation Army
headquarters in Evansville.

"The Salvation Army is very, very pleased with the ham radio service,"
Pointer said. "We have units in areas where the cell phones cannot function
or they're so busy, it's hard to get a line." Amateur Radio has been able to
get messages through when they otherwise wouldn't, Pointer added, "and it's
helping make things go much more smoothly."

Calls came from prospective volunteers as far away as New York. "It was
truly a rewarding feeling," Pointer said. "Thanks to the ARRL for putting
out the call so quickly." Local hams calling in on the repeater to offer
assistance soon found themselves assigned to field stations. "This was a
good exercise in trying out the grab-it-and-go kits," Pointer said.

Pointer says that within hours of setting up, ARRL Section Manager Jim
Sellers, K9ZBM, called to offer assistance and got the ball rolling. ARRL
Indiana Section Emergency Coordinator David Pifer, N9YNF, contacted ARRL
Headquarters to spread the word.

"ARRL Headquarters even called to check on us," Pointer said. "You see, your
membership is more than a magazine a month. It is hams from all over the
world ready to support you." 

Three Salvation Army mobile kitchens and three field units have been
deployed in Vanderburgh and Warrick counties. The daily routine involves
moving food from a warehouse to mobile kitchens to feed tornado victims as
well as the hundreds of volunteers deployed in several locations across a
wide area. Ham radio volunteers have been handling requests for supplies,
messages to workers and notices to staff volunteers.

Pointer said he expected the Amateur Radio tornado relief support operation
to continue into early next week. "I am privileged to work with a great
bunch of people down here," Pointer concluded.

Kentucky SEC Ron Dodson, KA4MAP, says SKYWARN was active as the storms moved
in. "I had our Amateur Radio net going with National Weather Service (NWS)
Louisville and monitored those in the counties west of me as it approached,"
he told ARRL. SKYWARN nets were active in Daviess and Hancock counties.
Breckinridge, Grayson and Meade counties west of Louisville were active with
the linked Wide Area Repeaters Net (WARN), Dodson said. NWS Louisville's
amateur station WX4NWS was on the air for three hours as the storms moved
across counties on both sides of the Ohio River.

==>WHITE HOUSE NOMINATES NEW FCC COMMISSIONER, COPPS TAPPED FOR NEW TERM

President George W. Bush has nominated Deborah T. Tate of Tennessee, a
Republican, to serve out the remainder of the term of former FCC Chairman
Michael K. Powell, which expires June 30, 2007. Powell announced his
resignation one day into President Bush's second term, and he departed the
FCC last March. Under FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin, a Republican who
succeeded Powell, the FCC has been operating with four members ever since.
The White House this week also reappointed Commissioner Michael J. Copps, a
Democrat, for a new five-year term, starting last July 1. Both appointments
are subject to US Senate confirmation.

"If confirmed, Debi Tate will be an excellent addition to the Commission,"
said Martin. "She has a distinguished career in state government, and she
has worked closely with the Commission in her role as Director of the
Tennessee Regulatory Authority."

Martin said he also looked forward to continuing to work closely with Copps,
who has served on the FCC the past four years. "I respect his insight and
thoughtfulness on issues before the Commission," Martin added.

Since Martin, a member during the Powell regime, took over the chairmanship,
the political balance on the Commission has been split evenly between two
Republicans and two Democrats. Members of a president's political party hold
a majority on the FCC.

Another FCC opening is looming. Republican Kathleen Q. Abernathy is obliged
to step down when the current session of the US Senate expires, probably
later this year. She's been on the FCC since 2001.

Copps said he was "deeply honored" to be reappointed. "I look forward to
working with Congress, the Administration, the Chairman of the FCC and my
fellow Commissioners to help bring the best, most accessible, and
cost-effective communications system in the world to all of our people,"
Copps said in a statement. Jonathan Adelstein is the other Democrat on the
Commission.

==>NEARLY EVERY DAY IS "CASUAL FRIDAY" ABOARD ISS, JAPAN YOUNGSTERS LEARN

ISS Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR, completed the 200th
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) school group QSO
November 3. ARISS arranged the direct VHF QSO between 8J4ISS on behalf of
the Kawachi Citizen's Committee for Youths in Japan and NA1SS onboard the
ISS. McArthur told the participating youngsters that the climate aboard the
ISS permits the crew to dress lightly.

"It is very, very comfortable," McArthur said. "Normally we just wear short
pants and short-sleeve shirts and socks." And, when those clothes get dirty,
he said in response to another youngster's question, the crew simply throws
them out and puts on fresh clothing.

Some of the youngsters were curious about how well the ISS crew could spot
landmarks on Earth from their perch 220 miles high in space. "We cannot see
the Tokyo Tower with just our eyes," McArthur responded to one questioner,
"but sometimes we can see such objects through a telephoto lens on a camera
or with binoculars." He also told the kids that he had not yet seen the
Great Wall of China from the ISS but "we have taken pictures of the Great
Wall of China from space."

McArthur and crewmate Valery Tokarev this week completed their mission's
first spacewalk to install a new camera on the station's exterior. Onboard
the ISS for a little more than a month, they'll return to Earth in April
after 182 days in space, McArthur told the youngsters.

McArthur was able to answer 19 of the youngsters' questions during the
nearly 10-minute contact. An audience of more than 100 parents and relatives
and representatives from five TV stations--including national network
NHK--and three newspapers was on hand for the occasion.

ARISS <http://www.rac.ca/ariss> is an international educational outreach
with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.

==>HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE VIDEO ANNOUNCEMENTS NOW AVAILABLE

A video public service announcement (PSA) now is available to promote the
ARRL/The Salvation Army 2005 Holiday Toy Drive. Offered in three formats,
these clips feature 2005 Holiday Toy Drive National Chairperson and country
music artist Patty Loveless, KD4WUJ.

"Patty caught the feeling of the Toy Drive perfectly in the video," said
ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, the ARRL
Headquarters point person for the drive. "She expresses her concern,
compassion and a deep pride in being an Amateur Radio operator." Pitts says
Loveless and producer Richard Lubash, N1VXW, joined forces to produce the
high-quality public service video for the drive.

PSA versions are available for television broadcasters as well as for Web,
club and meeting presentations. There's a 3 MB MP4 file, a 9 MB .wmv file
and a 480 MB .mov file (for TV broadcasters). Visit
<http://www.hello-radio.org/> to download. 

The goal of the ARRL/The Salvation Army 2005 Holiday Toy Drive is to
brighten the holidays for youngsters displaced or left homeless by
hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Between now and December 10, radio amateurs
from all across the US will be collecting new unwrapped toys for boys and
girls aged 1 to 14 and sending them with a QSL card (or a card bearing their
call sign) to: ARRL Toy Drive/The Salvation Army, 1775 Moriah Woods
Blvd--Suite 12, Memphis, TN 38117-7125. Gifts already have begun to show up
in Memphis from all over the US.

ARRL invites its members to send cash donations, if they prefer, to: ARRL
Toy Drive, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. The League is asking all radio
amateurs to make the holiday season a little bit brighter for kids affected
by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

"The hams who were in the Gulf Coast returned with stories of devastated
families and children," Pitts noted. "Perhaps we cannot save the whole
world, but as the holiday season gets closer, we are showing the best traits
of a long history of service to others when we remember those children.
Sending a new toy is a minor inconvenience and expense to most of us, but to
the child on the other end it can mean everything."

==>LF EXPERIMENTATION BY RADIO AMATEURS CONTINUES QUIETLY

Experimentation by radio amateurs in the nether regions of the radio
spectrum continues quietly and largely unnoticed outside of the LF
community. Since the FCC turned down the ARRL's 1998 petition to create an
Amateur Radio "sliver band" in the vicinity of 136 kHz, some US amateur
licensees have obtained FCC Part 5 Experimental licenses to research the
possibilities of LF, including transatlantic and transpacific propagation. A
few hams in Canada have obtained special permission from Industry Canada to
operate on LF using Amateur Radio call signs. The latest noteworthy
accomplishment was a 137 kHz QSO <http://www.w1tag.com/XDWQSO.htm> October
29 between US Experimental licensees Laurence Howell, KL1X--operating as
WD2XDW--and John Andrews, W1TAG--operating as WD2XES.

"This is the second two-way between US Experimental licensees in that
frequency range, the first being a 25-mile CW contact between K2ORS/WD2XGJ
and myself last year," said Andrews. The QSO between Andrews, in
Massachusetts, and Howell, in Oklahoma, spanned some 1340 miles. 

In 2001, Larry Kayser, VA3LK (SK), and Laurie Mayhead, G3AQC, received a
special Transatlantic Challenge plaque for completing the first two-way
Amateur Radio LF contact between the UK and Canada earlier that year.
Another plaque went to Dave Bowman, G0MRF, John Currie, VE1ZJ, and Jack
Leahy, VE1ZZ, for completing a crossband (HF/LF) transatlantic QSO in 2000. 

A year ago, New Zealand LFer Mike McAlevey, ZL4OL, copied Howell's WD2XDW
137 kHz carrier "bursts" over a path of more than 13,000 km (8000 miles),
while Jim Moritz, M0BMU, copied LF signals from WD2XDW, Andrews' WD2XES and
Joe Craig, VO1NA, in Newfoundland. Craig and Alan Melia, G3NYK, described
their LF exploits and experiences in "The Transatlantic on 2200 Meters," in
July 2005 QST <http://www.arrl.org/qst/2005/07/craig.pdf>.

More recently, the first confirmed transpacific reception of Canadian
Amateur Radio LF signals occurred October 4 when the very slow speed (QRSS)
CW signals of VA7LF were heard by ZM2E in New Zealand. "Signals from the
ZM2E club station were heard in Canada as well, but propagation was not of
sufficient duration to enable a QSO to be completed," said Steve McDonald,
VE7SL, one of the VA7LF operators. ZM2E and UA0LE hold the current Amateur
Radio two-way LF world record at a distance of 10,311 km (6393 mi). The
distance between VA7LF and ZM2E is approximately 11,700 km (7254 mi).

LFers typically use very low data rates and process the incoming sound-card
audio in real time using DSP software like WOLF or ARGO.

During the October 29 contact, which took more than two hours to complete,
Andrews was running 200 W output into a large, tree-supported vertical loop.
Howell was running 1 kW into a tree-supported vertical loop.

Experimentation under FCC Part 15 rules in the vicinity of 160 to 190 kHz
has been going on for years by radio amateurs and non-amateurs alike.
Amateur Radio licensees in Europe and elsewhere have an allocation at 135.7
to 137.8 kHz, and most Amateur Radio experimentation takes place in this
band.

==>ARRL 2005 FREQUENCY MEASURING TEST SET FOR NOVEMBER 17 UTC

Returning to the airwaves November 17 at 0245 UTC (Wednesday, November 16 in
US time zones), the 2005 ARRL Frequency Measuring Test (FMT) once again will
call on participants to measure the frequency of an audio tone modulating
the carrier.

"Measuring the tone frequency, as opposed to that of the carrier, reinforces
the understanding of the relationship between carrier frequency and the
actual components of a transmitted signal," Engineer and ARRL Contributing
Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, says in "Tune In the 2005 Frequency Measuring
Test," in November QST (p 54), www.arrl.org/w1aw/fmt/2005/05fmtsilver.pdf.
"With the carrier largely suppressed for SSB signals, only the sideband
components remain. A single modulating tone results in a single transmitted
component." But, Silver notes, the frequency of the absent carrier is what
the operator sees on the radio's display.

The FMT signals will emanate from Maxim Memorial Station W1AW this year on
160, 80 and 40 meters. The 20-meter transmission has been dropped for 2005
because of the generally poor conditions during evening hours on that band.
The frequencies will be 1855, 3990 and 7290 kHz, and all transmissions will
be on lower sideband (LSB). The FMT will replace the W1AW phone bulletin
normally transmitted at 0245 UTC on November 17 (November 16 in US time
zones).

Participants may utilize either direct or indirect techniques to determine
the tone frequency. "Direct measurements assume a carrier frequency and
measure the audio tone frequency directly," Silver explains. "Indirect
measurements obtain the transmitted frequency of the tone component at RF,
then compute the difference between the published carrier frequency and
measured frequency."

Silver advises that since the W1AW exciters are independent units and not
fed with a single local oscillator, participants can expect the measured
tone frequency to differ slightly on each band.

The test itself will consist of three 60-second tone transmissions on each
band, followed by a station identification. The whole test will run for
about 15 minutes and will end with a station ID.

Submitted reports should include the participant's name, call sign and
location plus the time of reception and the tone frequency. Those using an
indirect measurement method should show how they calculated the tone
frequency. Participants may submit separate reports for each band. A
Certificate of Participation is available to all entrants. 

Those coming closest to the measured frequency as determined by the ARRL
Laboratory will be listed in the test report and will also receive special
recognition on their certificate. Entries must be received via e-mail <fmt@
arrl.org> or postmarked by December 16, 2005. Send hard-copy entries to
W1AW/FMT, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Solar sage Tad "Tequila Sunrise" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports:
We may be in another period of no sunspots. From October 24-28 there was a
sunspot count of zero on each day. Three days at the beginning of the month
were no-sunspot days, and four months ago there were five days--July
18-22--with no spots. A year from now expect to see longer periods of zero
sunspot readings--possibly up to several weeks--based on what the periods
between previous sunspot cycles were like.

Geomagnetic conditions should be fairly active today. Predicted planetary A
index for Friday through Monday, November 11-14, is 15, 8, 5 and 5. The
Prague Geophysical Institute predicts unsettled to active conditions on
November 11 and 12, unsettled conditions on November 13, quiet to unsettled
on November 14 and 15, and quiet conditions November 16-17. 

Sunspot numbers for November 3 through 9 were 24, 22, 18, 34, 31, 38 and 13,
with a mean of 25.7. 10.7 cm flux was 76.8, 77.4, 79.3, 81.7, 79.4, 79.4,
and 78.1, with a mean of 78.9. Estimated planetary A indices were 24, 20,
10, 10, 6, 3 and 3, with a mean of 10.9. Estimated mid-latitude A indices
were 19, 16, 10, 12, 6, 2 and 1, with a mean of 9.4.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The WAE DX Contest (RTTY), the JIDX Phone
Contest, the SARL Field Day Contest, the OK/OM DX Contest (CW), the CQ-WE
Contest are the weekend of November 12-13. JUST AHEAD: The ARRL November
Sweepstakes (SSB), the NA Collegiate ARC Championship (SSB), the LZ DX
Contest, the EUCW Fraternizing CW QSO Party, the All Austrian 160-Meter
Contest and the RSGB Second 1.8 MHz Contest (CW) are the weekend of November
19-20. The CQ World Wide DX Contest (CW) is the weekend of November 26-27.
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 Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration remains open through Sunday, November 20, for these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE). Program on-line courses:
Emergency Communication Level 1 (EC-001) Antenna Design and Construction
(EC-009), Technician Licensing (EC-010), Radio Frequency Interference
(EC-006), Digital Electronics (EC-013) and Analog Electronics (EC-012).
Classes begin Friday, December 2. To learn more, visit the CCE Course
Listing page <http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the CCE
Department <cce@arrl.org>;.

* ARRL "Public Service Stories" page proves popular: Amateur Radio
volunteers have posted dozens of reports on the ARRL's new "Public Service
Stories" page <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/PublicServiceStories/>. The
League thanks those who have taken the time to share their experiences.
Additional stories are welcome! At present, the site is open to reports from
radio amateurs who provided public service in the aftermath of hurricanes
Katrina, Rita and Wilma and want to tell the world about their public
service contributions. The Public Service Stories page accepts both text and
photos for all to see. Submissions from ARRL members who are logged onto the
League's Web site will be published immediately. Others' submissions will be
reviewed before posting.

* Hurricane volunteers to be honored in QST: Amateurs who provided
communication support during recovery efforts for hurricanes Katrina, Rita
and Wilma will be honored with a special listing, including names and call
signs, in the February issue of QST. To be eligible for the list, complete
the ARRL Hurricane Relief Volunteer Service Report on the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/agencies/vol-report.html>. The reporting
deadline for the QST list is December 9. You do not have to be an ARRL or
ARES member to be included in the list.

* Hurricane Wilma ARES/RACES Southern Florida activation praised: ARRL
Southern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Jeff Beals, WA4AW, reports
that all Amateur Radio support in the Southern Florida Section in response
to Hurricane Wilma secured Monday, October 31. All out-of-area operator
assistance was released the next day. "Some shelters and feeding stations
were still in operation through the week, and many affected areas are still
without power and telephone service," he told ARRL November 4. Beals said
officials at the Broward and Palm Beach county emergency operating centers
(EOCs) reported that Amateur Radio assistance was invaluable in conducting
their tactical operations. In addition to volunteering to supplement
communication at the EOCs, ham radio volunteers also assisted at American
Red Cross shelters for hurricane evacuees and at staging areas.

* Improved search capability debuts on ARRL Web site: A new search engine
now is active on the ARRL Web site, Webmaster Jon Bloom, KE3Z,
<jbloom@arrl.org>; has announced. "The ARRL Web site's search capability has
long been a weak spot of the site," he allowed. "To address that problem,
we've replaced the site's search engine with an entirely new search page
that uses a Google <http://www.google.com/> search appliance--a separate
computer running Google's search system--that indexes and searches the ARRL
Web site." Bloom says the change means that those using the "Search" box
atop any page on the site not only will obtain more comprehensive and
accurate results but will get them much faster than previously. "We hope our
site users enjoy the new search capability, which was instituted largely at
the request of numerous ARRL members," Bloom added.

* ARRL represented at USA Freedom Corps briefing: ARRL Chief Development
Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, represented the League October 14 at a USA
Freedom Corps post-Katrina briefing in Washington, DC. She was among
representatives of some 120 representatives of nonprofit organizations
attending the White House gathering. Deputy Assistant to the President and
Director of USA Freedom Corps Desiree Sayle, Homeland Security Secretary
Michael Chertoff, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson,
White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card and Corporation for National and
Community Service (CNCS) CEO David Eisner were among those who addressed the
briefing, which focused on hurricane recovery and reconstruction. CNCS
grants subsidized Amateur Radio emergency communications training for some
5500 completed courses as well as the League's "Ham Aid" program to assist
Amateur Radio Gulf Coast hurricane volunteers with out-of-pocket expenses.
Hobart said the team of Bush Administration representatives thanked
nonprofits for their contributions and detailed plans to continue the Gulf
Coast recovery effort, in which Amateur Radio volunteer involvement
continues. "The ARRL was able to talk with CNCS leadership about future
funding for Amateur Radio," Hobart added.

* Foundation for Amateur Radio announces scholarships: The Foundation for
Amateur Radio (FAR) plans to administer 54 scholarships for the 2006-2007
academic year to assist Amateur Radio licensees attending institutions of
higher education full-time. A non-profit organization headquartered in
Washington, DC, FAR is composed of more than 75 area Amateur Radio clubs.
FAR fully funds three of these scholarships, 10 are funded with income from
grants and FAR administers the remaining 41 without cost to the donors.
Radio amateurs may compete for these awards if they plan to pursue a
full-time course of studies beyond high school and are enrolled in or have
been accepted for enrollment at an accredited university, college or
technical school. The awards range from $500 to $2500 with preference given
in some cases to residents of specified geographical areas or to those who
are pursuing certain courses of study. Clubs, especially those in Delaware,
Florida, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin, are
encouraged to announce these opportunities. For additional information and
an application form, send a letter or QSL card postmarked prior to April 30,
2006, to FAR Scholarships, PO Box 831, Riverdale, MD 20738. FAR is an exempt
organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.

* SSETI Express is now OSCAR 53: AMSAT-NA has designated the now-problematic
SSETI Express satellite as OSCAR 53--XO-53 for short. Launched October 27,
the satellite, which carries an Amateur Radio package and deployed three ham
radio cubesats, went silent after about five orbits. Based on telemetry
received during its short period of operation, SSETI Express Project Manager
Neil Melville has cited an apparent onboard power system anomaly. The
spacecraft went into a "safe mode" due to an "undervoltage" condition caused
by battery charging problems, Melville has said, adding that ground-based
hardware tests confirm the possibility of a further failure mode of the
specific component that would allow the batteries to charge and the
spacecraft to resume operation. In thanking AMSAT's Bill Tynan, W3XO, and
the AMSAT Board for notifying the project of the designation, Melville
remained upbeat. "As you are no doubt aware XO-53, to use its new
designation, has some significant problems right now," he said. "However, we
remain vigilant and hopeful, perhaps it can be recovered." Graham Shirville,
G3VZV, says analysis of the actual cause of SSETI Express's problems
continues, and a full review will take place later this month. Shirville
says a number of automated ground stations have been set up in Europe to
listen for SSETI Express on 437.250 MHz. He also invites valid reception
reports via e-mail from the Amateur Radio community, "and if you do hear it
first we can promise you a bigger prize than just a special T-shirt!" he
added. "We believe that there is a small but finite chance of recovery, so
your efforts could be very worthwhile."

* George Steber, WB9LVI, wins October QST Cover Plaque Award: The winner of
the QST Cover Plaque Award for October is George R. Steber, WB9LVI, for his
article "A Low Cost Automatic Impedance Bridge." Congratulations, George!
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 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 November issue by Wednesday, November 30.

* Darrell L. Thomas, N7KOR, SK: Former Montana ARRL Section Manager Darrell
Thomas, N7KOR, died October 16. He was 69. Thomas served as SM for 10 years,
from 1993 until 2003, when he stepped down because of ill health. "Darrell
was an effective SM and, despite his battle with cancer, was always the
optimistic sort.," said ARRL Northwestern Division Director Greg Milnes,
W7OZ. " He will be missed." Thomas was a member of the ARRL and of the Great
Falls Area Amateur Radio Club. A retired fire chief for the Montana Air
National Guard and the Great Falls International Airport, Thomas has also
worked as a 911 dispatcher for the City of Great Falls. Survivors include
his wife, Joanne, N7VTP, and a daughter and son. The family invites memorial
donations to the Animal Foundation of Great Falls, PO Box 3426, Great Falls,
MT 59403 or to the GFAARC Repeater Fund, PO Box 1763, Great Falls, MT
59403.--some information from the Great Falls Tribune

* DXCC Desk accredits operations: The ARRL DXCC Desk has approved these
operations for DXCC credit: 6O0JT, Somalia, September 30, 2004 through April
30, 2005; 5X1W, Uganda, August 3-12, 2005; DX0K, Spratly Islands, February
1-April 30, 2005. For more information, visit the DXCC Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/>. "DXCC Frequently Asked Questions" can
answer most questions about the DXCC program. ARRL DX bulletins are
available on the W1AW DX Bulletins page <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/dx/>.

=========================================================== 
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 <http://www.arrl.org/> for the latest news,
updated as it happens. The ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> offers
access to news, informative features and columns. ARRL Audio News
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> is a weekly "ham radio newscast"
compiled from The ARRL Letter. 

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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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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