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ARRL Letter

 

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 24, No. 46
Nov 25, 2005
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +BPL organization should embrace recent ARRL proposals, League tells FCC
* +Maintaining a strong voice for ARRL is one goal of Spectrum Defense Fund
* +ISS commander speaks with schools in Missouri, Japan via ham radio
* +Kathleen Abernathy says she'll leave FCC December 9
* +SKYWARN Recognition Day is December 3
* +New section managers taking over in Western Massachusetts, Delaware
* +Deadline near for International Humanitarian Award nominations
* Solar Update
* IN BRIEF: 
     This weekend on the radio
     ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
    +Dave Patton, NN1N, to head ARRL Field and Educational Services
     Alabama club commended for Katrina response role
     Former ARRL HQ staffer Paul R. Shafer, KB1BE, SK
     "Silent Key" submission guidelines

+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
===========================================================
NOTE: ARRL Headquarters will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 24 and
25, for the Thanksgiving holiday. There will be no W1AW bulletin or code
practice transmissions on those days. This week's editions of The ARRL
Letter, ARRL Audio News and the DX and propagation bulletins are being
distributed early. ARRL Headquarters reopens Monday, November 28, at 8 AM
Eastern Time. We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday!
===========================================================

==>LEAGUE SAYS BPL GROUP SHOULD EMBRACE, NOT REJECT, RECENT ARRL PROPOSALS

In a Reply to Opposition filed this week, the ARRL maintains that changes it
recently proposed to the FCC's Part 15 BPL rules provide a golden
opportunity for the BPL industry and the FCC. The League was responding to a
November 2 United Power Line Council (UPLC) Motion opposing and seeking
dismissal of the ARRL's Petition for a Further Notice of Proposed Rule
Making, filed last month in the BPL proceeding, WT Docket 04-37.

"As a general observation, it is difficult to understand the rationale for
UPLC's knee-jerk response to ARRL's Petition," the League said in its Reply
to Opposition. "On its face, the Petition does no more than to state a
reasonable basis for a principled accommodation for all concerned with, or
about, access BPL. This would include BPL operators."

The ARRL contended that the UPLC "would better serve its members by
embracing the ARRL Petition, rather than rejecting it" and said its
proposals represent "the last clear chance to prevent substantial
interference from BPL deployments."

The League's October Petition suggested that incorporating three elements
into the BPL rules the Commission adopted last year would essentially
resolve all issues that the ARRL and the Amateur Service have with access
BPL:

* Prohibiting all access BPL systems from using Amateur Radio
allocations--except the five channels at 5 MHz, which the current HomePlug
system architecture does not notch.

* Prohibiting access BPL systems from using HF bands on medium-voltage power
lines.

* Measuring signal decay from access BPL systems using a more accurate 20
dB/decade extrapolation factor rather than the 40 dB/decade factor the
current rules support.

Calling UPLC's opposition to its proposals "short sighted," the League said
the UPLC "cannot in good faith" argue that the present BPL rules are in any
way sufficient to prevent or mitigate interference to Amateur Radio. "They
are not sufficient, as has been demonstrated time and time again in BPL test
deployments," the ARRL contended this week.

To punch up that point, the League called "pure sophistry" and "absurd and
false" UPLC's claim in its Motion that BPL operators using HF on
medium-voltage power lines "have been very effective in mitigating rare
instances of interference to Amateur Radio users." In support of that
assertion, UPLC cited a July 22, 2004, letter from Bruce Franca, then Deputy
Chief of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, to Tom Brown,
N4TAB. Franca's letter claimed that Progress Energy's BPL pilot project in
the Raleigh, North Carolina, area complied with FCC rules.

Responding to Franca that same day, ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, at the time
noted the presence of ongoing interference and rebutted Franca's assertions.
He specifically cautioned FCC to "not permit its conclusions to be
erroneously represented as having given the Progress Energy trials a 'clean
bill of health'"--precisely what UPLC is now attempting, he said. A copy of
Sumner's letter was attached to this week's League filing.

UPLC failed to mention that interference from the Raleigh system to numerous
Amateur Radio operators "persisted and was not resolved until the system was
shut down," the League pointed out this week. 

ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, thinks it's ironic that UPLC chose
that particular piece of FCC correspondence to buttress its case. "Mr Sumner
rebutted Franca's letter in the Raleigh situation, and Franca never
responded, despite repeated promises to do so," he said. "We are now a year
and four months down the road."

In this week's filing, the League said its Petition seeks to create
additional rules governing BPL that, with those already on the books, would
"be sufficient to allow ARRL to withdraw its pending Petition for
Reconsideration" in the proceeding. In addition, the ARRL reiterated its
position that certain BPL systems mentioned in the October Petition "present
manageable interference potential" that "can be dealt with on a case-by-case
basis." Its proposals, the League said, provide the BPL industry and the FCC
with the opportunity to create an RF environment that's not substantially
degraded for licensed radio services and that permits BPL to develop
"without the competitive handicap of fundamental incompatibility with
licensed services" and removes any remaining regulatory uncertainty.

The ARRL concluded by urging the Commission to "proceed expeditiously to
issue a further Notice of Proposed Rule Making, adopt the proposed rules,
and remove the obstacles to a responsible rollout of access BPL that were
either created, or not resolved, by the [BPL] Report and Order."

A copy of the ARRL's Reply to Opposition is on the FCC Web site
<http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_docume
nt=6518181693>

==>SPECTRUM DEFENSE FUND 2006: KEEPING ARRL'S VOICE STRONG

As its name implies, the primary focus of the ARRL Spectrum Defense Fund is
to help the League remain vigilant in guarding the range of frequencies
Amateur Radio enjoys. The Fund, which kicked off its 2006 campaign October
10, also makes it possible for the League to forcefully advocate on behalf
of the US amateur community at the FCC and on Capitol Hill and at
international conferences.

"A healthy Spectrum Defense Fund will ensure that ARRL's voice continues to
be Q5 S9 in every corner of official Washington," said ARRL Chief
Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH. "As we ask others in official
Washington to recognize the role of Amateur Radio and protect our spectrum,
the strength of our voice comes in part from the generosity of all radio
amateurs." 

Hobart added that it's crucial for the League to maintain the momentum of
the increased visibility Amateur Radio has earned as a result of its role in
disasters and emergencies, such as the Hurricane Katrina response. She
pointed to the positive and well-received testimony offered in Congress by
ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, and ARRL COO Harold Kramer, WJ1B, on ham
radio's Katrina effort.

Haynie describes spectrum defense as an ongoing and all-encompassing
activity that doesn't always involve a specific threat such as Little LEO
satellites or broadband over power line. "It involves our advocating to be
able to keep what we've got," he said. In his view, that means keeping ham
radio in prominent view of elected officials as well as of the public at
large.

"It's by selling what we can do--and not what the League can do but what you
can do as members," Haynie observed.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) grants to provide
Amateur Radio emergency communications training and to help reimburse
volunteers' out-of-pocket expenses are further evidence of Amateur Radio's
enhanced visibility, Hobart said.

"It's a matter of official record that this country cannot afford to be
without Amateur Radio," she asserted. "We have visibility and recognition,
and it's the ARRL's mission not to let anyone forget what we have done and
are ready to do, anytime the need arises."

Preparations already are under way for World Radiocommunication Conference
2007 (WRC 07), which will consider agenda items that could impact Amateur
Radio. The ARRL, as the IARU International Secretariat, funds IARU observers
as representatives of Amateur Radio at such conferences. While they don't
have a vote, they can lobby the delegates. The Spectrum Defense Fund
supports these activities too.

Hobart thanked all who have contributed to the 2006 Spectrum Defense Fund,
and she urged those who have not yet done so to take the opportunity to
express their pride in the Amateur Service. "The care and feeding of our
spectrum begins at home, with contributions from ARRL members," she
concluded.

Giving is easy. Radio amateurs may contribute online via the ARRL's secure
donor Web site <https://www.arrl.org/forms/fdefense/fdefense.html>. The ARRL
has been included in the 2005 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)
<http://www.opm.gov/cfc/>. The League's CFC donor code is 9872.

For more information about the 2006 Spectrum Defense Fund or to discuss
other ways you can support the ARRL's continuing work on behalf of Amateur
Radio, contact ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH
<mhobart@arrl.org>;; (860-594-0397).

==>LOST ITEMS USUALLY TURN UP EVENTUALLY ABOARD ISS, ASTRONAUT TELLS
STUDENTS

International Space Station Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR,
told middle schoolers in Missouri and elementary schoolers in Japan that
he's enjoying his stay in space. McArthur spoke November 16 with youngsters
at Hermann Middle School near St Louis, and the following day with students
at Takatsuki Education Center in Japan. The Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) program arranged both direct VHF
contacts. McArthur told one youngster in Missouri that lost items typically
turn up sooner or later.

"I haven't lost any tools outside, but I have lost things inside the
spaceship because it's so big and things float away," said McArthur, a
veteran of three space walks. "So when they're lost inside, I just wait and
always keep an eye out, and eventually I have found almost everything."

McArthur told both groups of students that he did not consider becoming an
astronaut until he was in the US Army flying helicopters.

In Missouri, some 100 parents, teachers and fellow students were in the
audience, while the rest of the school was able to monitor the proceedings
between the school's KC0JYV and NA1SS via the public address system. Two St
Louis TV stations also showed up for the occasion. Roy Welch, W0SL, and Mike
Koenig, N0PFF, served as the control operators. MSNBC carried live video of
the contact.

On November 17, McArthur told youngsters at Takatsuki Education Center that
he and crewmate Valery Tokarev will remain aboard the ISS for a total of 182
days--until next April. He also said he misses his family and friends while
orbiting 220 miles above Earth's surface.

"The hardest thing about living in space is not being with your family and
friends on the earth," McArthur said in answer to one youngster's question.
"Fortunately, my crewmate Valery and I are very good friends, and so we keep
each other company."

Eighteen questions were asked and answered during the contact between 8N3A
at Hiyoshidai Elementary School and NA1SS. McArthur explained that size
matters when it comes to being an astronaut. "We worry most about an
astronaut being too large," said McArthur, who is 185 cm tall--just over six
feet. "An astronaut cannot be any taller than I am and be on the space
station, and we think maybe being a smaller person helps because then it
takes less fuel to get you to space."

ARISS-Japan mentor Satoshi Yasuda, 7M3TJZ, said reporters from two TV
stations and three newspapers covered the event. The control operator was
Tamotsu Ando, JK3NSD. Some 300 people, including parents, visitors and news
media, were on hand for the contact.

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

==>FCC COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY ANNOUNCES HER DEPARTURE

FCC Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy has announced that she will exit the
Commission December 9. Her tenure already was set to end when the current
session of Congress adjourns. Appointed by President George W. Bush to fill
an unexpired term, Abernathy, a Republican, has served on the FCC since May
2001 but never was nominated for a full term. In her announcement, Abernathy
lauded the FCC's increasing reliance on competition rather than regulation. 

"Our largely market-driven approach to advanced services has helped create a
vibrant market for new wired and wireless telecommunications products," she
said, "and our spectrum reform initiatives have improved our ability to put
this scarce resource to its most effective use." 

In 2003, the ARRL strongly objected to Abernathy's suggestion that broadband
over power line (BPL) technology would contribute to what she described as
"broadband Nirvana." Addressing the United Power Line Council's annual
conference that year, Abernathy expressed unabashed enthusiasm for BPL and
recommended a combination of regulatory restraint and the elimination or
substantial modification of existing rules as steps along the "path to
Enlightenment."

Earlier this month, President Bush 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. Under current FCC Chairman
Kevin J. Martin, a Republican who succeeded Powell, the FCC has been
operating with four members ever since, and it could be down to three if
Tate is not confirmed by the US Senate before Abernathy's departure.

In addition to her other FCC responsibilities, Abernathy chaired the
Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service and participated in the 2002
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference and
in World Radiocommunication Conference 2003. She also chaired the 2004 ITU
Global Symposium for Regulators. Before her appointment to the FCC,
Abernathy was director for government affairs at BroadBand Office Inc. She
also previously served as legal advisor to FCC Commissioner Sherrie Marshall
and Chairman James Quello.

Martin thanked Abernathy for her "dedicated service" on the FCC and wished
her well. "I have enjoyed working with Commissioner Abernathy since we
joined the Commission together over four years ago," he said. "She has made
valuable contributions to the agency during her tenure, and we have all
benefited from her extensive knowledge of the communications industry."

The White House this month also reappointed Commissioner Michael J. Copps, a
Democrat, for a new five-year term, starting last July 1. That appointment
also is subject to Senate confirmation.

==>ARRL-NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SKYWARN RECOGNITION DAY IS DECEMBER 3

The seventh annual SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) <http://hamradio.noaa.gov/>
special event will take place Saturday, December 3, from 0000 until 2400 UTC
(ie, starting Friday, December 2 in US time zones). Cosponsored by the
National Weather Service (NWS) and ARRL, SKYWARN Recognition Day is the
Weather Service's way of expressing its appreciation to Amateur Radio
operators for their commitment to helping keep communities safe. During this
24-hour special event, teams of radio amateurs set up stations at local NWS
offices to contact other hams across the US and around the world.

"Ham radio operators volunteering as storm spotters are an extremely
valuable asset to National Weather Service operations since they are
cross-trained in both communications and severe storm recognition," says SRD
organizer Scott Mentzer, N0QE, the Meteorologist-In-Charge at the Goodland,
Kansas, NWS office, home of WX0GLD.

Last year, 114 NWS offices participated in SRD, logging more than 15,000
QSOs during the 24-hour event, says David Floyd, N5DBZ, the Warning
Coordination Meteorologist at Goodland. The object is for amateur stations
to exchange QSO information with as many NWS stations as possible on 80, 40,
20, 15, 10, 6 and 2 meters, and 70 cm. Contacts via repeaters and Voice over
Internet Protocol (VoIP) modes, such as EchoLink and IRLP also welcome. 

Operators exchange call sign, signal report, QTH, and a one or two word
description of their weather, such as "sunny," "partly cloudy," "windy,"
etc.

According to Floyd, in typical SKYWARN operations during severe weather,
direct communication between mobile spotters and local NWS offices provides
critical "ground truth" information for forecasters. "Spotter reports of
hail size, wind damage and surface-based rotation in real time greatly
assist the radar warning operator, since that information can be correlated
with Doppler radar displays," he says. The result may be a more strongly
worded statement to convey greater urgency or issue a tornado warning a few
minutes earlier than would otherwise have been possible.

"While NWS offices utilize the real-time reporting of severe weather events
to assist in warning operations, hurricanes Katrina and Rita have shown us
that ham radio operators are equally important during the recovery phase of
natural disasters," Floyd points out.

Floyd also cites the example of the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on 14.325 MHz.
He notes that the HWN, which organized in 1965 during Hurricane Betsy,
started out as an informal group of amateurs but has since developed a more
formal relationship with the National Hurricane Center in Miami via its
Amateur Radio station WX4NHC (formerly W4EHW). HWN ham radio members and
volunteers at WX4NHC work together when hurricanes threaten to provide
real-time weather data and damage reports to NHC forecasters.

So far, some 75 NWS offices in the US are planning to participate along with
the Prairie Storm Prediction Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. An
official EchoLink/Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP) reflector is
expected to be available for use during SRD.

An 8.5 x 11-inch certificate is available in exchange for a self-addressed,
stamped envelope with a list of NWS stations worked. Address requests to
SKYWARN Recognition Day, 920 Armory Rd, Goodland, KS 67735. Separate
stations also will issue individual QSL cards. For more information, contact
Matthew Mehle, KC0TER <matthew.mehle@noaa.gov>;.

==>WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS, DELAWARE TO GET NEW SECTION MANAGERS

New Section Managers start January 1 in the ARRL Western Massachusetts and
Delaware sections. Ballots were counted and verified November 22 at ARRL
Headquarters in the Western Massachusetts election--the only contested race
in the current election cycle. The sole SM candidate in Delaware and
incumbents in several other ARRL sections ran unopposed and have been
declared elected.

In Western Massachusetts Ed Emco, W1KT, of Worcester, will take over the
reins from incumbent SM William "Bill" Voedisch Jr, W1UD. Emco outpolled
Voedisch 187 to 120 votes. A radio amateur since age 13, Emco has been
active as an ARRL Official Observer, Official Emergency Station, and
Assistant Emergency Coordinator. He's involved in ARES, RACES and SKYWARN
and is a member of the Worcester Emergency Communications Team (WECT). Emco
also enjoys contesting, DXing and is a member of the Yankee Clipper Contest
Club. Voedisch has been Western Massachusetts SM since 1996. He served
previously as SM in 1988 and 1989.

In Delaware, Frank T. Filipkowski Jr, AD3M, of Wilmington, was the only
nominee to succeed current SM Randall Carlson, WB0JJX, who decided not to
run for another term. Carlson has served in the Section's top leadership
post since December 1992. A native of Delaware, Filipkowski has been
licensed since 1968. Trained in all three levels of the ARRL Amateur Radio
Emergency Communications Course, Filipkowski is an ARES and National Weather
Service SKYWARN volunteer.

Incumbent SMs were unchallenged for new terms in eight other ARRL sections.
They are Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, Alabama; David Stevens, KL7EB, Alaska;
Ti-Michelle Connelly, NJ6T, East Bay; Ron Cowan, KB0DTI, Kansas; Dale
Williams, WA8EFK, Michigan; Bill Weatherford, KM5FT, New Mexico; Robert
Griffin, K6YR, Santa Barbara, and Larry Marshall, WB4NCW, Tennessee.

Two-year terms of office for all successful candidates begin January 1,
2006.

==>INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN AWARD NOMINATION DEADLINE LOOMS

Nominations close December 31 for the 2005 ARRL International Humanitarian
Award. The award honors an amateur or amateur group devoted to promoting
human welfare, peace and international understanding through Amateur Radio.
The annual prize recognizes Amateur Radio operators who have used ham radio
in the US or abroad to provide extraordinary service to others in times of
crisis or disaster.

A committee appointed by League President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, will recommend
an award recipient to the ARRL Board of Directors, which will make the final
selection. The committee invites nominations from Amateur Radio,
governmental or other organizations that have benefited from extraordinary
service rendered by an Amateur Radio operator or group. 

Nominations must include a summary of the nominee's actions that qualify the
individual or group for this award plus verifying statements from at least
two individuals having firsthand knowledge of the events warranting the
nomination. These statements may be from an official of a group (for
example, the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, a local or state
emergency management official) that benefited from the nominee's particular
Amateur Radio contribution. Nominations should include the names and
addresses of all references. 

All nominations and supporting materials for the 2005 ARRL International
Humanitarian Award must be submitted in writing in English to ARRL
International Humanitarian Award, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111 USA. 

The award recipient receives an engraved plaque and is profiled in QST and
other ARRL venues. Complete information on how to nominate is available on
the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/awards/humanitarian.html>.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Solar sage Tad "Gobble Gobble!" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports:
Geomagnetic indicators, the A and K indices, have remained low. This is good
for HF propagation, and, with low sunspot numbers lowering the MUF (maximum
usable frequency), perfect for long-range communication on 160 and 80
meters.
Average sunspot numbers in the six days since the last bulletin were
50.3--nearly 30 points above the average reported in the previous report.
The daily solar flux went just above 100 on November 17-19, the days when
large Sunspot 822 was passing across the center of the visible solar disk
and exerting maximum influence.

Solar flux is expected to decline over the next week. Predicted solar flux
over the next few days is 95, 90 and 85 for November 23-25, and 80 through
the end of the month. Geomagnetic numbers (and disturbances) are expected to
remain low. Expect a mid-latitude K index of 3 or less and an A index at 10
or lower until the end of the month, when we may see higher geomagnetic
activity around November 30 to December 1.

Because this report is early, the sunspot data that normally appear each
week will be included in a separate bulletin Monday, November 28.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The CQ World Wide DX Contest (CW) is the
weekend of November 26-27. JUST AHEAD: The ARRL 160-Meter Contest, the TARA
RTTY Melee and the Wake-Up! QRP Sprint are the weekend of December 3-4. The
ARRL 10-Meter Contest is the weekend of December 10-11. 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, December 4, for these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) Program on-line courses:
Emergency Communications Level 2 (EC-002), Emergency Communications Level 3
(EC-003), Antenna Modeling (EC-004), VHF/UHF Beyond the Repeater (EC-008),
and Propagation (EC-011), HF Digital Communications (EC-005) Classes begin
Friday, December 16. To learn more, visit the CCE Course Listing page
<http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the CCE Department
<cce@arrl.org>;.

* Dave Patton, NN1N, to head ARRL Field and Educational Services: ARRL COO
Harold Kramer, WJ1B, has announced the appointment of Dave Patton, NN1N, as
manager of ARRL Field and Educational Services, effective November 21. "Dave
has been serving as acting head of this department since September, during
which he led that department through the Katrina disaster relief efforts,"
Kramer noted in his announcement. A member of the ARRL Headquarters staff
since 1999, Patton previously served as special assistant to ARRL CEO David
Sumner, K1ZZ. He also has been a key figure in the rollout of the League's
successful Logbook of the World (LoTW) project. He holds bachelor's and
master's degrees in geography from Western Illinois University. Prior to
attending college he served as a Navy radioman. A nearly lifelong,
enthusiastic, and dedicated radio amateur, Patton was first licensed as
WD9DCL in 1977 at age 12 and has held quite a long list of call signs since
then--most recently W9QA and NT1N. As head of Field and Educational
Services, Patton succeeds Rosalie White, K1STO, who departed ARRL
Headquarters earlier this year.

* Alabama club commended for Katrina response role: ARRL Alabama Section
Manager Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, has commended the Montgomery Amateur Radio Club
for its assistance during the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. During the
club's recent hamfest November 12, Sarratt presented club officials with two
awards--the ARRL Public Service Commendation and the ARRL Emergency
Communications Commendation. Accepting the honors on the club's behalf were
MARC president Scott Pool, W4SPA, and vice president Rick Seeders, KG4PNL.
"The Montgomery ARC provided superb help and public service for over a month
during the Hurricane Katrina relief effort," said Sarratt, noting that the
club's W4AP call sign was used for the ham station set up at the American
Red Cross and ARRL marshaling center in Montgomery that handled intake for
Gulf Coast-bound ham radio and Red Cross volunteers. "Over two dozen local
amateurs helped in various capacities during the 37 days we were set up in
Montgomery."

* Former ARRL HQ staffer Paul R. Shafer, KB1BE, SK: Former ARRL Headquarters
staff member Paul Shafer, KB1BE, of Bloomfield, Connecticut, died November
9. He was 81. Shafer worked at Headquarters for 12 years, starting out in
1983 as a DXCC aide. His service ended in 1995, when he was a DXCC
assistant. A graduate of Temple University, Shafer was a professional
photographer for most of his working years. While working for the Hartford
Courant, Shafer contributed to the coverage of the tragic July 6, 1944,
Hartford Circus Fire. During 1950s and 1960s, Shafer was in high demand as a
wedding photographer, and in recent years, he worked high school sporting
events and occasionally took photographs for the ARRL and assisted with
League projects. An ARRL member, Shafer had achieved DXCC Honor Roll and
7-Band DXCC. He belonged to the Connecticut DX Association, served as the
organization's first vice president in 1983 and was on the CTDXA Board at
the time of his death. In addition to Amateur Radio, he enjoyed competitive
pistol target shooting. A service was held November 20. The family invites
memorial contributions to the Hartford Art School of the University of
Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave, W Hartford, CT 06117 to fund photography
scholarships. 

* "Silent Key" submission guidelines: The ARRL accepts notifications
regarding the deaths of radio amateurs or former radio amateurs (if the
reporting individual can provide proof of past licensure, including call
sign) for possible inclusion in the QST "Silent Keys" listing. Actual
published obituaries or copies of death certificates are the preferred means
of notification but are not absolutely necessary. The League also will
accept notifications from family members or friends of the deceased or from
other amateurs. The following information is required: name, call sign (or
formerly held call sign) and last known address of the deceased radio
amateur. Current or past ARRL membership is *not* a requirement for
inclusion in QST "Silent Keys." Individuals reporting the Silent Key should
provide name, address and call sign (if any). Mail, fax (860-594-0303) or
e-mail information to Silent Key Administrator Kathy Capodicasa, N1GZO,
<kcapodicasa@arrl.org>;. Allow up to two weeks for acknowledgement via
e-mail. 

=========================================================== 
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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==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org
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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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