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ARRL Letter

 

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 24, No. 48
December 9, 2005
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IN THIS EDITION:

* +Federal jury renders guilty verdicts in California jamming case
* +Radio amateurs contribute to Ultra-Wide Band studies
* +Amateur Radio lets youngsters in New England, Canada talk to ISS
* +Donation deadline looms for ARRL 2005 Holiday Toy Drive
* +ARRL Headquarters mourns staffer Bob Schetgen, KU7G
*  Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF:
     This weekend on the radio: Enjoy the ARRL 10-Meter Contest!
     ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
     ARRL Web site offers Winlink 2000 page
    +World record claimed on relocated microwave band
    +Southeastern VHF Society conference issues call for papers
     ARRL Emergency Power for Radio Communications book now available
     Bruce Pontius, N0ADL, wins November QST Cover Plaque Award
     Former ARRL staff member Sally O'Dell, WB2E, SK
    +RSGB to get new president January 1

+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
===========================================================

==>GERRITSEN CONVICTED ON ALL COUNTS IN RADIO JAMMING CASE

A US District Court jury has found Jack Gerritsen of Bell, California,
guilty on six counts that included transmitting without a license and
willful and malicious interference with radio transmissions. Gerritsen, 69,
who briefly held the amateur call sign KG6IRO, will face sentencing March 6,
according to the office of Debra W. Yang, US Attorney for the Central
District of California. He could receive up to 15 years in federal prison.

"The Federal Communication Commission investigated illegal radio
transmissions linked to Gerritsen for four years," said a statement from
Yang's office. "According to court documents filed in this case, the FCC
investigation revealed that Gerritsen transmitted his prerecorded messages,
as well as real-time harassment and profanity, for hours at a time, often
making it impossible for licensed radio operators to use the public
frequencies." A federal grand jury indicted Gerritsen last spring.

Turning down the offer of a public defender, Gerritsen served as his own
attorney. The government's case, presented by Assistant US Attorney Lamar
Baker, went to the jury December 8, and the jury deliberated for less than
an hour before returning its verdict December 9. US District Court Judge R.
Gary Klausner revoked Gerritsen's bond, and the defendant was taken into
custody following the verdict.

Gerritsen was found guilty of interfering with a Military Affiliate Radio
System (MARS) communication last March and interfering with American Red
Cross communications last January--both misdemeanors--and with interfering
with US Coast Guard communications in October 2004, a felony. He also faced
three misdemeanor counts of transmitting without a license. Recordings of
radio transmissions attributed to Gerritsen were played for the jury.

Those familiar with this week's court proceedings said Gerritsen tended to
focus on freedom of speech issues and sometimes confused those on the stand.
Among those testifying at length on behalf of the government was FCC Senior
Agent Steven Pierce, who discussed his use of mobile direction-finding
equipment and techniques used to track the source of transmissions.

Just days before the trial began, the FCC affirmed a total of $42,000 in
additional fines it had levied on Gerritsen, releasing two $21,000
Forfeiture Orders (NOFs). In affirming the fines, the FCC rebuffed every
argument Gerritsen had offered in responding to each Notice of Apparent
Liability, including his insistent "freedom of speech" claim.

"His unlicensed operation on amateur frequencies is not protected by the US
Constitution as it is well established that the right to free speech does
not include the right to use radio facilities without a license," the FCC
said in a footnote in one of the NOFs. The federal court jury in California
apparently agreed.

In late November, Klausner denied Gerritsen's motion to dismiss the three
unlicensed transmitting counts, turning away Gerritsen's argument that the
FCC could not set aside his Amateur Radio license without a hearing.
Klausner declared that the effect of the FCC's 2001 set aside of KG6IRO "was
to treat the application as if it had never been granted." Since Gerritsen
never held an Amateur Radio license, he never had the right to a hearing,
the judge reasoned.

Last March, the FCC upheld a $10,000 fine against Gerritsen for interfering
with Amateur Radio communications. The government has yet to collect.

FBI agents, accompanied by FCC staff, arrested Gerritsen without incident
last May and seized his radio equipment. Released on $250,000 bond while
awaiting trial, Gerritsen remained in home detention, barred from possessing
any radio equipment.

Gerritsen's history of radio-related legal problems go back to 2000 when he
was convicted for intercepting, obstructing and/or interfering with
California Highway Patrol radio communications. In November 2001, the FCC's
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau issued, then quickly rescinded,
Gerritsen's Technician license, KG6IRO, because of his earlier conviction.
While transmitting on various Los Angeles-area repeaters, Gerritsen
continued to identify as KG6IRO, however.

Radio amateurs on the West Coast complained for months about the slow pace
of enforcement action in the Gerritsen case. Los Angeles-area repeater
owners had taken to shutting down their machines to avoid the nearly
constant barrage of malicious interference and lengthy political tirades
attributed to Gerritsen.

==>ARRL, IARU CONTRIBUTE TO ITU ULTRA-WIDE BAND STUDIES

The ARRL and the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) have contributed
to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radiocommunication Sector
(ITU-R) studies of Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) short-range RF technology and its
potential to interfere with licensed radio services. UWB devices operate by
employing very narrow or short-duration RF pulses that result in very
sizeable, or wideband, transmission bandwidths. In February 2002, when the
FCC released its 122-page Report and Order (R&O) in the UWB proceeding, WT
Docket 98-153, it expressed its belief the technology "offers significant
benefits for government, public safety, businesses and consumers." But the
Commission also allowed that UWB's "substantial benefits" could be
outweighed if UWB devices interfered with licensed services and "other
important radio operations." 

"ITU-R Task Group 1/8 struggled to characterize UWB emissions, such as what
frequency ranges, pulse characteristics and power levels," said ARRL Chief
Technology Officer Paul Rinaldo, W4RI. Rinaldo and ARRL Technical Relations
Specialist Walt Ireland, WB7CSL, served on TG 1/8, took part in many of the
Task Group's US studies and preparatory meetings and served as part of the
US delegations to ITU-R TG 1/8 international meetings. The League and the
IARU also provided the characteristics of Amateur Radio systems.

"The FCC Report and Order on UWB was a starting point for the world body to
accept it, reject it or modify it," Rinaldo explained "Whatever was
submitted by ARRL had to be consistent--or at least not in
disagreement--with the FCC R&O, as well as survive the vetting process for
all US contributions to ITU."

Prospective UWB applications include ground-penetrating radars, through-wall
imaging, medical imaging and vehicle collision-avoidance systems. The FCC
says its analysis indicates that UWB devices can operate on an unlicensed
basis without causing harmful interference "provided appropriate technical
standards and operational restrictions" are in place.

"Having described the characteristics of UWB devices," said Ireland, "then
the problem was to determine how UWB emissions propagate from the device to
a radio system that might be interfered with." The wide frequency range over
which UWB operates made that task more difficult, he noted. 

Peter Chadwick, G3RZP, represented the IARU throughout the life of TG 1/8
and made substantial on-the-spot contributions to the technical work. "The
ARRL Laboratory provided basic characteristics of Amateur Radio systems--in
this case related to bands between 3.1 and 10 GHz," Ireland added. Ken
Pulfer, VE3PU, also contributed to the task group's work.

In the final analysis, the US did not get the rest of the world to accept
the FCC's UWB R&O without question. "The Europeans in particular came up
with their own ideas on UWB systems and potential interference to systems
they want to protect," said Rinaldo. "As a radio service, amateurs didn't
get everything they desired either, but got the characteristics of our radio
systems on record."

He says four Draft New Recommendations (DNRs) on UWB characteristics,
compatibility, framework and measurement and a report with radio systems
gained approval at the Task Group and Study Group levels and soon will
circulate to individual administrations for their approval.

"The bottom line? UWB is capable of interfering with radio services,"
Ireland concluded. "If the UWB device and the radio system--including
antenna--are in the same room and so forth, interference is likely." Walls
or distance between a UWB device and a radio system make interference less
likely, he added.

"In other words, for Amateur Radio stations, UWB interference most likely
would be a self-inflicted wound," Rinaldo suggested. "That is, a computer
wireless UWB mouse would probably interfere with receivers in the shack
operating in the same bands."

==>NEW ENGLAND, CANADIAN YOUNGSTERS LOG SUCCESSFUL SPACE CONTACTS

Youngsters in Alberta, Canada, and in Massachusetts, USA, learned more about
the International Space Station and living in space recently by speaking
directly via ham radio with ISS Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur,
KC5ACR. The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program
arranged the contacts between NA1SS in space with N1CSH at Hawthorne Brook
Middle School in Townsend, Massachusetts, and, a few days later, with VE6JBJ
at the Ralph McCall School in Airdrie, Alberta. McArthur, 54, told a
youngster at the Massachusetts school November 29 that he doesn't expect
this mission--probably his last trip into space--to be particularly
life-changing.

"This will probably be my last flight, so I kind of look at this as the end
of a chapter and not necessarily . . . but maybe . . . it's the beginning of
the next chapter," McArthur responded. "I don't think it changes exactly the
things I believe, but perhaps I believe them more strongly."

Asked why he'd want to go back into space knowing the risks involved,
McArthur said space travel is just like any other endeavor.

"It's the same reason that people take risks for just about anything," he
told the students. "We think the benefits significantly outweigh the risk,
and besides, it's such a thrill. Its so much fun to be in space!"

Teacher Marilyn Richardson, N1CSH, served as control operator during the
almost 10-minute contact. The middle schoolers asked 19 questions although
the Earth station could not copy NA1SS beyond the 17th question. There was
some dropout near the start of the contact too.

"NA1SS then called me, and we continued asking 19 questions and hearing
clear, complete answers to about 16 and partial answers up to number 19,"
Richardson told ARRL. "I understand from others listening on the downlink
that Bill heard and replied to all 19 questions."

Also on November 29, McArthur's crewmate, cosmonaut Valery Tokarev, took the
RS0ISS microphone to speak with RK3DZB at the Gagarin Cosmonauts Training
Center in Star City Russia. 

On December 2, McArthur answered 18 questions via ham radio put to him by
youngsters attending the Ralph McCall and Chestermere Lake schools in
Airdrie, Alberta. McCall fifth-grade teacher Brian Jackson, VE6JBJ, was the
control operator. The Amateur Radio contact attracted national media
attention, including a report on CBC TV and radio. McArthur told the first
through eighth graders that having Amateur Radio onboard the ISS not only
provides a way to answer questions for youngsters like themselves but serves
as a means of backup communication and a source of recreation. He also
described what he likes about long-term space travel and what happens when
astronauts return to Earth.

"What I really like about being in space a really long time is that you
develop habits," McArthur said. "The way you work, the way you play,
everything you do is adjusting for having no gravity, and for a short period
of time [in space], that's hard to do." Long-term space travelers feel very
weak and their sense of balance may be disturbed when they return to Earth's
gravity, he added. "You can be very dizzy."

McArthur explained to both groups of students that ISS crew members have
been trained and equipped to handle many medical emergencies that might
occur in space. "We have a lot of medicines on board and a lot of medical
equipment," he told the Canadian students. If push comes to shove, however,
the crew can return to Earth via the Russian Soyuz transporter that's
attached to the ISS.

In addition to the CBC, two other TV affiliates as well as reporters from
two Calgary newspapers, three local newspapers and Reuters news service
attended the ARISS event. Audio also was streamed to the Internet and via
IRLP and EchoLink. Besides the approximately 700 students in the audience,
regional and local dignitaries also were 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 DONATION DEADLINE LOOMS LARGE!

In less than two weeks, trucks carrying gifts donated to the ARRL/The
Salvation Army 2005 Holiday Toy Drive <http://www.arrl.org/pio/toy> will
head south from the Memphis, Tennessee, warehouse that's been the drive's
collection point. As of this week, generous radio amateurs and others across
the US have contributed more than 3000 toys to help brighten the holiday
season for youngsters displaced or left homeless in the wake of this year's
devastating Gulf Coast hurricanes. More donations continue to arrive as the
deadline rapidly approaches.

"We received 99 toys--12 small boxes--December 5, so we are over 3000," said
warehouse volunteer coordinator Joe Lowenthal, WA4OVO. "The 3000 toys have
come from 31 states and the Virgin Islands." ARRL Delta Division Vice
Director Henry Leggette, WD4Q, obtained use of the warehouse, helped to
organize the crew of ham radio volunteers and has been working with them
throughout the drive. 

The ARRL has partnered with The Salvation Army for this year's campaign, and
country music artist Patty Loveless, KD4WUJ, is the drive's national
chairperson. MFJ President Martin Jue, K5FLU, graciously donated the use of
his firm's truck to help provide the transportation. MFJ is headquartered in
Starkville, Mississippi.

ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, reports that
League members have given more than $4000. The money will be used to
purchase even more toys, especially for older youngsters, and transport them
to the Gulf Coast. Impressed by an electronics experimenter's kit that one
radio amateur had contributed, Pitts used a portion of the cash donations to
purchase 150 more kits. "The kits not only are appropriate for older
children, but they may well spark a greater interest in electronics," he
remarked.

Supplementing the donations from ARRL members, the Memphis Wal-Mart has
given the Mid-South Amateur Radio Association (MARA) $1000 to be split
between the kids on the Gulf Coast and youngsters from the Gulf Coast at St
Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.

When the toy-laden trucks--there could be as many as three--head south
Thursday, December 15, a celebration will mark the occasion. Expected to be
on hand are Loveless and her husband and manager Emory Gordy, W4WRO; Shelby
County (Tennessee) Mayor A C Wharton Jr, representatives from the offices of
US Rep Harold Ford and US Sen Lamar Alexander; regional leaders of The
Salvation Army and ARRL representatives, including Leggette, Pitts and ARRL
Alabama Section Manager Greg Sarratt, W4OZK. The Salvation Army's Gulf Area
headquarters in Jackson, Mississippi, will serve as the distribution center.

Radio amateurs are invited to send new unwrapped toys for boys and girls
aged 1 to 14 to: ARRL Toy Drive/The Salvation Army, 1775 Moriah Woods
Blvd--Suite 12, Memphis, TN 38117-7125. Include a QSL card or a card bearing
your call sign.

ARRL invites its members to send checks if they prefer, made out to "ARRL
Toy Drive." Send these donations to: ARRL Toy Drive, 225 Main St, Newington,
CT 06111. 

==>ARRL STAFF MEMBER BOB SCHETGEN, KU7G, SK

The ARRL Headquarters staff is mourning the loss of Senior Assistant
Technical Editor Bob Schetgen, KU7G, of Glastonbury, Connecticut, who died
unexpectedly December 5. He was 54. An ARRL Life Member, Schetgen had worked
at Headquarters for nearly 23 years. A member of the editorial staff for the
past 16 years, he was perhaps best known as the editor of the "Hints &
Kinks" column in QST and as managing editor of the League's technical and
experimenter's journal QEX.

"Bob was a loyal, long-term member of the ARRL staff, but more significant
than that, he was universally well liked and respected," said QST Managing
Editor Joel Kleinman, N1BKE, for whom Schetgen worked for several years.
Kleinman says Schetgen brought "a high level of technical expertise and a
great sense of humor" to each of the positions he held at HQ. "Whether he
was working on a QST column or a 10-page technical article for QEX, Bob
added his special touch to the material he prepared for publication. We will
miss him a great deal."

After joining the ARRL Headquarters staff in 1983, Schetgen served as a
technical information specialist in the Technical Department, as assistant
to the executive vice president, as an assistant technical editor on the
Book Team and as handling editor for "Technical Correspondence" and "Hints &
Kinks" in QST.

From 1987 until 1989, Schetgen was assistant to Executive Vice President
(now CEO) David Sumner, K1ZZ. "The attention to detail that would make him
so valuable as a technical editor was very evident in that role," Sumner
said. "Bob's patience, loyalty, and general good humor will be greatly
missed."

As a member of the ARRL Book Team from 1989 until 1995, Schetgen had a hand
in preparing several popular ARRL publications. He was assistant editor of
The ARRL Handbook in 1991 and 1992 and editor from 1993 until 1996. He also
contributed to the Handbook from 1985 until 1995 and authored the
"Troubleshooting" chapter. Over the years, he also prepared several product
reviews for QST.

Schetgen compiled and edited Vertical Antenna Classics and The ARRL Radio
Buyer's Sourcebook (vols 1 and 2) among other books, and he and ARRL Lab
Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, share credit for Radio Frequency Interference.
Schetgen served as editor for additional ARRL titles, including QRP
Classics, Hints & Kinks and Packet: Speed, More Speed and Applications.

First licensed in the early 1960s as WN6LCT when he resided in Los Angeles,
Schetgen left Amateur Radio for about 15 years after his first Novice ticket
expired. He returned to Amateur Radio in 1980 as a "Novice retread" (KA7KWA)
while living in Vancouver, Washington, soon upgrading to Advanced class
(KC7OC) and, a year later, to Amateur Extra class as KU7G.

Born in Indiana, Schetgen attended California Polytechnic State University
in Pomona. Before coming to work at ARRL Headquarters, he was employed in
the roof truss industry as a designer, plant manager and salesperson.

Survivors include his wife, Ellen, a stepdaughter, Becky Carr, and a sister
Dorothy Pacquin. A memorial service will be held December 10. An online
guestbook is on the Courant.com Web site
<http://www.legacy.com/HartfordCourant/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&Perso
nId=15892760>.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Propagation prognosticator Tad "Sunny Claus is Coming to Town" Cook, K7RA,
Seattle, Washington, reports: This weekend is the ARRL 10-Meter Contest
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2005/10-meters.html>. The event this
year, as well as the ones in 2006 and 2007, probably will have very few
sunspots, but sometimes 10 meters opens when we least expect it 

Sunspot numbers and solar flux declined as Sunspot 826 moved to the edge of
the visible solar disk. Sunspot numbers peaked after the beginning of the
month. Average sunspot numbers for the past week were almost 39 points above
the previous week, at 72.6. Geomagnetic conditions were very quiet for the
past few days. For this weekend, the predicted planetary A index from
December 9-12 is 7, 12, 10 and 5. Predicted solar flux for December 9 is 85,
with 80 predicted for the following five days.

There is a low probability of disruptive solar flares this weekend, although
conditions are expected to be slightly unsettled compared with those of the
past few days.

Sunspot numbers for December 1 through 7 were 79, 98, 75, 91, 85, 58 and 22,
with a mean of 72.6. The 10.7 cm flux was 98.2, 106.3, 101.3, 95.2, 91.7,
89.1, and 89, with a mean of 95.8. Estimated planetary A indices were 13,
12, 11, 5, 2, 3 and 0, with a mean of 6.6. Estimated mid-latitude A indices
were 12, 10, 9, 3, 2, 2 and 1, with a mean of 5.6.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: Get on the air for the ARRL 10-Meter Contest!
Also, the CQC Great Colorado Snowshoe Run is the weekend of December 10-11.
The NAQCC 80-Meter Straight Key/Bug Sprint is December 14. The Russian
160-Meter Contest is December 16. The NA High Speed Meteor Scatter Winter
Rally continues through December 18. JUST AHEAD: The MDXA PSK DeathMatch,
the OK DX RTTY Contest, the RAC Winter Contest, the Croatian CW Contest, the
Stew Perry Topband Challenge, the International Naval Contest and the ARCI
Holiday Spirits Homebrew Sprint are the weekend of December 17-18. The Run
for the Bacon QRP Contest is December 19, the RAEM Contest is December 25
and the DARC Christmas Contest is December 26. 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 25, for these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE). Program on-line courses:
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications 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, January 6. 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 Web site offers Winlink 2000 page: The ARRL now has a Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/winlink.html> devoted to Winlink 2000
<http://www.winlink.org/>, the software and hardware system that links
Amateur Radio to the Internet and allows sending and receiving e-mail
messages via Amateur Radio. The League's new Winlink 2000 resource page
contains general information about Winlink 2000, including articles,
reprints, links and other useful information. A worldwide radio digital
messaging system, Winlink 2000 also offers position reporting, weather
bulletins and graphics, and emergency communication capabilities. It's
already being used extensively by radio amateurs in the sailing and cruising
communities as well as by recreational vehicle travelers, missionaries,
scientists and explorers. The ARRL Board of Directors in 2004 encouraged the
deployment within the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) of e-mail via
Amateur Radio "as exemplified by Winlink 2000" to meet the needs of served
agencies and others involved in providing disaster communications. Amateur
Radio volunteers responding to help in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
utilized Winlink 2000 with great success.

* World record claimed on relocated microwave band: Brian Justin, WA1ZMS,
who enjoys plying the microwave spectrum, is claiming a new world DX record
for the 134 GHz band. Justin says the December 8 contact between W2SZ/4
(WA1ZMS operating) and W4WWQ (WA4RTS assisting) was possibly a first on that
band for the US. The QSO between W2SZ/4 in FM07fm and W4WWQ in FM06hx (both
in Virginia) spanned a distance of 60.1 km (approximately 37.3 miles). The
mode was FSK CW. Justin says the previous 134 GHz DX record of 56.4 km was
held by JA1KVN and JA1ELV. "The signal margin on both ends of our QSO was a
few dB, so there is a chance we could better our DX," Justin said, adding
that he first needs to check out some equipment issues. Justin notes that as
a result of some microwave spectrum reshuffling the 134 GHz band last year
replaced the 145 GHz Amateur Radio allocation. Last year, the ARRL Board of
Directors honored Justin as a recipient of the 2003 ARRL Microwave
Development Award, for his pioneering work in developing the Amateur Radio
microwave bands above 30 GHz.

* Southeastern VHF Society conference issues call for papers: The
Southeastern VHF Society has issued its first call for papers and
presentations for its tenth annual conference, April 28-29, 2006, in
Greenville, South Carolina. Papers and presentations are invited on the
technical and operational aspects of VHF, UHF and microwave "weak-signal"
Amateur Radio activities and applications. Suggested topics of interest
include transmitters, receivers and transverters; RF power amplifiers;
low-noise pre-amplifiers; antennas; test equipment; construction projects
and station accessories. Other possibilities include contesting, EME,
propagation, digital modes and techniques, satellites and amateur
television. In general papers and presentations on topics such as FM
repeaters and packet will not be accepted but exceptions may be made if the
topic is related to weak-signal work. The deadline to submit papers and
presentations is March 3, 2006. All submissions should be Microsoft Word
.doc or Adobe Acrobat .pdf files. The page format is 8-1/2 by 11 inches with
a 1-inch bottom margin and 3/4-inch margins elsewhere. All content,
including photographs, must be black and white (no color). Those submitting
papers or presentations should indicate if they plan to attend the
conference to present their papers or if they are submitting solely for
publication in the conference Proceedings, which the ARRL will publish after
the conference. Direct submissions, questions and comments to Technical
Program Chair Jim Worsham, W4KXY <w4kxy@bellsouth.net>;.

* ARRL Emergency Power for Radio Communications book now available: When all
else fails, how will you power your communication equipment? The ARRL's new
Emergency Power for Radio Communications by Michael Bryce, WB8VGE, can
provide the answer, with information on emergency or back-up power, energy
independence, portable power and more. Emergency Power for Radio
Communications explores the various means of electric power generation and
shows you how to plan ahead to stay on the air when weather or other
circumstances knock out conventional power--short-term or longer. It also
examines how to go "off the grid" by employing alternative power-generation
methods such as solar, wind and water power. There's a selection of
emergency power projects and information from the pages of QST too.
Emergency Power for Radio Communications is $19.95 plus shipping and
handling. Order from the ARRL on-line catalog
<http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?category=&words=Emergency+9531> or call
toll-free 888-277-5289.

* Bruce Pontius, N0ADL, wins November QST Cover Plaque Award: The winner of
the QST Cover Plaque Award for November is Bruce Pontius, N0ADL, for his
article "Surprising Results with a Low, Hidden Wire Antenna."
Congratulations, Bruce! 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 December issue by Saturday, December 31. 

* Former ARRL staff member Sally O'Dell, WB2E, SK: Former ARRL staff member
Sally O'Dell, WB2E (ex-KB1O, AE8P), of Roswell, Georgia, died November 9.
She was 59. An ARRL member, O'Dell served on the ARRL Headquarters staff as
assistant manager for club and youth groups from February 1980 until August
1984, and she edited the "Club Corner" column for QST among other duties.

* RSGB to get new president January 1: Angus Annan, MM1CCR, will become the
next president of the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB). The Society's
National Council on November 19 elected Annan to the position for a two-year
term. He will succeed Jeff Smith, MI0AEX, whom the Council had reappointed
last May to continue serving through the new year because it wanted
continuity of leadership in dealing with current challenges facing Amateur
Radio in the UK. However, following a challenge based on the current wording
of RSGB's Memorandum and Articles of Association, the RSGB Council, with the
assent of President Smith, rescinded its earlier decision, leading to
Annan's election. The RSGB Board plans to revisit its Memorandum and
Articles with an eye toward updating the document. 

=========================================================== 
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
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and readable. Visit ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org/> for the latest news,
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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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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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