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ARRL Letter

 

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 25, No. 09
March 3, 2006
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This weekend: The ARRL International DX Contest (SSB)!
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IN THIS EDITION:

* +Ham Aid funds disaster communication "Gear Ready to Go" 
* +Federal post-Katrina reports favorable to Amateur Radio's role
* +ISS commander continues his record-breaking streak of school QSOs
* +ARRL National Emergency Response Planning Committee named
* +ARRL "Hello" campaign to kick off in April
* +Recovering mine tragedy survivor making progress
*  Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF: 
     This weekend on the radio: THE ARRL INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST (SSB)!
     ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
    +Hams help following mud slide
    +W1AW 160-meter frequency change put on hold
     David A. Rosenthal, N6TST, wins February QST Cover Plaque Award
     Dayton 2006 Contest Dinner tickets now available
     Tim Chen, BV2A, SK
     DXCC Desk approves operations for DXCC credit

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

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

==>ARRL HAM AID "GEAR READY TO GO" AWAITS NEXT DISASTER

When another disaster on the scale of Hurricane Katrina comes along, the
League will be able to deploy "ham gear ready to go," thanks to
manufacturers' donations of Amateur Radio gear, ARRL members' generous
monetary contributions and a federal grant. The ARRL Ham Aid-sponsored "Go
Kits" now being assembled at League Headquarters are the third leg of a
program that's already reimbursed certain out-of-pocket expenses for ham
radio hurricane zone volunteers and helped restore Amateur Radio backbone
infrastructure along the US Gulf Coast.

"To me, this is a first step in ramping up ARRL's ability to support Amateur
Radio volunteers in the field before the next big disaster hits," says ARRL
Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH. "It won't replace or supplant
anything that's already on the ground and working well, but it will
strengthen it and add flexibility to Amateur Radio's overall response
capabilities." The equipment and cash donations, coupled with a grant from
the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), will mean Amateur
Radio Emergency Service (ARES) field volunteers will never go without in
terms of equipment. Hobart says $25,000 in Ham Aid funds have been set aside
for the Go Kits.

The Go Kits will enable the League to loan out needed equipment on a
moment's notice. Emergency Communications Specialist Harry Abery, AB1ER,
spends his days at ARRL Headquarters securely stowing various equipment
complements in rugged, waterproof Pelican 1650 containers.

"The idea is that this makes it easy to ship," explains Abery, "and since
they're less than 50 pounds apiece, they'll be able to go by air if
necessary." Flooding won't be an issue. "You can throw them in the water,
and they'll float," he adds.

So far, Abery says, there's an HF Kit, a VHF/UHF Kit, a Handheld Transceiver
Kit and a Support Kit--seven of each, and more on the way. He and other
League staffers consulted with volunteers who'd been in the field during
Hurricane Katrina to find out what gear served them best or what they wished
they'd had but didn't.

The HF Kit contains a 100-W HF transceiver, a microphone and a power supply.
The VHF/UHF Kit includes a dualband mobile transceiver, power supply,
headset, 10 handheld transceivers and a supply of alkaline batteries. In the
Handheld Transceiver Kit are eight dualband handheld transceivers and
antennas plus a stock of extra batteries. The Support Kit includes a length
of BuryFlex 213 coaxial cable, rope, 15-foot jumper cables with battery
clamps at one end and an Anderson Powerpole on the other. The kit includes
various fittings and adapters to connect to the power distribution unit and
to make RF feed line connections. All kits contain any necessary manuals.
Packed in a separate container, appropriate antennas and antenna accessories
will accompany a given kit.

More than two dozen members of the Amateur Radio industry and individual
radio amateurs contributed equipment last year for use in the Hurricane
Katrina relief effort <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/09/09/105/>.

Citing Amateur Radio's favorable treatment in recent US House Subcommittee
and White House reports on the Hurricane Katrina response (see below),
Hobart said it's imperative to sustain and enhance ham radio's emergency
communication capabilities for the future. "Disasters happen to be one place
Amateur Radio can shine," she pointed out. "We need to maintain a high level
of readiness to do those things that are second nature to ARES members but
that the public is just coming to recognize."

Making the Go Kits available to ARES teams, Hobart says, will help to cement
Amateur Radio's position as a community resource. "We want to be able to
ensure that we have the personnel and the equipment," she said. "With a
disaster of this magnitude we need to be ready."

ARRL continues to solicit Ham Aid donations to help maintain and sustain the
League's ability to support Amateur Radio volunteers in the field. League
members can contribute to Ham Aid via the secure ARRL Development Office
donation Web site <https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/basic/>.
Simply click "Ham Aid" and complete the on-line form. 

==>AMATEUR RADIO GETS FAVORABLE MENTIONS IN FEDERAL KATRINA REPORTS

Ham radio received positive mentions in post-Katrina reports from the US
House of Representatives and the White House. References to the Amateur
Radio Emergency Service (ARES), the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS)
and the HF digital e-mail system Winlink 2000 appear in "A Failure of
Initiative"--the final report of the Select Bipartisan Committee to
investigate the preparation for and response to Hurricane Katrina (see
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/02/17/2/>).

"Like all levels of government," noted the 364-page report released February
15, "the National Communication System (NCS) "was not able to address all
aspects of the damage to the communications infrastructure of the Gulf
States."

MARS was cited for its role as part of the Shared Resources High Frequency
Radio Program (SHARES), a federal emergency communication system. The report
says that "within days" of Katrina's landfall, NCS called upon more than 430
SHARES stations across the US to, among other things, assist first
responders conducting search-and-rescue missions by relaying information to
government agencies, by relaying logistical and operational information
among FEMA EOCs in Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana, and by handling
health-and-welfare messages between volunteer agencies in Georgia and the
American Red Cross national headquarters. 

"Additionally, the NCS coordinated the frequencies used by the nearly 1000
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteers across the nation who
served in the Katrina stricken area providing communications for government
agencies, the Red Cross and The Salvation Army," the report continued.
"Emergency communications were conducted not only by voice, but also by
high-speed data transmissions using state-of-the art digital communications
software known as Winlink." 

The report further noted, "In Mississippi, FEMA dispatched Amateur Radio
operators to hospitals, evacuation centers, and county EOCs to send
emergency messaging 24 hours per day. Cited were comments by Bay St Louis
Mayor Eddie Favre that Amateur Radio volunteers "were especially helpful in
maintaining situational awareness and relaying Red Cross messages to and
from the Hancock County EOC."

According to the report, radio amateurs at airports in Texas and Louisiana
"tracked evacuees and notified families of their whereabouts," while the Red
Cross "deployed Amateur Radio volunteers at its 250 shelters and feeding
stations, principally in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida." 

The Salvation Army, the report pointed out, operates its own system of
Amateur Radio volunteers known as SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency
Radio Network). "During the Hurricane Katrina response and recovery effort,
SATERN joined forces with the SHARES program and received over 48,000
requests for emergency communications assistance utilizing federal
frequencies made available via the SHARES program," the report noted. 

"A Failure of Initiative" asserted that the loss of power and the failure at
various levels of government "to adequately prepare for the ensuing and
inevitable loss of communications" hindered the hurricane response "by
compromising situational awareness and command and control operations."

"Despite the devastation left by Katrina, this needn't have been the case,"
the report stressed. "Catastrophic disasters may have some unpredictable
consequences, but losing power and the dependent communications systems
after a hurricane should not be one of them."

The White House report, "The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons
Learned" <http://www.whitehouse.gov/reports/katrina-lessons-learned.pdf>
released February 22 also cast Amateur Radio in a favorable light--in its
Appendix B, "What Went Right." 

"Amateur Radio Operators from both the Amateur Radio Emergency Service and
the American Radio Relay League monitored distress calls and rerouted
emergency requests for assistance throughout the US until messages were
received by emergency response personnel," the report said. "A distress call
made from a cell phone on a rooftop in New Orleans to Baton Rouge was
relayed, via ham radio, from Louisiana to Oregon, then Utah, and finally
back to emergency personnel in Louisiana, who rescued the 15 stranded
victims." 

The report also points out that Amateur Radio volunteers were on duty at the
National Hurricane Center, the Hurricane Watch Net, Waterway Net, SKYWARN
and the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN). 

The report's Appendix B cites specific reports in the general news media
about Amateur Radio activities following Hurricane Katrina and points to
several news stories that appeared on the ARRL Web site.

==>SPACE QSOs A HIT IN DC, JAPAN

Sixteen youngsters attending the Discover Engineering Family Day event
February 18 in Washington, DC, had the rare opportunity of talking to
International Space Station Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR, via ham radio.
Operating from the space station's NA1SS a few days later, McArthur also
answered a series of questions from pupils at Itaki Elementary School in
Japan. The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program
arranged both events. During the Engineering Day contact, one participant
wanted to know if the Expedition 12 crew had "learned anything really cool"
during its science experiments. 

"One of the biggest experiments is just the crew members on board, just the
human beings on board, so we learn how our bodies change in space," McArthur
said, noting that ISS research centers on finding out what's needed for a
journey to Mars. On other fronts, he's growing crystals in space, while
crewmate Valeri Tokarev is growing seeds. 

As for the really cool stuff: "I think the coolest thing I've learned is
that living in space is a very pleasant, very nice thing to do," McArthur
added.

For the Discover Engineering Family Day contact, Verizon donated a two-way
teleconferencing link between the Sacred Hearts Academy WH6PN Earth station
operated by Dick Flagg, AH6NM, in Honolulu, and the National Building Museum
in Washington. Children and questions for the contact were solicited via the
museum's Web site.

McArthur told the Engineering Day participants that it's possible to get
headaches in space, especially when the carbon dioxide level gets too high.
Crew members sometimes sneeze, too, he said, and the result in microgravity
can illustrate Newton's Third Law.

"I think a good sneeze really feels good, and it feels really good in
space!" McArthur enthused. "Of course, if you're not holding yourself
securely when you sneeze, y'know, just that kind of violent motion can send
you spinning off in a strange direction."

The contact got some publicity in the Washington Post and on local TV
stations. Some 7000 people turned out for Discover Engineering Family Day,
and an AMSAT team supported an ARISS booth during the event.

On February 20, youngsters at the Itaki Elementary School Fathers' Club took
part in a direct VHF contact between NA1SS and 8J4I in Japan. McArthur told
them that he became an astronaut because he's an aerospace engineer and a
pilot, "and being an astronaut seemed to be the most interesting way of
doing both things." He said his current stint as commander of ISS Expedition
12 marked his fourth--and by far his longest--trip into space.

"To me, space represents the ultimate challenge for mankind, to show that we
can grow and eventually leave our home planet," McArthur told another young
questioner. 

Asked which star was the most beautiful, McArthur replied, "our sun." But,
he went on to say, he thinks all the stars in the sky are beautiful. "They
are no bigger for us than they are for you," he explained, "but we do not
have clouds or dust in the air to look through, so they are very clear."

At the 8J4I controls was Kei Fujimura, JJ4RJE. In all, 13 students
participated in the event, and McArthur answered 19 of their questions
before the ISS went over the horizon and signal was lost. The event
attracted media coverage from TV and newspapers. An audience of about 100
people was on hand for the occasion.

McArthur has completed 29 ARISS school contacts during his five months in
space--far more than any previous ISS crew member. ARISS
<http://www.rac.ca/ariss> is an international educational outreach, with US
participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA. 

==>PRESIDENT HARRISON NAMES ARRL NATIONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING
COMMITTEE

ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, has appointed 13 individuals to serve on
the ARRL National Emergency Response Planning Committee. The League's Board
of Directors resolved to establish the panel during its annual meeting in
January "to appropriately prepare for future large-scale disasters." The
committee will develop a comprehensive recommendation for ARRL responses to
regional, national and international disasters.

"This group reflects a nationwide assembly of individuals with direct field
experience in all aspects of emergency communications at various levels with
disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, floods and terrorist
activity to name a few," Harrison said. "There were many excellent
recommendations for this committee, which is quite encouraging in itself and
speaks highly of Amateur Radio's productive involvement in emergency
communications."

ARRL First Vice President Kay Craigie, N3KN, will chair the ad hoc
committee. Appointed to serve on the committee were:

Delta Division Director Henry Leggette, WD4Q, (Programs and Services
Committee liaison); Pacific Division Vice Director Andy Oppel, N6AJO;
Atlantic Division Vice Director Tom Abernethy, W3TOM; Alabama Section
Manager Greg Sarratt, W4OZK; Western Washington Section Manager Ed Bruette,
N7NVP; South Texas Section Emergency Coordinator Jerry Reimer, KK5CA;
Southern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Jeff Beals, WA4AW; NYC-Long
Island Section Emergency Coordinator Tom Carrubba, KA2D; Mississippi Section
District Emergency Coordinator Karl Bullock, WA5TMC; Colorado Net
Manager/State Government Liaison Gene McGahey, AL7GQ; IARU Region II
Emergency Coordinator Rick Palm, K1CE, (IARU liaison) and ARRL Field and
Educational Services Manager Dave Patton, NN1N (ARRL staff liaison).

Harrison said the committee will begin its work immediately under Craigie's
direction. Among other things, the National Emergency Response Planning
Committee will thoroughly evaluate the responses and actions of ARRL and the
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) during Hurricane Katrina as well as
lessons learned. 

The Board's resolution establishing the committee noted that the emergency
communications resources and organization needed for national and
international disasters "are markedly different" from what's required at the
regional and local levels. Given the unprecedented scope and devastation of
the 2005 hurricane season in general and of Hurricane Katrina in particular,
ARRL Headquarters was placed into a leadership coordination role through
national-level requests for help from served agencies such as the American
Red Cross.

The ARRL Board will consider the committee's recommendations at its 2007
annual meeting next January.

==>"HELLO" CAMPAIGN TO PUT FRIENDLY, INVITING FACE ON AMATEUR RADIO

A new ARRL public relations campaign set to launch this April will cast
Amateur Radio in the light of the 21st century and focus on its universal
appeal, even in today's already technology-rich society. At the same time,
the "Hello" campaign will note the 100th anniversary of what many historians
consider the first voice radio broadcast in 1906 by Reginald Fessenden.

"It is quite simply the largest PR campaign that ham radio has ever
attempted," says ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP.
Built around the word "Hello," the coordinated campaign will set "a
positive, upbeat tone that highlights the international capabilities of
Amateur Radio," he explained. 

One aim of the "Hello" campaign will be to reframe Amateur Radio within a
contemporary context. "ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, was correct in
stating that the Main Street of today is not the same as the Main Street of
yesteryear," Pitts went on to say. "To reach out today, the very first
requirement is that Amateur Radio operators be perceived as friendly and
trustworthy. That's a true public relations goal and the prime focus of the
campaign."

Pitts says it's not helpful to lament the time in decades past when Amateur
Radio grew pretty much on its own, without too much effort on the part of
clubs and individuals. "Only our combined, effective action will do that
today," Pitts says. "This campaign will give hams the tools they need to
reach out in their communities to non-hams and influence their perception of
Amateur Radio."

The national "Hello" campaign can bring curious people into contact with ham
radio groups, but it will be up to local radio amateurs to make them truly
welcome, Pitts maintains.

The "Hello" campaign is designed to gain momentum as the year progresses.
Components will include the release of public service announcements for use
by radio and TV broadcasters and a video for meetings, presentations and
even broadcast. Other highlights will include a "Hello" campaign Web site
and special operating events. The high point of the "Hello" campaign will
come in December on the centennial of Fessenden's first radio broadcast.

History recalls that the Canadian-born and educated Fessenden, using an
early alternator, transmitted the first audio radio broadcast from his
laboratory in Brant Rock, Massachusetts. Radio operators aboard ships at
sea--tipped off in advance to be listening for something special--were
astounded to hear Fessenden's broadcast that included the scientist and
inventor playing "O Holy Night" on the violin and reading a Bible passage.

The campaign will show that despite the Internet and other technologies, the
possibility of being able to talk with everyday people around the world and
sometimes in exotic locales--coupled with the surprise, art and uncertainty
of DXing--remains a major attraction for Amateur Radio. The "Hello" campaign
also will take advantage of likely FCC action this year to drop the Morse
code requirement at least for General class applicants.

"We all say we want to make a change for the better for Amateur Radio and
get others interested," Pitts said. "This is the time, this is the chance.
Stay tuned! More to come!"

==>INJURED MINER RANDY MCCLOY, KC8VKZ, TALKING, JOKING

Randy McCloy, KC8VKZ--the lone survivor of the January 2 Sago Mine disaster
in Upshur County, West Virginia--is continuing to recover. Speaking on The
Early Show on CBS TV March 2, McCloy's wife Anna told co-anchor Hannah Storm
that her husband is talking again and even telling jokes. 

"He'll listen to jokes and understand," Anna McCloy told Storm. "He'll talk
to me and the kids--just regular conversation."

She also said McCloy has told her he remembers "bits and pieces" of the
mining disaster that left 12 of his co-workers dead of carbon monoxide
poisoning. McCloy, 26, who's been in a rehabilitation facility since January
26, also answers questions appropriately, recognizes his family and can
"move quite well," Anna McCloy said. She has remained at her husband's side
since his rescue. 

McCloy eats with assistance and has expressed distaste for institutional
cuisine, instead preferring the restaurant and fast food fare his wife
supplies. 

Anna McCloy says she's "not quite sure" if her husband realizes he was the
only survivor of the mine mishap. "I don't question him about it. When he
wants to talk about it, I listen to him, but I don't push him, and I don't
question him," she said. 

One of Randal McCloy's physicians, Dr Julian Bailes, told Storm that McCloy
has "improved beyond our expectations" during rehabilitation. "I think we
see his old personality coming back." 

Well-wishers have been sending cards and QSLs to McCloy at PO Box 223,
Philippi, WV 26435. A fund has been set up to accept donations for McCloy's
benefit: The Randal McCloy Jr Fund, c/o Clear Mountain Bank, 1889 Earl Core
Rd, Morgantown, WV 26505.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Solar sage Tad "Fall Out Boy" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports: Low
activity continues with another string of zero-sunspot days. Average daily
sunspot numbers for this week were down by 4 points from the prior week to
3.1. Average solar flux declined by 1 point to 76.4.

Average sunspot numbers plummeted in February--far below any other month in
the second half of Cycle 23.

This weekend is the ARRL INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST (SSB)
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2006/intldx.html>. Although solar
activity is low, geomagnetic conditions should remain quiet, which is good.
Sunday, March 5, could see some unsettled activity. The predicted planetary
A index for March 3-7 is 8, 5, 12, 5 and 5. Sunspot and solar flux levels
should remain very low.

Sunspot numbers for February 23 through March 1 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 11, 11 and
0, with a mean of 3.1. 10.7 cm flux was 75.1, 76, 76, 76.5, 77, 77.1, and
77, with a mean of 76.4. Estimated planetary A indices were 3, 6, 1, 5, 3, 5
and 7, with a mean of 4.3. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 4, 4, 1, 3,
2, 2 and 5, with a mean of 3.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: THE ARRL INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST (SSB), the
Wake-Up! QRP Sprint, the Open Ukraine RTTY Championship, the DARC 10-Meter
Digital Contest are the weekend of March 4-5. The ARS Spartan Sprint and the
AGCW YL-CW Party are March 7. JUST AHEAD: The North American Sprint (RTTY),
the RSGB Commonwealth Contest, the Idaho, Oklahoma and Wisconsin QSO
parties, the AGCW QRP Contest, the UBA Spring Contest (CW) and the NSARA
Contest are the weekend of March 11-12. 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. JUST AHEAD:
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, March 19, for these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE). Program on-line courses:
Amateur Radio Emergency Communication Level 1 (EC-001), Radio Frequency
Interference (EC-006), Antenna Design and Construction (EC-009), Technician
Licensing (EC-010), Analog Electronics (EC-012) and Digital Electronics
(EC-013). Classes begin Friday, April 7. To learn more, visit the CCE Course
Listing page <http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the CCE
Department <cce@arrl.org>;.

* Hams help following mud slide: The RSGB reports that radio amateurs helped
coordinate rescue operations after a devastating mud slide on the Philippine
island of Leyte buried an entire village February 17. More than 1800 people
are believed to have died when the village of Guinsaugon was engulfed by mud
following a week of torrential rain and a small earthquake. The
International Radio Emergency Support Coalition (IRESC)
<http://www.iresc.org/> supported the relief effort by providing
communication links between the disaster scene and the International Red
Cross. The IRESC specializes in connecting traditional ham radio systems--HF
transceivers and VHF/UHF repeaters--with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
technology via EchoLink. The EchoLink net set up for the Leyte disaster
reportedly went on the air within hours of the mudslide, and Philippine
amateurs used it to pass lists of missing people and survivors. Other
messages included requests for food, water, mats, clothing, stretchers,
medical kits and digging tools.

* W1AW 160-meter frequency change put on hold: QRX on that W1AW QSY! W1AW
has rescinded plans to change its 160-meter CW frequency and will remain on
1817.5 kHz for the time being. An announced change to 1807.5 kHz was aimed
at reducing the possibility of interfering with DX stations that have begun
showing up in the vicinity of 1817.5 kHz. "Lately we have received more
complaints about W1AW interfering with weak DX signals," said ARRL CEO and
W1AW Trustee David Sumner, K1ZZ. "After what we thought was due diligence we
decided that it made sense to shift below 1810 kHz, since that is the lower
band edge in Region 1 and would pretty much eliminate the conflict with
DXers." Monitoring showed that 1807.5 appeared to be generally clear.
"Unfortunately," Sumner continued, "we failed to pick up the fact that PSK31
operators appear to have adopted 1807 kHz as their 160-meter frequency, and
we don't want to conflict with any established activity centers." Under a
tight deadline to announce the W1AW operating schedule 30 days in advance,
the League has called off the frequency shift for now. The question will be
revisited over the summer.

* David A. Rosenthal, N6TST, wins February QST Cover Plaque Award: The
winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for February is David A. Rosenthal,
N6TST, for his article "Polar Bear Portable." Congratulations, David! 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 March issue by Friday, March 31.

* Dayton 2006 Contest Dinner tickets now available: The North Coast
Contesters have announced that tickets now are on sale for the 14th annual
Dayton Contest Dinner. DX Engineering is sponsoring the tickets. The dinner
will take place Saturday, May 20, 6:30 PM, in the Van Cleve Ballroom of the
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Fifth and Jefferson streets, next to the Convention
Center in downtown Dayton. John Dorr, K1AR, will emcee the event, which will
feature the 2006 CQ Contest Hall of Fame inductions. Tickets are $34. To
obtain Contest Dinner tickets, contact Craig Clark, K1QX
<jcclark@wildblue.net>;, Radioware and Radio Bookstore, PO Box 209, Rindge,
NH 03461; call weekdays, 10 AM until 6 PM Eastern, 800-457-7373;
603-899-6957; fax (24/7) 603-899-6826. Credit card orders are welcome.
Include name and call sign. Tickets will be mailed no later than May 10. No
tickets will be available at the door.--Tim Duffy, K3LR

* Tim Chen, BV2A, SK: Taiwan's first radio amateur, Tim Chen, BV2A, founder
and first president of the Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio League (CTARL), died
February 22. He was 92. ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, said Chen's
passing was sad news. "Tim was always kind, friendly and willing to allow
you to operate BV," said Harrison, who became acquainted with Chen when
traveling frequently to Taiwan in the late 1980s and early 1990s. "I'll
never forget our first meeting on a dark, rainy night in Taipei. Tim didn't
know who I was, other than a fellow radio amateur, but he came out to meet
me at the BV2B station." ARRL Field and Educational Services Manager Dave
Patton, NN1N, said Chen--for years the only radio amateur on the air from
Taiwan--was more famous than he knew. "He was the first BV QSO for most
DXers who got their start between 1970 and about 1990 and was a guy you
could count on to call in during contests--BV2A on CW and BV2B on phone," he
observed. A memorial service was held February 28 in Taipei. Chen was a
long-time ARRL member. E-mail condolence messages to Chen's family via CTARL
<bv2a@ctarl.org.tw>;.

* DXCC Desk approves operations for DXCC credit: The ARRL DXCC Desk has
approved these operations for DXCC credit: TS3A, Tunisia, March 24-28, 2005;
T6X, Afghanistan, current operation effective March 8, 2005; TT8PK, Chad,
December 27, 2005 through February 11, 2006; XW1A, XW1LLR5, XW1X and XW1M,
Laos, current operation effective October 29, 2005; D2DX, Angola, current
operation effective December 15, 2004 (a previous announcement accredited
the D2DX operation effective December 15, 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/>. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, 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.

==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
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==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org
==>ARRL News on the Web: <http://www.arrl.org/>
==>ARRL Audio News: <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> or call
860-594-0384

==>How to Get The ARRL Letter

The ARRL Letter is available to ARRL members free of charge directly from
ARRL HQ. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail
delivery: 
ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site
<http://www.arrl.org/members/>. You'll have an opportunity during
registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of The ARRL Letter, W1AW
bulletins, and other material. To change these selections--including
delivery of The ARRL Letter--registered members should click on the "Member
Data Page" link (in the Members Only box). Click on "Modify membership
data," check or uncheck the appropriate boxes and/or change your e-mail
address if necessary. (Check "Temporarily disable all automatically sent
email" to temporarily stop all e-mail deliveries.) Then, click on "Submit
modification" to make selections effective. (NOTE: HQ staff members cannot
change your e-mail delivery address. You must do this yourself via the
Members Only Web Site.)

The ARRL Letter also is available to all, free of charge, from these
sources:

* ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>. (NOTE: The ARRL Letter will be
posted each Friday when it is distributed via e-mail.)

* The QTH.net listserver, thanks to volunteers from the Boston Amateur Radio
Club: Visit Mailing Lists@QTH.Net
<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/letter-list>. (NOTE: The ARRL
cannot assist subscribers who receive The ARRL Letter via this listserver.) 


 

The ARRL Letter

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

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

Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League.

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

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

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

Plain-Text

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

Outlook Express

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

2. Click the Read tab

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

Outlook 2007

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

Thunderbird

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

OS X Mail (Mac)

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

GMail

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

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