***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 27, No. 29
July 25, 2008
***************
IN THIS EDITION:
* ARRL Board of Directors Plans the League's Future at Second 2008
Board Meeting
* Hiram Percy Maxim's Telegraph Key Returns to ARRL HQ
* AMSAT-UK Colloquium to Take Place Later this Weekend
* FCC Issues Citation to Georgia Company for Selling, Importing
Unauthorized RF Devices
* Solar Update
* IN BRIEF:
In Virginia, ARES = RACES
Hams Active as Hurricane Dolly Strikes Caribbean then Texas
This Weekend on the Radio
W1AW/KL7 On the Air July 26-August 10
ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration
No ARRL Audio News July 25
FAR Scholarship Winners Announced
===========================================================
==>Delivery problems: First see FAQ
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then e-mail <letter-dlvy@arrl.org>;
==>Editorial questions or comments only: S. Khrystyne Keane,
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===========================================================
==> ARRL Board of Directors Plans the League's Future at Second 2008
Board Meeting
The ARRL Board of Directors held its Second Meeting of 2008 July
18-19 in Windsor, Connecticut, under the chairmanship of President
Joel Harrison, W5ZN. Radio Amateurs of Canada President David
Goodwin, VO1AU/VE3AAQ, was a guest of the Board. The Board
considered and acted on a number of organizational and Field
Organization issues as well as regulatory and operating matters.
Organizational Issues
ARRL Strategic Plan: The Board voted to develop a timeline to review
and revise the ARRL Strategic Plan. The Board directed Chief
Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, to release the Plans long-range
goals to the membership and to solicit comments from members on the
future direction and priorities of their national organization.
Member input will be considered by the Board at its Annual Meeting in
January 2009. At the Second Meeting in July 2009, the Board will
review and revise the Plan. The current Strategic Plan was adopted by
the Board in October 2006.
2009 ARRL National Convention: The Board voted to hold the 2009 ARRL
National Convention at the Dayton Hamvention(r). Carl Rose, K8CPR,
chair of the Dayton Hamvention Committee, extended an invitation to
the League to hold its convention at Dayton May 15-17, 2009. The last
ARRL National Convention was in 2007 at the Huntsville Hamfest.
ARRL Web Redesign: Fathom, a Web Development company based in
Hartford, presented their plans for a new design for the ARRL Web
site.
Field Organization
Improvements to Resources Available to Section Managers and SM
Candidates: Following a report by the Boards Programs and Services
Committee, which included the results of a Section Governance Study
and survey, the Board voted to direct staff to implement a Section
Manager candidate nomination package that is similar to the current
Board nomination package. The Board also voted to direct the
Membership and Volunteer Services Department to review the three
surveys of Section Managers conducted as part of the Section
Governance Study to attempt to identify beneficial and practical
modifications to resources available to Section Managers and Field
Organization processes.
The Board defeated a motion that would have extended Section Manager
terms to three years and begin all terms on January 1. The Board
directed ARRL HQ staff to implement an online method for Official
Observers to file reports that could then be delivered from ARRL
headquarters on behalf of the OO.
Operating Issues
The Board voted to create a Triple Play Award. This new award, set to
be implemented by January 2009, will be given to those amateurs who
achieve Worked All States (WAS) on voice, CW and digital modes. All
150 QSLs must be exclusively via Logbook of The World (LoTW). Only
those contacts made after the awards start date will be eligible.
The Board also acted on the Programs and Services Committee report,
voting to eliminate Rule 5 from Section III of the DXCC Rules. The
Committee realized that while publishing log data can have a
detrimental effect on operating awards, it was not possible to
control such actions and the rule cannot be enforced. As part of an
effort to maintain the integrity of operating awards programs, the
Board called on staff to create resources and guidelines for QSLing
and for QSL managers. These guidelines will help people who QSL to
understand the "best practices" and help to support the work of the
QSL manager so that access to log data won't degrade Amateur Radio's
long tradition of the honor system.
Regulatory Matters
The Board voted to establish an ad hoc study committee to review Part
97 of the rules governing the Amateur Radio Service to ascertain what
rule change(s) would be beneficial to promote wideband digital modes,
while at the same time minimizing potential interference to
narrowband modes.
Other Items
Awards
Hiram Percy Maxim Award: The Board selected Jim Fagan, KE7IDC, of
Tucson, Arizona, as the recipient of the 2007 Hiram Percy Maxim
Award.
Technical Excellence Award: The Board chose John Stanley, K4ERO, of
Rising Fawn, Georgia, as the recipient of the 2007 Doug DeMaw, W1FB
Technical Excellence Award.
Instructor of the Year Award: The Board selected Doug Loughmiller,
W5BL, of McKinney, Texas, as the recipient of the 2008 Herb S. Brier
Instructor of the Year Award.
Technical Innovation Award: The Board chose Dave Bernstein, AA6YQ, of
Wayland, Massachusetts, as the recipient of the 2008 ARRL Technical
Innovation Award.
McGan Memorial Silver Antenna Award: The Board selected Walter
Palmer, W4ALT, of Lewes, Delaware, as the winner of the 2008 Philip
J. McGan Memorial Silver Antenna Award for excellence in public
relations.
Technical Merit Award: The Board conferred the ARRL Technical Merit
Award on Ed Hare, W1RFI, ARRL Laboratory Manager.
Partnership with VanityHQ: The Board decided to partner with the
VanityHQ Web site to get the ARRL Silent Key data that was published
in QST included in the VanityHQ Web site history project in an
electronically searchable format.
The complete Minutes of the 2008 Second Meeting of the ARRL Board of
Directors is available at <http://www.arrl.org/announce/board-0807/>.
The next meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors is scheduled for
January 16-17, 2009.
==> HIRAM PERCY MAXIM'S TELEGRAPH KEY RETURNS TO ARRL HQ
At the ARRL Board of Director's meeting this past weekend, the
telegraph key that once belonged to Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW, was
returned to ARRL Headquarters. According to ARRL First Vice President
Kay Craigie, N3KN, the key had been in the collection of the Antique
Wireless Association's Electronic Communication Museum near
Rochester, New York for more than 20 years.
Craigie said that the AWA decided to return Maxim's key to the
organization he co-founded almost 100 years ago. At the ARRL Atlantic
Division Convention in May 2008, the museum's former curator, Ed
Gable, K2MP, presented the key to Craigie and Atlantic Division
Director Bill Edgar, N3LLR. Craigie and Edgar then presented the key
to ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, and ARRL Chief Executive
Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, on Friday, July 18.
"The key will find a prominent place in the League's collection of
historical artifacts," Craigie said. "The Old Man's key has come
home".
==> AMSAT-UK COLLOQUIUM TO TAKE PLACE THIS WEEKEND
The 23rd Annual AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium will be held
July 25-27 at the University of Surrey in Guildford, about an hour's
drive from London <http://www.uk.amsat.org/content/view/32/42/>. The
Colloquium is a chance to talk to satellite designers and builders,
as well as a place to discover how to use Amateur Radio satellites. A
beginner's session on satellites is held prior to the formal opening
on the first day of the event.
Chairman of AMSAT-UK Sir Martin Sweeting, G3YJO, will open the
Colloquium on Friday, July 25. This will be followed by the keynote
speech, given by Coordinator of the UK Lunar Penetrator Consortium
Rob Gowen of University College London's Mullard Space Science
Laboratory. He will present on "Science Penetrators for the UK
MoonLITE mission."
There will be presentations from AMSAT-DL on both the eagerly awaited
P3E High Earth Orbiting Satellite and the pioneering Mars Orbiter P5A
during the event. According to colloquium organizers, the P5A is the
first private venture spacecraft to travel to the Mars, providing
radio amateurs with some true DX signals. The Delfi-C3 team will also
be giving presentations on their new satellite. Its SSB/CW 435/145
linear transponder is due to be activated soon. The IARU Satellite
Forum -- chaired by the IARU Satellite Adviser and President of
AMSAT-SA Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV -- will also take place
during the Colloquium.
The Colloquium will be streamed live on the Internet, thanks to the
British Amateur Television Club (BATC) <http://www.batc.org.uk/>.
According to BATC President Peter Blakeborough, G3PYB, the club will
facilitate streaming video of the presentations live to the Internet
so that radio amateurs and shortwave listeners can watch from
anywhere in the world. As well as the live Webcast, BATC will also be
providing a "live chat" Web page, enabling viewers to post messages.
Interested viewers can find the streaming video at
<http://www.batc.tv/>.
More information about AMSAT-UK's 23rd Annual Colloquium can be found
on the AMSAT-UK Web site
<http://www.uk.amsat.org/content/view/32/42/>.
==> FCC Issues Citation to Georgia Company for Selling, Importing
Unauthorized RF Devices
On July 21, the Federal Communications Commission issued a Citation
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-08-1685A1.pdf>
to the owner of a Georgia company for selling unauthorized radio
frequency devices (specifically wireless video transmitters) and
importing radio frequency devices without filing the proper FCC forms
with the US Customs office and the US Border Patrol.
The FCC found that Vladimir "Vova" Reznik, owner of RangeVideo
<http://www.rangevideo.com/>, was "marketing in the United States
unauthorized radio frequency devices, specifically, wireless video
transmitters." The Commission sent Reznik a Letter of Inquiry (LOI)
regarding this and noting the following specific items he had for
sale on the RangeVideo Web site: 900 MHz 100 mW audio/video
transmitters; 900 MHz 500 mW audio/video transmitters; 1.3 GHz 300 mW
audio/video transmitters; 2.4 GHz 200 mW audio/video transmitters;
2.4 GHz 500 mW audio/video transmitters; 2.4 GHz 1000 mW audio/video
transmitters, and 2.4 GHz 1000 mW cased audio/video transmitters.
According to the FCC, the 900 MHz devices are capable of operation on
980 MHz, 1010 MHz and 1040 MHz; the 1.3 GHz device is capable of
operating on 1240 MHz, 1320 MHz and 1360 MHz, and the 2.4 GHz devices
are capable of operating on 2490 MHz. "Thus, these transmitter
devices cannot comply with the FCC's technical standards and
therefore cannot be certified or marketed," the Citation reads.
Reznik responded to the LOI, admitting that he first imported the
devices in 2006 and that he continues to import the devices. The FCC
noted that he admitted to selling more than 2600 of the transmitters
since 2006. Reznik also admitted to not filing the proper forms with
the US Customs Office or the Border Patrol.
The FCC also noted that Reznik stated that before he ships a
transmitter device, he "switches" it to operate only in the Amateur
Radio Service ('ARS') bands. While radio transmitting equipment that
transmits solely on ARS frequencies is not subject to the equipment
authorization requirement prior to manufacture or marketing, it
appears that the seven transmitter devices marketed on your website
are equipped with external toggle switches on the unit, which if
engaged would allow operation of the device on the restricted
frequencies."
In 1996, the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET)
released a Public Notice "to clarify the Commission's Rules regarding
equipment intended to operate in various radio services in the high
frequency radio spectrum, including 10 meter Amateur Radio Service
equipment"
www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Public_Notices/1996/pnet6023.txt
The Notice states that transmitters intended for operation on
non-amateur frequencies "must be approved prior to manufacture,
importation or marketing." The Notice specifically includes Amateur
Radio Service transceivers to be designed "such that they can easily
be modified by the users to extend the operating frequency range into
the frequency bands" of other non-Amateur Radio Services among those
devices, subject to equipment authorization procedures.
The Notice also states that the FCC considers these transceivers as
intended to be operated on frequencies where the use of type accepted
equipment is required "because of the simplicity of modifying them to
extend their operating frequency range." According to the Citation,
"the transmitter devices listed on `Reznik's` website require a grant
of equipment certification prior to the initiation of marketing in
the United States, but, as noted above, cannot be certified because
they operate on restricted frequencies."
Reznik has the following legal disclaimer posted on the RangeVideo
Web site: "high power video transmitters operate in the Amateur Radio
Service (ARS) frequency band, and according to FCC regulations users
must obtain proper licensing for legal operation. There are no
restrictions on the sale of this equipment, however RangeVideo urges
users to become familiar with and observe all laws and regulations
governing ARS licensing and the operation of ARS equipment. Please
visit the FCC's Website for more information
<http://www.rangevideo.com/index.php?main+AF8-page=page+ACY-id=5>. He
then gives the FCC's Web site address that discusses how to receive
an Amateur Radio license
<http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/amateur/licensing>.
The FCC warned Reznik that if he violates the Communications Act or
the Commission's Rules "in any manner described herein" after receipt
of the Citation, "the Commission may impose monetary forfeitures not
to exceed $11,000 for each such violation or each day of a continuing
violation." Reznik was given 30 days to reply to the Citation, either
through a personal interview at the FCC's Atlanta Field Office or via
a written statement. Through the Citation, Reznik was told that his
response "should specify the actions that you are taking to ensure
that you do not violate the Commission's Rules governing the
marketing of radio frequency equipment in the future."
==>SOLAR UPDATE
Tad "Turn thy wild wheel through sunshine, storm, and cloud" Cook,
K7RA, this week reports:
For several days over the past week, we saw a couple of sunspots --
but just like other recent dying Solar Cycle 23 spots, they faded
quickly. This group, lasting from July 18-20, was number 1000. No
sign of Solar Cycle 24 in recent memory, just a couple of false
starts. There are no predictions indicating more sunspots for the
upcoming week. Predicted planetary A index for the near future is 5,
with a slight increase to 8 on August 1 and a large increase to 20 on
August 8. Geophysical Institute Prague predicts quiet geomagnetic
conditions through the end of the month, except July 27, which is
quiet to unsettled. Sunspot numbers for July 17-23 were 0, 11, 12,
11, 0, 0 and 0 with a mean of 4.9. The 10.7 cm flux was 65, 65.3,
66.4, 65.9, 66.2, 65.8 and 65.5 with a mean of 65.7. Estimated
planetary A indices were 5, 5, 3, 3, 6, 11 and 16 with a mean of 7.
Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 3, 5, 1, 2, 5, 9 and 12 with a
mean of 5.3. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit
the ARRL Technical Information Service Propagation page
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>. To read this week's
Solar Report in its entirety, check out the W1AW Propagation Bulletin
page <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/>. This week's "Tad Cookism"
brought to you by Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "Idylls of the King."
__________________________________
==>IN BRIEF:
* In Virginia, ARES = RACES: On July 3, Virginia officials, along
with representatives from that state's ARES and RACES groups, signed
a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
<http://www.aresva.org/pdf/VDEM_ARES_MOU_3_July_2008.pdf> uniting the
three groups. State Coordinator, Commonwealth of Virginia Department
of Emergency Management (VDEM) Michael M. Cline; State RACES Officer
Mac McNeer, K4YEF; ARRL Virginia Section Manager Carl Clements,
W4CAC, and ARRL Virginia Section Emergency Coordinator Ron Sokol,
K4KHZ, signed what ARRL Emergency and Preparedness Manager Dennis
Dura, K2DCD, called a "precedent setting" document.
* Hams Active as Hurricane Dolly strikes Caribbean, then Texas: The
Hurricane Watch Net wound up about 19 hours of operation,
experiencing some of the worst band conditions we've seen in many
years. Most of the traffic to the National Hurricane Center on
14.325, was relayed off of 40 meter frequencies by Bob, K5SIV. The
Net also put out regular advisories to those in the affected area in
English and Spanish. -- tnx John Ellis, NP2B, Section Manager, Virgin
Islands Section
Later, as Hurricane Dolly made landfall near Brownsville, Texas, on
July 23, the VoIP Hurricane Net was active for a 24-hour period,
reports Rob Macedo, KD1CY, of the VoIP Hurricane Net. We had N5CCW on
the air from the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi, Texas,
and W5DCH from the Driscoll Childrens Hospital EOC and several other
Amateurs from the Corpus Christi, Texas area. They assisted with
relaying reports from their area as well as from the affected area of
Brownsville, Texas which included sustained hurricane force winds
with gusts to 105 MPH. We owe a debt of gratitude to these stations
for being on the system with us despite their pressing issues
locally, said Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Director of Operations for the VoIP
Hurricane Net. The Driscoll Childrens Hospital briefly went to a code
black emergency mode as a tornado, related to the outer rain bands of
Dolly, was sighted near the hospital. The code black was lifted after
it was determined the hospital would not be affected by the tornado.
Lloyd Colston, KC5FM, relayed rainfall reports in excess of 10 inches
from the Texas Emergency Net. Those reports were then relayed through
the VoIP Hurricane Net to the National Hurricane Center.
* This Weekend on the Radio: This weekend, the NCCC Sprint Ladder is
on July 25 and the RSGB IOTA Contest is on July 26-27. Next weekend,
the TARA Grid Dip Shindig and the European HF Championship are on
August 2. On August 2-3, look for the 10-10 Int. Summer Contest
(SSB), the National Lighthouse Weekend QSO Contest, the ARRL UHF
Contest and the North American QSO Party (CW). The RSGB RoPoCo 2 and
the SARL HF Phone Contest are both August 3. All dates, unless
otherwise stated, are UTC. See the ARRL Contest Branch page
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/>, the ARRL Contest Update
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/> and the WA7BNM Contest
Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more
info.
* W1AW/KL7 QRV: Special event station W1AW/KL7 will be on the air from
grid square BP56 July 26-August 10 on all bands from 160-6 meters.
This ARRL 2008 Alaska State Convention Special Event Station plans to
run two HF stations operating CW, SSB and digital, one satellite
station and one station devoted to 146.52 MHz.
* ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration: Registration remains
open through Sunday, August 3, 2008 for these online course sessions
beginning on Friday, August 15, 2008: Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Level 2 (EC-002); Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Level 3 (EC-003R2); Antenna Modeling (EC-004); HF
Digital Communications (EC-005); VHF/UHF -- Life Beyond the Repeater
(EC-008), and Radio Frequency Propagation (EC-011). Registration
remains open through Sunday August 24 2008, for these on-line course
sessions beginning on Friday September 5, 2008: Technician License
Course (EC-010), Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1
(EC-001), Radio Frequency Interference (EC-006), Antenna Design and
Construction (EC-009), Analog Electronics (EC-012) and Digital
Electronics (EC-013). Each online course has been developed in
segments -- learning units with objectives, informative text, student
activities and quizzes. Courses are interactive, and some include
direct communications with a Mentor/Instructor. Students register for
a particular session that may be 8, 12 or 16 weeks (depending on the
course) and they may access the course at any time of day during the
course period, completing lessons and activities at times convenient
for their personal schedule. Mentors assist students by answering
questions, reviewing assignments and activities, as well as providing
helpful feedback. Interaction with mentors is conducted through
e-mail; there is no appointed time the student must be present --
allowing complete flexibility for the student to work when and where
it is convenient. To learn more, visit the CCE Course Listing page
<http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the Continuing
Education Program Coordinator <cce@arrl.org>;.
* No ARRL Audio News July 25: There will be no ARRL Audio News on
Friday, July 25. The ARRL Letter will be available that day. ARRL
Audio News will return on Friday, August 1.
* FAR Scholarship Winners Announced: The Foundation for Amateur Radio
(FAR) has announced the 2008 winners of 55 scholarships it
administers. The scholarships were open to all licensed radio
amateurs who met the qualification and residence requirements of the
various sponsors. A non-profit organization incorporated in the
District of Columbia, FAR represents more than 50 Amateur Radio clubs
in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia and
Pennsylvania. It is devoted exclusively to the scientific, literary
and educational pursuits that advance the purposes of the Amateur
Radio Service. For a complete list of recipients, please see the ARRL
Web site <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/07/19/10214/?nc=1>.
For more information, contact FAR Scholarships, PO Box 831,
Riverdale, MD 20783, or visit their Web site
<http://www.amateurradio-far.org/>.
===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the
American Radio Relay League: ARRL--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,
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The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential and
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