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In the only contested Section Manager race this Winter, Steve Early,
AD6VI, was elected ARRL San Diego Section Manager with 332 votes.
His opponent, Pat Bunsold, WA6MHZ, received 264 votes.  Election
ballots were counted at ARRL Headquarters on February 19, 2008.
Early, whose two year term begins on April 1, 2008, said that he is
looking forward to the opportunity to serve.  He has been active in
several Amateur Radio clubs and ARES, as well as providing public
service support to agencies such as the American Red Cross and CERT,
the Community Emergency Response Team.  He is also president of the
Palomar Amateur Radio Club.  Early takes over from Harry Hodges,
W6YOO, who was appointed to fill the vacant position in November
2007.  Louisiana will also be getting a new Section Manager on April
1.  Gary Stratton, K5GLS, of Shreveport, the Louisiana Section
Emergency Coordinator for the last three years, will be taking the
reins from Mickey Cox, K5MC.  Cox, who has served as Section Manager
for the past eight years, decided not to run for another term of
office.  Carl Clements, W4CAC, of Portsmouth, Virginia, returns to
the Virginia Section Managers post on April 1.  He had previously
served as Virginia Section Manager from May 2001 to March 2006.
Glen Sage, W4GHS, the outgoing Virginia Section Manager, did not
seek a new term of office.  The following incumbent ARRL Section
Managers did not face opposition and were declared elected for their
next terms of office beginning April 1, 2008.  Pete Cecere, N2YJZ,
Eastern New York, Eric Olena, WB3FPL, Eastern Pennsylvania, Tim
Slay, N4IB, North Carolina, Richard Beebe, N0PV, South Dakota, and
Bob Schneider, AH6J, Pacific‚ Astronauts aboard the International
Space Station complex are focusing on getting the new Columbus lab
up and running. Columbus, the laboratory built by the European Space
Agency, ESA, and host of two Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station, ARISS, antennas, was launched into space on February
7 aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, arriving three days later.
According to NASA, Columbus activation process has been running a
little behind because of computer problems, but flight directors
believe theyve fixed the glitch.  In 2007, the ARISS antennas
successfully passed electrical and SWR tests, with one of the two
antennas, Antenna 42, going through a final test, which is a thermal
test under vacuum. Columbus will house an additional Amateur Radio
station, including the first digital Amateur Radio TV, DATV, station
in space, as well as a ham radio transponder. The yet to be built
Columbus amateur gear will facilitate operation on new frequencies
that will make it possible for ARISS to establish wideband and video
operations for the first time and allow continuous transponder
operation.  The mission, STS 122, brought seven astronauts to the
ISS.  Commander Stephen N. Frick, KD5DZC, Pilot Alan G. Poindexter,
Mission Specialist Rex J. Walheim, Mission Specialist Stanley G.
Love, Mission Specialist Leland D. Melvin, Mission Specialist Hans
Schlegel, DG1KIH, of Germany and Mission Specialist/Expedition 16
Flight Engineer Leopold Eyharts, KE5FNO, of France. Flight Engineer
Dan Tani, KD5DXE, already on board the ISS, will depart when
Atlantis returns to Earth.  Eyharts will stay behind on the ISS and
take his place.  Atlantis will remain at the ISS until February 18,
making for a 13 day flight.  Touchdown is set for February 20‚

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