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 Previous: First ARISS Canadian Contact Will Be Last for Current Crew |  Next: Maine Lawmakers Kill Mobile Hand-Held Devices Bill |
Feb 21, 2001
(In alphabetical order: )
Andrew V Smith, W7JMW, SK: Former Pacific Northwest Bell President Andrew V. "Andy" Smith, W7JMW, died February 13 after a long bout with cancer. An ARRL member, Smith was 76. Survivors include his wife LaVonne, a son and a daughter.
ARRL Emergency Communications on-line course again fills up fast: The ARRL course, Introduction to Emergency Communications, was fully subscribed within 72 hours of the opening announcement earlier this week. A ham in Italy has been added to the growing list of foreign students "attending" this on-line course. Plans call for offering a new course every four weeks, and a "live" classroom version of the course is now in beta testing. For more information on this on-line course, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education page.
ARRL seeks RFI/EMC specialist: The ARRL Laboratory has a job opening for an RFI/EMC specialist. The successful candidate will work at ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut, on a variety of technical projects and programs relating to radio frequency interference and its effect on the Amateur Radio service. An Amateur Radio license and experience is required for this position. This job is a unique opportunity to work with ARRL members, the FCC, industry groups and standards organizations to make a real difference in this critical area for Amateur Radio. Some additional duties of this position are: Work with amateurs to find solutions to RFI problems; maintain and improve ARRL's RFI information; write articles, book material and papers about RFI; and develop and maintain a database for tracking and documenting RFI problems. The ideal candidate will have one or more of the following qualifications or experience: Experience in EMC engineering at the design, system or field level EMC testing or field measurements; RFI troubleshooting and debugging; authoring published papers, articles or reports related to EMC; experience with industry committees and/or standards organizations; BSEE or equivalent degree or experience. To be considered for this position, send a resume and salary expectations to Bob Boucher, Personnel Manager, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. Resumes can be accepted by e-mail at rboucher@arrl.org. No telephone calls, please. ARRL is an equal opportunity employer. For information on other ARRL openings, visit the "Employment at ARRL" page,.
China team to compete in first USA ARDF Championships: The Chinese Radiosports Association has announced that it plans to send a team to the first USA ARDF Championships to be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, July 31 through August 4. The USA ARDF Championships invite all ARDF enthusiasts, at any skill level, from any country. ARRL ARDF Coordinator Joe Moell, K0OV, says registration is now open, and a 10% discount is offered to those who register before March 1. For more information on the event, sponsored by the Albuquerque Amateur Radio Club. For more information on Amateur Radio Direction Finding, visit Moell's ARDF Web site.--Joe Moell K0OV USA ARDF Coordinator
D68C DXpedition at 126,000 Qs and counting: The D68C DXpedition to Comoros reports logging more than 4650 QSOs in the recent ARRL International DX Contest (CW), probably topping the current the Africa multi-two record by a significant margin. D68C has been active on 30, 17 and 12 meters as well as on 14 and 28 MHz RTTY and PSK31. The D68C will not do any satellite operation, as originally planned. The team reports occasional high noise levels on the lower bands. "We are working all we can hear. Sometimes it is really hard to hear anything at all with all the static," said John Linford, G3WGV. As of February 20, the team had 126,000 QSOs in the log, and Linford said he anticipates when all is said and done, the D68C operation will hold several new records, including total number of QSOs.--John Linford, G3WGV
Deputy responsible for nabbing murder suspects is a ham: Sgt Bill Ward, the Henry County, Indiana, sheriff's deputy credited with helping to nab two teenaged suspects wanted in connection with the murder of two Dartmouth College professors in New Hampshire, is better known in his local amateur community as N9RHY. Suspects Robert Tulloch, 17, and James Parker, 16, both of Chelsea, Vermont, were apprehended February 19. They're charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Half and Susanne Zantop. Ward overheard a trucker's CB transmission that two boys needed a ride to California. Acting on a hunch, he got on the radio and told the trucker to drop off the youths in Newcastle and that he'd have someone pick them up. Sheriff's deputies dispatched to the scene identified the pair as the wanted teens, and they were taken into custody. An ARRL member, Ward also is an assistant Emergency Management Agency director and former two-term vice chair of the Henry County Amateur Radio Club. He also is active with the Indiana Repeater Council.--Walter Breining, N9WB
Hallicrafters, Collins engineer Bob Samuelson, ex-W9RAD, SK: Bob Samuelson, the former Collins and Hallicrafters engineer upon whose recollections Mike O'Brien, K0MYW, built his March QST cover story, "Hallicrafters' Chevy, Buick and Cadillac," died February 8 after a brief illness. He was a few weeks shy of his 90th birthday. A native of Minnesota, Samuelson began tinkering with crystal sets while in his teens. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, he became one of the first engineers at Collins Radio Company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He later was lured to Hallicrafters in Chicago as vice president of engineering, where he helped develop the HT-1 amateur transmitter. Among other products, he also designed the HT-4, which became the legendary BC-610 used by the military during World War II. While completing his PhD in electrical engineering at Northwestern University, Samuelson founded Voice and Vision, a firm specializing in high-fidelity radio and early TV systems. In 1950, he went to work for Motorola in Phoenix, where he served in the military division until his retirement in 1976. Samuelson was a Fellow of IEEE. Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Marcy, of Scottsdale, Arizona, plus three daughters. A funeral mass was held February 12.--St. Paul Pioneer Press; Mike O'Brien, K0MYW
 Jack Carter, KC6WYX, and some of the LST-325 crew. |
Jack R. Carter, KC6WYX, SK: Jack Carter, KC6WYX, of Rancho Palos Verdes, California, died February 20. He was 71. An ARRL member, Carter served as executive officer of the World War II Tank Landing Ship LST-325, which recently completed a 4200-mile journey from the Greek island of Crete to Mobile, Alabama, and gained extensive news coverage en route. Carter had ham radio gear aboard and used the WW2LST call sign of the USS LST Amateur Radio Club while under way. According to a report in Stars and Stripes, 29 sailors--men in their 60s, 70s and older--signed on to deliver the ship to a permanent berth to be used as a floating museum. Most of the sailors were US Navy retirees. Carter, an electrical engineer, was past president of the Palos Verdes Amateur Radio Club. For details of Carter's "voyage of a lifetime," photos of the voyage, and information on the PVARC, visit the club's Web site.
 Marcia Forde, KW1U (left) and her husband, Terry, N1MLO, share a moment together on Martha's Vineyard. |
New chair appointed for NTS Eastern Area staff: Marcia Forde, KW1U, has been appointed as chair of the Eastern Area Staff of the ARRL National Traffic System. From Edgartown, Massachusetts, Forde was nominated by fellow Eastern Area staff members for the two-year term. She continues as Transcontinental Corps director for Cycle 2, a position that she has held since 1984. A member of the ARRL for 19 years she also holds Official Relay Station and Official Emergency Station appointments in the League's field organization.
 Bob Baird, W9NN, left, of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, accepts honors from fellow QCWA Chapter 174 member Gene Santoski, K9UTQ. [K9UTQ Photo] |
QCWA honors Bob Baird, W9NN: Some 30 hams and friends gathered February 17 in Mosinee, Wisconsin, to honor and recognize a ham of 80 years, Bob Baird, W9NN. Baird, who turned 95 February 18, was one of the founding fathers of the Quarter Century Wireless Association in 1947. He also founded the W9DXCC gathering, which attracts hundreds of hams, DXers and DX each year for its programs, forums, prizes, and a first-rate banquet. In his younger years, Baird was an engineer for WGN Radio, Chicago. He may be found on HF CW.--Badger State Smoke Signals
Texas lawmaker exempts hams in amended tower proposals: As a result of intervention from the ARRL, Texas House of Representatives member Robert Cook has agreed to amend a proposed bill, HB 1148, aimed at regulating antenna construction, height, lighting and location, to include a new section that excludes Amateur Radio. The new section, 240.082.5 EXCLUSIONS, is to be worded to read: "Nothing herein shall be construed to regulate, nor shall it regulate, antennas, antenna support structures, devices or facilities, installed, maintained and used exclusively for Amateur Radio communications by Amateur Radio operators licensed by the Federal Communications Commission." ARRL assisted Rep Cook in wording the specific exemption. In a separate action, another proposal, Texas House Bill 1492, would require all towers taller than 50 feet to be painted and marked in accordance with aviation safety regulations. In response to e-mail invited by ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, the bill's sponsor, State Rep Rick Hardcastle, has told Haynie, "Ham operators will be exempted from HB 1492."
Vote on QST Cover Plaque Award: The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for January was Murray Greenman, ZL1BPU, for his article "MFSK for the New Millennium." The winner of the February award was Larry Scheff, W4QEJ, for his article "How to Maximize Your Receiver's Effective Selectivity" (Part 1). Congratulations, Murray and Larry! ARRL members are reminded that the winner of the QST Cover Plaque award--given to the author(s) of the best article in each issue--is determined by a vote of ARRL members. Voting takes place each month on the ARRL Members Only Web site. As soon as your copy arrives, cast a ballot for your choice as the favorite article in the March issue of QST. Voting ends March 15.
World Amateur Radio Day set for April 18: The Administrative Council of the International Amateur Radio Union has selected the theme "Providing Disaster Communications: Amateur Radio in the 21st Century" for World Amateur Radio Day, April 18, 2001. IARU has been the watchdog and spokesman for the world Amateur Radio community since its founding in Paris, France, in 1925. Hiram Percy Maxim, 1AW, was its first president. In a related item, the International Telecommunication Union has approved publication of the Disaster Communications Handbook for Developing Countries. The role of the Amateur Radio service in disaster communications is one of the main points of the Handbook. IARU is the principal contributor to the Handbook. This event will coincide with the 76th anniversary of the founding of the IARU.--Fred Johnson ZL2AMJ/IARU Region 3
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