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![Previous (earlier) Story](/images/sty-down.gif "Ed Lu is "The Piano Man" Aboard the ISS"){kind=small} Previous: Ed Lu is "The Piano Man" Aboard the ISS |  Next: ARRL Board Names Award Winners |
NEWINGTON, CT, Jul 23, 2003--The ARRL Board of Directors has called on ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, and the ARRL Executive Committee to develop ARRL policy recommendations for an FCC filing to implement the results of World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03). ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, chaired the July 18-19 Board session in Windsor, Connecticut.
 New Pacific Division Team: Vice Director Andy Oppel, N6AJO, and Director Bob Vallio, W6RGG--were together for the first time at an ARRL Board meeting. Vallio succeeded Jim Maxwell, W6CF, who died in February. |
"The League, as the Amateur Radio representative in the United States, will, through its democratic process, review input from its members as to the impact and implementation of these results to the Part 97 rules," the Board's resolution declared. The Board is to hear a report on the policy recommendations at its January 2004 meeting. The Board also expressed gratitude to the IARU and ARRL WRC-03 team for its "tireless and dedicated efforts in promoting Amateur Radio" and congratulated it for achieving the IARU's goals at the month-long international conference, which wrapped up in Geneva July 4.
Delegates to WRC-03 reached a compromise on a 200-kHz worldwide allocation--7000 to 7200 kHz--effective in 2009, with no change to the existing 300-kHz allocation in the US or elsewhere in Region 2. The conference also eliminated the requirement that amateur applicants prove Morse code proficiency to operate below 30 MHz. That action left it up to individual administrations to retain or drop Morse code as an examination element for HF access.
Decisions made at WRC-03 also resulted in a wide variety of changes to other sections of Article 25 of the international Radio Regulations affecting international communications involving third-party traffic, international recognition of the licenses of visiting amateurs and communication with so-called "banned countries."
The Board also implemented some of the recommendations contained in a wide-ranging Final Report of the Volunteer Resources Committee to the ARRL Board of Directors--an Evaluation of the ARRL's Field Organization. It left others for Sumner to study and determine by the Board's next meeting what's needed to put them into effect. ARRL Midwest Director Wade Walstrom, W0EJ, chairs the VRC. The committee study concluded that the state of the ARRL Field Organization is "fair" but not what it should be to meet the League's "overall obligations to provide emergency communications, especially at the national level."
 Catching up on his reading: ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, consults The ARRL FCC Rule Book during a break in the Board session. |
The "Minute 56" Report
During its two-day session, the Board also reviewed a major study, commissioned at last July's Board meeting, of the bands from 902 MHz to 24.25 GHz. ARRL Technical Relations Manager Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, and First Vice President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, prepared the so-called "Minute 56" report.
Last year, the Board had concluded that since Congress was reviewing spectrum management policy, it was "vitally important" for ARRL to evaluate spectrum use policies in the upper-UHF bands with an eye toward developing options to protect the allocations and to make greater amateur use of those frequencies.
At this summer's meeting, the Board voted to initiate a process to revise ARRL band plans for amateur allocations between 902 MHz and 24.25 GHz. "New band plans will be developed using as a goal the full amateur deployment of each band," the Board said. "The President is authorized to appoint a band plan committee of volunteers and staff for that purpose."
The Board further voted unanimously to authorize President Haynie--with assistance from Imlay and Technical Relations Manager Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, "to explore specific terms of expanded partnering plans with the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) looking toward greater integration of amateur operation in the bands 902 MHz to 24.25 GHz in public safety and homeland security communications."
Board Mandates Nationwide ARES Communications System, Section Emergency Plans
In another response to the VRC Final Report, the Board called for a program to provide a comprehensive interstate, national and international system to enhance the communications capability of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES). The Board's resolution cited "future expectations of ARES for such a nationwide emergency message-handling capability" in light of the League's new Citizen Corps partnership with the Department of Homeland Security. There are situations, the Board said, when ARES "must have the capability to pass traffic across the nation quickly and accurately."
 Honored: President Haynie presents Vice President Fried Heyn, WA6WZO, with a 25-year membership certificate. Heyn, previously the Southwestern Division Director, has served the Board for 20 years. |
The Board established an ad hoc committee of members to develop the comprehensive ARES communications capability in coordination with ARRL Field and Educational Services and the VRC. The ad hoc panel will present a preliminary plan at the Board's January 2004 meeting and a final plan at its July 2004 meeting.
The VRC Final Report cited "several shortcomings" to the National Traffic System (NTS) overall "that diminish its effectiveness as a viable emergency backup nationwide communications system." The VRC said deficiencies included delivery delays, an "overall reluctance to embrace newer communications technologies" and a "lament" in some responses from Section Managers that ARES was not utilizing NTS capabilities. "Part of that lament could be alternately phrased that ARES is not coming to NTS to use NTS in its function," the VRC Final Report said. The study also noted a dwindling interest in NTS.
The VRC Final Report recommended that ARRL discontinue financial support to the NTS at the national level; that Section Traffic Managers obtain Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1, 2 and 3 certification and Net Managers earn at least Level 1 and 2 certification as soon as possible, if NTS is to be a viable emergency communications option; that STMs "strongly encourage" NTS members to earn Level 1 certification; and that NTS operators "acquaint themselves with ARES and its leaders."
The VRC Final Report said the ability to pass emergency traffic within sections "seems to be reasonably well in place in most sections."
In an additional action related to the VRC Final Report, the Board called on the Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) in each of the 71 ARRL sections "to develop, implement and maintain a comprehensive Section Emergency Plan no later than December 31, 2003."
Copies of the plans would be on file with each SEC and Section Manager (SM) and with Field and Educational Services at ARRL Headquarters. Plans would be reviewed and updated annually.
BM, OBS Appointments to Phase Out
The Board also decided that no new Bulletin Manager or Official Bulletin Station appointments would be granted, although BM and OBS appointments may be renewed at the discretion of the Section Manager. The action also was recommended in the VRC Final Report. While the appointments were more important in the past, the Board said, ARRL Web and e-mail news and bulletins have replaced their function, and many SMs no longer support them. The designations will be dropped from the Field Organization once there are no longer any active BM and OBS appointees.
Section Manager Training Augmented
New ARRL Section Managers already attend an SM training workshop and orientation session at League Headquarters. In a move to boost the leadership ability of the SMs, the Board--again in response to a recommendation in the VRC Final Report--called on Sumner to formally establish courses to convey leadership training as a part of the SM's orientation sessions.
"Such courses may take the form of resident training at ARRL Headquarters; on-line Web-based courses; or correspondence courses," the Board resolved. "Participation in leadership training courses is considered an essential element of the duties and responsibilities of all Section Managers."
Board Okays Elmering Resolution
Citing the Amateur Radio tradition of Elmering (mentoring) new and prospective amateurs, the Board okayed a resolution instructing the VRC to develop two or more viable options for an ARRL Volunteer Mentor program that would provide for "the promotion, support and growth of mentoring in Amateur Radio." The VRC is to present its options at the Board's January meeting.
"One of the most critical points in a new licensee's career is the transition from license study to on-the air operation," the Board said. "A newcomer's interest in Amateur Radio has the best chance of flourishing under the guidance and encouragement of one or more experienced radio amateurs."
 50-years! ARRL Roanoke Division Director Dennis Bodson, W4PWF (left), presents ARRL Technical Relations Manager Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, with a 50-year ARRL membership plaque. |
New Awards Created
The Board also created two new awards--the Knight Distinguished Service Award and The President's Award. The Distinguished Service Award's namesake--ARRL New Mexico Section Manager Joe T. Knight, W5PDY--also was selected to be its first recipient. Knight served for 27 years as SM and, the board said, "has distinguished himself as a leader among leaders" who often has "gone above and beyond the call of duty" by volunteering to train and orient new SMs. The award will recognize "exceptionally notable contributions" to the "health and vitality" of the League by an SM. Knight, who stepped down recently for health reasons, received an in absentia standing ovation.
The new President's Award will go to an ARRL member or members who "have shown long-term dedication to the goals and objectives of ARRL and Amateur Radio" and who have gone the extra mile to support individual League programs and goals. Nominations will come from directors with approval by the ARRL President and the Executive Committee.
In Other Business . . .
In other action at the ARRL Board of Directors meeting July 18-19 in Connecticut, the Board:
The PRC is a national-level committee which reports to the ARRL Board of Directors via the Board Liaison. Members are appointed by the ARRL President for one-year terms, with options for reappointment. The PRC has two primary missions. The first is to provide guidance to the ARRL PR staff in presenting the story of Amateur Radio to the public at large, the press, and to the amateur community at the national level. This includes developing strategies for attracting new hams, and for recruiting and retaining ARRL members. The second is to support and encourage the development of the local Public Information Coordinators and Public Information Officers in the field by providing PR education, guidance and public relations tools to assist them in their efforts. The PRC also from time to time undertakes special projects as assigned by the ARRL Board of Directors and/or the ARRL President.
The minutes of the ARRL Board of Directors'
July 18-19, 2003, meeting will be posted on the ARRL Web site as soon as they
are available.
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