[CVRC] The ARRL Letter, Vol 27, No 5 (Friday, February 8,2008)

[ARRL Letter Mailing List]

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 27, No. 5
February 8, 2008
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* + Amateurs Lend a Hand as Deadly Storms Sweep across Southern United States
* + "Source" Disavows Inflated NTIA BPL Figure
* + Field Day 2008 Rules and Forms Now Available
* + Get Ready To Go the Distance with the ARRL International DX Contests
* + Look For the March Issue of QST in Your Mailbox
* + Indiana Television Reporter Receives Bill Leonard, W2SKE, 
Professional Media Award
*   Solar Update
*   IN BRIEF:
     This Weekend on the Radio
     ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration
   + ARRL to Offer Award for 6 Meter Operations
   + Heil Sound Donates Microphones, Accessories to W1AW and W1HQ
     DXCC Pushes to Get Ahead
     Rob Brownstein, K6RB, Wins January QST Cover Plaque Award
     Dates for ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference Announced
     ARISS to Conduct Simulation QSO between Astronauts and Students
     European Reciprocal Licenses Now Limited to Advanced and Extra 
Class Licensees
     Clarification

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

===========================================================


==> AMATEURS LEND A HAND AS DEADLY STORMS SWEEP ACROSS SOUTHERN UNITED STATES

At least 54 people were killed and hundreds injured Tuesday and 
Wednesday by dozens of tornadoes that plowed across Mississippi, 
Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama in the nation's deadliest 
barrage of twisters in almost 23 years. In spite of the disasters, 
state and local emergency management officials once again discovered 
that they could call on Amateur Radio operators to help out and get 
communications up and going again after the infrastructure failed.

According to ARRL Southeastern Division Director Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, 
"Four people were killed in Alabama as the storms damaged homes, 
caused flooding and downed trees and power lines. North Alabama 
SKYWARN, ARES and scores of Amateur Radio operators were up all night 
long, providing vital communications to the National Weather Service 
and Emergency Management Agencies all across the region. Once again, 
Amateur Radio operators played a critical role before, during and 
after the storms. I am proud of the level of professionalism and 
critical information that these operators provided our served agencies."

Hundreds of houses were damaged or destroyed across the region. 
Authorities had no immediate cost estimate of the damage. The storms 
flattened entire streets, smashed warehouses and sent 
tractor-trailers flying. Houses were reduced to splintered piles of 
lumber. Some looked like life-size dollhouses, their walls sheared 
away. Crews going door-to-door to search for bodies had to contend 
with downed power lines, snapped trees and flipped-over cars. Near 
hard-hit Lafayette, Tennessee, cattle wandered through the debris. At 
least 12 people died in and around the town; more than 30 were killed 
in Tennessee alone.

"It looks like the Lord took a Brillo pad and scrubbed the ground," 
Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen said as he surveyed the damage from 
a helicopter. "I don't think that I have seen, since I've been 
governor, a tornado where the combination of the intensity of it and 
the length of the track was as large as this one," he said. "That 
track had to be 25 miles long. [The twister] didn't skip like a lot 
of them do...It's just 25 miles of a tornado sitting on the ground."

Most communities had ample warning that the storms were coming. 
Forecasters had warned for days that severe weather was possible. The 
National Weather Service issued more than 1000 tornado warnings from 
3 PM Tuesday-6 AM Wednesday in the 11-state area where the weather 
was heading. The conditions for bad weather had lined up so perfectly 
that the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma put out an alert 
six days in advance.

Tennessee Section Emergency Coordinator Lowell Bennington, WD4DJW, 
said that approximately 25 hams in Madison County had participated in 
SKYWARN activities before the storm arrived; one ham actually spotted 
the twister. "Two hams reported to the Tennessee Emergency Management 
Agency-West, assisting in passing radio communication. A couple of 
hams assisted Madison County EMA in setting up their Mobile Command 
Post. On Wednesday, 10 teams were dispatched to do Damage Assessment. 
These teams were composed of three individuals, one of whom was an 
Amateur Radio operator," he said.

Bennington said that hams in Middle Tennessee "utilized our vast 
networks of linked 2 meter repeater systems as well as our UHF-linked 
system in support of the National Weather Service, Tennessee 
Emergency Management, law enforcement agencies and participating 
local EMA offices. Operators from Wilson County were dispatched to 
the Nashville NWS office and they operated from there until around 
3:30 AM Thursday, giving and taking weather reports."

Alabama ARES District 6 Emergency Coordinator Doug Hilton, WD0UG, 
said his area was hit hard by a fast-moving line of severe weather; 
District 6 covers the northern counties of Alabama. Hilton contacted 
the NWS office in Huntsville early Wednesday regarding possible 
SKYWARN activation. "After discussing the situation with NWS 
personnel, it was decided that since this was going to be a long 
event, that would probably last all night, it was best not to tie up 
the local repeaters early on. I opened an informal SKYWARN net to get 
weather information out to the amateur community during the 
afternoon, and several Madison County hams participated in the net. 
We closed the net after about an hour and re-opened it that evening 
at 7," he said. Madison County ARES was activated that evening and 
other hams in the area joined in. Hilton said Northern Alabama has a 
linked-repeater system that covers all 10 counties during emergency conditions.

The storm churned into Western Alabama from Mississippi about 9 PM. 
The main part of the storm started its destruction at 3 AM. Hilton 
said, "The storm was a killer, and the extra lead time that people 
got from the great staff at NWS probably led to a reduction in 
casualties. A very large long-track EF-3 tornado hit Lawrence County 
and caused 3 fatalities and more than 20 people were injured." Hilton 
said the NWS estimated the twister to be 1/2 mile wide with a path 
length of 18.7 miles, causing "extreme destruction of property." An 
EF-4 tornado with peak winds of 180 MPH went through Jackson County, 
causing one fatality.

Hilton said hams were able to provide many timely situation reports, 
"and 'ground truth' is always the best indicator of reality. Many of 
the hams who stayed up all night were also prepared to leave their 
homes at a moment's notice to go anywhere in the District, if needed. 
The incredible teamwork of this ARES/SKYWARN team and the level of 
professionalism was something to behold."

Chris Shaw, W4BGN, Kentucky District Emergency Coordinator, said 
several confirmed tornadoes touched down throughout his state. 
"Kentucky hams activated weather nets, while others were out and 
about spotting for severe weather. Allen and Monroe Counties in South 
Central Kentucky were especially hard hit. Some repeaters lost power 
and hams quickly adapted, going to emergency simplex frequencies on 2 
meters. The communications went very smooth and seemed to be 
beneficial to many. Hams worked throughout the night to help provide 
communications, especially to those areas without power."

President Bush gave assurances that his administration stood ready to 
help. Teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were 
sent to the region and activated an emergency center in Georgia, 
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday. "We're 
going to keep watching this."

"Loss of life, loss of property -- prayers can help and so can the 
government," Bush said. "I do want the people in those states to know 
the American people are standing with them." On Wednesday, Bush 
called the governors of the affected states to offer help and to tell 
them that "the American people hold those who suffered up in prayer."

While the weather was unusually severe, winter tornadoes are not 
uncommon. The peak tornado season is late winter through midsummer, 
but the storms can happen at any time of the year with the right 
conditions. "All the clues were there. It was just unfortunate that 
it came out the way it did," prediction center director Joseph 
Schaefer said. Greg Carbin, warning coordination meteorologist at the 
Oklahoma center, said there were 67 eyewitness accounts of tornadoes, 
but some of those were probably twisters that were counted more than 
once; the actual number is probably more like 30 or 40, he said.

As more ARES groups relay information to ARRL, we will update these 
reports on the ARRL Web site. -- Some information provided by The 
Weather Channel


==> "SOURCE" DISAVOWS INFLATED NTIA BPL FIGURE

ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, writes:

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) 
report Networked Nation: Broadband in America 2007 
<http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/2008/NetworkedNationBroadbandinAmerica2007.pdf> 
that was released on January 31, 2008 includes the following: 
"Reliable BPL [broadband over power lines] subscribership figures are 
difficult to find. The FCC's most recent data identify fewer than 
5,000 BPL customers as of yearend 2006. That figure appears low, 
however. TIA [The Telecommunications Industry Association] estimates 
200,000 current BPL subscribers..."

Five years of experience in dealing with BPL systems as a radio 
interference source have given the ARRL, the national association for 
Amateur Radio, considerable insight into the BPL industry. Based on 
that experience, the ARRL has concluded that the FCC's figure of 
fewer than 5000 BPL customers is entirely credible. Therefore, the 
ARRL set out to determine the source of the "estimate" of 200,000 
current BPL subscribers.

We contacted TIA <http://www.tiaonline.org/> and were advised that 
the figure came from a market study prepared by Wilkofsky Gruen 
Associates Inc and based on research conducted by In-Stat, a unit of 
Reed Business Information.

So we contacted In-Stat and asked how the figure was derived. They 
responded: "The 200,000 number for BPL subs did not come from 
In-Stat. In our US broadband forecast, we estimate about 231,000 
broadband subscribers in the 'other' category besides DSL, cable, 
satellite. Other includes BPL, but is not solely BPL."

We then contacted Wilkofsky Gruen Associates. They responded: "Our 
source for the BPL figures was In-Stat." When In-Stat's denial was 
shared with them, they responded, "It was our understanding that BPL 
was the principal component as it was the first item listed by In-Stat."

TIA was invited to comment but declined to do so.

In other words, here is what we have learned: In-Stat does not claim 
to know how many BPL subscribers there are, but provides an estimate 
of 231,000 broadband subscribers who receive service via delivery 
systems other than DSL, cable, and satellite. Wilkofsky Gruen 
Associates, on the basis of nothing more than that BPL is listed 
first, assumes that the bulk of these 231,000 are BPL subscribers and 
arbitrarily attributes 200,000 of them to BPL. In turn, NTIA -- not 
satisfied with an FCC figure that is derived from required reports 
from service providers -- cites this arbitrarily chosen figure -- a 
figure that is entirely unsupported by any data whatsoever -- as 
evidence that the FCC's figure -- which is fully supported by data -- 
"appears low."

On February 1 we called upon the NTIA to issue a corrected report 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/02/01/101/?nc=1>. We renew 
that call now.


==> FIELD DAY 2008 RULES AND FORMS NOW AVAILABLE

It's that time of year again -- time to start gearing up for Field 
Day, ARRL's flagship operating event. Field Day, held the fourth full 
weekend in June, brings together new and experienced hams for 24 
hours of operating fun. ARRL Field Day Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, 
says there are several rules changes this year, mainly concerning 
"Get on the Air" (GOTA) stations and the elimination of the 
Demonstration Mode Bonus Category. The complete Field Day Packet can 
be downloaded from the ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/fieldday>. 
A full 2008 Field Day page on the ARRL Web site will be coming in the 
next few weeks.

GOTA (Get on the Air) stations are those stations set aside by Field 
Day teams designed to get non-hams or newly licensed hams on the air. 
Unlike in past years where GOTA stations were limited to only one 
band, the 2008 rules state that these stations may operate on any 
authorized HF or VHF Field Day band. Keep in mind that only one 
signal may be transmitted from the GOTA station at any time.

Henderson said the eligibility for operating the GOTA station has 
changed slightly: Anyone who has been licensed since Field Day 2007 
is eligible to operate the GOTA station, regardless of license class.

For 2008, the Demonstration Mode Bonus category has been eliminated 
and replaced by an Educational Activity Bonus worth 100 points. "This 
bonus is intended to encourage clubs and groups to do some more 
formal educational activity during their Field Day operation," 
Henderson said. If you have any questions concerning what activities 
might be appropriate for this bonus, Henderson said you should submit 
them via e-mail <fdinfo at arrl.org>;.

Be sure to read the Field Day rules and FAQs in the 2008 Field Day 
Packet for details of these changes. There are also numerous small 
changes in the FAQs and support materials in the packet that should 
help groups and individuals as they plan their Field Day activities, 
Henderson said.

The 2008 Field Day Packet also includes an expanded Press Kit, thanks 
to the work of ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, 
W1AGP. Included in this expanded portion of the packet is a sample 
"Field Day Proclamation" for those groups who work with local city or 
town officials toward getting a Field Day Week declared in their location.

"We are excited that historic station K6KPH will once again 
participate transmitting the W1AW special Field Day Bulletin on the 
West Coast," Henderson said. More details are available in the Field 
Day Packet.

Information concerning the popular Field Day pins and T shirts will 
be announced in the next few weeks.

Henderson said that those wishing to obtain a complete Field Day 
Packet via US mail need to send a 9 x 12 inch self-addressed, stamped 
manila envelope with 5 units of postage to Field Day Packet Request, 
ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

If people wish to order display kits for their tables at Field Day, 
please contact Debra Johnson, K1DMJ, ARRL Education Manager, 225 Main 
St, Newington, CT 06111, tel 860-594-0296. The cost for the display 
kit ranges from $8-$12 depending on shipping. To ensure having the 
kits in time for Field Day, you are encouraged to order them no later 
than June 13.

==> GET READY TO GO THE DISTANCE WITH THE ARRL INTERNATIONAL DX CONTESTS

Are you ready to work some DX? The ARRL International DX Contest is 
coming up! This is one of the ARRL's oldest operating events, going 
back to the days of the International Relay Party in 1928.

The objective is simple: US and Canadian stations work only DX and DX 
stations work only US and Canadians. See how many different stations 
you can contact in as many different geographical entities as 
possible. US and Canadian stations try to work different DX 
countries, while DX stations try and work US states and Canadian 
provinces. For this contest, Alaska, Hawaii and all US possessions 
and territories are considered DX. US/Canadians send a signal report 
and their state or province; DX stations send a signal report and 
their transmit power.

You don't need a big station to compete. You can work many stations 
in this contest with 100 W and a simple dipole or vertical antenna. 
This event is also a good way to improve your DXCC Award totals with 
a small investment of time. Many contesters will be traveling to 
foreign locales to participate, so listen for lots of good DX 
countries on the bands. The ARRL will once again be offering 
participation pins for those who make more than 100 QSOs in the 
event. Pins are $7 (including shipping) and are a nice memento of 
your achievement in the contest.

The CW portion of the ARRL DX Contest begins at 0000 UTC on Saturday, 
February 16 and goes until 2400 UTC Sunday, February 17. The Phone 
portion runs from 0000 UTC Saturday, March 1 until 2400 UTC Sunday, 
March 2. Complete rules can be found online 
<http://www.arrl.org/contests>. If you are new to the ARRL DX 
Contests, look for a primer on the event by ARRL Contest Branch 
Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, in the Radiosport area of the March issue of QST.


==> LOOK FOR THE MARCH ISSUE OF QST IN YOUR MAILBOX

The March issue of QST, our annual antenna issue, is jam-packed with 
all sorts of things today's Amateur Radio operator needs. From 
product reviews to experiments to contesting, the upcoming issue of 
QST has something for just about everyone.

ARRL Senior Assistant Technical Editor Dean Straw, N6BV, discusses 
what to consider when picking out your first vertical antenna for 20 
and 40 meters. L. B. Cebik, W4RNL, and Bob Cerreto, WA1FXT, tell 
about a new take on a three dipole array for 2 meters. Dick Jansson, 
KD1K, gives advice on how to "downshift" to stealth operating on the 
HF bands when you are restricted in your living arrangements.

If you've never participated in a contest but wondered what all the 
fuss was about, or if you are the type to plan family vacations 
around the contest calendar, you won't want to miss "This Month in 
Contesting" by ARRL Contest Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X. This 
month, Sean features a primer on the ARRL International DX Phone 
Contest; this contest runs from 0000 UTC March 1-2400 UTC March 2. 
The results of the 2007 ARRL September VHF QSO Party, the 2007 ARRL 
10 GHz and Up Contest and the 2007 IARU HF World Championship are in. 
Did you top your score from last year? How did your closest rival do? 
Also, find out about upcoming contests in the Contest Corral.

Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, Assistant Manager for ARRL's Membership and 
Volunteer Programs Department, reviews the Yaesu FT-950 HF and 6 
meter transceiver. According to the ARRL Lab test results, "The 
FT-950 transceiver fills a void in Yaesu's product line. It should 
appeal to radio amateurs looking for big rig performance in an 
economical package." ARRL Product Review Editor Mark Wilson, K1RO, 
reviews the Array Solutions AS-AYL-4 receiving antenna, saying this 
antenna "is an effective way to improve your listening experience on 
the low bands, especially if space is limited."

Of course, there are the usual columns you know and love in the March 
QST: Hints & Kinks, The Doctor Is IN, How's DX, Old Radio, Hamspeak 
and more. This month also features Amateur Radio World, the Emergency 
Communications Course Honor Roll and the ARRL VEC Volunteer Examiner 
Honor Roll. Look for your March issue of QST in your mailbox. QST is 
the official journal of ARRL, the national association for Amateur 
Radio. QST is just one of the many benefits of ARRL membership. To 
join or renew your ARRL membership, please see the ARRL Web page 
<http://www.arrl.org/join>.


==> INDIANA TELEVISION REPORTER RECEIVES BILL LEONARD, W2SKE, 
PROFESSIONAL MEDIA AWARD

On the recommendation of the ARRL Public Relations Committee, the 
ARRL Board of Directors voted at its meeting last month to confer the 
2007 Bill Leonard, W2SKE, Professional Media Award to a Fort Wayne, 
Indiana television reporter.

Alyssa Ivanson, of WANE-TV News brought public attention to Amateur 
Radio by producing and reporting a television story 
<http://www.wane.com/Global/category.asp?C=124439&nav=0RYb> on the 
efforts of Emery McClendon, KB9IBW, also of Fort Wayne, to create and 
promote Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day. McClendon traveled 
to Washington, DC and met with First Lady Laura Bush as part of his 
promotion of Amateur Radio.

The annual award honors a professional journalist whose outstanding 
coverage in TV, radio, print or multimedia best reflects the 
enjoyment, importance and public service value of Amateur Radio. The 
award was created as a tribute to the late CBS News President Bill 
Leonard, W2SKE. He was an avid Amateur Radio operator, and most 
active on the air during the 1960s and 1970s.

As the winner of the Bill Leonard Award, Ivanson will receive a 
plaque and a cash prize of $500. ARRL Media and Public Relations 
Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, said, "There were nine excellent 
nominations for the award this year, and voting was tight. Submitted 
materials were judged by the ARRL's national Public Relations 
Committee and their final recommendation was approved by the Board of 
Directors at the January 2008 meeting." Ivanson said, "I am honored 
to win the Bill Leonard Award. It was a privilege to meet Emery and 
tell the public about his efforts to bring a little bit of 'home' to 
the troops through Ham radio and ARMAD."

Ivanson, the weekend anchor at WANE, graduated from Ball State 
University's Honors College with a degree in telecommunications; she 
joined WANE in January 2006. "The news business is exciting; each day 
presents new challenges and rewards. I love meeting so many new 
people and never knowing what each day holds," she said.

Ivanson is no stranger to journalism awards. In her first year at 
WANE-TV, she was awarded third best reporter in the state by the 
Indiana Associated Press. In college, she was awarded the prestigious 
Edward R. Murrow award for her work on a morning radio program. She 
was the first recipient of the Jack McQuate Associated Press 
Scholarship and a three-time winner of the Indiana Broadcasters 
Association Scholarship.

When she's not at work, Ivanson, a member of Alpha Omicron Pi 
Sorority, enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going to 
the theater, hosting dinner parties and cave exploring. According to 
Emery McClendon, there are two hams in the WANE newsroom who will be 
"encouraging" Ivanson to add Amateur Radio operator to her list of 
accomplishments very soon.


==>SOLAR UPDATE

Tad "Let not the Sun go down and disappear into darkness" Cook, K7RA, 
this week reports: After a solid week of sunspots -- January 29 to 
February 4 -- the following three days have been blank. February 2 
was an active geomagnetic day with a solar wind stream spewing from a 
coronal hole near sunspot 982. Another solar wind stream from a 
coronal hole is expected to strike Earth on Sunday, February 10 
causing unsettled conditions. The predicted planetary A index for 
February 8-15 is 8, 12, 15, 10, 10, 10, 10 and 5. That was from NOAA 
and the US Air Force; Geophysical Institute Prague predicts unsettled 
conditions February 8, unsettled to active February 9-10 and 
unsettled again on February 11-14. The Australian Space Forecast 
Centre's geomagnetic forecast expects mostly unsettled to active 
conditions with storm periods possible at high latitudes on February 
9, and mostly unsettled with isolated active periods and storm levels 
at high latitudes on February 10. Following this week
  end,
NOAA predicts the next active conditions around February 28-29. Their 
prediction for solar flux is flat at 70 for each of the next 45 days; 
this probably indicates little or no sunspot activity. Sunspot 
numbers for January 31-February 6 were 15, 19, 16, 14, 14, 0 and 0 
with a mean of 11.1. The 10.7 cm flux was 72, 71.1, 71.8, 71, 71.3, 
70.5 and 71.6 with a mean of 71.3. Estimated planetary A indices were 
5, 18, 19, 12, 6, 3 and 4 with a mean of 9.6. Estimated mid-latitude 
A indices were 3, 10, 19, 10, 6, 2 and 2 with a mean of 7.4. 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/>. The first 10 readers who 
correctly respond via e-mail <k1sfa at arrl.org>; correctly identifying 
the quote at the beginning of this week's Solar Report will receive
   a fr
ee 2008 ARRL calendar. Please include your call sign and mailing 
address in your e-mail; we will publish the winners' call signs in 
next week's ARRL Letter.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This Weekend on the Radio: Be sure to check out the ARRL School 
Club Roundup February 11-February 15. This weekend, the NCCC Sprint 
is February 8. On February 9, look for the Asia-Pacific Spring Sprint 
(CW), the FISTS Winter Sprint and another running of the NCCC Sprint. 
The CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest, the Dutch PACC Contest, the KCJ Topband 
Contest, the YLRL YL-OM Contest (SSB), the Louisiana QSO Party, the 
OMISS QSO Party, RSGB 1st 1.8 MHz Contest (CW) and the British 
Columbia QSO Challenge are all February 9-10. The North American 
Sprint (SSB) and the SKCC Weekend Sprintathon are February 10. The 
NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint and the RSGB 80 Meter Club Championship 
(Data) are both February 13. Next weekend is the ARRL International 
DX Contest CW on February 16-17. Look for the NCCC Sprint on February 
15 and the Feld Hell Sprint on February 16. The Run for the Bacon QRP 
Contest is February 18, the AGCW Semi-Automatic Key Evening is 
February 20 and the RSGB 80 Meter Club Champ
  ionsh
ip (CW) is February 21. See the ARRL Contest Branch page 
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/>, the ARRL Contester's Rate Sheet 
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/rate-sheet/> and the WA7BNM Contest 
Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.

* ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration: Registration remains 
open through Sunday, February 24, 2008 for these online course 
sessions beginning on Friday, March 7, 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 wel
  l 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 at arrl.org>;.

* ARRL to Offer Award for 6 Meter Operations: Attention 6 meter 
operators -- there's a new award to work toward! The ARRL Board of 
Directors approved a new award honoring the late Fred Fish, W5FF, the 
only amateur who worked and confirmed all 488 grid squares in the 48 
contiguous United States on 6 meters. The Fred Fish Memorial Award 
will be granted to any amateur who duplicates Fish's accomplishment. 
Fish was a mainstay on the VHF+ bands for many years, having achieved 
Worked All States (WAS) on 6 meters through 432 MHz, as well as DXCC 
for 6 meters. He is widely regarded as a gentleman operator and one 
of the finest amateurs in the VHF+ community. ARRL Contest Manager 
Sean Kutzko, KX9X, will oversee this award. Kutzko, an avid VHF+ 
operator himself, said, "We hope the new award will increase 6 meter 
activity throughout the US and the world. We also hope it will lead 
to the activation of rare grid squares in the US by encouraging the 
native ham population of a rare grid squ
  are t
o give 6 meters a try, as well as through so-called 'Grid 
DXpeditions.' We actively call on the 6 meter community to help 
educate VHF+ newcomers to the fun that is available on 6 meters." 
Complete details on the Fred Fish Memorial Award will be available soon.

* Heil Sound Donates Microphones, Accessories to W1AW and W1HQ: 
Thanks to the generosity of Bob Heil, K9EID, of Heil Sound Ltd, the 
Maxim Memorial Station W1AW and the Laird Campbell Memorial 
Headquarters Operators Club station W1HQ have some spiffy new audio 
gear. Heil Vice President for Amateur Sales and Marketing Chip 
Margelli, K7JA, visited ARRL HQ January 29 to present the donations. 
W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, commented: "We thank Bob Heil 
for the generosity he's always showed W1AW. All of our headsets and 
microphones in use in the visitors studios are Heil Sound products. 
They see a great deal of use by our visitors. So the donation of the 
ear pads/socks will greatly improve the appearance of the headsets. 
In addition, the modular pigtails will certainly look much more 
professional than the homebrewed pigtails we had been using." The 
recently renovated W1HQ, located near the ARRL Lab in the 
Headquarters building, now has two new Pro Set 4 mic/headsets, a PR7
  81 Pr
oline microphone and a topless boom.

* DXCC Pushes to Get Ahead: Due to several factors, including greater 
activity from new and reactivated DXCC entities, the ARRL DXCC Desk 
has been experiencing QSL card processing delays. According to ARRL 
DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, there are approximately 2300 
applications currently on the list of received applications, 
resulting in a processing backlog of more than 12 weeks. Sharon 
Taratula, Membership and Volunteer Programs Supervisor, said that 
approximately 500 DXCC applications are processed each month. Even 
with the low sunspot numbers of the now defunct Solar Cycle 23, there 
has been an increase in DXCC activity, Dave Patton, NN1N, Manager of 
the ARRL Membership and Volunteer Services Department, said; DXCC is 
a division of this department. "We've added or reactivated new 
entities like Scarborough Reef, Swains Island and Montenegro," he 
said. "ARRL membership is up, and more people out there have HF 
privileges." ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, sa
  id th
at a new full-time person has just been added to the DXCC staff. "We 
are actively looking for an additional full-time employee for DXCC. 
By adding more staff, we can definitely cut down on the time it takes 
to process applications. While we are not happy with the delayed 
turnaround time for DXCC applications, I can assure everyone that we 
are maintaining our high level of concern for accuracy in processing 
and care for our customers QSLs and awards," Patton said. "I'm 
pleased that interest in operating awards is so high, and indeed 
there is evidence that new and returning ops are participating in 
ever increasing numbers. In the near future, as we continue to refine 
and improve LoTW and our processes, turnaround time will improve, the 
quality of our awards will improve and we can hopefully offer new and 
expanded awards programs like the brand new Fred Fish Memorial Award 
for confirming QSOs with the 488 grid squares in the continental US 
on 6 meters." Kramer said, "We take gre
  at ca
re with people's DXCC applications. The DXCC crew is very diligent in 
handling and checking each applicant's cards. We don't rush the 
process because we don't want to make mistakes -- we know how 
important this program is to DXCC participants."

* Rob Brownstein, K6RB, Wins January QST Cover Plaque Award: The 
winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for January is Rob Brownstein, 
K6RB, for his article "The Joy of Contesting." Congratulations, Rob! 
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 February issue by Friday, February 29.

* Dates for ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference Announced: 
The Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Corporation (TAPR) has announced that 
the 2008 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference will take place 
September 26-28 at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Elk Grove Village, 
Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The conference is an international 
forum for radio amateurs to meet, publish their work and present new 
ideas and techniques. Presenters and attendees will have the 
opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about recent hardware and 
software advances, theories, experimental results and practical 
applications. Forums will feature the latest developments in Amateur 
Radio digital communications, as well as demonstrations of emerging 
digital technology. More information is available on the ARRL/TAPR 
DCC Web site <http://www.tapr.org/dcc.html>.

* ARISS to Conduct Simulation QSO between Astronauts and Students: 
Before each trip to the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts 
who hold Amateur Radio licenses are trained by a team of Amateur 
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) members on ARISS 
procedures and how to use the onboard radios. To make this training 
more realistic for the astronauts, ARISS has arranged for crewmembers 
in training at Johnson Space Center to participate in two simulated 
ARISS contacts with a local Houston school. Students at Bay Area 
Charter Elementary in El Lago, Texas will conduct two sessions on 
Friday, February 8 between 1545 UTC and 1610 UTC. According to ARRL 
ARISS Program Manager Rosalie White, K1STO, these times may fluctuate 
somewhat depending on how well training is going and crewmember 
availability. Astronaut Mike Fincke, KE5AIT, is scheduled to 
participate in the first event; Koichi Wakata, KC5ZTA, will 
participate in the second event. White said this is the first
  (and
second) time a school contact simulation training session has been 
conducted live where students are at the other end of the session. If 
this proves successful, she said it might be possible to conduct a 
handful of these sessions each year: "If things go well, this can 
increase somewhat our opportunities for schools. In the past, we 
found that kids were equally excited when their school's QSO was done 
with an astronaut sitting at Johnson Space Center's Amateur Radio 
station W5RRR [as opposed to a contact from space]." Simulations are 
not as predictable as on-orbit operations, so there is a slight 
chance the event might be postponed.

* European Reciprocal Licenses Now Limited to Advanced and Extra 
Class Licensees: The European Conference of Postal and 
Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) has revised its table of 
equivalence between FCC amateur licenses and the CEPT license. 
Effective February 4, 2008, Recommendation T/R 61-01 (as amended) now 
grants full CEPT privileges only to those US citizens who hold an 
FCC-issued Amateur Extra or Advanced class license. This means that 
those US licensees who hold an FCC-issued General or Technician 
license are no longer eligible for full operating privileges in 
countries where CEPT-reciprocal operation had previously been 
permitted. US Novice class licensees have had no reciprocal operating 
privileges under the CEPT provisions. These changes are the result of 
a re-evaluation of US and CEPT license classes equivalence by the 
CEPT's Radio Regulatory Working Group at its meeting January 
29-February 1, 2008 in Basel, Switzerland. The Working Group deals with numerou
  s are
as of concern including Amateur Radio, and is responsible for 
applications from countries to participate in T/R 61-01, as well as 
other Amateur Radio related issues. "Changes in the US license 
structures and examinations often have ancillary implications beyond 
the immediate impact upon the US licensees," said Dan Henderson, 
N1ND, ARRL Regulatory Information Manager. "While this CEPT change 
affects several classes of US licensees when they visit Europe and 
other CEPT signatory countries, it has no effect on their operating 
privileges at home."

* Clarification: The February 1 edition of The ARRL Letter included 
an item about the replacement of some older 160 meter equipment at 
Maxim Memorial Station W1AW. Some readers may have reached the 
conclusion that we were in some way unhappy with the equipment being 
replaced. That's certainly not the case. In fact, the Ten-Tec OMNI 
VI+ transceiver and Hercules II amplifier have served the ARRL and 
W1AW's listeners well over the past decade or so. It was simply time 
to replace the gear.

===========================================================

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, President.

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