[FPARC] Fwd: The ARRL Letter, Vol 24, No 08

[Bill Sinbine]

>Subject: The ARRL Letter, Vol 24, No 08
>Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 18:03:53 -0500
>To: n4xeo at bellsouth.net
>From: "ARRL Letter Mailing List" <letter-dlvy at arrl.org>
>
>***************
>The ARRL Letter
>Vol. 24, No. 08
>February 25, 2005
>***************
>
>IN THIS EDITION:
>
>* +New Spectrum Protection bill introduced in US House
>* +Consent decree ends FCC enforcement action on interference
>* +Maine high schoolers speak with space station via ham radio
>* +2005 Amateur Radio Hurricane Conference draws a crowd
>* +Amateur Radio saves one of its own
>* +New section managers start this spring in three ARRL sections
>* +League honors Dayton Hamvention committee
>*  Solar Update
>*  IN BRIEF:
>      This weekend on the radio
>      ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
>      ARRL to sponsor emergency communications seminar at SEA-PAC
>     +"Cardless" 5BDXCC testimony to Logbook of the World's value
>      WRTC 2006 Web site open
>      Microwave Update 2005 issues call for papers
>      Notable Silent Keys
>
>+Available on ARRL Audio News
>
>===========================================================
>
>==>AMATEUR RADIO SPECTRUM PROTECTION ACT OF 2005 INTRODUCED
>
>At the urging of the ARRL, Rep Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) has introduced The
>Amateur Radio Spectrum Act of 2005 into the US House of Representatives. The
>bill, designated HR 691, has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce
>Committee where Bilirakis serves as vice chairman. Like previous versions of
>the proposal, the current measure would require the FCC to provide
>"equivalent replacement spectrum" to Amateur Radio if the FCC reallocates
>primary amateur frequencies, reduces any secondary amateur allocations, or
>makes additional allocations within such bands that would substantially
>reduce their utility to amateurs. ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP,
>expressed his appreciation to Bilirakis this week.
>
>"As president of the American Radio League and on behalf of the more than
>670,000 federally licensed Amateur Radio operators throughout the country, I
>would like to thank you for once again sponsoring the 'Amateur Radio
>Spectrum Protection Act,'" Haynie told the Florida Republican. "As you know,
>this legislation is vital for ensuring that the Amateur Radio Service, the
>only 100-percent fail safe emergency communication capability, remains a
>viable public safety option."
>
>HR 691 references Amateur Radio's role in providing "voluntary,
>noncommercial radio service, particularly emergency communications," and it
>points out that hams have "consistently and reliably" provided communication
>support in the event of emergencies and disasters including tornadoes and
>hurricanes, chemical spills, forest fires and rail accidents. As the measure
>notes, FCC actions already have led to the loss of at least 107 MHz of
>spectrum to radio amateurs.
>
>Rep Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) has signed on as the bill's first co-sponsor.
>Bartlett chairs the Projection Forces Subcommittee of the Armed Services
>Committee. One of three scientists in the 109th Congress, Bartlett also is a
>senior member of the House Science Committee.
>
>Efforts now will focus on attracting additional cosponsors for the
>legislation. The League is encouraging members to urge their congressional
>representatives to sign aboard HR 691. A sample letter is available on the
>ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/hr-691-sample-letter.html>.
>More than 100 lawmakers agreed to cosponsor similar legislation in the 108th
>Congress, where it was designated HR 713. Work is proceeding to have
>identical legislation introduced in the US Senate.
>
>The text of HR 691 is available on the Government Printing Office Web site
><http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&do
>cid=f:h691ih.txt.pdf>.
>
>For general guidance on the best methods of contacting your members of
>Congress, see "Communicating with Congress," by Derek Riker, KB3JLF, on the
>ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/news/bandthreat/0304046.pdf>.
>
>==>ARRL HOPES CONSENT DECREE WILL REDUCE INTERFERENCE COMPLAINTS
>
>The FCC has agreed to terminate enforcement action against an importer and
>marketer of heated mattress pads and blankets--and associated external
>switching power supplies--in exchange for the company's signature on a
>Consent Decree. The case involved numerous interference complaints from
>Amateur Radio operators and others related to consumer products marketed by
>Perfect Fit Industries (PFI) of Charlotte, North Carolina.
>
>"The Enforcement Bureau and PFI have negotiated the terms of a Consent
>Decree that would resolve this matter and terminate the investigation," the
>FCC announced in releasing an Order in the proceeding February 10. The Order
>includes a copy of the Consent Decree. PFI also will make a "voluntary
>contribution" of $7000 to the US treasury.
>
>ARRL Laboratory Electromagnetic Compatibility Engineer Mike Gruber, W1MG,
>said the League has been receiving an increasing number of reports from
>radio amateurs about interference from modern switching-type power supplies.
>Ironically, one complaint came from Gruber's boss--ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare,
>W1RFI, whose wife had purchased one of the blankets. Hare says a further
>irony involves the FCC's reaction in this case to an apparent Part 15
>emissions violation.
>
>"It's paradoxical that an electric blanket marketer is getting this level of
>FCC attention for a conducted emission that's less than 1 percent of the
>power level BPL manufacturers have told the FCC they use in their
>installations," he commented.
>
>The ARRL Lab examined one of the offending blankets, which emitted a ticking
>sound even while turned off but still plugged into the ac outlet. Gruber
>noted that many products of this type appear to be made overseas and do not
>carry the required labeling described in Part 15 of the FCC's rules. Owing
>to negligence or ignorance of the FCC requirements for conducted and
>radiated emissions limits, he says, some of these devices may operate at
>levels significantly higher than the rules permit.
>
>"We hope this case will serve as a reminder to other manufacturers that
>their switching supplies need to be tested for compliance with the rules and
>carry the proper labeling as required by Part 15," Gruber said. But, he
>added, FCC's Part 15 limits are not a cure-all for interference--an
>assertion borne out in other cases involving interference from unlicensed
>devices such as broadband over power line (BPL) interference or common power
>line noise.
>
>"On the contrary, the limits are set high enough that interference--as was
>seen in cases involving these products--is likely," he pointed out. "Part 15
>requires that operators of unlicensed devices that cause harmful
>interference must take whatever steps are necessary to correct the
>interference or cease operation whenever interference occurs."
>
>As part of the Consent Decree, PFI will put into place an FCC "Regulatory
>Compliance Plan" with an eye toward ensuring future compliance. Among other
>things, the company will have to designate a compliance officer to
>administer the plan. PFI further agreed to replace free of charge any
>noncompliant mattress pad or heated blanket with a compliant product upon
>receipt of an interference complaint.
>
>In addition, PFI will agree that its electric mattress pads and blankets and
>associated external switching power supplies will comply with FCC Part 2 and
>Part 15 rules before they're imported and marketed. The Consent Decree is
>good for three years.
>
>Signing the Consent Decree for the FCC was Enforcement Bureau Chief David H.
>Solomon. PFI President and CEO Louis R. Morris signed on the company's
>behalf.
>
>Sound recordings of the electric blanket and mattress pad RFI are available
>on the RF Noise Identification Web site
><http://ve3hls.tripod.com/noise/rfihome.html> operated by VE3HLS.
>
>==>PINE TREE STATE LOGS FIRST SCHOOL GROUP QSO WITH SPACE STATION
>
>"Good to be talking to you all. Welcome Rockland District High School in
>Rockland, Maine, from the International Space Station!" With those words,
>ISS Expedition 10 Commander Leroy Chiao, KE5BRW, kicked off an approximately
>10-minute Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact
>on February 14 between NA1SS and W1PBR--the call sign of the Pen Bay Amateur
>Radio Club. It was the first ARISS school group QSO with a Maine school.
>Given that state's typically colder climate, it was perhaps no surprise that
>one student wanted to know how the ISS is heated.
>
>"Space can be either very cold or very hot if you're in the direct sunlight,
>and the station has several control systems that help regulate the
>temperature inside--and we can actually set that temperature," Chiao
>explained. He said because the onboard equipment generates heat in addition
>to what the spacecraft absorbs from exposure to the sun, maintaining a
>comfortable living environment comes down to shedding heat to outside
>radiators. "So, depending on how much he we remove, we can control the
>temperature inside," he said.
>
>Responding to another student's question, Chiao said it's true that the ISS
>crew sleeps in bunks that stand along the walls of the station. "We have
>what we call a 'sleep station,' and they're basically phone booth-size
>little boxes," Chiao said. There's one in the US segment and one in the
>Russian module. Their size isn't confining, however. "They're pretty small,
>but it's enough for a little privacy at night. You can get in there with
>your sleeping bag and your computer and watch movies or listen to music or
>read an electronic book," Chiao added.
>
>With respect to the amount of room aboard the ISS, Chiao told another
>student that while there's not as much room in their space quarters as there
>is on the ground, the crew members quickly get used to it. "Especially in
>weightlessness, you can get to all three dimensions," Chiao said. "You're
>not just confined to walking around on the floor." Being able to float from
>place to place also makes more efficient use of the available space, he
>noted. "It's really not bad at all."
>
>Part of Maine School Administrative District 5, Rockland District High
>School, with an enrollment of approximately 500, draws students from that
>mid-coast Maine city as well as from the neighboring towns of Thomaston and
>Owl's Head. Those participating in the ARISS contact are taking or have
>completed an integrated science course covering environmental and earth
>science, including astronomy. In all, the high schoolers got to ask 13
>questions before the ISS went out of radio range.
>
>Handling Earth station duties were George Caswell, W1ME, and Norm Smith,
>NY1B, with help from members of the Pen Bay ARC. The contact also was
>retransmitted over a local repeater.
>
>The ARISS event had media coverage from at least two TV stations and one
>newspaper. Some 400 students and visitors were on hand in the audience.
>
>ARISS is an international educational outreach program with US participation
>by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.
>
>==>STANDING ROOM ONLY AT 2005 AMATEUR RADIO HURRICANE CONFERENCE
>
>ARRL Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG, represented
>the League at the 10th annual Amateur Radio Hurricane Conference February 5
>at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami <http://www.wx4nhc.org>. He
>reports upward of 75 visitors--nearly all of them radio amateurs--turned out
>for the event. Scheduled in conjunction with the Miami Tropical Hamboree,
>which Miller also attended, the conference provided an opportunity to review
>the busy 2004 hurricane season and to discuss Amateur Radio's role to
>support emergency communication.
>
>"This was a phenomenal meeting," commented Miller, who delivered a
>presentation at the conference on ham radio's hurricane and tsunami-related
>activities. "Because 2004 was one for the record books, comments, reports
>and pictures from the people who live in the islands and in the affected
>areas of Florida, were that much more meaningful."
>
>Miller said the consensus at the gathering was that despite the best efforts
>to prepare, no one imagined the onslaught witnessed last year. Among
>featured speakers was Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) <http://www.hwn.org> Manager
>Mike Pilgrim, K5MP. The HWN and the center's WX4NHC work hand-in-hand to
>funnel real-time weather data to NHC forecasters via Amateur Radio. The HWN
>Web site recorded more than 55 million hits during September alone!
>
>The conference agenda also included reports from many areas affected by the
>2004 hurricanes, including the Cayman Islands; Grenada; Marsh Harbour,
>Abacos, and, of course, Florida. NHC Hurricane Specialist Stacy Stewart told
>the gathering how each storm presented varied characteristics and explained
>how computer modeling is not always right on the money in projecting a
>hurricane's path.
>
>Newly appointed Southern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Jeff Beals,
>WA4AW, spoke about the Holiday Hams video, which chronicled the
>overwhelmingly successful ARRL Holiday Toy Drive to benefit youngsters
>affected by the Florida hurricanes.
>
>NHC Amateur Radio Coordinator John McHugh, K4AG, and Assistant Coordinator
>Julio Ripoll, WD4R, served as conference hosts.
>
>==>HAM RADIO SAVES A HAM IN ALASKA
>
>Two Alaskan hikers on a day outing in rugged mountains near Anchorage saw
>their afternoon turn into something entirely unexpected February 12. One of
>them--Jesse Jones, KL1RK--slipped and fell more than 200 feet down a steep
>ravine, losing his snowshoes in the process. Jones found himself trapped
>between a low overhang on one side and a swift-moving stream on the other.
>Even worse was the fact that his descent could continue into the water at
>any moment, and almost certain death from hypothermia. With more than 10
>feet on the ground, the loss of his snowshoes meant he could not walk out.
>On the plus side, Jones had taken along his 2-meter handheld transceiver.
>After several unsuccessful tries, he finally was able to access the
>wide-area WL7CVG repeater atop Mt Susitna, almost 40 miles distant.
>
>"As a control operator for the repeater, I heard his weak 'Mayday! Mayday!
>Mayday!' call just a few minutes after 4 PM local time," reports Jim Wiley,
>KL7CC. "I immediately called 911 and was placed in contact with the local
>fire department rescue coordinator. I was able to pass on Jesse's messages
>to the local rescue coordinator, including coordinates from a GPS unit he
>was carrying." Wiley says the rescue coordinator's office called out the
>local mountain rescue group and the Alaska State Troopers, who immediately
>left for the scene.
>
>The rescue team met with Jones's climbing partner, who had been able to hike
>out to a place where he could assist the rescuers. Jones was able to keep in
>touch via 2 meters to report his condition, but his signal into the repeater
>was marginal. Although uninjured, the sub-zero cold was numbing his
>extremities to the point that he was having trouble operating his
>transceiver.
>
>Unable to execute the rescue themselves, the team called an Air National
>Guard unit, which flew a helicopter to the scene. While the presence of
>high-voltage power lines just above Jones' position complicated matters, the
>chopper was able to lower some para-rescue jumpers to a nearby location,
>from which they could rappel to his position and, after a few hours,
>extricate him.
>
>Briefly hospitalized for a checkup, Jones was released just before midnight,
>cold and a bit hungry, but otherwise okay. Wiley says several local hams
>also assisted the effort, either directly or by their connection with local
>emergency service groups.
>
>Additional details of the rescue and photos are available on the ARRL Web
>site <http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2005/02/24/1/>.
>
>==>NEW SECTION MANAGERS START APRIL 1 IN ARKANSAS, NORTH TEXAS AND ARIZONA
>
>The ARRL North Texas, Arkansas and Arizona sections will get new Section
>Managers this spring. Ballots cast in the two contested races of the current
>Section Manager (SM) election cycle were counted and verified February 22 at
>ARRL Headquarters. New terms of office for successful candidates begin April
>1.
>
>In the North Texas Section, Tom Blackwell, N5GAR, outpolled incumbent SM Roy
>Rabey, AD5KZ, 853 to 586. Rabey has served as SM since 2003. A resident of
>Dallas, Blackwell has served as State Government Liaison for eight years
>under previous SMs.
>
>In Arkansas, David Norris, K5UZ, won the open SM slot 353 to 199 over Terry
>Busby, W5ARS. Norris, who lives in Batesville, has served as an ARRL
>Assistant SM for eight years, is active in ARES and RACES and is an avid
>DXer and contester. He'll succeed Dennis Schaefer, W5RZ, who has served
>since 2003 and did not seek a new term.
>
>In Arizona, Tom Fagan, WB7NXH, will take over the reins from Cliff Hauser,
>KD6XH, who did not seek a new term after serving for 12 years. Fagan, who
>had no opposition, now serves as Technical Coordinator and has served as
>Arizona Section Emergency Coordinator for the past two years. He also has
>held Emergency Coordinator and District Emergency Coordinator positions.
>
>Incumbent SMs in four other ARRL sections also ran unopposed and will
>continue in office for new two-year terms. They are Jim Lasley, N0JL, Iowa;
>John Meyers, NB4K, Kentucky; Malcolm Keown, W5XX, Mississippi, and Carl
>Gardenias, WU6D, Orange.
>
>Since no candidates have sought to run for the Montana, Puerto Rico and
>Wyoming SM positions, nominations will be resolicited in the April issue of
>QST.
>
>==>ARRL RECOGNIZES DAYTON HAMVENTION COMMITTEE
>
>The ARRL has recognized members of the 2005 Dayton Hamvention Committee.
>ARRL Great Lakes Director Jim Weaver, K8JE, presented a special award during
>the committee's February 8 planning session in Dayton. Reading from the
>citation, Weaver said,
>
>"This award is presented to the 2005 Hamvention Committee and Gary Des
>Combes, N8EMO, General Chairman, in appreciation of your invitation to host
>the 2005 ARRL National Convention." Des Combes, who's serving his second
>year as general chairman, accepted the award on the committee's behalf.
>
>Celebrating its 54th show, Dayton Hamvention, May 20-22, has set aside a
>large area in the Hara Arena complex--the Ballarena near the 400-number
>booths--for "ARRL EXPO 2005," a special exhibit dedicated entirely to the
>ARRL National Convention. ARRL EXPO 2005 will showcase ARRL programs and
>services. Hamvention admission will include access to ARRL EXPO 2005. The
>official ARRL National Convention Web site <http://www.arrl.org/expo> has
>more information.
>
>Sponsored by Dayton Amateur Radio Association, Dayton Hamvention is the
>world's largest Amateur Radio gathering and trade show. Tickets and
>additional information are available via the Dayton Hamvention Web site
><http://www.hamvention.org>.
>
>==>SOLAR UPDATE
>
>Solar flash Tad "Walking on the Sun" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington,
>reports: Average daily geomagnetic indices for the week were slightly
>higher, and the average daily sunspot numbers and solar flux were down
>markedly. Average daily sunspot numbers dropped nearly 30 points to 45.4,
>and average daily solar flux slipped nearly 19 points to 97.3.
>
>This weekend is the CQ World Wide 160 Meter Contest (SSB), and for 160
>meters we hope for quiet geomagnetic conditions. The latest forecast for
>February 25-27 is for a planetary A index of 15, 20 and 20. The Prague
>Geophysical Institute projects active geomagnetic conditions for February
>26, and unsettled to active for February 25 and 27. Sunspot numbers and
>solar flux should remain quite low. Predicted solar flux for February 25-27
>is 80, and flux values are not expected to rise above 100 until around March
>9, and then only slightly.
>
>Sunspot numbers for February 17 through 23 were 51, 46, 51, 60, 33, 23 and
>54, with a mean of 45.4. The 10.7 cm flux was 111.3, 104.2, 98.5, 95.7,
>94.5, 92.3 and 84.6, with a mean of 97.3. Estimated planetary A indices were
>6, 25, 14, 12, 8, 4 and 4 with a mean of 10.4. Estimated mid-latitude A
>indices were 7, 14, 8, 6, 4, 3 and 2, with a mean of 6.3.
>
>==>IN BRIEF:
>
>* This weekend on the radio: The CQ 160-Meter Contest (SSB), the REF Contest
>(SSB), the UBA DX Contest (CW), the Mississippi and North Carolina QSO
>parties, the CZEBRIS Contest, the North American QSO Party (RTTY), the High
>Speed Club CW Contest, and the CQC Winter QSO Party are the weekend of
>February 26-27. JUST AHEAD: The AGCW YL-CW Party is March 1. The ARRL
>International DX Contest (SSB), the Wake-Up! QRP Sprint and the Open Ukraine
>RTTY Championship are the weekend of March 5-6. The DARC 10-Meter Digital
>Contest is March 6, the RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (Data) is March 7,
>the ARS Spartan Sprint is March 8, and the Pesky Texan Armadillo Chase is
>March 10. See the ARRL Contest Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/>
>and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
><http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.
>
>* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
>Registration for the ARRL HF Digital Communication (EC-005) and
>VHF/UHF--Beyond the Repeater (EC-008) courses remains open through Sunday,
>February 27. Classes begin Friday March 11. Students participating in
>VHF/UHF--Beyond the Repeater (EC-008) will enjoy exploring some of the
>lesser-used and more intriguing aspects of VHF/UHF operation. HF Digital
>Communication students will learn to use a variety of HF digital modes. To
>learn more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) Web
>page <http://www.arrl.org/cce/> or contact the ARRL CCE Department
><cce at arrl.org>.
>
>* ARRL to sponsor emergency communications seminar at SEA-PAC: The ARRL will
>offer a free Amateur Radio Emergency Communications seminar Friday, June 17,
>1-5 PM, in conjunction with SEA-PAC--the ARRL Northwest Division
>Convention--in Seaside, Oregon. This seminar is not an emergency
>communications course. It is about Amateur Radio emergency communications
>from a national perspective. ARRL Emergency Communications Course Manager
>Dan Miller, K3UFG, says the seminar will focus on ways to better meet the
>increasing demand for ham radio operators to assist in emergency
>communication activities. ARES/RACES leadership, ARRL Amateur Radio
>Emergency Communications course graduates, mentors, instructors and
>prospective students are encouraged to attend this open, interactive
>presentation. Seating for this seminar may be limited. If you plan to
>attend, contact Dan Miller, K3UFG, k3ufg at arrl.org; 860-594-0340; fax
>860-594-0259. Handouts and door prizes will be available to all attendees.
>Seminar attendance does not include admission to SEA-PAC
><http://www.seapac.org/>, which runs June 17-19.
>
>* "Cardless" Five-Band DXCC testimony to Logbook of the World's value: New
>Hampshire contest station KC1XX (chief op Matt Strelow) recently achieved
>Five-Band DXCC solely through contact data submitted to the ARRL's Logbook
>of the World (LoTW). With more than 255,000 QSOs already in the worldwide
>contact database, KC1XX recently was able to confirm 100 DXCC entities on 80
>meters to qualify for the award. Because most participants have linked their
>DXCC data into LoTW, it is not always possible to determine band totals
>derived solely from Logbook confirmations. Major contest stations like KC1XX
>serve to demonstrate the value of participating in LoTW, however, because
>these stations frequently do not have DXCC, and their totals are due
>entirely to LoTW-verified contacts. The largely single-op contesting and DX
>station of John Sluymer, VE3EJ, in Ontario also has qualified for 5BDXCC
>through LoTW-verified QSOs, while several others are closing in on achieving
>5BDXCC using the same route. Meanwhile, Brian Alsop, K3KO, in North
>Carolina, has already confirmed 221 DXCC entities entirely via LoTW.
>
>* WRTC 2006 Web site open: World Radiosport Team Championship 2006 (WRTC
>2006), which will take place in Brazil in conjunction with the Liga de
>Amadores de Radio Emissão (LABRE) and the Araucaria DX Group (GADX), now has
>an official Web site <http://www.wrtc2006.com/>. Although some sections
>remain under construction, the site does include draft rules, still subject
>to final approval. Following in the footsteps of previous WRTC competitions
>held in Seattle, San Francisco, Slovenia, and Finland, the WRTC showcases
>Amateur Radio competition at its highest level, pitting two-person teams of
>the world's top operators for the gold, silver and bronze. WRTC 2006 will
>take place July 7-10 in the vicinity of Florianopolis, the capital of Santa
>Catarina State in Southern Brazil. Atilano de Oms, PY5EG, heads the WRTC
>2006 Steering Committee. The WRTC brings competitors together in a single
>geographical area. The on-the-air portion of the event is held in
>conjunction with the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) HF World
>Championship, although WRTC rules differ in some respects from those of the
>IARU event, and scoring is done separately. WRTC stations run 100 W and have
>comparably modest antenna systems--typically a dipole for the low bands and
>a triband Yagi for the higher bands. The idea is to minimize the variables
>associated with radio contesting, thereby emphasizing each team's operating
>skills. The contesting duo of Jeff Steinman, N5TJ, and Dan Street, K1TO,
>took home the WRTC gold for the third time in the 2002 event in Finland.
>Teams have not yet been announced for the 2006 event.
>
>* Microwave Update 2005 issues call for papers: Microwave Update 2005 (MUD
>2005) has issued its first call for papers. The conference will take place
>Thursday, October 27, through Sunday, October 30, at the Sheraton Cerritos
>Hotel in Cerritos, California--less than 10 miles north of Disneyland. The
>paramount conference on Amateur Radio experimentation above 1 GHz, MUD 2005
>will be sponsored jointly by the San Bernardino Microwave Society (SBMS) and
>the Western States Weak Signal Society (WSWSS). It will include technical
>programs, a banquet and the opportunity to network with fellow microwave
>enthusiasts. MUD 2005 is a great opportunity to get your ideas and papers
>published, and you don't have to present your paper to have it included in
>the conference Proceedings. Electronic submissions via e-mail or on CD-ROM
>are welcome. The deadline to submit for publication in the Proceedings is
>September 5. Those interested in writing and/or presenting a paper for
>Microwave Update 2005 should submit an abstract or topic to Chip Angle,
>N6CA, PO Box 35, Lomita, CA 90717-0035; n6ca at ham-radio.com. Additional
>information on the conference is on the MUD 2005 Web site
><http://www.ham-radio.com/sbms/mud-2005/>.
>
>* Notable Silent Keys: Lavene Vorel, WA4AZE, of St Petersburg, Florida, died
>January 14. He was 60. An ARRL member, Vorel was one of the engineers who
>designed the original Signal One amateur transceiver at Electronic
>Communications Inc. Dick Aspinwall, W7PV, of Seattle, Washington, died
>January 21. He was 90. An ARRL Life Member, Aspinwall founded Amateur Radio
>Supply in Georgetown in 1956 and operated it until 1989. Bob Lewis, VO1BL
>(ex-W4CKZ), of St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada, died January 28. He was 90.
>Born Clarence Louis Engelbrecht, he adopted the Lewis surname as a
>broadcaster. An active amateur for more than six decades, Lewis was a
>founding member of the Society of Newfoundland Radio Amateurs and of the
>Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland. Despite health problems, he remained
>active on the air up to the day of his death. John Willig, W8ACE, of
>Sarasota, Florida, died January 30. He's credited with being the spark plug
>behind the Dayton Hamvention in the 1950s. Virginia ham radio pioneer Ted
>Mathewson, W4FJ, of Richmond died January 31. He was 100. An ARRL member,
>Mathews founded the Richmond Amateur Radio Club and served for many years as
>Virginia Army MARS director. He also was well-known within the amateur
>satellite and VHF/UHF communities. SSB pioneer Bob Moren, K4CX (ex-W8LDR and
>W4INL), of Boone, North Carolina, died February 3. He was 86. Licensed in
>1932, Moren, an ARRL member, was among the first radio amateurs operating
>SSB in the late 1940s. He described his homebrew SSB gear in a March 1991
>QST article. As W4INL, Moren was on one end of the first transpacific
>two-way SSB QSO with VK7DH in 1950. Other QST articles by Moren appeared in
>the 1950s and in 1991, the last describing his retirement center ham radio
>setup. His feature article, "Requiem for the Alligator Years," appeared on
>the ARRL Web site in 2001. Mary G. Dosland, W5DEW, of Moorhead, Minnesota,
>died February 8. She was 95. Mary Dosland was the widow of past ARRL
>President Goodwin L. Dosland, W0TSN (SK), who served from 1952 until 1962.
>He died in 1983.
>
>===========================================================
>The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
>Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur Radio--225 Main St,
>Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
><http://www.arrl.org>. Jim Haynie, W5JBP, President.
>
>The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential news of interest
>to active amateurs. The ARRL Letter strives to be timely, accurate, concise,
>and readable. Visit ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org> for the latest news,
>updated as it happens. The ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> offers
>access to news, informative features and columns. ARRL Audio News
><http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> is a weekly "ham radio newscast"
>compiled from The ARRL Letter.
>
>Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or
>in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to
>The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League.
>
>==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
>letter-dlvy at arrl.org
>==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl at arrl.org
>==>ARRL News on the Web: <http://www.arrl.org>
>==>ARRL Audio News: <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> or call
>860-594-0384
>
>==>How to Get The ARRL Letter
>
>The ARRL Letter is available to ARRL members free of charge directly from
>ARRL HQ. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail
>delivery:
>ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site
><http://www.arrl.org/members/>. You'll have an opportunity during
>registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of The ARRL Letter, W1AW
>bulletins, and other material. To change these selections--including
>delivery of The ARRL Letter--registered members should click on the "Member
>Data Page" link (in the Members Only box). Click on "Modify membership
>data," check or uncheck the appropriate boxes and/or change your e-mail
>address if necessary. (Check "Temporarily disable all automatically sent
>email" to temporarily stop all e-mail deliveries.) Then, click on "Submit
>modification" to make selections effective. (NOTE: HQ staff members cannot
>change your e-mail delivery address. You must do this yourself via the
>Members Only Web Site.)
>
>The ARRL Letter also is available to all, free of charge, from these
>sources:
>
>* ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>. (NOTE: The ARRL Letter will be
>posted each Friday when it is distributed via e-mail.)
>
>* The QTH.net listserver, thanks to volunteers from the Boston Amateur Radio
>Club: Visit Mailing Lists at QTH.Net
><http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/letter-list>. (NOTE: The ARRL
>cannot assist subscribers who receive The ARRL Letter via this listserver.)


Think about it .....
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on usenet and in e-mail?

73, Bill Sinbine
n4xeo at bellsouth.net