[FPARC] The ARRL Letter Vol. 25, No. 37 September 15, 2006

[W4kkw at aol.com]

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 25, No. 37
September 15,  2006
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +League granted  experimental license for 500 kHz research
* +ARRL member, ARES volunteer  receives volunteer service award
* +Ham radio operation back on civilian  space traveler's agenda
* +License loss could follow felonies, alleged  corporate misdeeds
* +Heil Sound Ltd welcomes Chip Margelli, K7JA, to its  team
* +Tom Hogerty, KC1J, is League's new Contest Branch manager
* +ARRL  HQ graphic designers win prestigious award
*  Solar Update
*  IN  BRIEF: 
This weekend on the radio
ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
+ARRL again participating in the Combined Federal Campaign
Alan Bloom, N1AL, wins August QST Cover Plaque Award
Long-distance CW QSO marks milestone in LF  experimentation
Microwave Update 2006 offers learning  opportunity
Lifetime licenses for UK/Great Britain hams  delayed
Islands on the Air program announces Icom  sponsorship deal

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

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==>Editorial questions or comments  only: Rick Lindquist,  N1RL,
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==>ARRL  GRANTED EXPERIMENTAL LICENSE FOR 500 KHZ RESEARCH BY RADIO AMATEURS

The  FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology on September 13 granted Part
5  experimental license WD2XSH to the ARRL on behalf of a group of  radio
amateurs interested in investigating spectrum in the vicinity of 500  kHz.
The two-year authorization permits experimentation and research between  505
and 510 kHz (600 meters) using narrowband modes at power levels of up to  20
W effective radiated power (ERP). ARRL Member Fritz Raab, W1FR, of  Vermont,
will serve as experimental project manager for "The 500 KC  Experimental
Group for Amateur Radio" <http://www.500kc.com/>  

"I'm kind of excited to see how we can apply modern technology to a  'classic
part' of the radio spectrum," Raab told ARRL this week. He pointed  out that
500 kHz - the traditional maritime emergency frequency - is  roughly
geometrically halfway between the 136 kHz experimental band and the  160
meter amateur allocation. 

"In contrast to 160 meters, 500 kHz is  low enough to offer good groundwave
propagation, but in contrast to 137 kHz  it is high enough to allow us to
engage in real communication with realistic  equipment." Raab eventually
would like to see at least a secondary 600-meter  amateur allocation from 495
to 510 kHz.

"Besides the opportunities for  experimenting at low frequencies, that
frequency is well suited to regional  groundwave communication," Raab said.
He envisions eventual use of the  spectrum to provide Amateur Radio emergency
communication via groundwave,  without having to deal with the vagaries of
the ionosphere or causing  interference to other services.

For about a century, the 500 kHz region  was an important band for maritime
communication, emergency and otherwise.  The band is occasionally used by
"heritage" commercial maritime stations,  such as the Maritime Radio
Historical Society's KPH on the West Coast, on  special occasions. 500 kHz
remains designated as an official maritime  emergency CW frequency, although
the vast majority of maritime users have  shifted to satellite-based systems.

In addition to experimentation and  regional emergency work, Raab says he
believes that the 505-510 kHz spectrum  could serve as "an historic band"
that could support various commemorative  special event-type operations.
Proposals are under consideration in the UK  and Ireland to establish an
experimental Amateur Radio allocation in the  vicinity of 500 kHz.

The WD2XSH project calls for operation from 21  discrete fixed sites spread
throughout the US. Participants all are  electrical professionals, many with
maritime radio backgrounds, Raab said,  adding that operation already has
begun. The group eventually will be seeking  reports from non-participants,
he said.

Raab says the gear  participants will use represents "every kind of antenna
and equipment you can  imagine," including surplus vacuum-tube maritime
units. At his Colchester,  Vermont, location he's using a 42-foot vertical,
but others are employing  inverted Ls, loops and Marconis, among others.

Raab was a co-author of  the article "A 100-W Class-D Power Amplifier for LF
and MF," which appeared  in the March-April edition of  QEX
<http://www.arrl.org/qex/2006/03/toc.pdf>. He's using an amplifier  of that
design for his WD2XSH operations.

The FCC turned down a 1998  petition from the ARRL to create an Amateur Radio
"sliver band" in the  vicinity of 136 kHz, but some US amateur licensees have
obtained FCC Part 5  Experimental licenses to research the possibilities of
LF, including  transatlantic and transpacific propagation. Amateur Radio
licensees in Europe  and elsewhere already have access to 135.7 to 137.8 kHz,
and several hams in  Canada have authorization to operate there using Amateur
Radio call  signs.

==>MICHIGAN ARES VOLUNTEER RECEIVES AWARD FROM PRESIDENT  BUSH

President George W. Bush has presented the President's Volunteer  Service
Award to a Michigan ARRL member and Amateur Radio Emergency Service  (ARES)
volunteer. Genesee County Emergency Coordinator and RACES Radio  Officer Greg
Ybarra, N8HXQ, of Flint, accepted the award during the  president's September
8 visit to Flint. Ybarra told ARRL he got word just a  couple of weeks ago
that local emergency managers had nominated him for the  honor. On September
6, Ybarra got the call from the White House informing him  that not only had
he been selected as a "USA Freedom Corps  Greeter"
<http://www.freedomcorps.gov/about_usafc/newsroom/local_vols.asp>  he'd be
meeting the president in person.

"I was in shock and didn't  know what to say," Ybarra told ARRL this week,
"so I said, 'That is great.'"  Ybarra -- who calls himself neither a
Republican nor a Democrat -- says his  apparent initial lack of enthusiasm on
the telephone prompted the White House  aide to ask if he wasn't excited to
be meeting the president. But, as he put  it, "I felt my heart was going a
hundred miles an hour, and I was trying to  stay calm and focused."

Ybarra says Genesee County Emergency Management  Director Grace Ranger,
KC8BOE, and Emergency Management Program Manager Tami  Yorks, KC8YGS,
submitted his name to recognize his work as a volunteer with  Genesee County
ARES (GCARES). At first, Ybarra was advised not to say  anything about the
pending award to anyone -- not even his wife, Maria. And  even when he got
the okay to tell her, "Well needless to say she didn't  believe me," Ybarra
said.

When the big day arrived, Ybarra and his  wife got to Bishop International
Airport early. "I was fine until the  president started walking toward me,"
he said. "Then I got nervous and tongue  tied. It was a great honor to meet
President Bush in person."

The  President's Council on Service and Civic Participation created  the
President's Volunteer Service Award program as a way to express  appreciation
for and honor Americans who inspire others by their example to  engage in
volunteer service.

Ybarra, 52, is an electrician at General  Motors Powertrain -- North Flint.
He's been a radio amateur and GCARES  volunteer for about 20 years. He also
teaches Amateur Radio licensing  classes.--some information from Jerry  Baker,
KD8AYL/GCARES

==>CIVILIAN SPACE TRAVELER SET TO TRY AMATEUR  RADIO FROM ISS AFTER ALL

Hold the phone! The Amateur Radio on the  International Space Station (ARISS)
program now says US businesswoman  Anousheh Ansari, who will travel to the
ISS September 18 as part of the  Russian Soyuz TMA-9 "taxi mission," will
attempt some Amateur Radio contacts  while in space after all. Earlier
indications from Ansari, 39, were that she  had decided not to get a license
and would not do any ham radio contacts.  

"Anousheh wishes to talk with US-licensed school children in random  QSOs,"
ARRL ARISS Liaison Rosalie White, K1STO, says. "She will be on the air  at
various times from Thursday, September 21, until Tuesday, September  26,
using RS0ISS. Because of third-party traffic rules, Ansari may only  speak
with Amateur Radio licensees.

A tentative schedule also calls  for Ansari to speak with students at George
Washington University, her alma  mater, on Friday, September 22. Ansari has
had training on the ARISS gear but  because of her tight training schedule in
Russia was unable to get her  license. 

Space Adventures Ltd <http://www.spaceadventures.com/> is  handling
arrangements for Ansari's mission. She's a last-minute stand-in for  Daisuke
"Dice-K" Enomoto as the fourth private citizen - and the first  female
civilian - to fly to the ISS. She'll spend approximately 10 days in  space. 

"By reaching this dream I've had since childhood, I hope to  tangibly
demonstrate to young people all over the world that there is no  limit to
what they can accomplish," said Ansari, who's chairman and  co-founder of
Prodea Systems Inc. 

According to Space Adventures,  Ansari wants to be a space ambassador and
"share the spaceflight experience  with as many people as possible, and use
her experience to help educate."  

"She also wants to use the mission to further educate children on  the
importance of space travel and life in space," Space Adventures  added.

==>FELONIES, ALLEGED CORPORATE MISDEEDS COULD COST RADIO  AMATEUR HIS LICENSE

The FCC has ordered an Indiana commercial and Amateur  Radio license holder,
Timothy M. Doty, WB9MCD, of W Terre Haute, and a Land  Mobile Service (LMS)
company in which he's a principal to show cause why  their respective
licenses should not be revoked. In an Order to Show Cause  released August
30, the FCC said it received information last year suggesting  that
Commercial Radio Service Inc (CRS) "may not have properly  disclosed
information" about Doty's felony convictions in applications it  filed with
the Commission.

"The character of the applicant is among  those factors that the Commission
considers in its review of applications to  determine whether the applicant
has the requisite qualifications to be a  Commission licensee," the FCC said
in the show cause order. Felony  convictions "raise potential questions
regarding a licensee's  qualifications," the FCC said. "Similarly, because of
the extent of his  ownership and control of CRS, Mr Doty's felony convictions
also raise serious  questions about the character qualifications of CRS to be
and remain a  Commission licensee."

The FCC said CRS's response to a letter of inquiry  it had sent last May
determined that Doty has been a director and 50 percent  shareholder of CRS,
and, until last May, a CRS officer. CRS holds licenses  for four Private LMS
stations and one Commercial LMS station. Doty holds a  General Radiotelephone
Operator license in addition to his ham ticket. All of  the licenses are in
jeopardy.

The Commission said publicly available  records show that Doty was convicted
in federal court of a felony that  involved manufacture and possession of
unauthorized satellite TV descrambling  devices. He received three years'
probation and a $2000 fine in that case,  the FCC said in the Order. In
addition, the FCC said, publicly available  records indicated Doty was found
guilty in state court on a felony count of  possessing a controlled
substance. For that conviction, he was sentenced to  18 months' incarceration
with all but 30 days suspended, the FCC said in the  Order.

Subsequent to his federal and state felony convictions, the FCC  asserts, CRS
failed to reveal that the applicant or any party directly or  indirectly
controlling the applicant had ever been convicted of a felony in  state or
federal court.

The FCC said misrepresentation and lack of  candor "raise immediate concerns
as to whether a licensee will be truthful in  future dealings with the
Commission." CRS, the FCC maintained, should have  revealed Doty's felony
convictions in its Commission filings. "The Commission  may revoke the
license of a licensee who deliberately makes  misrepresentations or lacks
candor in dealing with the agency because he or  she lacks the basic
character qualifications to hold the license,." the FCC  said.

Assuming that CRS and Doty respond to the show cause order within  30 days of
its release, the Commission indicated it would schedule a hearing  to
determine whether Doty's felony convictions affect his and  CRS's
qualifications to be and remain a Commission licensee and to  determine
whether CRS made misrepresentations and/or lacked candor in its  dealings
with the FCC.

"CRS's failure to disclose the felony  convictions of one of its principals
raises a substantial and material  question of fact as to whether CRS made
false certifications, misrepresented  facts to the Commission and/or
demonstrated a lack of candor," the FCC said  in its discussion of the case.
The FCC suggested that CRS declined to reveal  Doty's felony convictions
because it knew the information would potentially  disqualify CRS and Doty as
Commission licensees.

Regardless of the  outcome of the hearing on the character qualification
issues, the FCC said it  also would determine whether to fine CRS as much as
$97,500 for its alleged  failure to disclose Doty's felony convictions in one
or more  applications.

Since the 1990s, the FCC has applied character  qualification standards
previously reserved for broadcast licensees to  applicants and licensees in
other radio services, including the Amateur Radio  Service.

The Order to Show Cause is available on the FCC Web  site
<<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-128A1.pdf>.

==>CHIP  MARGELLI, K7JA, MOVES TO HEIL SOUND LTD

Well-known Amateur Radio industry  personality Chip Margelli, K7JA, has
joined Heil Sound Ltd  <http://www.heilsound.com> as vice president of sales
and marketing.  Heil Sound President Bob Heil, K9EID, and his wife Sarah
announced September  14 that Margelli will be responsible for all national
and international  Amateur Radio sales and marketing plans. Margelli, who for
many years has  been associated with the Yaesu Amateur Radio brand and
regularly fronted that  manufacturer's hamfest concessions all over the US,
says he's "honored and  excited" to be making the move to Heil Sound.

"Heil Sound is a dynamic,  growing, and creative enterprise, and I look
forward to being a part of their  bright future," Margelli commented. 

Calling it "an historic day for  Amateur Radio," Heil said Margelli "brings
his great passion and knowledge of  Amateur Radio to this new post." He cited
Margelli's more than 40 years of  experience and expertise as a DXer,
DXpeditioner, contester and top-notch CW  operator "along with his great
knowledge of just about every radio in  existence" as assets that will
benefit Heil Sound's dealers and customers  worldwide.

Licensed since 1963, Margelli is an ARRL Life Member. He also  belongs to
AMSAT and the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA). He and  his wife
Janet, KL7MF, live in Garden Grove, California.

Margelli has  authored articles for QST, QCWA Journal, CQ and CQ VHF
magazines. His most  recent contribution for QST was "Field Day 2003 from
Cuba," which appeared in  the December 2003 issue. Margelli enjoys operating
on all amateur bands from  HF through UHF -- including "weak-signal"
terrestrial and moonbounce work and  satellite operation -- and has a special
fondness for 6 meters. Beyond ham  radio, Margelli enjoys photography,
astronomy and running  marathons.

Margelli holds both bachelor's and master's degrees (political  science and
business administration, respectively) from the University of  Washington. He
speaks fluent Japanese.

In May 2005, Margelli and  partner Ken Miller, K6CTW, enjoyed their "15
minutes of Amateur Radio fame"  with an appearance on The Tonight Show with
Jay Leno on NBC. Using Morse  code, the two radio amateurs went head to head
with US cell-phone text  messaging champ Ben Cook and his partner to see
which mode would get the  message through in the shortest time. Margelli,
Miller and Morse won hands  down.

Outside of the realm of the Amateur Radio industry, Margelli and  Heil are
longtime friends. An industry personality in his own right, Heil  was
inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in June on the basis of  his
pioneering sound work with a variety of rock bands, including The James  Gang
and The Eagles (see "Hall of Famer Bob Heil, K9EID: "It's all Because of  Ham
Radio!" in Oct 2006 QST, p 49). Another Heil friend, Joe Walsh,  WB6ACU,
plays in both bands.

Contact Margelli via e-mail  <Chip at heilsound.com>.

==>ARRL HQ VETERAN TOM HOGERTY, KC1J,  TAKES OVER CONTEST BRANCH

Tom Hogerty, KC1J, has assumed the reins of the  Contest Branch within the
ARRL Membership Services Department. With nearly 19  years of experience in
various positions at ARRL Headquarters, Hogerty most  recently worked in the
Software and Web Development Department. The move to  Contest Branch Manager
marks his return to the Membership Services  Department.

"This marks the third time I've worked with the fine folks in  MSD, and I
very much look forward to my new responsibilities there," Hogerty  said.

ARRL Membership Services Department Manager Wayne Mills, N7NG,  said, "We're
extremely happy to have Tom back in our department." He pointed  out that
Hogerty helped guide the DXCC Branch through its conversion from  paper to
computer recordkeeping in addition to his involvement in ham  radio
regulatory matters.

As Contest Branch Manager, Hogerty succeeds  Dan Henderson, N1ND, who took
over as Regulatory Information Branch  specialist earlier this year following
the death of John Hennessee,  N1KB.

Mills said Hogerty will be responsible "for the nuts-and-bolts  operation of
the Contest Branch." This includes ensuring that the contest log  "robots"
are operating properly, overseeing the preparation of contest  results and
handling the Contest Branch's customer service activities -  including
answering myriad questions from contesters that come up each day.  

"With more and more Web-based presentation, Tom will be a great asset to  the
program," Mills added. 

Hogerty also will coordinate with various  volunteers who assist the League
in contesting matters. These include Trey  Garlough, N5KO, who operates the
"contest robot," as well as log checkers  Tree Tyree, N6TR; Dave Pruett,
K8CC; Ken Wolff, K1EA, and Larry Weaver, N6TW.  Bruce Horn, WA7BNM, also
contributes a number of services, while Garlough and  Contest Advisory
Committee Chairman Ward Silver, N0AX, serve as general  consultants to the
Contest Branch.

Kathy Allison, KA1RWY, the Contest  Branch assistant, also works with Logbook
of the World (LoTW)  <http://www.arrl.org/lotw>.

After joining the League staff in 1988  as Regulatory Information Department
manager, Hogerty subsequently served as  DXCC manager, Regulatory Information
Supervisor and Web assistant among other  positions. He previously worked 17
years for The Hartford Insurance Group.  He's studied business administration
at the University of Hartford and  Central Connecticut State University, and
he has extensive training and  experience in computer applications and Web
site  operations.

==>ARRL WINS AMERICAN GRAPHIC DESIGN AWARD FOR SECOND  YEAR

A nationwide panel of judges has selected ARRL Headquarters  graphic
designers Sue Fagan and Diane Szlachetka as 2006 American Graphic  Design
Awards winners. The honor marks the second year in a row that Graphic  Design
USA (GDUSA) has honored ARRL as an American Graphic Design Awards  recipient.
The graphic design elements GDUSA recognized served to highlight  or backdrop
displays and exhibits during the League's ARRL EXPO 2005 national  convention
at Dayton HamventionR.

"We feel strongly about representing  ARRL with consistent images and
messages at hamfests and conventions," said  ARRL Marketing Manager Bob
Inderbitzen, NQ1R. "The high-quality designs that  Sue and Diane have
produced for ARRL are already being used by field  volunteers in several ARRL
sections."

The competition is considered  among the most prestigious design awards and
among the most selective, too,  Inderbitzen says. Fagan and Szlachetka were
among the 10 percent of nominees  honored this year.

Winners receive an embossed certificate of excellence  for each piece
selected and become eligible for reproduction in Graphic  Design USA's Awards
Annual, seen by more than 100,000 colleagues and clients  each year.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Sun watcher Tad "Tequila Sunrise"  Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports:
The autumnal equinox for the  Northern Hemisphere will occur September 23 at
0402 UTC. Fall is generally a  better time for HF propagation, except for a
lack of sporadic-E  skip.

Average daily sunspot numbers rose over the past week by 19 points  to 44.3.
Geomagnetic conditions were quiet every day. For the next week  Geophysical
Institute Prague predicts quiet conditions for September 15, then  quiet to
unsettled on the September 16, unsettled geomagnetic activity on  September
17 and 18, then quiet on September 19-21. The US Air Force  spaceweather
operation predicts planetary A index (a measure of geomagnetic  activity) for
September 15-21 at 5, 10, 12, 15, 8, 5 and 5.

For more  information concerning propagation and an explanation of the
numbers used in  this bulletin see the ARRL Technical Information Service
Propagation page  <http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>. 

Sunspot numbers  for September 7 through 13 were 39, 49, 51, 50, 42, 41 and
38, with a mean of  44.3. The 10.7 cm flux was 86.7, 87.2, 85.5, 87.3, 84.6,
84.1, and 82.9, with  a mean of 85.5. Estimated planetary A indices were 8,
4, 2, 6, 8, 4 and 6,  with a mean of 5.4. Estimated mid-latitude A indices
were 5, 4, 1, 5, 7, 2  and 3, with a mean of  3.9.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

*  This weekend on the radio: The North American Sprint (SSB), the ARRL 10
GHz  and Up Contest, F.I.S.T.S. Get Your Feet Wet Weekend, the SARL  VHF/UHF
Contest, the Scandinavian Activity Contest (CW), the South Carolina  QSO
Party, QRP Afield, the Washington State Salmon Run and the QCWA Fall  QSO
Party are the weekend of September 16-17. JUST AHEAD: The Run for the  Bacon
QRP Contest and the 144 MHz Fall Sprint are September 18. The NAQCC  Straight
Key/Bug Sprint is September 21. The CQ Worldwide DX Contest (RTTY),  the
Scandinavian Activity Contest (SSB), the Texas QSO Party, the AGCW  VHF/UHF
Contest and the UBA ON Contest (CW) are the weekend of September  23-24. The
Fall QRP Homebrewer Sprint is September 25. The 222 MHz Fall  Sprint is
September 26. 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 remains open through Sunday, September 24, for  these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) program online  courses: 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). Classes begin  on
Friday, October 6. These courses will also open for registration  Friday,
September 22, for classes beginning Friday, November 3. To learn  more, visit
the CCE Course Listing page  <http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or
contact the CCE Department  <cce at arrl.org>.

* ARRL again participating in the Combined Federal  Campaign: For the fifth
year running, the US Office of Personnel Management  has designated the ARRL
to participate in the 2006 Combined Federal Campaign  (CFC)
<http://www.opm.gov/cfc/>. In the past, this campaign for federal  government
civilian employees, US Postal Service workers and members of the  military
has generated more than $69,000 for ARRL programs. The CFC provides  an easy
way to support ARRL's efforts to represent its members and all  radio
amateurs. Similar to the United Way, the CFC encourages individuals  to
pledge by payroll deduction to non-profit organizations of their choice.  The
ARRL encourages eligible radio amateurs to consider the League  when
designating campaign recipients. Those wishing to select the ARRL to  receive
all or part of their payroll deduction should designate organization  9872
when completing their CFC donor forms. Donations to ARRL can be  designated
for Diamond Club contributions, the ARRL Spectrum Defense Fund or  the ARRL
Education & Technology Program. Or, donors may make  unrestricted
contributions to the League. The ARRL Development Office would  appreciate a
copy of the donor form <mhobart at arrl.org> to ensure that  each contribution
is applied according to the donor's wishes and the  contribution or pledge
can be properly acknowledged. The 2006 CFC ends  December 15.

* Alan Bloom, N1AL, wins August QST Cover Plaque Award: The  winner of the
QST Cover Plaque Award for August is Alan Bloom, N1AL, for his  article
"VHF/UHF Mobile Propagation." Congratulations, Alan! 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 September issue by Saturday, September 30.

*  Long-distance CW QSO marks milestone in LF experimentation: Steve
McDonald,  VE7SL, and J Allen, VY1JA, are claiming the first  long-distance,
low-frequency aural CW contact between two Canadian amateurs.  The QSO in the
vicinity of 136 kHz (2200 meters) between VY1JA in Whitehorse,  Yukon
Territory (CP20) and VE7SL on Mayne Island, British Columbia (CN88)  took
place Friday, September 9, at 0705 UTC. The distance between the  two
stations is approximately 1000 miles. "It was nice not having to rely  on
computers or QRSS [very slow-speed CW] mode to be able to work each  other,"
McDonald said. "Copy was 100 percent at both ends with little  fading." VY1JA
was running 200 W to a 100-foot top-loaded tower, resonated at  137 KHz,
while VE7SL was running 450 W to a 65-foot wire vertical and three  wire
top-hat. While Canada has not yet allocated an Amateur Radio LF  band,
Industry Canada has authorized several Canadian hams to experiment in  the
vicinity of 136 kHz. "LF experimental work by Canadian amateurs continues  to
demonstrate the suitability of 2200 meters for reliable  two-way
communications with simple homemade equipment and without  causing
interference to primary users of the band," McDonald concluded. For  more
information on 2200 meter activity in Canada, visit The VE7SL Radio  Notebook
<http://imagenisp.com/jsm/136.html>.

* Microwave Update  2006 offers learning opportunity: Microwave Update 2006
(MUD 2006) will take  place in Dayton, Ohio, Friday and Saturday, October
20-21. Sponsored by the  Midwest VHF/UHF Society and held for the first time
in Dayton, this  conference offers an excellent opportunity to learn about
Amateur Radio  microwave activity. Forum presentations are set for both days.
There will be  a flea market Friday night, and the banquet (with door prize)
will be held  Saturday evening. Full registration information is available on
the MUD 2006  Web site <http://www.microwaveupdate.org/>. Registration is $40
before  September 30, $45 after September 30, and $50 at the door. Banquet
tickets  are $30 per person. Registration includes a volume of the  conference
Proceedings.

* Lifetime licenses for UK/Great Britain hams  delayed: UK/Great Britain
telecommunications regulator Ofcom has announced  that the implementation of
lifetime Amateur Radio licenses and revised  license terms and conditions has
been postponed until December, the Radio  Society of Great Britain (RSGB)
reports. After October 1, however, Amateur  Radio licenses will be issued
free of charge. RSGB says Ofcom will begin  issuing lifetime licenses and the
revised licensing terms and conditions in  December. Free lifetime licenses
will be subject to validation at least every  five years via the Ofcom Web
site. Changes to Amateur Radio regulations in  the UK include eliminating the
need to maintain a log book, allowing radio  amateurs to operate stations by
remote control, substantial alterations to  emergency operations, and the
recognition of a number of additional user  services. AMSAT-UK meanwhile has
welcomed Ofcom's decision to allow  Foundation class licensees to access the
Amateur Satellite service as part of  the revised amateur regulations. "This
will enable enthusiastic operators to  experience the thrills and challenges
of space communications," AMSAT-UK said  in a statement.

* Islands on the Air program announces Icom sponsorship  deal: The Radio
Society of Great Britain (RSGB) has announced that Icom will  become the new
corporate sponsor of its Islands on the Air (IOTA) program,  effective
October 1. "This three-year worldwide sponsorship deal is a major  boost to
IOTA both in the UK and internationally," the RSGB said.  "Principally
involving sponsorship from both Icom UK and Icom America, this  deal is set
to build this already-popular program into 2009 and beyond." RSGB  says the
IOTA program has expanded significantly in recent years and now  boasts tens
of thousands of participants. New Web-based software has been  launched to
ease the filing and checking of award applications. Since IOTA's  launch in
1964, both Yaesu and Kenwood have served as program sponsors.  More
information on the program is on the IOTA Web  site
<http://www.rsgbiota.org/index.php4>.

===========================================================  
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.

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential and  general news
of interest to active radio amateurs. Visit the ARRL Web  site
<http://www.arrl.org> for the latest Amateur Radio news and news  updates.
The ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> also offers  informative features
and columns. ARRL Audio News  <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> is a
weekly "ham radio  newscast" compiled and edited from The ARRL Letter. It's
also available as a  podcast from our Web site.

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/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.)