[South Florida DX Association] The ARRL Letter, Vol 24, No 19

Sun May 15 21:42:04 EDT 2005

***************
> The ARRL Letter
> Vol. 24, No. 19
> May 13, 2005
> ***************
>
> IN THIS EDITION:
>
> * +ARRL National Convention promises to be the best ever
> * +UK study cites shortcomings of Amperion-equipped BPL trial
> * +India's first ham radio satellite get an OSCAR designation
> * +ARRL faults "facts" in Texas BPL interference case
> * +Regulatory changes reported overseas
> * +New York high school senior is 2005 Goldfarb scholarship winner
> *  Solar Update
> *  IN BRIEF:
>      This weekend on the radio
>      ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
>      Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course registration
>     +FCC chairman appoints new Enforcement Bureau chief
>     +AMSAT-NA dues to increase
>      AMSAT-UK Colloquium set for late July
>
> +Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>
>
> ===========================================================
> ==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
> letter-dlvy at arrl.org
> ==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl at arrl.org
> ===========================================================
> NOTE: Because of Dayton Hamvention and the ARRL National Convention May
> 20-22, The ARRL Letter and ARRL Audio News will be distributed Wednesday,
> May 18. See you in Dayton!
> ===========================================================
>
> ==>ARRAY OF "ARRL STAGE" PRESENTATIONS AMONG ARRL EXPO 2005 HIGHLIGHTS
>
> Rocks, diamonds and the Swiss Army knife are among topics visitors to ARRL
> EXPO 2005 can learn more about--at least in a manner of speaking. As part
of
> the ARRL 2005 National Convention at Dayton Hamvention Friday through
> Sunday, May 20-22, an array of speakers will offer bite-sized live
> presentations on the "ARRL Stage." ARRL EXPO 2005 will be in the Ballarena
> Exhibit Hall in the Hara Arena complex near Dayton, Ohio. Counting down
the
> days, ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, says ARRL EXPO 2005
and
> the other National Convention activities will make this year's Hamvention
> the best ever.
>
> "You wouldn't think it possible to squeeze more fun and activities into
> Dayton Hamvention, but we're going to do it," Inderbitzen said this week.
> "It's like having two great shows in one!"
>
> The theme of Dayton Hamvention 2005 is "Bringing hams together from around
> the world." Upward of 25,000 visitors from the US and elsewhere on the
globe
> make the annual pilgrimage to Ohio for the occasion.
>
> For the 2005 ARRL Convention, the League is pulling out all the stops and
> virtually moving Headquarters to Dayton. Representatives of every
department
> and activity will be on hand and available to visitors throughout the
event.
> Plans are in the works to have W1AW/8 available for guest operators.
>
> The ARRL Stage will spotlight 15-minute presentations every half hour
> throughout the convention. Rocks? ARRL Sales and Marketing Manger Dennis
> Motschenbacher, K7BV, will explain "The Most Fun You Can Have with a
> Rock"--an introduction to meteor-scatter operation. Diamonds? ARRL Chief
> Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, will talk up the advantages of
> joining the ARRL Diamond Club. And ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager
> Allen Pitts, W1AGP, will describe "The Secret Life of the Swiss Army
> Knife"--everything the well-informed public information officer needs to
> know.
>
> There's virtually a topic for every interest imaginable within the broad
> spectrum of Amateur Radio pursuits including 6-meter DXing, emergency
> communication, an introduction to HF radio for newcomers and "Your Manual
to
> Building a Radioactive Youth," by 16-year-old ARRL Contributing Editor
> Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM. Of course visitors can expect presentations on
> other hot-button topics like BPL and RFI as well as ham radio in the
> classroom, how to pick a radio that fits your operating style and how ARRL
> evaluates new equipment for QST "Product Review." All sessions will
provide
> an opportunity for listeners to ask questions and offer comments.
>
> In a "first" for an ARRL National Convention, ARRL EXPO 2005 will provide
an
> Internet Café and WiFi "hot spot!" The area will be equipped with an
> 802.11b/g-compliant wireless LAN, providing wireless Internet access
within
> the vicinity of ARRL EXPO 2005. For those who left their PCs home,
computers
> will be available for users to check e-mail or just surf the Web.
>
> The first 5000 visitors to ARRL EXPO 2005 can pick up an ARRL Passport--a
> ticket to the ultimate convention scavenger hunt. Collect Passport codes
to
> qualify for terrific prizes donated by Icom, Kenwood, AOR USA and Alinco.
No
> purchase is necessary.
>
> Visitors dropping by ARRL EXPO 2005 can have their photos taken then
> digitally superimposed on a cover of QST. For a modest fee, you'll walk
away
> with a souvenir to wow your friends or at least hang on the wall of your
> shack.
>
> Free for the asking is the ARRL National Convention souvenir pin. A lot of
> Hamvention visitors collect these each year, and supplies are limited.
>
> At its usual Dayton Hamvention location in Hara Arena's North Hall, the
> League will offer "ARRL Relaxation Station." ARRL is making available
tables
> and chairs for attendees to simply relax and visit. The North Hall
> concession will concentrate on retail product sales as well as ARRL
> membership signups and renewals.
>
> A slate of full-blown ARRL-sponsored forums and activities will be a part
of
> the League's 2005 National Convention. You'll also find ARRL staff members
> and volunteers at many other Hamvention forums. A complete slate of
> convention forums is available on the Dayton Hamvention Web site
> <http://www.hamvention.org>. An ARRL Wouff Hong ceremony is set for
> Saturday, May 21, 10:30 PM, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Dayton.
>
> ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, says he's looking forward to the 2005
National
> Convention. "I've been going to our national conventions for 36 years now,
> and this is going to be the best of the bunch," he predicted.
>
> Check the ARRL National Convention at Dayton Hamvention Web page
> <http://www.arrl.org/announce/nc/2005/> for information updates. The ARRL
> National Convention Guide is available on the ARRL Web site
> <http://www.arrl.org/announce/nc/2005/ARRL-National-Convention-Guide.pdf>.
>
> ==>UK REGULATOR'S STUDY POINTS UP LIMITATIONS OF AMPERION-EQUIPPED BPL
TRIAL
>
> Ofcom, the UK's telecommunications regulatory agency, has concluded that
> Amperion BPL equipment deployed in a field trial in Scotland "as tested is
> not and cannot be FCC Part 15 compliant above 30 MHz." Ofcom this week
> released a study, "Amperion PLT Measurements in Crieff," which summarizes
> measurements it took at the site. PLT is another term for BPL. Ofcom's
> investigation also demonstrated the limitations of Amperion's "notching"
> capabilities to mitigate interference to radio reception. ARRL CEO David
> Sumner, K1ZZ, says Ofcom's study reflects what the League and others have
> known all along about BPL.
>
> "Ofcom's measurements and conclusions are consistent with ours and with
what
> we have been saying all along about BPL in general and Amperion in
> particular," Sumner said. "It's a shame that we have to look overseas to
> find a regulator who will say what truly needs to be said: Medium voltage
> power lines are no place for HF broadband data."
>
> Measurements were made at the pilot system in Crieff, which uses 11 kV
> overhead power lines and Amperion Griffin PLT equipment made in the US and
> employing OFDM signal architecture. The Ofcom study says that at HF,
> radiated leakage emissions from the Amperion-based BPL network operating
at
> its maximum power setting exceeded FCC Part 15 limits by up to 8 dB.
>
> The UK has no defined PLT emission limits, and Ofcom used the FCC's as a
> reference point. The Ofcom investigation also concluded that if Europe
> adopts Reg TP NB30 radiated emission limits now in effect in Germany,
"such
> adoption would rule out any European deployment" of the Amperion Griffin
BPL
> equipment on which it took measurements in Scotland.
>
> Above 30 MHz, Ofcom said, radiated leakage exceeded FCC Part 15 limits by
up
> to 27 dB. "In practice, the launch power would need to be reduced by 27 dB
> to ensure compliance with the FCC limit, and this raises two issues,"
Ofcom
> said. "The first is that such a reduction is beyond the 24 dB power
control
> range of the product and secondly it seems certain that the network would
> fail to provide any functionality at such a reduced power level."
>
> The notching facility of the equipment as an interference mitigation
> technique "is compromised," Ofcom concluded, "because notches cannot be
> placed in the 'upstream' spectrum, and because FCC Part 15 limits are too
> relaxed to permit the notched spectrum to afford any significant
protection
> to weak signal reception."
>
> A 20 dB notch "is not an effective interference mitigation measure for
weak
> signal reception that is limited only by the local spectrum noise floor,"
> Ofcom said in its report. It concluded that at that level of notching,
"Part
> 15 compliant leakage emissions from a notched PLT line would contribute
> noise to the HF spectrum at distances as far as 1 km [approximately 0.62
> mile] from the line."
>
> Beyond that, Ofcom said, Amperion encountered difficulties when requested
to
> implement a 30 dB notch from 21 to 22 MHz to cover both the amateur
15-meter
> band and the adjacent HF broadcast band. "They reported problems with
this,
> due to the bandwidth required," the report noted. Graphs indicate that the
> notching "uncovered" several broadcast signals, most with field strengths
in
> excess of the ITU-recommended minimum protected value.
>
> In its report, Ofcom noted that power lines were not designed, shielded or
> balanced for high-frequency use and can radiate significant leakage even
> when buried below ground. "PLT leakage emissions occupy parts of the high
> frequency radio spectrum above 2 MHz and have the potential to interfere
> with the reception of radio communication services, including shortwave
> broadcasts," the agency said.
>
> While the BPL/PLT interference issue has "proved to be contentious" and
> continues to be a discussion topic in Europe and elsewhere, Ofcom said, it
> also appears that "none of the proposed emission limits can currently
> satisfy the dual objective of protecting radio reception whilst, at the
same
> time, allowing PLT to operate in a commercially viable manner."
>
> The Ofcom study involved a BPL field trial by Scottish and Southern Energy
> plc (SSE). The agency says it believes its measurements were "sufficient
to
> indicate the general situation" at the Crieff site. A copy of the Ofcom
> report is on the ARRL Web site
> <http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/files/amperion.pdf>.
>
> According to the Radio Society of Great Britain, an SSE representative
> indicated recently that the company would not be undertaking any further
PLT
> rollout in the UK and was unlikely to invest further in the technology.
> Reasons given were the lack of progress on PLT technical standards and the
> commercial position of PLT with respect to other broadband services. The
> RSGB said it welcomed the announcement.
>
> ==>HAMSAT IS NOW VO-52
>
> The latest Amateur Radio satellite now has an OSCAR designation. Acting at
> the request of AMSAT-India's Nagesh Upadhayaya, VU2NUD, AMSAT-NA's Bill
> Tynan, W3XO, has announced that HAMSAT (or VUsat) is VUsat-52 or VO-52 for
> short.
>
> "Congratulation on the successful launch of HAMSAT," Tynan told VU2NUD. "I
> know that you and a number of VU amateurs have worked hard to make this
> happen. I am sure that the international amateur community is grateful to
> all the amateurs in India who labored on this project."
>
> VO-52 is India's first Amateur Radio satellite. Its transponders were
turned
> on shortly after its May 5 launch, and AMSAT-India Secretary "Pop" Kumar,
> VU2POP, has invited the global amateur community to use the satellite and
> e-mail any comments <reports at amsat.in>. Ground controllers have activated
> one of the two linear transponders aboard VO-52, which operates in Mode
U/V,
> with passband center frequencies of 435.25 MHz for the uplink and 145.90
MHz
> for the downlink. Passbands are 50 kHz wide. For SSB, uplink in LSB and
> downlink in USB.
>
> AMSAT-India says VO-52 has been monitored by radio amateurs around the
> world, and it has already received a few reports from users and listeners
> <http://www.amsat.in/hamsatreports.htm>.
>
> AMSAT Contests and Awards Director Bruce Paige, KK5DO, says the new
> satellite has generated a lot of excitement in the amateur community.
"QSOs
> are made in sideband or CW," he said. "Even though the satellite is
capable
> of FM operation, it is much more useful in sideband mode as multiple QSOs
> can be completed at the same time, as everyone slides up or down in the
> passband." Paige reminds users to correct for Doppler shift.
>
> Conferring an OSCAR designation is not a requirement for an Amateur Radio
> satellite to be recognized and used in the Amateur Service, but it is a
> tradition that has continued since the launch of OSCAR 1 in December of
> 1961.
>
> There's more information on HAMSAT VO-52 on the AMSAT-India Web site
> <http://www.amsat.in/>.
>
> ==>LEAGUE SAYS AMPERION MISREPRESENTING FACTS IN TEXAS BPL INTERFERENCE
CASE
>
> The ARRL has taken issue with BPL manufacturer Amperion's version of
events,
> posted on its Web site <http://www.amperion.com/market.asp?id=70> (scroll
to
> "TXU Trial Deployment"), surrounding a Texas BPL interference complaint
last
> fall. Amperion claims that an interference complaint from radio amateurs
at
> a BPL trial operated by utility TXU in Irving, was based "on measurements
> taken last year but not brought to the attention of TXU or Amperion until
> March 2005." According to Amperion, that was five months after TXU had
> completed its trial and decommissioned the system. ARRL CEO David Sumner,
> K1ZZ, says the facts stand in stark contrast to Amperion's version of
> events.
>
> "Amperion's claims that the Irving BPL system was decommissioned in
October
> 2004 and that neither TXU nor Amperion was aware of the interference until
> March 2005 are blatant misrepresentations," Sumner said.
>
> Setting the record straight, Sumner points out that former North Texas
> Section BPL Task Force Chair Jory McIntosh, KJ5RM, who regularly commutes
> through the BPL test zone in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, first logged
> interference from the TXU BPL system on July 24, 2004. McIntosh said at
the
> time that at a distance of 300 feet from the power line, the interference
> obliterated normal Amateur Radio signals in the 40, 20, 17, 15, 10 and
> 6-meter bands.
>
> TXU responded and company personnel accompanied McIntosh to the site the
> same day. "They observed that the system was producing considerable
> interference across much of the radio spectrum below 50 MHz," Sumner
> recounted. Despite system adjustments, the interference remained. McIntosh
> logged interference from the BPL installation on 11 separate days from
> August through October, when ARRL Laboratory Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI,
visited
> the site and measured interference levels on several frequencies.
>
> Sumner notes that McIntosh filed his formal written complaint with the FCC
> on November 15, 2004, noting his July 24 visit with TXU representatives.
> "The complaint was acknowledged, but the only action the FCC took was to
> refer him back to the system operator," he said.
>
> "It was only after no action resulted from this complaint that the ARRL
> filed its complaint on March 15, 2005, that included a test report from
Mr.
> Hare," Sumner continued. He emphasized that before filing the complaint
the
> League verified--on March 9--that the interference "was still present to
the
> same extent as previously reported."
>
> Sumner says TXU actually shut down its BPL system and removed the
equipment
> on March 29, 2005, not October 2004, and that the utility advised McIntosh
> of the shutdown the following day. The ARRL withdrew its now-moot
complaint
> the same day, after McIntosh personally verified that the equipment had
been
> removed.
>
> In a writeup on its Web site, Amperion asserted that TXU decided to
> decommission the network after it "had already completed its technical
trial
> in October 2004" following seven months of operation. "The decision had
> nothing to do with the interference complaints that were filed," Amperion
> stated.
>
> A bill now before the Texas legislature--SB 1748--would amend the
Utilities
> Code to "encourage the deployment of BPL" by electric utilities.
>
> To date, four BPL trial sites using Amperion BPL equipment have shut down
in
> the wake of complaints from Amateur Radio operators.
>
> ==>HAM RADIO REGULATORY CHANGES REPORTED ABROAD
>
> Sweden's telecommunication regulatory agency PTS has taken steps to
> deregulate Amateur Radio and essentially no longer requires a government
> license. Effective last fall, the PTS turned over Amateur Radio operator
> "certification" to the Society of Swedish Radio Amateurs (SSA), that
> country's IARU member-society. Under the new regulatory regime, the SSA
> administers testing and issues operator certificates and call signs, which
> have SA prefixes and three-letter suffixes. There's no longer a Morse code
> requirement for HF access.
>
> The PTS still handles relevant international agreements, such as band
> allocations, in conjunction with the ITU. Sweden no longer dictates
> mode-specific subbands within amateur bands, but band plans are in place.
> The new call signs can be issued by both the SSA and the PTS, but the SSA
> option reportedly is less expensive. All previously issued Swedish call
> signs are valid for life. Foreign visitors from countries outside the CEPT
> agreement must still apply to the PTS for temporary operating authority in
> Sweden.
>
> Kenya's telecommunications regulator, the CCK, recently issued a new
> schedule of Amateur Radio frequencies, modes and power limits. Ted
Alleyne,
> 5Z4NU, of the Amateur Radio Society of Kenya reports that radio amateurs
> there now may use 30 meters (10.100 to 10.150 MHz) and 160 meters (1.810
to
> 1.850 MHz).
>
> The National Telecommunications Commission of Thailand has granted
> permission through 2005 for all Thai radio amateurs to use 80 and 160
meters
> during contest periods. HS- and E2- stations may use 1.800-1.825 MHz and
> 3.500-3.540 MHz, CW or SSB, during contest weekends.
>
> Starting May 1 in the Czech Republic, new regulations provide access to
> 7.100 to 7.200 MHz for Amateur Radio on a secondary basis. Power output is
> limited to 250 W PEP. The Czech Republic also has begun issuing Novice
class
> licenses with OK9-prefix call signs and three-letter suffixes. Operation
is
> permitted on 160, 80, 15 and 10 meters on HF, and up to 2 meters on VHF,
at
> a maximum power output of 10 W.
>
> The Malta Communication Authority has automatically extended HF privileges
> to "codeless" Class B licensees. Licensees in Malta still must pass a
Morse
> code examination to operate CW on the HF bands, however.--The Daily DX
> <http://www.dailydx.com>; RSGB; SM0JHF; ARSK; OK1MP/Czech Radio Club; MCA
>
> ==>ARRL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2005 GOLDFARB SCHOLARSHIP WINNER
>
> An 18-year-old high school student from New York is the winner of the
> William R. Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship for 2005. The ARRL Foundation
> announced the selection Tim O'Donnell, AB2LE, a student at
> Cobleskill-Richmondville High School on April 29.
>
> "Tim was the top student in a pool of extremely well qualified applicants
> this year," said ARRL Foundation President Tom Frenaye, K1KI. "He's going
to
> do well in any field of study he chooses!"
>
> ARRL Foundation's Scholarship Committee Chairman Tom Comstock, N5TC,
echoed
> Frenaye's comments. "After individually examining several dozen
> applications, each member of the scholarship committee had Tim as their
> first choice to receive this prestigious award," Comstock said. "He is one
> of the 'brightest and best' in our nation."
>
> First licensed at age 12, O'Donnell holds an Amateur Extra class license.
He
> is an ARRL member and active on 20 meter SSB--using a backyard dipole he
> built with his father, John, KC2HHC--as well as on 2 meters.
>
> O'Donnell's strong academic resume includes a number-one class ranking and
> numerous honors such as National Merit Scholarship semifinalist, Coca-Cola
> Scholars Program semifinalist, University of Rochester Bausch & Lomb
Science
> Award, the Cobleskill Masonic Chemistry Award, Regents Scholar, Scholet
> Sequential Math Prize, Konta Memorial Award in Biology and the WRGB-TV
> Capital Kid award for volunteerism.
>
> His community activities involvement in the Chamber of Commerce, ACCORD (A
> Community Committee on Respect and Diversity), and St Vincent de Paul
> Church. O'Donnell plans to attend Brown University in the fall, majoring
in
> computer science with an eye on a future as an entrepreneur, researcher
and
> systems architect/developer.
>
> Comstock noted that involvement in extracurricular activities, including
> public service and Amateur Radio is an important criterion, and
demonstrated
> leadership skills are crucial.
>
> The William R. Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship is intended to assist a
> qualified student to obtain a bachelor's degree at an accredited school in
> one of the following courses of study: business-related computers, medical
> or nursing fields, engineering or sciences. The four-year award to an
active
> radio amateur is based on outstanding qualifications, need and other
funding
> sources.
>
> The Goldfarb Scholarship is the result of a generous endowment from the
late
> William Goldfarb, N2ITP. Before his death in 1997, Goldfarb set up a
> scholarship endowment of close to $1 million in memory of his parents,
> Albert and Dorothy Goldfarb.
>
> More information on the Goldfarb Scholarship is available on the ARRL Web
> site <http://www.arrl.org/arrlf/goldfarb.html>. Applications for the
> Goldfarb Scholarship and other ARRL Foundation Scholarship applications
are
> accepted each year from October 1 until February 1 for the upcoming
academic
> year.
>
> ==>SOLAR UPDATE
>
> Sunspot seeker Tad "Might As Well Be Walkin' on the Sun" Cook, K7RA,
> Seattle, Washington, reports: Suddenly the sun is peppered with spots!
> Average daily sunspot numbers this week rose nearly 22 points to 82.7, and
> the average daily solar flux was up 10 points to 110.7. On Wednesday, May
> 11, the solar flux reached 125.3, and on May 11 the daily sunspot number
was
> 117.
>
> On Sunday, May 8, a big blast of solar wind sparked a geomagnetic storm,
and
> the planetary A index went all the way to 64, This provoked some nice
aurora
> displays over the weekend. Then sunspot 758 began to expand rapidly, and
the
> sunspot count for Monday through Wednesday, May 9-11, was 106, 106 and
117.
>
> At 1040 UTC on May 11 a coronal mass ejection emerged from sunspot 758.
> There is a good chance of aurora for Friday, May 13 as a result. The
> predicted planetary A index for Friday through Monday, May 13-16 is 25,
10,
> 15 and 10. Predicted solar flux for those days is 120, 115, 110 and 105.
>
> Sunspot numbers for May 5 through 11 were 50, 66, 55, 79, 106, 106 and
117,
> with a mean of 82.7. The 10.7 cm flux was 109.1, 110.4, 99.9, 101.3, 110,
> 119.2 and 125.3, with a mean of 110.7. Estimated planetary A indices were
6,
> 4, 10, 64, 11, 10 and 11, with a mean of 16.6. Estimated mid-latitude A
> indices were 3, 3, 10, 38, 10, 6 and 7, with a mean of 11.
>
> __________________________________
>
> ==>IN BRIEF:
>
> * This weekend on the radio: The Portuguese Navy Day Contest (CW/SSB), the
> CQ-M International DX Contest, the VOLTA Worldwide RTTY Contest, the
> Mid-Atlantic QSO Party, the FISTS Spring Sprint and the 50 MHz Spring
Sprint
> are the weekend of May 14-15. The RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (CW) is
> May 19. JUST AHEAD: The US Counties QSO Party (SSB), VK/Trans-Tasman
> 80-Meter Contest (Phone), the EU PSK DX Contest, the Portuguese Navy Day
> Contest (PSK31), the Manchester Mineira CW Contest, His Majesty the King
of
> Spain Contest (CW) and the Baltic Contest are the weekend of May 21-22.
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 Antenna Modeling (EC-004) and Radio Propagation
> (EC-011) on-line courses remains open through Sunday, May 15. Classes
begin
> Friday May 27. Antenna Modeling offers students a hands-on tutorial in the
> art and science of modeling various antenna configurations.
> Computer-modeling expert and noted author L.B. Cebik, W4RNL, has combined
> the expertise of his long career as a college professor with his love and
> antennas and antenna modeling to offer a comprehensive, yet practical,
> course of study. Propagation students will study the science of RF
> propagation, including the properties of electromagnetic waves, the
> atmosphere and the ionosphere, the sun and sunspots, ground waves and sky
> waves, and various propagation modes--including aurora and meteor scatter.
> To learn more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education
> <http://www.arrl.org/cce/> Web page or contact the ARRL Certification and
> Continuing Education Program Department <cce at arrl.org>.
>
> * Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course registration: Registration
> for the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level III on-line
course
> (EC-003) opens Monday, May 16, at 1201 AM EDT and will remain open until
all
> available seats have been filled or through the May 21-22 weekend
> --whichever comes first. Radio amateurs 55 and up are strongly encouraged
to
> participate. Class begins Friday, June 3. Thanks to our grant
sponsors--the
> Corporation for National and Community Service and the United Technologies
> Corporation--the $45 registration fee paid upon enrollment will be
> reimbursed after successful completion of the course. ***ACT NOW! THIS IS
> THE FINAL YEAR OF THE GRANT-SUBSIDIZED CLASSES!*** Radio amateurs age 55
and
> older are strongly encouraged to participate. During this registration
> period, seats are being offered to ARRL members on a first-come,
> first-served basis. To learn more, visit the ARRL Certification and
> Continuing Education Web page <http://www.arrl.org/cce>. For more
> information, contact Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller,
> K3UFG, cce at arrl.org; 860-594-0340.
>
> * FCC chairman appoints new Enforcement Bureau chief: FCC Chairman Kevin
J.
> Martin has announced his intention to appoint Kris Anne Monteith to head
the
> Commission's Enforcement Bureau. She'll replace David H. Solomon, who has
> been Enforcement Bureau chief since the Commission created the bureau in
> 1999. Solomon will leave the FCC in May for a position with a
private-sector
> law firm. Monteith, who's been with the FCC since 1997, most recently
served
> as deputy bureau chief for outreach and intergovernmental affairs in the
> Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. In that capacity, Monteith--an
> attorney--oversaw the Commission's interaction with local, state, and
tribal
> governments and other federal agencies. She also was responsible for
> consumer outreach to inform and educate the public about FCC rules,
> policies, programs and plans. Monteith previously served as chief of the
> Policy Division within the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and held
other
> positions in the Common Carrier Bureau. The appointment was among several
> Martin announced April 29.
>
> * AMSAT-NA dues to increase: The AMSAT Board of Directors has voted to
> increase AMSAT membership dues from $39 to $44, effective June 1. The
> 12-percent increase follows a $3 dues hike that took effect January 1,
2004.
> AMSAT Life Membership will rise to $880 (20 times annual membership).
Family
> membership will continue to be one-half the cost of regular membership or
> $22 per family member (family membership requires that a regular or life
> member reside in the same household). Members or prospective members can
> join or renew before June 1 at current rates. AMSAT will be accepting
> membership applications and renewals at current rates during Dayton
> Hamvention May 20-22. Details on the membership increase, an overview of
the
> rationale behind the board's decision and its potential impact are the
> subject of an article in the March/April 2005 issue of AMSAT Journal. For
> more information on AMSAT-NA, visit the AMSAT Web site
> <http://www.amsat.org>.
>
> * AMSAT-UK Colloquium set for late July: The AMSAT-UK Colloquium for 2005
> will take place Friday through Sunday, July 29-31, at the University of
> Surrey, Guildford, UK This year's event marks the 20th colloquium.
Attendees
> do not have to be AMSAT members. AMSAT-UK invites presentations about
> space-related Amateur Radio activities and papers for the conference
> Proceedings. Final presentation documents must be submitted by mid-June.
> Send papers for presentation at the conference and/or for inclusion in the
> Proceedings to Jim Heck, G3WGM (@amsat.org), or via surface mail c/o
> AMSAT-UK, Badgers, Letton Close, Blandford, Dorset DT11 7SS, UK. AMSAT-UK
> also invites anyone to submit program topic requests to G3WGM. The
> colloquium will include sessions specifically for amateur satellite
> beginners. Registration details and more information are on the AMSAT- UK
> Colloquium Web pages <http://www.uk.amsat.org/Colloquium/default.php>.
> Immediately following the AMSAT-UK Colloquium, the Amateur Radio on the
> International Space Station (ARISS) International Team will meet Monday
and
> Tuesday, August 1-2.
>
> ===========================================================
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