[South Florida DX Association] The ARRL Letter, Vol 24, No 46

[Bill Marx]

 ***************
> The ARRL Letter
> Vol. 24, No. 46
> Nov 25, 2005
> ***************
>
> IN THIS EDITION:
>
> * +BPL organization should embrace recent ARRL proposals, League tells FCC
> * +Maintaining a strong voice for ARRL is one goal of Spectrum Defense
Fund
> * +ISS commander speaks with schools in Missouri, Japan via ham radio
> * +Kathleen Abernathy says she'll leave FCC December 9
> * +SKYWARN Recognition Day is December 3
> * +New section managers taking over in Western Massachusetts, Delaware
> * +Deadline near for International Humanitarian Award nominations
> * Solar Update
> * IN BRIEF:
>      This weekend on the radio
>      ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
>     +Dave Patton, NN1N, to head ARRL Field and Educational Services
>      Alabama club commended for Katrina response role
>      Former ARRL HQ staffer Paul R. Shafer, KB1BE, SK
>      "Silent Key" submission guidelines
>
> +Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>
 ===========================================================
> NOTE: ARRL Headquarters will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 24
and
> 25, for the Thanksgiving holiday. There will be no W1AW bulletin or code
> practice transmissions on those days. This week's editions of The ARRL
> Letter, ARRL Audio News and the DX and propagation bulletins are being
> distributed early. ARRL Headquarters reopens Monday, November 28, at 8 AM
> Eastern Time. We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday!
> ===========================================================
>
> ==>LEAGUE SAYS BPL GROUP SHOULD EMBRACE, NOT REJECT, RECENT ARRL PROPOSALS
>
> In a Reply to Opposition filed this week, the ARRL maintains that changes
it
> recently proposed to the FCC's Part 15 BPL rules provide a golden
> opportunity for the BPL industry and the FCC. The League was responding to
a
> November 2 United Power Line Council (UPLC) Motion opposing and seeking
> dismissal of the ARRL's Petition for a Further Notice of Proposed Rule
> Making, filed last month in the BPL proceeding, WT Docket 04-37.
>
> "As a general observation, it is difficult to understand the rationale for
> UPLC's knee-jerk response to ARRL's Petition," the League said in its
Reply
> to Opposition. "On its face, the Petition does no more than to state a
> reasonable basis for a principled accommodation for all concerned with, or
> about, access BPL. This would include BPL operators."
>
> The ARRL contended that the UPLC "would better serve its members by
> embracing the ARRL Petition, rather than rejecting it" and said its
> proposals represent "the last clear chance to prevent substantial
> interference from BPL deployments."
>
> The League's October Petition suggested that incorporating three elements
> into the BPL rules the Commission adopted last year would essentially
> resolve all issues that the ARRL and the Amateur Service have with access
> BPL:
>
> * Prohibiting all access BPL systems from using Amateur Radio
> allocations--except the five channels at 5 MHz, which the current HomePlug
> system architecture does not notch.
>
> * Prohibiting access BPL systems from using HF bands on medium-voltage
power
> lines.
>
> * Measuring signal decay from access BPL systems using a more accurate 20
> dB/decade extrapolation factor rather than the 40 dB/decade factor the
> current rules support.
>
> Calling UPLC's opposition to its proposals "short sighted," the League
said
> the UPLC "cannot in good faith" argue that the present BPL rules are in
any
> way sufficient to prevent or mitigate interference to Amateur Radio. "They
> are not sufficient, as has been demonstrated time and time again in BPL
test
> deployments," the ARRL contended this week.
>
> To punch up that point, the League called "pure sophistry" and "absurd and
> false" UPLC's claim in its Motion that BPL operators using HF on
> medium-voltage power lines "have been very effective in mitigating rare
> instances of interference to Amateur Radio users." In support of that
> assertion, UPLC cited a July 22, 2004, letter from Bruce Franca, then
Deputy
> Chief of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, to Tom Brown,
> N4TAB. Franca's letter claimed that Progress Energy's BPL pilot project in
> the Raleigh, North Carolina, area complied with FCC rules.
>
> Responding to Franca that same day, ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, at the
time
> noted the presence of ongoing interference and rebutted Franca's
assertions.
> He specifically cautioned FCC to "not permit its conclusions to be
> erroneously represented as having given the Progress Energy trials a
'clean
> bill of health'"--precisely what UPLC is now attempting, he said. A copy
of
> Sumner's letter was attached to this week's League filing.
>
> UPLC failed to mention that interference from the Raleigh system to
numerous
> Amateur Radio operators "persisted and was not resolved until the system
was
> shut down," the League pointed out this week.
>
> ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, thinks it's ironic that UPLC chose
> that particular piece of FCC correspondence to buttress its case. "Mr
Sumner
> rebutted Franca's letter in the Raleigh situation, and Franca never
> responded, despite repeated promises to do so," he said. "We are now a
year
> and four months down the road."
>
> In this week's filing, the League said its Petition seeks to create
> additional rules governing BPL that, with those already on the books,
would
> "be sufficient to allow ARRL to withdraw its pending Petition for
> Reconsideration" in the proceeding. In addition, the ARRL reiterated its
> position that certain BPL systems mentioned in the October Petition
"present
> manageable interference potential" that "can be dealt with on a
case-by-case
> basis." Its proposals, the League said, provide the BPL industry and the
FCC
> with the opportunity to create an RF environment that's not substantially
> degraded for licensed radio services and that permits BPL to develop
> "without the competitive handicap of fundamental incompatibility with
> licensed services" and removes any remaining regulatory uncertainty.
>
> The ARRL concluded by urging the Commission to "proceed expeditiously to
> issue a further Notice of Proposed Rule Making, adopt the proposed rules,
> and remove the obstacles to a responsible rollout of access BPL that were
> either created, or not resolved, by the [BPL] Report and Order."
>
> A copy of the ARRL's Reply to Opposition is on the FCC Web site
>
<http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_docume
> nt=6518181693>
>
> ==>SPECTRUM DEFENSE FUND 2006: KEEPING ARRL'S VOICE STRONG
>
> As its name implies, the primary focus of the ARRL Spectrum Defense Fund
is
> to help the League remain vigilant in guarding the range of frequencies
> Amateur Radio enjoys. The Fund, which kicked off its 2006 campaign October
> 10, also makes it possible for the League to forcefully advocate on behalf
> of the US amateur community at the FCC and on Capitol Hill and at
> international conferences.
>
> "A healthy Spectrum Defense Fund will ensure that ARRL's voice continues
to
> be Q5 S9 in every corner of official Washington," said ARRL Chief
> Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH. "As we ask others in official
> Washington to recognize the role of Amateur Radio and protect our
spectrum,
> the strength of our voice comes in part from the generosity of all radio
> amateurs."
>
> Hobart added that it's crucial for the League to maintain the momentum of
> the increased visibility Amateur Radio has earned as a result of its role
in
> disasters and emergencies, such as the Hurricane Katrina response. She
> pointed to the positive and well-received testimony offered in Congress by
> ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, and ARRL COO Harold Kramer, WJ1B, on ham
> radio's Katrina effort.
>
> Haynie describes spectrum defense as an ongoing and all-encompassing
> activity that doesn't always involve a specific threat such as Little LEO
> satellites or broadband over power line. "It involves our advocating to be
> able to keep what we've got," he said. In his view, that means keeping ham
> radio in prominent view of elected officials as well as of the public at
> large.
>
> "It's by selling what we can do--and not what the League can do but what
you
> can do as members," Haynie observed.
>
> The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) grants to
provide
> Amateur Radio emergency communications training and to help reimburse
> volunteers' out-of-pocket expenses are further evidence of Amateur Radio's
> enhanced visibility, Hobart said.
>
> "It's a matter of official record that this country cannot afford to be
> without Amateur Radio," she asserted. "We have visibility and recognition,
> and it's the ARRL's mission not to let anyone forget what we have done and
> are ready to do, anytime the need arises."
>
> Preparations already are under way for World Radiocommunication Conference
> 2007 (WRC 07), which will consider agenda items that could impact Amateur
> Radio. The ARRL, as the IARU International Secretariat, funds IARU
observers
> as representatives of Amateur Radio at such conferences. While they don't
> have a vote, they can lobby the delegates. The Spectrum Defense Fund
> supports these activities too.
>
> Hobart thanked all who have contributed to the 2006 Spectrum Defense Fund,
> and she urged those who have not yet done so to take the opportunity to
> express their pride in the Amateur Service. "The care and feeding of our
> spectrum begins at home, with contributions from ARRL members," she
> concluded.
>
> Giving is easy. Radio amateurs may contribute online via the ARRL's secure
> donor Web site <https://www.arrl.org/forms/fdefense/fdefense.html>. The
ARRL
> has been included in the 2005 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)
> <http://www.opm.gov/cfc/>. The League's CFC donor code is 9872.
>
> For more information about the 2006 Spectrum Defense Fund or to discuss
> other ways you can support the ARRL's continuing work on behalf of Amateur
> Radio, contact ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH
> <mhobart at arrl.org>; (860-594-0397).
>
> ==>LOST ITEMS USUALLY TURN UP EVENTUALLY ABOARD ISS, ASTRONAUT TELLS
> STUDENTS
>
> International Space Station Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR,
> told middle schoolers in Missouri and elementary schoolers in Japan that
> he's enjoying his stay in space. McArthur spoke November 16 with
youngsters
> at Hermann Middle School near St Louis, and the following day with
students
> at Takatsuki Education Center in Japan. The Amateur Radio on the
> International Space Station (ARISS) program arranged both direct VHF
> contacts. McArthur told one youngster in Missouri that lost items
typically
> turn up sooner or later.
>
> "I haven't lost any tools outside, but I have lost things inside the
> spaceship because it's so big and things float away," said McArthur, a
> veteran of three space walks. "So when they're lost inside, I just wait
and
> always keep an eye out, and eventually I have found almost everything."
>
> McArthur told both groups of students that he did not consider becoming an
> astronaut until he was in the US Army flying helicopters.
>
> In Missouri, some 100 parents, teachers and fellow students were in the
> audience, while the rest of the school was able to monitor the proceedings
> between the school's KC0JYV and NA1SS via the public address system. Two
St
> Louis TV stations also showed up for the occasion. Roy Welch, W0SL, and
Mike
> Koenig, N0PFF, served as the control operators. MSNBC carried live video
of
> the contact.
>
> On November 17, McArthur told youngsters at Takatsuki Education Center
that
> he and crewmate Valery Tokarev will remain aboard the ISS for a total of
182
> days--until next April. He also said he misses his family and friends
while
> orbiting 220 miles above Earth's surface.
>
> "The hardest thing about living in space is not being with your family and
> friends on the earth," McArthur said in answer to one youngster's
question.
> "Fortunately, my crewmate Valery and I are very good friends, and so we
keep
> each other company."
>
> Eighteen questions were asked and answered during the contact between 8N3A
> at Hiyoshidai Elementary School and NA1SS. McArthur explained that size
> matters when it comes to being an astronaut. "We worry most about an
> astronaut being too large," said McArthur, who is 185 cm tall--just over
six
> feet. "An astronaut cannot be any taller than I am and be on the space
> station, and we think maybe being a smaller person helps because then it
> takes less fuel to get you to space."
>
> ARISS-Japan mentor Satoshi Yasuda, 7M3TJZ, said reporters from two TV
> stations and three newspapers covered the event. The control operator was
> Tamotsu Ando, JK3NSD. Some 300 people, including parents, visitors and
news
> media, were on hand for the contact.
>
> ARISS <http://www.rac.ca/ariss> is an international educational outreach,
> with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.
>
> ==>FCC COMMISSIONER ABERNATHY ANNOUNCES HER DEPARTURE
>
> FCC Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy has announced that she will exit
the
> Commission December 9. Her tenure already was set to end when the current
> session of Congress adjourns. Appointed by President George W. Bush to
fill
> an unexpired term, Abernathy, a Republican, has served on the FCC since
May
> 2001 but never was nominated for a full term. In her announcement,
Abernathy
> lauded the FCC's increasing reliance on competition rather than
regulation.
>
> "Our largely market-driven approach to advanced services has helped create
a
> vibrant market for new wired and wireless telecommunications products,"
she
> said, "and our spectrum reform initiatives have improved our ability to
put
> this scarce resource to its most effective use."
>
> In 2003, the ARRL strongly objected to Abernathy's suggestion that
broadband
> over power line (BPL) technology would contribute to what she described as
> "broadband Nirvana." Addressing the United Power Line Council's annual
> conference that year, Abernathy expressed unabashed enthusiasm for BPL and
> recommended a combination of regulatory restraint and the elimination or
> substantial modification of existing rules as steps along the "path to
> Enlightenment."
>
> Earlier this month, President Bush nominated Deborah T. Tate of Tennessee,
a
> Republican, to serve out the remainder of the term of former FCC Chairman
> Michael K. Powell, which expires June 30, 2007. Under current FCC Chairman
> Kevin J. Martin, a Republican who succeeded Powell, the FCC has been
> operating with four members ever since, and it could be down to three if
> Tate is not confirmed by the US Senate before Abernathy's departure.
>
> In addition to her other FCC responsibilities, Abernathy chaired the
> Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service and participated in the
2002
> International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference and
> in World Radiocommunication Conference 2003. She also chaired the 2004 ITU
> Global Symposium for Regulators. Before her appointment to the FCC,
> Abernathy was director for government affairs at BroadBand Office Inc. She
> also previously served as legal advisor to FCC Commissioner Sherrie
Marshall
> and Chairman James Quello.
>
> Martin thanked Abernathy for her "dedicated service" on the FCC and wished
> her well. "I have enjoyed working with Commissioner Abernathy since we
> joined the Commission together over four years ago," he said. "She has
made
> valuable contributions to the agency during her tenure, and we have all
> benefited from her extensive knowledge of the communications industry."
>
> The White House this month also reappointed Commissioner Michael J. Copps,
a
> Democrat, for a new five-year term, starting last July 1. That appointment
> also is subject to Senate confirmation.
>
> ==>ARRL-NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SKYWARN RECOGNITION DAY IS DECEMBER 3
>
> The seventh annual SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD)
<http://hamradio.noaa.gov/>
> special event will take place Saturday, December 3, from 0000 until 2400
UTC
> (ie, starting Friday, December 2 in US time zones). Cosponsored by the
> National Weather Service (NWS) and ARRL, SKYWARN Recognition Day is the
> Weather Service's way of expressing its appreciation to Amateur Radio
> operators for their commitment to helping keep communities safe. During
this
> 24-hour special event, teams of radio amateurs set up stations at local
NWS
> offices to contact other hams across the US and around the world.
>
> "Ham radio operators volunteering as storm spotters are an extremely
> valuable asset to National Weather Service operations since they are
> cross-trained in both communications and severe storm recognition," says
SRD
> organizer Scott Mentzer, N0QE, the Meteorologist-In-Charge at the
Goodland,
> Kansas, NWS office, home of WX0GLD.
>
> Last year, 114 NWS offices participated in SRD, logging more than 15,000
> QSOs during the 24-hour event, says David Floyd, N5DBZ, the Warning
> Coordination Meteorologist at Goodland. The object is for amateur stations
> to exchange QSO information with as many NWS stations as possible on 80,
40,
> 20, 15, 10, 6 and 2 meters, and 70 cm. Contacts via repeaters and Voice
over
> Internet Protocol (VoIP) modes, such as EchoLink and IRLP also welcome.
>
> Operators exchange call sign, signal report, QTH, and a one or two word
> description of their weather, such as "sunny," "partly cloudy," "windy,"
> etc.
>
> According to Floyd, in typical SKYWARN operations during severe weather,
> direct communication between mobile spotters and local NWS offices
provides
> critical "ground truth" information for forecasters. "Spotter reports of
> hail size, wind damage and surface-based rotation in real time greatly
> assist the radar warning operator, since that information can be
correlated
> with Doppler radar displays," he says. The result may be a more strongly
> worded statement to convey greater urgency or issue a tornado warning a
few
> minutes earlier than would otherwise have been possible.
>
> "While NWS offices utilize the real-time reporting of severe weather
events
> to assist in warning operations, hurricanes Katrina and Rita have shown us
> that ham radio operators are equally important during the recovery phase
of
> natural disasters," Floyd points out.
>
> Floyd also cites the example of the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on 14.325
MHz.
> He notes that the HWN, which organized in 1965 during Hurricane Betsy,
> started out as an informal group of amateurs but has since developed a
more
> formal relationship with the National Hurricane Center in Miami via its
> Amateur Radio station WX4NHC (formerly W4EHW). HWN ham radio members and
> volunteers at WX4NHC work together when hurricanes threaten to provide
> real-time weather data and damage reports to NHC forecasters.
>
> So far, some 75 NWS offices in the US are planning to participate along
with
> the Prairie Storm Prediction Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. An
> official EchoLink/Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP) reflector is
> expected to be available for use during SRD.
>
> An 8.5 x 11-inch certificate is available in exchange for a
self-addressed,
> stamped envelope with a list of NWS stations worked. Address requests to
> SKYWARN Recognition Day, 920 Armory Rd, Goodland, KS 67735. Separate
> stations also will issue individual QSL cards. For more information,
contact
> Matthew Mehle, KC0TER <matthew.mehle at noaa.gov>.
>
> ==>WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS, DELAWARE TO GET NEW SECTION MANAGERS
>
> New Section Managers start January 1 in the ARRL Western Massachusetts and
> Delaware sections. Ballots were counted and verified November 22 at ARRL
> Headquarters in the Western Massachusetts election--the only contested
race
> in the current election cycle. The sole SM candidate in Delaware and
> incumbents in several other ARRL sections ran unopposed and have been
> declared elected.
>
> In Western Massachusetts Ed Emco, W1KT, of Worcester, will take over the
> reins from incumbent SM William "Bill" Voedisch Jr, W1UD. Emco outpolled
> Voedisch 187 to 120 votes. A radio amateur since age 13, Emco has been
> active as an ARRL Official Observer, Official Emergency Station, and
> Assistant Emergency Coordinator. He's involved in ARES, RACES and SKYWARN
> and is a member of the Worcester Emergency Communications Team (WECT).
Emco
> also enjoys contesting, DXing and is a member of the Yankee Clipper
Contest
> Club. Voedisch has been Western Massachusetts SM since 1996. He served
> previously as SM in 1988 and 1989.
>
> In Delaware, Frank T. Filipkowski Jr, AD3M, of Wilmington, was the only
> nominee to succeed current SM Randall Carlson, WB0JJX, who decided not to
> run for another term. Carlson has served in the Section's top leadership
> post since December 1992. A native of Delaware, Filipkowski has been
> licensed since 1968. Trained in all three levels of the ARRL Amateur Radio
> Emergency Communications Course, Filipkowski is an ARES and National
Weather
> Service SKYWARN volunteer.
>
> Incumbent SMs were unchallenged for new terms in eight other ARRL
sections.
> They are Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, Alabama; David Stevens, KL7EB, Alaska;
> Ti-Michelle Connelly, NJ6T, East Bay; Ron Cowan, KB0DTI, Kansas; Dale
> Williams, WA8EFK, Michigan; Bill Weatherford, KM5FT, New Mexico; Robert
> Griffin, K6YR, Santa Barbara, and Larry Marshall, WB4NCW, Tennessee.
>
> Two-year terms of office for all successful candidates begin January 1,
> 2006.
>
> ==>INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN AWARD NOMINATION DEADLINE LOOMS
>
> Nominations close December 31 for the 2005 ARRL International Humanitarian
> Award. The award honors an amateur or amateur group devoted to promoting
> human welfare, peace and international understanding through Amateur
Radio.
> The annual prize recognizes Amateur Radio operators who have used ham
radio
> in the US or abroad to provide extraordinary service to others in times of
> crisis or disaster.
>
> A committee appointed by League President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, will
recommend
> an award recipient to the ARRL Board of Directors, which will make the
final
> selection. The committee invites nominations from Amateur Radio,
> governmental or other organizations that have benefited from extraordinary
> service rendered by an Amateur Radio operator or group.
>
> Nominations must include a summary of the nominee's actions that qualify
the
> individual or group for this award plus verifying statements from at least
> two individuals having firsthand knowledge of the events warranting the
> nomination. These statements may be from an official of a group (for
> example, the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, a local or state
> emergency management official) that benefited from the nominee's
particular
> Amateur Radio contribution. Nominations should include the names and
> addresses of all references.
>
> All nominations and supporting materials for the 2005 ARRL International
> Humanitarian Award must be submitted in writing in English to ARRL
> International Humanitarian Award, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111 USA.
>
> The award recipient receives an engraved plaque and is profiled in QST and
> other ARRL venues. Complete information on how to nominate is available on
> the ARRL Web site
> <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/awards/humanitarian.html>.
>
> ==>SOLAR UPDATE
>
> Solar sage Tad "Gobble Gobble!" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports:
> Geomagnetic indicators, the A and K indices, have remained low. This is
good
> for HF propagation, and, with low sunspot numbers lowering the MUF
(maximum
> usable frequency), perfect for long-range communication on 160 and 80
> meters.
> Average sunspot numbers in the six days since the last bulletin were
> 50.3--nearly 30 points above the average reported in the previous report.
> The daily solar flux went just above 100 on November 17-19, the days when
> large Sunspot 822 was passing across the center of the visible solar disk
> and exerting maximum influence.
>
> Solar flux is expected to decline over the next week. Predicted solar flux
> over the next few days is 95, 90 and 85 for November 23-25, and 80 through
> the end of the month. Geomagnetic numbers (and disturbances) are expected
to
> remain low. Expect a mid-latitude K index of 3 or less and an A index at
10
> or lower until the end of the month, when we may see higher geomagnetic
> activity around November 30 to December 1.
>
> Because this report is early, the sunspot data that normally appear each
> week will be included in a separate bulletin Monday, November 28.
>
> __________________________________
>
> ==>IN BRIEF:
>
> * This weekend on the radio: The CQ World Wide DX Contest (CW) is the
> weekend of November 26-27. JUST AHEAD: The ARRL 160-Meter Contest, the
TARA
> RTTY Melee and the Wake-Up! QRP Sprint are the weekend of December 3-4.
The
> ARRL 10-Meter Contest is the weekend of December 10-11. 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, December 4, for these ARRL
> Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) Program on-line courses:
> Emergency Communications Level 2 (EC-002), Emergency Communications Level
3
> (EC-003), Antenna Modeling (EC-004), VHF/UHF Beyond the Repeater (EC-008),
> and Propagation (EC-011), HF Digital Communications (EC-005) Classes begin
> Friday, December 16. 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>.
>
> * Dave Patton, NN1N, to head ARRL Field and Educational Services: ARRL COO
> Harold Kramer, WJ1B, has announced the appointment of Dave Patton, NN1N,
as
> manager of ARRL Field and Educational Services, effective November 21.
"Dave
> has been serving as acting head of this department since September, during
> which he led that department through the Katrina disaster relief efforts,"
> Kramer noted in his announcement. A member of the ARRL Headquarters staff
> since 1999, Patton previously served as special assistant to ARRL CEO
David
> Sumner, K1ZZ. He also has been a key figure in the rollout of the League's
> successful Logbook of the World (LoTW) project. He holds bachelor's and
> master's degrees in geography from Western Illinois University. Prior to
> attending college he served as a Navy radioman. A nearly lifelong,
> enthusiastic, and dedicated radio amateur, Patton was first licensed as
> WD9DCL in 1977 at age 12 and has held quite a long list of call signs
since
> then--most recently W9QA and NT1N. As head of Field and Educational
> Services, Patton succeeds Rosalie White, K1STO, who departed ARRL
> Headquarters earlier this year.
>
> * Alabama club commended for Katrina response role: ARRL Alabama Section
> Manager Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, has commended the Montgomery Amateur Radio
Club
> for its assistance during the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. During the
> club's recent hamfest November 12, Sarratt presented club officials with
two
> awards--the ARRL Public Service Commendation and the ARRL Emergency
> Communications Commendation. Accepting the honors on the club's behalf
were
> MARC president Scott Pool, W4SPA, and vice president Rick Seeders, KG4PNL.
> "The Montgomery ARC provided superb help and public service for over a
month
> during the Hurricane Katrina relief effort," said Sarratt, noting that the
> club's W4AP call sign was used for the ham station set up at the American
> Red Cross and ARRL marshaling center in Montgomery that handled intake for
> Gulf Coast-bound ham radio and Red Cross volunteers. "Over two dozen local
> amateurs helped in various capacities during the 37 days we were set up in
> Montgomery."
>
> * Former ARRL HQ staffer Paul R. Shafer, KB1BE, SK: Former ARRL
Headquarters
> staff member Paul Shafer, KB1BE, of Bloomfield, Connecticut, died November
> 9. He was 81. Shafer worked at Headquarters for 12 years, starting out in
> 1983 as a DXCC aide. His service ended in 1995, when he was a DXCC
> assistant. A graduate of Temple University, Shafer was a professional
> photographer for most of his working years. While working for the Hartford
> Courant, Shafer contributed to the coverage of the tragic July 6, 1944,
> Hartford Circus Fire. During 1950s and 1960s, Shafer was in high demand as
a
> wedding photographer, and in recent years, he worked high school sporting
> events and occasionally took photographs for the ARRL and assisted with
> League projects. An ARRL member, Shafer had achieved DXCC Honor Roll and
> 7-Band DXCC. He belonged to the Connecticut DX Association, served as the
> organization's first vice president in 1983 and was on the CTDXA Board at
> the time of his death. In addition to Amateur Radio, he enjoyed
competitive
> pistol target shooting. A service was held November 20. The family invites
> memorial contributions to the Hartford Art School of the University of
> Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave, W Hartford, CT 06117 to fund photography
> scholarships.
>
> * "Silent Key" submission guidelines: The ARRL accepts notifications
> regarding the deaths of radio amateurs or former radio amateurs (if the
> reporting individual can provide proof of past licensure, including call
> sign) for possible inclusion in the QST "Silent Keys" listing. Actual
> published obituaries or copies of death certificates are the preferred
means
> of notification but are not absolutely necessary. The League also will
> accept notifications from family members or friends of the deceased or
from
> other amateurs. The following information is required: name, call sign (or
> formerly held call sign) and last known address of the deceased radio
> amateur. Current or past ARRL membership is *not* a requirement for
> inclusion in QST "Silent Keys." Individuals reporting the Silent Key
should
> provide name, address and call sign (if any). Mail, fax (860-594-0303) or
> e-mail information to Silent Key Administrator Kathy Capodicasa, N1GZO,
> <kcapodicasa at arrl.org>. Allow up to two weeks for acknowledgement via
> e-mail.
>
> ===========================================================
> 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.


> ==>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
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> 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.)