[South Florida DX Association] Fw: The ARRL Letter, Vol 27, No 12 (Friday, March 28, 2008)

[K2EWB]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ARRL Letter Mailing List" <letter-dlvy at arrl.org>
To: <k2ewb at comcast.net>
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 11:26 AM
Subject: The ARRL Letter, Vol 27, No 12 (Friday, March 28, 2008)


> ***************
> The ARRL Letter
> Vol. 27, No. 12
> March 28, 2008
> ***************
> 
> IN THIS EDITION:
> 
> * + ARRL EXPO Revving Up for the 2008 Dayton Hamvention 
> * + W1AW to Celebrate World Amateur Radio Day as NU1AW 
> * + W1AW Endowment Fund Drive 
> * + Two New Instructors Join the Teachers Institute Team 
> * + FCC Fines Colorado Company for Selling "Non-Certified Citizens Band
> (CB) Transceivers" 
> * + Merle Glunt, W3OKN (SK) 
> * + ARRL President Appointed to Arkansas State Board 
> *  Solar Update 
> *  IN BRIEF: 
>      This Weekend on the Radio 
>      ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration 
>    + "Hints and Kinks" 
>      Communications Academy Set for April 
>      Notes from the DXCC Desk 
>      Corrections and Clarifications 
> 
> +Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> 
> 
> ===========================================================
> ==>Delivery problems: First see FAQ
> <http://www.arrl.org/members-only/faq.html#nodelivery>, then e-mail
> <letter-dlvy at arrl.org>
> ==>Editorial questions or comments only: S. Khrystyne Keane,
> <k1sfa at arrl.org>
> ===========================================================
> 
> ==> ARRL EXPO REVVING UP FOR THE 2008 DAYTON HAMVENTION 
> 
> ARRL EXPO Coordinator Katie Breen, W1KRB, tells that plans for the ARRL
> EXPO <http://www.arrl.org/expo> at this year's Dayton Hamvention
> <http://www.hamvention.org> are coming together nicely. "Our current
> focus is on the new look and feel of our space. In past Hamventions,
> Forum Room 5 was located adjacent to the ARRL space. It is now moving to
> the Silver Arena, giving us more room and the opportunity to spread out
> a bit and do more creative things inside the EXPO."
> 
> Breen said that the ARRL EXPO team is looking at expanding the Field
> Services area to accommodate more programs and activities, including a
> larger meet-and-greet area for members to visit with ARRL President Joel
> Harrison, W5ZN, as well as the many other League officials and staff who
> will be on hand to answer any questions.
> 
> "The Field Services area will boast a large interactive display devoted
> to Logbook of the World <http://www.arrl.org/lotw> for real time
> demonstrations, as well as a question-and-answer session with ARRL Web
> and Software Development Manager and LoTW developer Jon Bloom, KE3Z,"
> Breen added.
> 
> Personnel from the ARRL DXCC Branch will be on hand to check DX cards
> and applications for all ARRL awards; JARL personnel will check cards
> and applications for JARL awards. All cards, including old cards, cards
> from deleted countries and cards for 160 meters, will be eligible for
> checking. Applications will be limited to 120 cards; more cards will be
> checked as time and volunteer Card Checkers are available. See the DXCC
> Web site <http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc> for the latest program
> information and current forms. 
> 
> The ARRL Bookstore and Membership area will continue to buzz with
> activity, particularly with all of the new publications and products
> being offered this year. QST Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, will be on hand
> to sign your new copy of "ARRL's VHF Digital Handbook." QST Contributing
> Editor and author of the popular QST column "Hands-On Radio" H. Ward
> Silver, N0AX, will also be available to sign copies of his latest book,
> "ARRL's Hands-on Radio Experiments." The new desktop and pocket-sized
> versions of the "ARRL Repeater Directory" are sure to be a hit with
> their new handy indexing tabs on the cover, easier-to-read listings and
> "Key to Repeater Notes" located right up front.
> 
> Visit the Dayton Hamvention Web site
> <http://www.hamvention.org/hv2008/tickets/tickets.html> to buy tickets
> at the discounted rate. Hotel rooms are filling up, so don't think twice
> -- if you've always wanted to attend Hamvention and have never had the
> chance, make this year your year to go. Hotels in the Dayton area can be
> found at the Dayton Montgomery County Convention and Visitors Bureau Web
> site <http://www.daytoncvb.com/accommodations/>. Keep updated with ARRL
> EXPO activities on the ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/expo>. 
> 
> ==> W1AW TO CELEBRATE WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY AS NU1AW 
> 
> Each year on the anniversary of its founding, April 18, the
> International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) marks World Amateur Radio Day
> <http://www.iaru.org/rel030418.html>. On this, the 83rd anniversary of
> its inaugural meeting in Paris, the IARU dedicates World Amateur Radio
> Day to the radio amateurs, educators and administrators who use Amateur
> Radio to support technology education in the classroom.
> 
> To call attention to the occasion in advance, ARRL staffers will be
> activating W1AW in the CQ WPX SSB Contest <http://www.cqwpx.com> this
> weekend (March 29-30) using the IARU club call sign NU1AW. By
> celebrating the event, staffers hope to provide an opportunity for hams
> worldwide to put NU1AW in their logs, chase the WPX award
> <http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/cqworldwidewpxawards.html> and learn
> about HF propagation as the world turns through day and night not once,
> but twice! Springtime propagation near the equinox is enhanced on the HF
> bands, even during the Solar Cycle minimum, so it's worth taking a
> listen even if the HF bands have been quiet lately.
> 
> This year's theme for World Amateur Radio Day is "Amateur Radio: A
> Foundation of Technical Knowledge." What better way to express the theme
> than by engaging in one of the largest international radiosporting
> events. ARRL Contest Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, said, "If you
> haven't tried HF contesting or the WPX contest, the general format is to
> exchange a signal report (a simple '59' will do nicely) and a serial
> number (the number of the contact in the contest for you). The contest
> Web site spells out the way to compute your score, but the fun of this
> contest is to contact as many different prefixes as possible. For
> example, NU1AW counts as the NU1 prefix and KX9X counts as KX9. If
> you're new to HF, your prefix might be one sought after by those calling
> CQ! The WPX contest also features a 'Rookie' category for new radiosport
> folk, so be sure to send in your log as described by the rules -- it's
> easy!"
> 
> World Amateur Radio Day is also an opportunity for publicizing Amateur
> Radio to the interested public that may not be familiar with ham radio
> activities. Radiosport is an excellent way to introduce our service to
> teachers and students, as well. Competitive activities are an important
> focus for students to take the opportunity to ask questions about how
> signals get "from here to there" while watching hams make rapid-fire
> contacts around the world or even making a contact or two themselves,
> Kutzko said. 
> 
> "NU1AW is not expected to be seriously competitive in the event," Kutzko
> explained, "but will make every attempt to be on the air as propagation
> warrants, so we hope to hear you marking the day and making World
> Amateur Radio Day a part of your springtime ham radio operation." 
> 
> ==> W1AW ENDOWMENT FUND DRIVE 
> 
> It's an unimposing brick building, sitting on a small knoll in a
> residential area, yet not out of place. Accented with unique detail, the
> architecture of the building sets it back in time and apart from its
> surroundings. Round windows grace the end walls of the rectangular
> building and a formal entrance, reserved for special occasions, lies at
> the top of steps leading down to Main Street in Newington, Connecticut. 
> 
> This simple and graceful building represents far more history and
> accomplishment than most passersby would imagine. Cross the threshold
> and you enter another world, one in which the magic of radio
> communication has spanned several generations. You can feel the spirit
> of Hiram Percy Maxim, whose "Old Betsy" rotary spark gap transmitter
> graces the vestibule. You can almost see HPM sitting at his desk in the
> era of Amateur Radio when sparks flew and each contact was a rare event.
> And his spirit of adventure and experimentation -- and above all,
> service -- is still alive at W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial
> station. 
> 
> The days and nights spent at W1AW by generations of ham radio operators
> have paved the way for all amateurs. They have left their mark and we
> are bound to continue the traditions that define our history. While we
> celebrate that history, W1AW embodies so much more. Through its round
> windows you can glimpse the future as well as the past.
> 
> Today, W1AW is a showcase for an Amateur Radio Service with capabilities
> that surpass what HPM, with one of the most imaginative minds of his
> generation, could have envisioned. A vintage AM station sits gracefully
> alongside D-STAR and other advanced digital technologies. A matrix of
> antenna connections and a wall of transceivers and amplifiers for nearly
> every band bring daily bulletins and Morse code practice to every corner
> of the country and the world. The guest operating suites showcase the
> most up-to-date equipment. 
> 
> W1AW has come a long way since his Old Betsy ionized the air with every
> dit and dah from Hiram Percy Maxim's fist! He would be glad to see the
> station that W1AW has become. In recent years, since the ARRL launched
> the W1AW Endowment Fund, the station has been modernized without
> sacrificing its character and history. Income from the Endowment Fund
> has contributed to the replacement of aging equipment and antennas. New
> band pass filters, computers and cables have been installed.
> 
> The ARRL is continuing to build the permanent fund -- The W1AW Endowment
> Fund -- to cover W1AW annual operations and capital needs. The next
> steps to improve the station will be to upgrade software and continue to
> replace equipment that is at or near the end of its reliable service. In
> 2008, new transceivers and amplifiers in the three operating suites will
> be installed to enhance your experience when you visit and contact hams
> back home, or even when you work W1AW from your own shack. 
> 
> ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, said, "Your financial
> commitment in 2008 will help ARRL maintain W1AW as America's Amateur
> Radio station. Your generosity will send a strong message that you honor
> the history of W1AW and are committed to a bright future for W1AW as the
> heart of our service. ARRL will use your contribution to build a fund to
> ensure that the flagship station, W1AW, will continue to represent the
> best of all of us. If you haven't visited ARRL and W1AW recently, I hope
> you'll plan a trip to Newington and arrange to operate W1AW and see for
> yourself the magical role that W1AW plays for Amateur Radio." 
> 
> If you you'd like to discuss your giving plans, please call the
> Development Office at 860-594-0397 or contact ARRL Development Director
> Mary Hobart, K1MMH, via e-mail <k1mmh at arrl.org>. 
> 
> ==> TWO NEW INSTRUCTORS JOIN THE TEACHERS INSTITUTE TEAM 
> 
> The ARRL is pleased to announce the addition of two new instructors to
> the ARRL Teachers Institute staff this year. "For the first time this
> year, the ARRL Teachers Institute
> <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/tbp/ti.html> will offer 72 teachers the
> opportunity to explore and experience wireless technology basics,
> teaching of basic electronic concepts integral to micro controllers and
> robotics, bringing space technology into the classroom, radio astronomy
> basics, building a radio telescope, building and programming a robot and
> more," said ARRL Education Services Manager Debra Johnson, K1DMJ. "In
> past years, Mark Spencer, WA8SME, taught each course, but this year, he
> will have a little help." In past years, the ARRL Teachers Institute was
> limited to 48 teachers.
> 
> Miguel Enriquez, KD7RPP, was first licensed as a Novice in 1976 and
> learned about electronics by building a Heathkit; he upgraded to an
> Amateur Extra class license in 2002. Enriquez teaches mathematics,
> statistics and psychology at Pueblo High School in Tucson, Arizona, and
> has 10 years of experience teaching at the community college and
> university levels. In 2005, Enriquez established an Amateur Radio club
> at Pueblo High School. Through donations of equipment and support from
> individuals and ARRL, the club grew to 26 members and five licensed
> students exploring satellite communications, ATV, robotics, HF, EchoLink
> and weather satellite imagery. 
> 
> Nathan McCray, K9CPO, is a sixth grade teacher at East Elementary School
> in Zion, Illinois where he has integrated Amateur Radio, electronics and
> robotics into the his science and math curriculum. McCray's knowledge
> areas include electronics, computer programming, communications, Amateur
> Radio, computer systems, leadership and teaching. His background
> includes instruction at the community college level, as well experience
> as a senior instructor at a US Navy technical school. McCray has been
> licensed for 24 years and holds an Amateur Extra class license. 
> 
> Enriquez and McCray will each co-teach a Teachers Institute session this
> summer with lead instructor Mark Spencer WA8SME. They are expected to
> take on lead instruction responsibilities in 2009. Six Teachers
> Institute sessions will be offered in 2008: April 7-10, Tampa, Florida,
> Museum of Science & Industry; June 16-19, Rocklin, California, Parallax
> Facility; June 25-28, Tucson, Arizona, Pueblo Magnet High School; July
> 14-17, Dayton, Ohio, P&R Communications; July 28-31 and August 4-7,
> Newington, Connecticut, ARRL Headquarters. 
> 
> ==> FCC FINES COLORADO COMPANY FOR SELLING "NON-CERTIFIED CITIZENS BAND
> (CB) TRANSCEIVERS"
> 
> On Friday, March 21, the FCC released a "Forfeiture Order"
> <http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-08-597A1.pdf> in
> the amount of $7000 to CB Shop and More in Loveland, Colorado for
> "willful and repeated violations of Section 302(b) of the Communications
> Act of 1934, as amended (Act), and Section 2.803(a)(1) of the
> Commission's Rules." According to the FCC, CB Shop and More was selling
> a "non-certified Citizens Band ('CB') transceiver." According to the
> Forfeiture Order, the CB Shop and More has been in the Commission's
> sights since at least 2002.
> 
> Section 302(b) of the Act states: "No person shall manufacture, import,
> sell, offer for sale, or ship devices or home electronic equipment and
> systems, or use devices, which fail to comply with regulations
> promulgated pursuant to this section." Section 2.803(a)(1) reads that
> "Except as provided elsewhere in this section, no person shall sell or
> lease, or offer for sale or lease (including advertising for sale or
> lease), or import, ship, or distribute for the purpose of selling or
> leasing or offering for sale or lease, any radio frequency device unless
> in the case of a device subject to certification such device has been
> authorized by the Commission." 
> 
> On January 26, 2007, and March 8, 2007, the Denver Office received
> complaints alleging that CB Shop and More was selling non-certified CB
> transmitters and modified 10 meter band radios. On March 30, 2007, the
> Denver agents again visited CB Shop and More and noted that one of the
> CB transceivers offered for sale was a Galaxy Model DX99V and asked if
> they could purchase the transceiver. "The Denver agents subsequently
> identified themselves as FCC agents, and proceeded to interview the
> owner of the CB Shop. The owner acknowledged that he once received a
> Citation from the FCC, but he thought it was still legal for them to
> sell the referenced CB transceivers."
> 
> On August 28, 2007, the Denver Office issued a "Notice of Apparent
> Liability" (NAL) in the amount of $7000 to CB Shop and More. In the
> "NAL," the Denver Office found that CB Shop and More "apparently
> willfully and repeatedly violated Section 302(b) of the Act, and Section
> 2.803(a)(1) of the Rules by offering for sale a non-certified CB
> transceiver." CB Shop and More filed a response on September 17, 2007
> (Response). In its "Response," CB Shop argued that "Galaxy Model DX99V
> does not require certification by the Commission because it is not a CB
> transceiver." Consequently, CB Shop and More argued that the forfeiture
> should be cancelled.
> 
> According to the FCC, the proposed forfeiture amount in this case was
> assessed in accordance with Section 503(b) of the Act, Section 1.80 of
> the Rules and "The Commission's Forfeiture Policy Statement and
> Amendment of Section 1.80 of the Rules to Incorporate the Forfeiture
> Guidelines." In examining CB Store and More's "Response," Section 503(b)
> of the Act requires that "the Commission take into account the nature,
> circumstances, extent and gravity of the violation and, with respect to
> the violator, the degree of culpability, any history of prior offenses,
> ability to pay, and other such matters as justice may require."
> 
> CB radio transceivers are subject to the equipment certification process
> and must be certified and properly labeled prior to being marketed or
> sold in the United States. Unlike CB radio transceivers, radio
> transmitting equipment that transmits solely on Amateur Radio Service
> frequencies is not subject to equipment authorization requirements prior
> to manufacture or marketing; however, some radio transmitters that
> transmit in a portion of the 10 meter band of the Amateur Radio Service
> (28.000-29.700 MHz) are equipped with rotary, toggle or pushbutton
> switches mounted externally on the unit, allowing operation in the CB
> bands after completion of minor and trivial internal modifications to
> the equipment.
> 
> To address these radios, the Commission adopted changes to the CB-type
> acceptance requirements by defining a CB transmitter as "a transmitter
> that operates or is intended to operate at a station authorized in the
> CB." Section 95.655(a) of the Rules also states that "no transmitter
> will be certificated for use in the CB service if it is equipped with a
> frequency capability not listed in Section 95.625 of the Rules" (CB
> transmitter channel frequencies). Also, the Commission's Office of
> General Counsel released a letter on the importation and marketing of
> Amateur Radio transmitters, clarifying that transmitters that "have a
> built-in capacity to operate on CB frequencies and can easily be altered
> to activate that capacity, such as by moving or removing a jumper plug
> or cutting a single wire" fall within the definition of a CB transmitter
> under Section 95.603(c) of the Rules and therefore require certification
> prior to marketing or importation. The Commission's Office of
> Engineering and Technology "evaluated Galaxy Model DX99V here and
> determined that it could easily be altered for use as a CB transceiver."
> 
> The FCC examined CB Shop and More's Response to the NAL "pursuant to the
> statutory factors above," and in conjunction with the Forfeiture Policy
> Statement. As a result of the review, the Commission concluded that CB
> Shop and More "willfully and repeatedly violated Section 302(b) of the
> Act, and Section 2.803(a)(1) of the Rules. Considering the entire record
> and the factors listed above, we find that neither reduction nor
> cancellation of the proposed $7,000 forfeiture is warranted." The
> Commission ordered that, pursuant to Section 503(b) of the Act and
> Sections 0.111, 0.311 and 1.80(f)(4) of the Commission's Rules, "CB Shop
> and More is liable for a monetary forfeiture in the amount of $7,000 for
> willfully and repeatedly violating Section 302(b) of the Act, and
> Section 2.803(a)(1) of the Rules."
> 
> ==> MERLE GLUNT, W3OKN (SK) 
> 
> Merle Glunt, W3OKN, of Mount Union, Pennsylvania, passed away March 16.
> He was 90. Glunt served as the ARRL consultant for the World
> Administrative Radio Conference 1979 (WARC-79), and through years of
> hard work, was instrumental in gaining the 12, 17 and 30 meter bands for
> the Amateur Service. 
> 
> During World War II, Glunt was the senior radio intercept analyst in the
> Radio Intelligence Division of the Federal Communications Commission,
> specializing in worldwide German espionage radio communications and
> Philippine guerrilla radio circuits. He served as the FCC Radio
> Intelligence Division (RID) liaison with the Office of Strategic
> Services (now the CIA) and the British Security Coordination. After the
> war, he was in charge of US Naval communications security surveillance
> and traffic analysis. He was a member on the US Navy task force charged
> with the creation of the Armed Force Security Agency (now the National
> Security Agency). 
> 
> Returning to the FCC during the Korean conflict, Glunt later held such
> positions as Chief of the Treaty Branch and Assistant Chief Engineer,
> responsible for the Frequency Allocation and Treaty Division and
> International and Operations Division. He was active in US preparation
> for various national and international telecommunications conferences,
> serving frequently as a US spokesman at NATO and the International
> Telecommunication Union (ITU), and international conferences in Canada,
> Great Britain, Spain and Brazil. As a consequence, Glunt served as a
> member of US delegations that were responsible for the development of
> international radio terms and definitions, the Maritime Mobile and
> Amateur Radio Services rules and regulations. Sponsored by the Agency
> for International Development (USAID), he organized and participated in
> a two-man team of experts, at the request of the prime minister of
> Thailand, to study and make recommendations to reorganize the Thailand
> Radio Communications Activity to facilitate communications in that area
> during the Korean conflict. 
> 
> ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, remembered Glunt "as a
> key figure in gaining allocations at 10, 18 and 24 MHz for the Amateur
> Service at the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79).
> Anyone who ever operated on what we used to call the 'WARC bands' owes
> Merle a great debt. In 1973, as Assistant Chief Engineer of the FCC,
> Merle participated in a four-member study group that developed a report
> demonstrating the desirability of these amateur allocations. After
> retiring from the FCC, Merle became a consultant to the ARRL and was the
> most regular and most visible ARRL presence at dozens of Washington
> meetings during domestic preparations for WARC-79. He earned a position
> on the US delegation to the conference in Geneva specifically to
> represent the Amateur Services, and he did so with great skill and
> professionalism. It was my good fortune to have Merle as a mentor." 
> 
> Richard L. Baldwin, W1RU, ARRL General Manager at the time of WARC-79,
> said, "Merle believed that there was no limit to what you could
> accomplish so long as you didn't worry about who got the credit for it
> and Merle lived that philosophy. As a member of the FCC staff, as a
> participant in many ITU meetings, as an advisor to ARRL and IARU, Merle
> was influential in organizing quiet and effective support for the
> Amateur Service. Those of us who worked with Merle know what a privilege
> it was to benefit from his expertise. Speaking personally, Merle was a
> good friend for many, many years and I shall miss him." 
> 
> Glunt was a Life Member of the ARRL, the Quarter Century Wireless
> Association, the Radio Intelligence Division Association, the Old Old
> Timers Club, the Society of Wireless Pioneers and the Veterans Wireless
> Operators Association. Also active in the National Traffic System, he
> was also a member of the FISTS CW Club, the Association of Former
> Intelligence Officers, the US Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association and
> the US Naval Institute. 
> 
> A funeral service was held March 21. Memorial contributions in
> remembrance of Merle Glunt may be given to the Home Nursing Agency, 900
> Bryan St, Huntingdon, PA 16652 or to the American Cancer Society, 10955
> Raystown Rd, Ste B, Huntingdon, PA 16652.
> 
> ==> ARRL PRESIDENT APPOINTED TO ARKANSAS STATE BOARD
> 
> Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe has appointed ARRL President Joel Harrison,
> W5ZN, to a four year term on the Board of Directors of the Arkansas
> Science & Technology Authority
> <http://www.asta.arkansas.gov/index.html>. Harrison's appointment was
> approved by the Arkansas Senate. "It's an honor to be appointed by
> Governor Beebe to serve the people of Arkansas in this area that
> recognizes not only my professional accomplishments, but those related
> to Amateur Radio as well," Harrison said. The Arkansas Science &
> Technology Authority was created by statute in 1983 with the mission to
> bring the benefits of science and advanced technology to the people and
> state of Arkansas. This mission is addressed by strategies to promote
> scientific research, technology development, business innovation, and
> math, science and engineering education.
> 
> ==>SOLAR UPDATE
> 
> Tad "How the March Sun feels like May!" Cook, K7RA, this week reports:
> It is exciting to see heightened solar activity one week into spring.
> Currently, three sunspots are visible: 987, 988 and 989. The consensus
> says that all seem to be old Solar Cycle 23 spots. But with the three
> sunspot groups so close to the Sun's equator, it is hard to tell for
> certain. We know that Cycle 24 spots should have magnetic polarity
> opposing the magnetic signature of Cycle 23 sunspots, but this is also
> true for sunspots below the equator relative to sunspots above. Average
> sunspot numbers for the reporting week (Thursday through Wednesday) rose
> more than 18 points from the previous week, to 23.4. The average daily
> solar flux was up nearly six points to 75.4. The average geomagnetic
> indicators were unchanged, but this is because they fell from the start
> of last week and rose this week. Sunspot numbers for March 20 through 26
> were 0, 0, 0, 14, 35, 52 and 63 with a mean of 23.4. The 10.7 cm flux
> was 68.4, 68.2, 69.6, 72, 79.4, 88.6, and 81.6 with a mean of 75.4.
> Estimated planetary A indices were 8, 5, 5, 8, 4, 4 and 27 with a mean
> of 8.7. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 7, 4, 4, 7, 2, 3 and 16
> with a mean of 6.1. For more information concerning radio propagation,
> visit the ARRL Technical Information Service Propagation page
> <http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>. To read this week's
> Solar Report in its entirety, check out the W1AW Propagation Bulletin
> page <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/>. This week's "Tad Cookism" brought
> to you courtesy of Robert Browning. 
> 
> __________________________________
> 
> ==>IN BRIEF:
> 
> * This Weekend on the Radio: This weekend, another running of the NCCC
> Sprint is on March 28. The CQ WW WPX Contest (SSB) is March 29-30. Next
> weekend, look for the YLRL DX-YL to NA-YL Contest (CW) on April 4-6. The
> SP DX Contest, the EA RTTY Contest, the QCWA Spring QSO Party, the
> Missouri QSO Party and the Yuri Gagarin International DX Contest are all
> on April 5-6. The RSGB RoPoCo 1 is April 6, the RSGB 80 Meter Club
> Championship (CW) is April 7, the ARS Spartan Sprint is April 8 and the
> NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint is April 9. See the ARRL Contest Branch
> page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/>, the ARRL Contester's Rate Sheet
> <http://www.arrl.org/contests/rate-sheet/> and the WA7BNM Contest
> Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more
> info.
> 
> * ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration: Registration remains
> open through Sunday, April 6, 2008, for these online course sessions
> beginning on Friday, April 18, 2008: Amateur Radio Emergency
> Communications Level 2 (EC-002); Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
> Level 3 (EC-003R2); Antenna Modeling (EC-004); HF Digital Communications
> (EC-005); VHF/UHF -- Life Beyond the Repeater (EC-008), and Radio
> Frequency Propagation (EC-011). Each online course has been developed in
> segments -- learning units with objectives, informative text, student
> activities and quizzes. Courses are interactive, and some include direct
> communications with a Mentor/Instructor. Students register for a
> particular session that may be 8, 12 or 16 weeks (depending on the
> course) and they may access the course at any time of day during the
> course period, completing lessons and activities at times convenient for
> their personal schedule. Mentors assist students by answering questions,
> reviewing assignments and activities, as well as providing helpful
> feedback. Interaction with mentors is conducted through e-mail; there is
> no appointed time the student must be present -- allowing complete
> flexibility for the student to work when and where it is convenient. To
> learn more, visit the CCE Course Listing page
> <http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the Continuing
> Education Program Coordinator <cce at arrl.org>.
> 
> * "Hints and Kinks": Do you have an idea or a simple project that has
> improved your operating? Maybe you've taken something commonly found
> around the home and developed a ham radio use for it? Why not share your
> hints with fellow hams in "Hints and Kinks," a monthly column in QST. If
> we publish your hint, you will receive $20. Send your hints via e-mail
> to <h&k at arrl.org> or to ARRL Headquarters, Attn: "Hints and Kinks," 225
> Main Street, Newington, CT 06111. Please include your name, call sign,
> complete mailing address, daytime telephone number and e-mail address.
> Items in "Hints and Kinks" have not been tested by QST or ARRL unless
> otherwise stated. Although we can't guarantee that hints published will
> work for every situation, QST makes every effort to screen for harmful
> information. 
> 
> * Communications Academy Set for April: The 10th Annual Communications
> Academy will be April 5-6 at South Seattle Community College.
> Communications Academy is a non-profit coalition of volunteer
> communications teams put together to provide a high quality,
> professional-grade training opportunity for the various emergency
> communications teams around the Pacific Northwest. By providing a
> once-a-year large-scale venue for training, volunteer communicators are
> exposed to topics in emergency management, communications techniques and
> protocols, real-life emergency responses, and other pertinent subjects,
> that might not otherwise be available to them. The Communications
> Academy is open to anyone with an interest in emergency communications,
> volunteer or professional. The presentations are designed to promote the
> development of knowledgeable, skilled emergency communicators who will
> support their local communities during a disaster or emergency response.
> There will be two keynote speakers on Saturday: King County Emergency
> Management Coordinator Rich Tokarzewski, and Charles Simonyi, KE7KDP,
> astronaut on the International Space Station. The Sunday 2008 keynote
> speaker is ARRL Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Dennis Dura,
> K2DCD. Registration for both days is $50; if participants can only
> attend one day, the fee is reduced to $30. All fees include lunch. For
> more information, please visit the Communications Academy Web site
> <http://www.commacademy.org/2008/index.php>. 
> 
> * Notes from the DXCC Desk: ARRL DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, reports
> that the following operations have been approved for DXCC credit: the
> 2008 VP6DX DXpedition to Ducie Island; the 2008 TX5C DXpedition to
> Clipperton Island, and the 2007 S05A operation to Western Sahara have
> been approved for DXCC credit. If you have any questions about these
> operations, please send an e-mail to the ARRL DXCC Desk <dxcc at arrl.org>.
> 
> 
> * Corrections and Clarifications: Last week, we reported that Emmett
> Freitas, AE6Z (ex-W6OIA) (SK), participated in the first-ever VE testing
> session. Freitas participated in the first-ever ARRL VE testing session.
> 
> 
> =========================================================== 
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> 
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>