[TCARC-NTx] Fwd: The ARRL Letter, Vol 21, No 14

[david johnson]

--- ARRL Letter Mailing List <letter-dlvy@arrl.org>
wrote:
> From ARRL Letter Mailing List Fri Apr  5 11:06:28
> 2002
> Subject: The ARRL Letter, Vol 21, No 14
> Date: Fri, 5 Apr 2002 14:06:28 -0500 
> To: kb5ylg@yahoo.com
> From: "ARRL Letter Mailing List"
> <letter-dlvy@arrl.org>
> 
> ***************
> The ARRL Letter
> Vol. 21, No. 14
> April 5, 2002
> ***************
> 
> IN THIS EDITION:
> 
> * +P5/4L4FN North Korean operation proclaimed valid
> for DXCC
> * +FCC puts added pressure on amateur microwave band
> * +Vanity backlog could be vanquished by next week
> * +Wisconsin becomes the latest PRB-1 state
> * +New Mexico amateurs support fire response
> * +K5MP named new Hurricane Watch Net manager
> *  FCC announces weekend Web site, electronic filing
> outage
> *  Solar Update
> *  IN BRIEF:
>      This weekend on the radio
>      Certification and Continuing Education course
> registration
>     +ARRL to be represented at NAB convention
>      British ham-sailor expresses gratitude for
> amateurs' assistance
>      Meteor scatter rally announced
>      New England QSO Party set for May
>      Vote on QST Cover Plaque Award
> 
> +Available on ARRL Audio News
> 
>
===========================================================
> 
> ==>DXCC TO ACCEPT P5/4L4FN CONTACTS FOR CREDIT
> 
> To great sighs of relief from the DX community, the
> ARRL this week
> announced that it will accept SSB contacts with
> P5/4L4FN in North Korea
> for DXCC credit. Operator Ed Giorgadze of the
> Republic of Georgia, has
> been active from the capital city of Pyongyang since
> early last November.
> Valid SSB contacts from the onset of the P5/4L4FN
> operation last fall now
> may be submitted for DXCC credit.
> 
> "The ARRL has now received adequate evidence that
> the operation by Mr.
> Giorgadze is being conducted with the knowledge and
> approval of
> telecommunications officials in Pyongyang," said
> ARRL Membership Services
> Manager Wayne Mills, N7NG. "At the present time,
> this approval is limited
> to SSB operation." Giorgadze has been operating with
> oral permission from
> North Korean authorities, but Mills said the ARRL is
> satisfied on the
> basis of written information submitted that the
> P5/4L4FN operation
> conforms with DXCC rules and should be accepted for
> credit.
> 
> Mills cited DXCC Rule 7, which states "Any Amateur
> Radio operation should
> take place only with the complete approval and
> understanding of
> appropriate administration officials." The rule
> continues, "In any case,
> credit will be given for contacts where adequate
> evidence of authorization
> by appropriate authorities exists."
> 
> Mills said the ARRL Awards Committee met and
> concurred that the operation
> should be accredited.
> 
> The P5/4L4FN operation is not a DXpedition.
> Giorgadze is employed by the
> United Nations World Food Program and often spends
> as much as 12 hours a
> day on the job, operating in his off hours.
> 
> According to The Daily DX, Giorgadze learned this
> week that he will be in
> North Korea at least until July 2003. He tried for
> more than two years to
> obtain permission to operate Amateur Radio and
> finally was given the okay
> last year to bring an ICOM IC-706MkIIG into the
> country. A favorite
> hangout has been 21.225 MHz (he works split and
> listens up). He's also
> been a frequent visitor to 10 meters. Now that his
> operation has been
> okayed for DXCC, Giorgadze has indicated that he
> plans to be more active
> on the air.
> 
> While P5/4L4FN has been doing some RTTY operation in
> addition to SSB,
> those contacts are not yet being accepted for DXCC
> credit.
> 
> Bruce Paige, KK5DO, has been acting as QSL manager
> and liaison for
> P5/4L4FN. He said this week that the first QSL cards
> should be going out
> within a few weeks. Paige offers an on-line log,
> additional news and
> information and a list of frequently asked questions
> (FAQs) about the
> operation on his AMSAT Net Web site
> <http://www.amsatnet.com>. Click on
> the "P5 North Korea" link.
> 
> ==>FCC PROCEEDING PUTS NEW PRESSURE ON AMATEUR
> MICROWAVE BAND
> 
> The FCC has again targeted Amateur Radio's primary
> allocation at 2390 to
> 2400 MHz for possible sharing or use by other radio
> services. A Notice of
> Proposed Rulemaking (WT Docket 02-55)--released in
> mid-March but not yet
> available for public comment--invites comments on
> either sharing the band
> with public safety services being displaced from 800
> MHz or moving
> amateurs elsewhere. The ARRL plans to file comments
> in the proceeding.
> 
> The FCC says increasing incidents of harmful
> interference to public safety
> systems in the 800-MHz band prompted the proceeding,
> "Improving Public
> Safety Communications in the 800 MHz Band." To
> alleviate the problem, the
> Commission now is looking into restructuring the 800
> MHz band and moving
> some occupants elsewhere.
> 
> "In this proceeding, if commenting parties believe
> that incumbent amateur
> services cannot co-exist with relocated 800 MHz
> services," the FCC said,
> "we seek comment on whether incumbent amateur
> services could be relocated,
> what spectrum could be used for their relocation,
> and what procedures
> would apply to such relocation." The FCC NPRM
> identifies 2390-2400 MHz as
> an "Unlicensed PCS Band." Unlicensed, asynchronous
> PCS devices were
> authorized there in 1995, but Amateur Radio remains
> primary.
> 
> The FCC also will seek comments on whether existing
> UPCS operations could
> continue in the band or be forced to cease. It also
> wants input on "the
> suitability of the 2390-2400 MHz band as replacement
> spectrum and whether
> there are other band segments with which this band
> could be paired." The
> FCC noted that the adjacent 2385-2390 MHz segment
> already is slated for
> auction.
> 
> The FCC said its discussion of 2390-2400 MHz and
> other segments in terms
> of replacement spectrum was intended to be
> "illustrative rather than
> exclusive" and that other bands "may also merit
> consideration."
> 
> Just last summer, the FCC invited comments on its
> proposals to reallocate
> some spectrum in the 2390 to 2400 MHz amateur
> segment--as well as in the
> non-amateur 1.9 and 2.1 GHz bands--for possible use
> by unspecified mobile
> and fixed services. The Commission has proposed 2390
> to 2400 MHz and other
> bands to support the introduction of advanced
> wireless systems, including
> so-called third-generation (3G) mobile systems. The
> FCC also has asked for
> comments on whether amateurs could share the band
> with government users.
> 
> The complete NPRM is available via the FCC Web site
>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-02-81A1.doc>.
> The
> FCC will officially invite comments for 30 days
> after the NPRM is
> published in the Federal Register. Reply comments
> will be due 60 days
> following publication in the Federal Register.
> 
> ==>FCC COULD CONQUER VANITY BACKLOG IN A WEEK
> 
> If the FCC continues to process vanity applications
> at its current rate,
> the application backlog could disappear by next
> week. The FCC continues to
> whittle away the vanity backlog, issuing another 474
> grants over the last
> five processing runs--although the last run only
> yielded 26 grants from
> one day's worth of applications. As of April 5, the
> FCC had processed
> vanity applications received at its Gettysburg,
> Pennsylvania, office
> through March 8.
> 
> At the current pace--and barring any
> difficulties--the remaining backlog
> of some 500 vanity applications could be wiped out
> by April 12. The FCC
> does not process vanity applications on weekends.
> The typical wait for
> action on a vanity call sign application is about 18
> days from the time
> the application is received by the Private Wireless
> Division Licensing and
> Technical Analysis Branch in Gettysburg. At its
> peak, the vanity backlog
> was estimated at more than 2000 applications.
> 
> The processing of routine Amateur Service
> applications has been unaffected
> by the vanity problems. The vanity troubles began
> after about two weeks of
> paper vanity applications sent off for anthrax
> decontamination were not
> returned to Gettysburg. FCC policy continues to give
> equal priority to
> paper and electronic vanity applications, and when
> the paper applications
> were waylaid, vanity processing ground to a halt.
> FCC staffers--with
> ARRL's assistance--used payment information to
> contact those who had filed
> and have them submit new applications.
> 
> The FCC said last month that it's finally starting
> to receive the
> applications that had been missing and were at the
> core of the major
> vanity holdup that had extended through much of the
> fall and winter.
> Outside of a short hiatus about a month ago to deal
> with a processing
> anomaly, the FCC has been proceeding cautiously with
> its effort to get
> current again on vanity applications.
> 
> Amateurs with pending applications may take
> advantage of the FCC Call
> Center's toll free number, 888-CALL FCC
> (888-225-5322) or may initiate an
> application search via the Universal Licensing
> System (ULS)
> <http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls>. Information on the
> amateur vanity call sign
> system is available on the FCC's Vanity Call Sign
> page
>
<http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/amateur/callsigns/vanity/index.html>.
> 
> ==>WISCONSIN GOVERNOR SIGNS AMATEUR ANTENNA BILL
> 
> Wisconsin Gov Scott McCallum this week signed AB368,
> the Amateur Radio FCC
> PRB-1 Amateur Radio Antenna Protection Act into law
> in that state. The
> governor's stroke of the pen April 2 makes the
> Badger State the 16th to
> incorporate the language of the limited federal
> preemption known as PRB-1
> into its statutes. The new law becomes effective
> immediately.
> 
> "After summarizing the contents of the law, Gov
> McCallum made a special
> point of noting the important role that Wisconsin
> hams play in providing
> emergency and public communication support
> throughout the state," said
> ARRL Wisconsin Section Government Liaison Jim
> Lackore, AD9X. who was
> present at the signing. The Amateur Radio antenna
> bill was one of six
> pieces of legislation that McCallum signed into law
> April 2 during a
> ceremony at the Oshkosh Senior Center.
> 
> AB 368 mirrors the language of the limited federal
> preemption. It would
> require that ordinances or resolutions affecting the
> placement, screening
> or height of Amateur Radio antennas or support
> structures have a
> "reasonable and clearly defined aesthetic, public
> health or safety
> objective." Such an ordinance or resolution also
> must represent "the
> minimum practical regulation" necessary to
> accomplish the locality's
> objectives and must reasonably accommodate Amateur
> Radio communication.
> 
> On hand in addition to Lackore as the governor
> signed the measure were
> Wisconsin Section Manager Don Michalski, W9IXG;
> Wisconsin Section
> Emergency Coordinator Dr. Stan Kaplan, WB9RQR;
> Ozaukee County Supervisor
> and Republican official Gus Wirth Jr, W9BTN; and the
> original sponsor of
> AB368, former Wisconsin State Rep Joan Wade, who
> credited the efforts of
> the late Jim Romelfanger, K9ZZ, in getting the bill
> through the
> legislature.
> 
> Romelfanger--a Wisconsin Amateur Radio activist,
> ARRL Public Information
> Coordinator and editor of the Badger State Smoke
> Signals ham radio
> newspaper--died December 22. He had worked closely
> with Wade's office to
> promote introduction of PRB-1 legislation for
> several years. Michalski has
> characterized passage of the measure "a tribute" to
> Romelfanger.
> 
> Michalski said one of the reasons for the passage of
> AB368 was a strong
> team and significant support from Wisconsin's
> Amateur Radio community.
> "Our deep appreciation to all of you who took the
> time to contact your
> legislators," Michalski said. "The system works!"
> 
> A PRB-1 measure has been under consideration in
> Tennessee, and similar
> measures have been proposed for introduction in
> other states. More
> information on antenna regulation is available on
> the ARRL Antenna
> Restrictions Web page
>
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/antenna-restrictions.html>.
> 
> ==>NEW MEXICO ARES/RACES TEAMS SUPPORT FIRE RESPONSE
> 
> Amateurs in New Mexico supported the activities of
> responding agencies in
> late March when four wildfires broke out at
> approximately the same time
> within a few miles of each other. One of the fires
> destroyed more than two
> dozen houses.
> 
> Working as a combined Lincoln County Amateur Radio
> Emergency Service
> (ARES) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
> (RACES) team, amateurs
> provided local communication support as well as an
> HF link between the
> fire incident command post and the state emergency
> operations center in
> the capital city of Santa Fe.
> 
> "This was the first time the team members wore both
> hats during an actual
> event," said Lincoln County Emergency Coordinator
> and RACES Officer Rick
> Sohl, K5RIC.
> 
> Amateurs also helped the Rio Hondo Chapter of the
> American Red Cross,
> which provided staff, equipment and food to feed
> fire-suppression teams as
> well as those staffing the incident command
> headquarters, other support
> staffers and those forced to take refuge in Red
> Cross shelters or seek
> first aid. More than 1000 people had to be
> evacuated.
> 
> Sohl said the so-called Alto Fire got its start
> March 23 in Lincoln County
> and destroyed 29 homes and a barn. "Someone putting
> fireplace ashes
> outside without making sure the ashes were out
> caused this fire," he said.
> The blaze burned nearly 1000 acres. A second fire
> started in Otero County
> on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Called the
> Hondo Fire, it
> subsequently crossed into Lincoln County and burned
> some 17,000 acres.
> 
> Sohl said local repeater nets coordinated support
> personal, equipment
> disbursement and food distribution. In addition to
> the HF link with the
> state EOC, the ARES/RACES team networked the Red
> Cross shelter, first aid
> station, fire command post, three county-wide
> gateway net control stations
> and five mobile radio units via Amateur Radio. "The
> two fires required the
> Red Cross to set up two shelters and first aid
> stations to deal with two
> areas," Sohl said. "Two smaller fires were being
> suppressed at the same
> time."
> 
> The ARES/RACES team was able to integrate smoothly
> into the Red Cross
> response activities, Sohl observed. "Feeding this
> many people can be a
> logistical problem," he said. "This chapter has
> provided such support each
> year during fire season, so they know how to do the
> job correctly and have
> found that a radio network can improve efficiency at
> a time when it can
> make a major difference."
> 
> Sohl said this week that while the Alto and Hondo
> fires now are out, high
> winds plus a warmer-than-normal winter and a lack of
> snowfall have
> combined to create an extremely high fire danger
> situation.
> 
> In all, more than three dozen amateurs--including
> ARRL New Mexico Section
> Manager Joe Knight, W5PDY--were involved in
> providing communication
> support during the fire emergency. More information
> is available on the
> Lincoln County ARES/RACES Web site
> <http://www.zianet.com/sohl>.
> 
> ==>CHANGING OF THE GUARD ANNOUNCED AT HURRICANE
> WATCH NET
> 
> Mike Pilgrim, K5MP, of Boca Raton, Florida, is the
> new manager of the
> Hurricane Watch Net. Pilgrim, who has been the net's
> second-in-command,
> takes over from Jerry Herman, N3BDW, of Bowie,
> Maryland. Herman announced
> this week that he was retiring from the net
> manager's post after nearly 14
> years--11 of them as manager--and turning the reins
> over to Pilgrim,
> effective April 5.
> 
> "I feel very comfortable turning the net over to
> Mike, and I know that he
> will continue to maintain the high standards that we
> have become known
> for," Herman said in his announcement letter to HWN
> members.
> 
> Pilgrim has been licensed since 1957, and he's been
> affiliated with the
> HWN for about five years. A long-time ARRL member
> and member and net
> control station for the Maritime Mobile Service Net,
> he retired from IBM
> in 1998 after 33 years. Pilgrim also is the creator
> of the International
> Boat Watch Net
> <http://www.chasediversified.com/boatwatch/>.
> 
> Founded in 1965 by Gerry Murphy, K8YUW, the
> Hurricane Watch Net activates
> 14.325 MHz whenever a hurricane is within 300 miles
> of projected landfall
> or becomes a serious threat to a populated area. The
> net collects observed
> or measured weather data from amateurs in the
> affected area and passes
> those to National Hurricane Center hurricane
> forecasters via W4EHW
> <http://www.fiu.edu/orgs/w4ehw/>. The net also
> relays weather bulletins as
> they become available from the National Weather
> Service and the National
> Hurricane Center.
> 
> Herman said he was very proud of net's
> accomplishments during his tenure
> as net manager. "During that time we have been
> awarded the Outstanding
> Achievement Award from the National Hurricane
> Conference and the
> International Humanitarian Award from ARRL," he
> noted. "We have
> established a very good working relationship with
> the forecasters at the
> National Hurricane Center, the ARRL and the FCC."
> The HWN also developed a
> Web site <http://www.hwn.org/> that's been favorably
> received, Herman
> added.
> 
> "I realize that none of these accomplishments would
> have been possible
> without the support and hard work of you, the net
> members who made it
> happen," Herman concluded "I thank each of you for
> your support during my
> tenure and ask that you continue to support Mike in
> the same manner."
> 
> Herman said that while he's stepping down as net
> manager he won't be
> stepping away from the net. "I will now have the
> time to resume on the air
> operations as a net control," he said. "I look
> forward to this role and to
> a long relationship with the net." Both Herman and
> Pilgrim attended the
> National Hurricane Conference this week in Orlando,
> where Herman
> officially passed the baton.
> 
> Accolades from several quarters followed Herman's
> announcement of the
> changing of the guard. ARRL Field
> Organization/Public Service Team Manager
> Steve Ewald, WV1X, thanked Herman on behalf of the
> League for leadership
> over the years and said ARRL looks forward to
> working with Pilgrim.
> 
> Julio Ripoll, WD4JR, the assistant Amateur Radio
> coordinator at the
> National Hurricane Center's W4EHW, also expressed
> his appreciation. "Thank
> you for you dedication to public service and Amateur
> Radio for so many
> years," Ripoll said.
> 
> Retired ARRL Field Services Manager Rick Palm, K1CE,
> invited Herman to
> visit him in Florida and enjoy a little fishing.
> 
> ==>FCC ANNOUNCES WEB SITE, ELECTRONIC FILING
> INTERRUPTION
> 
> The FCC has announced that its Web site functions,
> databases and telephone
> service will be interrupted the weekend of April
> 5-7. From 9 PM Eastern
> Standard Time Friday, April 5, through 1 PM Eastern
> Daylight Time on
> Sunday, April 7, access to the FCC's electronic
> filing systems--including
> the Commission Registration System (CORES) and
> Universal Licensing System
> (ULS)--will be temporarily interrupted during
> preventative maintenance.
> 
> In addition, access to the entire FCC Web site,
> electronic databases and
> other information and telephone services will be
> interrupted. E-mail sent
> to the FCC during the down time will be queued for
> delivery when the
> system is restored on April 7.
> 
> The FCC asks that all electronic documents be filed
> before 9 PM EST on
> April 5 or after 1 PM EDT on April 7. In addition to
> CORES and ULS,
> systems affected include the Electronic Comment
> Filing System (ECFS), the
> Electronic Document Management System (EDOCS), and
> the OET Experimental
> Licensing Branch Electronic Filing Site.
> 
> For more information, see the FCC Public Notice
>
<http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Miscellaneous/Public_Notices/2002/pnmc0202.htm
> l>.
> 
> ==>SOLAR UPDATE
> 
> Propagation prophet Tad Cook, K7VVV, Seattle,
> Washington, reports: Average
> daily solar flux rose last week by 27 points, and
> average sunspot numbers
> was up by more than 9 points. We've had active
> geomagnetic conditions this
> week caused by a stream of high-speed solar wind.
> This has yielded auroral
> displays at high latitudes. Saturday through
> Wednesday were very active,
> and the planetary K index was four during several
> three-hour periods.
> 
> Solar flux for the short term is expected to peak
> around 215 for Friday
> and Saturday, then drift below 200 after Tuesday.
> Geomagnetic conditions
> could become slightly active or unsettled on
> Saturday. Currently there is
> a large complex of sunspots crossing the visible
> solar disk. A
> helioseismic image also shows a pair of large
> sunspots on the sun's far
> side.
> 
> Average daily sunspot numbers for the last five
> quarters, from January 1,
> 2001, to March 31, 2002, were 147.3, 164.8, 170.4,
> 198.1 and 178.3.
> Average daily solar flux for the same five periods
> was 164.4, 166.7,
> 175.5, 219.1 and 203.9. Both solar flux and sunspot
> numbers were higher
> this past quarter than the first three quarters of
> 2001, but lower than
> the last quarter of last year, which had a lot of
> activity.
> 
> Average sunspot numbers for the past five months,
> November through March,
> were 178.6, 217.5, 189, 194.5 and 153.1. Average
> daily solar flux for the
> same five months was 215.8, 236.5, 227.3, 205, and
> 179.5.
> 
> We can definitely see the peak that occurred around
> December, and that
> January of this year had more activity than November
> of last year. But
> March solar flux and sunspots were definitely down.
> 
> Sunspot numbers for March 28 through April 3 were
> 144, 189, 171, 133, 189,
> 262 and 162, with a mean of 178.6. The 10.7-cm flux
> was 176.2, 181.3,
> 188.7, 204.4, 207, 206 and 209.4, with a mean of
> 196.1. Estimated
> planetary A indices were 6, 7, 17, 14, 16, 15 and 13
> with a mean of 12.6.
> 
> __________________________________
> 
> ==>IN BRIEF:
> 
> * This weekend on the radio: The MARAC County
> Hunters Contest (SSB), the
> SP DX Contest, the EA RTTY Contest and the Missouri
> QSO Party are the
> weekend of April 6-7. JUST AHEAD: The 222 MHz Spring
> Sprint is Apr 9. The
> YLRL DX to NA YL Contest (CW) is April 10-12. The
> JIDX HF CW Contest, the
> QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party, the EU Spring Sprint
> (SSB)  His Majesty the
> King of Spain Contest, the Yuri Gagarin
> International DX Contest and the
> UBA Spring Contest (SSB) are the weekend of April
> 13-14. 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.
> 
> * Certification and Continuing Education course
> registration: Registration
> for the Level I ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency
> Communications Course
> (EC-001) will remain open through the April 6-7
> weekend. Registration for
> the Level II Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
> Course (EC-002) and
> for the Antenna Modeling Course (EC-004) opens
> Monday, April 8;
> registration for the Level III Amateur Radio
> Emergency Communications
> Course (EC-003) opens Monday, April 15. All
> registrations open at 4 PM
> Eastern Time. ARRL Emergency Communications courses
> must be completed in
> order, starting with Level I. To learn more, visit
> the ARRL Certification
> and Continuing Education Web page
> <http://www.arrl.org/cce> and the C-CE
> Links found there. For more information, contact
> Certification and
> Continuing Education Program Coordinator Dan Miller,
> K3UFG, cce@arrl.org.
> 
> * ARRL to be represented at NAB convention: Amateur
> Radio again will have
> a presence at this year's National Association of
> Broadcasters convention
> in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 6-11. NAB donates booth
> space to the ARRL, and
> the League's booth (L3316) will be staffed by local
> volunteers. Serving as
> this year's "booth coordinator" is Bill Cornelius,
> K8XC, president of the
> Las Vegas Radio Amateur Club. The ARRL booth is
> visited by hams in the
> broadcasting business and others interested in
> technology and electronics.
> ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, and Pacific
> Division Director Jim
> Maxwell, W6CF, also plan to be on hand. On
> Wednesday, April 10, hams will
> gather at the Las Vegas Hilton for the annual
> Amateur Radio Operator's
> Reception. CQ and Kenwood Communications are
> sponsoring the event, which
> is expected to draw nearly 1000 amateurs. ARRL
> donated several
> publications for door prizes. NAB Vice President for
> Science and
> Technology John Marino, KR1O, will emcee the
> reception. President Haynie,
> Director Maxwell and others are expected to speak.
> 
> * British ham-sailor expresses gratitude for
> amateurs' assistance: David
> Beane, G0TAG, this week expressed his thanks to
> members of the Maritime
> Mobile Service Net, who assisted him and his wife,
> Sarah, after their
> sailing vessel Tao went aground March 26 off Cuba.
> Amateurs were able to
> contact Cuban authorities, who secured the vessel
> and later helped to
> refloat it. "Having got our brains back together
> after our nasty incident
> we wish to send our thanks to the guys on the
> Maritime Mobile Net who
> acted with such efficiency when we went aground on
> the north coast of
> Cuba," Beane said. "The Cubans helped to lay out our
> anchors and stood by
> us during the night." They also arranged for a tow
> boat, Beane said, but
> as it turned out, a tow was not needed as the couple
> managed to get their
> sailboat into deeper water by themselves. Cuban
> fishermen then escorted
> the Tao into the ocean through a gap in the reef,
> and in port at Moa, two
> divers checked out the underside for damage--all at
> no cost, "just a lot
> of smiling and waving." Beane said.
> 
> * Meteor scatter rally announced: Meteor scatter
> enthusiasts now have an
> operating event to call their own. The 2002 North
> American Meteor Scatter
> Rally, sponsored by WA5UFH, KM5ES, and K1JT, is
> aimed at promoting the use
> of VHF/UHF meteor-scatter communication techniques.
> The event is set for
> April 27 through May 5--to take advantage of the Eta
> Aquarids meteor
> shower. The idea is to work as many stations as
> possible in as many grid
> squares as possible via meteor scatter on the bands
> above 50 MHz. Rally
> rules and entry forms are posted on the WA5UFH
> Meteor Scatter Web site
> <http://www.qsl.net/wa5ufh/> as well as on the WSJT
> Meteor Scatter/Weak
> Signal Group site
>
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wsjtgroup/?yguid=6309253>.--Randy
> Tipton,
> WA5UFH
> 
> * New England QSO Party set for May: A combined QSO
> party for the six New
> England states--Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
> New Hampshire, Rhode
> Island and Vermont--will take place the first
> weekend in May. It will
> replace the individual state QSO parties. The
> inaugural NEQP will be held
> Saturday and Sunday, May 4-5, starting at 2000 UTC
> Saturday until 0300 UTC
> Sunday (4 PM until 11 PM Saturday Eastern Daylight
> Time) and resuming at
> 1100 UTC Sunday until 2400 UTC Sunday (7 AM until 8
> PM Eastern Daylight
> Time Sunday). New England stations may work anyone.
> The NEQP includes
> mobile or fixed categories for single
> operator--high-power, low-power and
> QRP--and multi-operator, single transmitter.
> Certificates will be awarded
> to the top scorers in each New England county, US
> state, Canadian province
> and DXCC entity, and special plaques will be awarded
> to top scorers. For
> full information, visit the New England QSO Party
> Web site
> <http://www.neqp.org>. Address questions via e-mail
> to info@neqp.org.
> 
> * Vote on QST Cover Plaque Award: The winner of the
> QST Cover Plaque Award
> for March was Jim Millner, WB2REM, for his article
> "I-Link, the .WAV of
> the Future." Congratulations, Jim! The winner of the
> QST Cover Plaque
> award--given to the author of the best article in
> each issue--is
> determined by a vote of ARRL members. Voting takes
> place each month on the
> Cover Plaque Poll Web page,
> <http://www.arrl.org/members-only/qstvote.html>. As
> soon as your copy
> arrives, cast a ballot for your favorite article in
> the April 2002 issue
> of QST. Voting ends April 30.
> 
>
===========================================================
> 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
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> * The QTH.net listserver, thanks to volunteers from
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> 


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