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ARRL Letter

 

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 23, No. 07
February 13, 2004
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +FCC proposes to give the go-ahead to BPL
* +More cosponsors for ham radio bills "an optimistic sign"
* +Astronaut's wife, kids augment school group contact
* +Musical chairs again for next ISS crew
* +Former licensee gets second chance to renew
* +WRC-07 planning already under way
* +Jim White, K4OJ, SK
*  Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF:
     This weekend on the radio
     ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
     ARRL Emergency Communications course registration
     Nominations for ARRL ham radio instructor awards due by March 1
     President Bush thanks ham radio volunteer
    +AMSAT announces ECHO launch delay
     Six hams set to ride shuttle "Return to Flight" mission
     Vote on QST Cover Plaque Award
     Three ARRL awards discontinued
     Department of State ham club on the air for Presidents' Day

+Available on ARRL Audio News

===========================================================
NOTE: ARRL Headquarters will be closed February 16: ARRL Headquarters will
be closed Monday, February 16, for the Presidents' Day holiday. There will
be no W1AW code practice or bulletin transmissions that day. ARRL
Headquarters will reopen Tuesday, February 17, at 8 AM Eastern Time.
===========================================================

==>FCC OKAYS BPL PROPOSAL

The FCC has unanimously approved a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM)
to deploy Broadband over Power Line (BPL). The NPRM is the next step in
the BPL proceeding, which began last April with a Notice of Inquiry that
attracted nearly 5200 comments--many from the amateur community. The FCC
did not propose any changes in emission limits for unlicensed Part 15
devices, but said it would require BPL providers to apply "adaptive"
interference mitigation techniques to their systems. An ARRL delegation
that attended the February 12 FCC open meeting in Washington later
expressed disappointment in the FCC action.

"The Commission clearly recognized that the existing Part 15 emission
limits are inadequate to stop interference," Sumner said," but it's
placing the burden of interference mitigation on the licensed user that's
supposed to be protected," said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ.

Sumner said that if the FCC really believed current Part 15 emission
limits were sufficient, it would not have had to require that BPL
providers institute interference mitigation systems. The FCC has not yet
released the actual NPRM, and a presentation by the FCC's Office of
Engineering and Technology (OET) revealed only its broad outlines. Sumner
said the League would not take a formal position until it reviews the full
NPRM.

Anh Wride of the OET staff spelled out the scope of the NPRM, which only
addresses so-called "access BPL"--the type that would apply radio
frequency energy to exterior overhead and underground low and
medium-voltage power lines to distribute broadband and Internet service.
She said the OET staff believes that interference concerns "can be
adequately addressed." Wride said the FCC's BPL NPRM:

* Applies existing Part 15 emission limits for unlicensed carrier-current
systems to BPL systems. Part 15 rules now require that BPL systems
eliminate any harmful interference that may occur "and must cease
operation if they cannot," she noted.

* Requires BPL systems to employ "adaptive interference-mitigation
techniques, including the capabilities to shut down a specific device, to
reduce power levels on a dynamic or remote-control basis and to include or
exclude specific operating frequencies or bands."

* Subjects BPL providers to notification requirements that would establish
a public database that would include the location of BPL devices,
modulation type and operating frequencies.

* Proposes guidelines to provide for consistent and repeatable measurement
of the RF emissions from BPL and other carrier-current systems.

Mirroring his colleagues' enthusiasm, FCC Chairman Michael Powell called
BPL "tremendously exciting," although he conceded that BPL has "a long way
to go." Powell also said the FCC's OET has worked very hard to try to "get
their hands around" the issue of interference and that the FCC would
continue its vigilance in that area.

The FCC has posted additional information, including a public notice
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-243879A1.doc> on
its Web site. The Commission is expected to issue the complete Notice of
Proposed Rule Making within a few days and will invite comments on it
sometime after publication.

Additional information about BPL and Amateur Radio is on the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/>. To support the League's efforts
in this area, visit the ARRL's secure BPL Web site
<https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/bpl/>.

==>NEW AMATEUR RADIO BILL COSPONSORS "AN OPTIMISTIC SIGN," HAYNIE SAYS

ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, says he's encouraged to see additional
members of the US House of Representatives agreeing to cosponsor The
Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2003, HR 713, and the Amateur
Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act of 2003, HR 1478--also
known as "the CC&R bill." In Washington this week with an ARRL delegation,
Haynie called it "an optimistic sign" for Amateur Radio that League
members are continuing to urge their lawmakers to sign aboard the two
pieces of legislation, which are ARRL initiatives.

"House members have proven to be very responsive to entreaties from the
amateur community to get behind these bills," an elated Haynie said this
week. "The campaign continues to pay off in terms of additional cosponsors
for our bills." As of this week, 84 House members have gone on record as
HR 713 cosponsors. An identical companion bill in the US Senate, S 537,
has attracted eight cosponsors.

Among recent House cosponsors of HR 713 are representatives Chris Bell
(R-TX), Candice S. Miller (R-MI), Jim Turner (D-TX), Jay Inslee, (D-WA),
Ray LaHood (R-IL), Stevan Pearce, (R-NM) and Baron Hill, (D-IN).

Sponsored in the House by Rep Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) and in the Senate
by Sen Michael Crapo (R-ID), the bill would require the FCC to provide
"equivalent replacement spectrum" to Amateur Radio if the FCC reallocates
primary amateur frequencies, reduces any secondary amateur allocations, or
makes additional allocations within such bands that would substantially
reduce their utility to amateurs. HR 713 has been referred to the
Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. The Senate version, S
537, has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation.

Meanwhile, the cosponsor count on the CC&R bill, HR 1478, rose to 32 this
week with the addition of Rep Jim DeMint (R-SC), who was approached by
ARRL South Carolina Section Manager Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, to consider
cosponsoring both HR 1478 and HR 713. Introduced by Rep Steve Israel
(D-NY), the CC&R bill would require private land-use regulators such as
homeowners' associations to "reasonably accommodate" Amateur Radio
antennas consistent with the PRB-1 limited federal preemption.

Recent HR 1478 cosponsors also include representatives Donald Manzullo
(R-IL) and Anibal Acevedo-Vila (D-PR). HR 1478 also has been referred to
the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.

Although buoyed by the bills' recent cosponsorship progress, Haynie is
continuing to encourage ARRL members to send cards and letters to their
House of Representatives member urging them to cosponsor HR 713 and HR
1478, and to their state's two US senators to cosponsor S 537.

"There's a long way to go, and that's what it's going to take," Haynie
said. "Cards and letters from individual voters do make a difference."

Meanwhile, Louisiana Republican Billy Tauzin's announcement that he'll
step down as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and not
run for re-election has set off a political sideshow. On February 6,
nearly every committee member urged House Speaker Dennis Hastert to
appoint Rep Joe Barton (R-TX) to replace Tauzin as chairman. Barton also
serves on the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet,
but he has not yet signed on as a cosponsor of either HR 713 or HR 1478.

Additional information--including the bills' texts, sample letters and
information on how to write members of Congress--is on the ARRL "The
Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2003" Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/arspa.html> and on the "HR 1478, The
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act of 2003" Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/hr1478/>.

Those writing their lawmakers on behalf of the Spectrum Protection Act are
asked to copy their correspondence to the League via e-mail
<specbill03@arrl.org>;. Those writing their House member on behalf of the
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act, HR 1478, are asked
to copy their correspondence to <ccr-bill@arrl.org>;.

==>ASTRONAUT CHATS WITH HIS SON, TEXAS YOUNGSTERS VIA HAM RADIO

Ian Foale, the son of International Space Station Expedition 8 Commander
Mike Foale, KB5UAC, was among several other youngsters attending his
school who got to ask questions of his dad February 4 via Amateur Radio.
The contact with James F. Bay Elementary School in Houston, Texas, was
arranged by the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
program. The third-grader first lobbed a softball question at his
dad--"How far is the space station from Earth in miles and
kilometers?"--but followed up with a more challenging query about whether
the ISS crew could detect changes in land forms on Earth.

"Yes, we can detect changes," his father responded. "They happen slowly
over many months, but we can see the snow building up on mountains, and we
can see the glaciers developing in the Patagonia area." The elder Foale
also said the crew is able to see erosion of earth and mud down rivers
into the sea. What the crew cannot see, Foale said in reply to another
question, are the great pyramids or the Great Wall of China. While these
should be visible, Foale said, they blend in too much with their
surroundings.

Foale conceded that living aboard the ISS with only one crewmate can be a
lonely experience for both of them. "My hardest adjustment to life here is
being away from lots of nice people," Foale said. "I have one crewmate,
Sasha, and we are good friends, but we miss other people."

The youngsters let loose with a hearty round of applause as the
approximately 10-minute-long contact ended.

Visiting the school for the event and taking part in pre-contact
activities were Foale's wife, Rhonda, and his 12-year-old daughter, Jenna,
who attended James Bay Elementary in her younger years. Rhonda Foale
presented a "video post card" from her husband that offered the elementary
schoolers additional insights into daily life aboard the ISS.

Daughter Jenna, meanwhile, told the youngsters about her Aibo
<http://www.us.aibo.com/> robotic dog, for which Foale writes programs
while aboard the ISS. Astronauts Scott Kelly and Julie Payette also
attended the event and answered questions from the pupils about space
travel.

ARISS <http://www.rac.ca/ariss> is an international educational outreach
project with participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.

==>IT'S MUSICAL CHAIRS AGAIN FOR NEXT ISS CREWS

After replacing the commander of the next International Space Station crew
less than a month ago, NASA and its ISS partners now have announced the
assignment of an altogether new crew. The Expedition 9 crew now will
consist of astronaut Mike Fincke and cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, RN3DT.
Padalka, 45, will serve as Expedition 9 commander and Soyuz commander,
while Fincke, 36, will be the NASA ISS science officer and flight
engineer. They have been training together as a space station crew for
nearly two years, NASA said. Their experience as a team was cited as a
primary reason for the personnel shift. Expedition 10 crew assignments
also will change.

"After a very thorough evaluation by our partners, I'm confident that
these assignments make the very best use of our crew resources and skills
and will ensure the flights' full success," NASA Chief Astronaut Kent
Rominger said.

Fincke passed his Amateur Radio Technician class exam this week--in plenty
of time for Expedition 9's April 18 launch from Russia aboard a Soyuz
vehicle. Having an US Amateur Radio licensee aboard is necessary if the
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station--or ARISS
<http://www.rac.ca/ariss>--program is to continue its schedule of school
group contacts via NA1SS.

Last November, NASA and Russia had decided on William McArthur Jr, KC5ACR,
as Expedition 9 crew commander and cosmonaut Valery Tokarev as flight
engineer for the six-month mission. Last month, however, NASA swapped
McArthur for Leroy Chiao, due to a temporary medical issue affecting
McArthur. Chiao and Russian cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov now have been
assigned to Expedition 10. Chiao also has been studying for his ham radio
license while undergoing training in Russia.

This will mark Fincke's first space flight. It's the second for Padalka,
who lived aboard the Russian Mir space station for 198 days in 1999.--NASA

==>FCC GIVES SECOND CHANCE TO FORMER LICENSEE

The FCC has given a former Indiana radio amateur another chance to renew
his General ticket, which expired in 2000. In an Order on Reconsideration
released February 3, the Commission granted a waiver to Frank R. Michalak,
ex-KA9EMU, permitting him to submit a late-filed renewal application.
Michalak has 60 days from the Order's release to do so.

In its Order, the FCC dismissed Michalak's petition seeking
reconsideration of a December 1999 FCC action that dismissed his license
renewal application. Michalak initially ran afoul of the requirement to
provide a taxpayer identification number--typically a Social Security
number--with his application. Later, he encountered problems using the
Universal Licensing System (ULS) and with illness.

The FCC said it had reviewed his request anew using all information it
currently had before it in the proceeding. The Commission agreed with
Michalak that his situation was sufficiently exceptional to permit him to
refile for renewal if he's still interested in being a radio amateur.
"Based on such review, we conclude that Michalak should be granted a
waiver to permit the filing of a late-filed renewal application," the
Commission said.

==>ARRL TECHNICAL RELATIONS OFFICE EYES WRC-07

While it may seem like World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03)
was just yesterday, the ARRL Technical Relations Office in Washington
already is participating in a new cycle of meetings to prepare for what's
tentatively being called WRC-07.

ARRL Chief Technology Officer Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, says ARRL's involvement
is in two arenas--the FCC WRC-07 Advisory Committee and its informal
working groups (IWGs), and regular meetings of various International
Telecommunication Union <http://www.itu.int/home/index.html> "working
parties." ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Walt Ireland, WB7CSL, has
been especially active as vice chairman of the IWG 4, which is dealing
with broadcasting and Amateur Radio WRC-07 agenda items. Ireland also is
the convener of US Working Party 6E, which deals with terrestrial delivery
in the broadcasting service.

Both groups are focusing on the possible allocation of additional
broadcast spectrum in the 4 to 10 MHz band, which, Rinaldo points out,
could impact amateur allocations. Additional information on WRC-07
preparations is on the FCC Web site <http://www.fcc.gov/wrc-07/>.

==>JIM WHITE, K4OJ, SK--J7A OPERATION DEDICATED TO POPULAR CONTESTER

The Amateur Radio contesting community is mourning the death of James A.
"Jim" White, K4OJ, (ex-K1ZX and ex-WA1NNC), of Seffner, Florida. The
well-known ham radio contesting enthusiast underwent heart valve surgery
February 11, but succumbed to liver failure the following day. The J7A
operation from Dominica during the ARRL International DX Contest (CW)
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2004/intldx.html> February 21-22 will
be dedicated to White.

"Jim White, K4OJ, was a dear friend and a continual inspiration to
contesting," said George Wagner, K5KG, in announcing the planned
on-the-air tribute. "OJ, as we affectionately called him. was always
positive and ready to help, inspire, learn, tease, quip, pontificate and
challenge all of us."

A member of The Florida Contest Group (FCG)
<http://www.floridacontestgroup.org/> which White organized, Wagner,
fellow FCG member John Colyard, W4IX, and John Bednar, K3TEJ,  will be the
J7A operators. Wagner says FCG members will always remember White as the
father of the organization, which he founded a decade ago, serving as its
first president. "When you see that sea of orange shirts at Dayton, you
will remember OJ," he said, referring to the group's brightly hued
signature apparel.

An ARRL Life Member and a Headquarters employee during the 1970s, White
was the son of Ellen White, W1YL, and the late Bob White, W1CW, both
well-known amateurs and former ARRL staff members. Not surprisingly, Jim
White worked in the ARRL Contest Branch. Over the years, he also authored
articles for National Contest Journal as well as for QST.

After Bob White died in 2002, Jim White established the R. L. White
Memorial Operators' Club to keep his father's W1CW call sign active during
various operating events. Always sporting a big signal out of South
Florida, Jim White shared a multiop contest station with his mother. Ellen
White said K4OJ was on the air during the First Class CW Operators' Club
<http://www.firstclasscw.org.uk/> Marathon just this past weekend. "His
operating abilities were manifest, and he almost always was the first one
to volunteer his help, in spite of his declining physical abilities," she
said.

White once said he was bitten by the contest bug after being enlisted as
the Novice op for the Connecticut Wireless Association's Field Day effort.
In the years since, his call sign has turned up regularly in the results
of various contests--often at or near the top of the pile.

"I love contesting," he said in his call sign listing on QRZ.com. "There
is something about the camaraderie, discipline and knowledge contesting
demands that fits me; it doesn't fit everyone . . . but it sure fits me."

In addition to his mother, White's survivors include his wife Theresa and
five stepchildren. Per his wishes, there will be no formal service. The
family invites memorial donations to the Florida Contest Group White
Memorial Fund--now honoring both W1CW and K4OJ--care of Fred Perkins,
K4LQ, 3437 Lake Josephine Dr, Lake Placid, FL 33852.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Propagation guru Tad "(The Sun is Shining Like a) Red Rubber Ball" Cook,
K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports: Solar flux and sunspot numbers were up
slightly this week, and average planetary A index was down a little.
Unfortunately, this isn't likely a trend, at least over the long term.

Over the next few days expect solar flux to stay around 110, then
gradually decline toward 100, where it should stay until around February
22. Due to a coronal hole and a solar wind stream, geomagnetic conditions
should remain unsettled to active.

For more information about propagation and an explanation of the numbers
used in this bulletin see the Propagation page on the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>.

Sunspot numbers for February 5 through 11 were 109, 98, 92, 74, 81, 78 and
91, with a mean of 89. The 10.7 cm flux was 105.5, 106.7, 111.1, 116.2,
117.8, 116.5 and 114.2, with a mean of 112.6. Estimated planetary A
indices were 14, 21, 11, 8, 8, 9 and 26, with a mean of 13.9.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The ARRL School Club Roundup, the KCJ Topband
Contest, the CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest, SARL Kid's Day, the SARL Field Day
Contest, the Asia-Pacific Spring Sprint (CW), the Dutch PACC Contest, the
OMISS QSO Party, the FISTS Winter Sprint and the RSGB First 1.8 MHz
Contest (CW) are the weekend of February 14-15. The AGCW Semi-Automatic
Key Evening is February 18. JUST AHEAD: The ARRL International DX Contest
(CW), the YL-ISSB QSO Party (CW) and the CQC Winter QSO Party are the
weekend of February 21-22. The CQ 160-Meter Contest (SSB) is the weekend
of February 28-29. See the ARRL Contest Branch page
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
<http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.

* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration for the ARRL VHF/UHF--Beyond the Repeater (EC-008) and ARRL
HF Digital Communication (EC-005) courses opens Monday, February 16, 12:01
AM Eastern Time (0501 UTC). Registration remains open through Sunday,
February 22. Classes begin Tuesday February 24. To learn more, visit the
ARRL Certification and Continuing Education (C-CE)
<http://www.arrl.org/cce/> Web page. For more information, contact
Certification and Continuing Education Program Department cce@arrl.org.

* ARRL Emergency Communications course registration: Registration opens
Monday, February 16, 12:01 AM Eastern Time (0501 UTC), for the Level III
Emergency Communications on-line course (EC-003). Registration remains
open through the February 21-22 weekend or until all available seats have
been filled--whichever comes first. Class begins Tuesday, March 2. Thanks
to our grant sponsors--the Corporation for National and Community Service
and the United Technologies Corporation--the $45 registration fee paid
upon enrollment will be reimbursed after successful completion of the
course. During this registration period, approximately 50 seats are being
offered to ARRL members on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn
more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education (C-CE)
<http://www.arrl.org/cce/> Web page. For more information, contact
Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG,
dmiller@arrl.org, 860-594-0340.

* Nominations for ARRL ham radio instructor awards due by March 1: The
deadline to submit nominations for ARRL's two Amateur Radio instructor
awards in March 1. The ARRL Herb S. Brier Instructor of the Year Award
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/award/herb-tor.html> is presented to a
volunteer Amateur Radio instructor, while the ARRL Professional Educator
of the Year Award <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/award/pey-tor.html> is
presented to a teacher who uses Amateur Radio as part of the curriculum or
after-school program, or teaches it in an educational institution, such as
a community college. These awards honor those hams who put in countless
volunteer hours to seek out newcomers and teach them the standards and
practices of Amateur Radio. Nominating forms for the Brier award
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/edunom.html?aw_id=7> and the Professional
Educator award <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/edunom.html?aw_id=9> are
available on the ARRL Web site. Nominations must be received at ARRL
Headquarters by March 1. All nominees will be invited to confirm their
interest in competing for the award and to submit material documenting
their activities. Winners receive engraved plaques and up to $100 worth of
ARRL publications.

* President Bush thanks ham radio volunteer: Shortly after stepping off
Air Force One February 5 during a visit to South Carolina, President
George W. Bush took a few moments to express his appreciation to ARRL
member and Charleston County ARES Emergency Coordinator Charlie Hall,
K4AOT. "For all Charlie has done for ham radio and the community, he
certainly deserves to be put in the spotlight," said his friend Alex
Krist, KR1ST. A member of the Charleston Amateur Radio Society and a
retired US Army sergeant, Hall, 64, volunteers with a newly formed
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
<http://www.citizencorps.gov/programs/cert.shtm>, a Citizen Corps
<http://www.citizencorps.gov/> program. The president shook Hall's hand
and thanked him for his efforts on behalf of the community. ARRL is a
Citizen Corps affiliate, and in a growing number of localities, Amateur
Radio emergency response activities are being incorporated into CERTs.
Hall, who also volunteers with the American Red Cross and a SKYWARN team,
was tapped as Charleston County's "official greeter" for the presidential
visit mainly because of his Citizen Corp/CERT activity.--some information
from Alex Krist, KR1ST, and Jim Boehner, N2ZZ

* AMSAT announces ECHO launch delay: AMSAT-NA President Robin Haighton,
VE3FRH, has announced that due to a delay in the delivery of the primary
payload to the launch site in Kazakhstan, the launch of the ECHO satellite
has been delayed by some three months. "The 'official' launch date is now
June 29, 2004," Haighton said. "I assume that this new date is the start
of the new launch window, which may last several weeks."--AMSAT-NA

* Six hams set to ride shuttle "Return to Flight" mission: Six Amateur
Radio licensees will be aboard when the shuttle Atlantis returns to
space--something NASA now says might not happen until 2005. The mission,
STS-114--which NASA is calling the "Return to Flight" mission--will be the
first since Columbia broke apart February 1, 2003, during reentry
following a 16-day science mission. The mishap claimed the lives of seven
astronauts--three of them Amateur Radio licensees. NASA has announced the
STS-114 crew members as Mission Commander Eileen Collins, KD5EDS; Pilot
James Kelly, KC5ZSW; Mission Specialist Charles Camarda, KC5ZSY; Mission
Specialist Wendy Lawrence, KC5KII; Mission Specialist Soichi Noguchi,
KD5TVP; Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson, and Mission Specialist Andy
Thomas, KD5CHF/VK5MIR. A veteran of three space flights, Collins has
logged more than 530 hours in space. During the Return to Flight mission,
the crew will test and evaluate new procedures for flight safety and
shuttle inspection and repair techniques.--NASA

* Vote on QST Cover Plaque Award: The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award
for January is Rod Vlach, NN0TT, for his article "The Challenge of Being a
Little Pistol." Congratulations, Rod! The winner of the QST Cover Plaque
award--given to the author--or authors--of the best article in each
issue--is determined by a vote of ARRL members. Voting takes place each
month on the QST Cover Plaque Poll Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/members-only/qstvote.html>. Cast a ballot for your
favorite article in the February issue of QST. Voting ends February 29.

* Three ARRL awards discontinued: Effective immediately, the ARRL Awards
Branch has discontinued the Rag Chewer's Club, the Old Timer's Club and
the Friendship Award. ARRL Membership Services Manager Wayne Mills, N7NG,
says that the number of amateurs applying for awards in general has
declined significantly over the years, and interest in these three awards
had slowed to a trickle. DXCC and WAS remain among the most popular ARRL
Awards, he said, but the eliminated awards "had outlived their interest
level." For more information on ARRL awards, visit The ARRL Awards Program
page <http://www.arrl.org/awards/>.

* Department of State ham club on the air for Presidents' Day: The Daily
DX <http://www.dailydx.com/> reports that the Department of State Amateur
Radio Club's W3DOS will be on the air February 14-16 to celebrate
Presidents' Day. Approximate operating frequencies will be CW: 3.530,
7.030, 10.130 14.030, 18.080, 21.030, 24.910 and 28.030 MHz. SSB: 3.880,
7280, 14280, 18150, 21380, 24.980 and 28.480 MHz.

===========================================================
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
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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
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The ARRL Letter

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly summary of essential news of interest to active amateurs that is available in advance of publication in QST, our official journal. The ARRL Letter strives to be timely, accurate, concise and readable.

Much of the ARRL Letter content is also available in audio form in ARRL Audio News.

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.

Back issues published since 2000 are available on this page. If you wish to subscribe via e-mail, simply log on to the ARRL Web site, click on Edit Your Profile at the top, then click on Edit Email Subscriptions. Check the box next to The ARRL email newsletter, the ARRL Letter and you will receive each weekly issue in HTML format. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!): letter-dlvy@arrl.org

Editorial questions or comments: John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, at news@arrl.org.

Plain-Text

The ARRL E-Letter e-mail is also available in plain-text version:

Outlook Express

1. From the Inbox view, select the Tools menu and the Options selection.

2. Click the Read tab

3. Check the Read All Messages In Plain Text box.  When you open the e-mail, it will be in plain text without images. Other e-mail programs may be able to make a Mail Rule for e-mail received from the address memberlist@www.arrl.org so that the plain-text-only display is selected automatically.

Outlook 2007

Use the same procedure as for Outlook Express, although the global option is under "Tools/Trust Center/E-mail Security".

Thunderbird

Use the menu item "View/Message Body As/Plain Text" or "View/Message Source" options.

OS X Mail (Mac)

Use the "View/Message/Plain Text Alternative" menu item.

GMail

Use the "Message text garbled?" link in the drop-down menu at the upper right of the displayed message block. pine, alpine Set "prefer-plain-text" in your ~/.pinerc configuration file: feature-list=..., prefer-plain-text, ...

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