*************** The ARRL Letter Vol. 23, No. 45 November 12, 2004 *************** IN THIS EDITION: * +FCC unsnarls amateur application processing snafu * +ARRL Community Education Project to visit a dozen communities * +HF propagation fizzles, 6 meters explodes * +Young award winners energize Georgia State Convention * +This year's ARRL Frequency Measuring Test has a new twist * +The US Coast Guard Auxiliary wants you! * Solar Update * IN BRIEF: This weekend on the radio ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course registration ULS maintenance shutdown scheduled +AMSAT establishes Echo "Experimenters' Wednesday" suggestion box AMSAT auctioning Phase 3D artifact to help fund Eagle project Clinton Presidential Library special event set William Baker, W1BKR, inducted into Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame New 60-meter beacons on the air from the British Isles +Three North American LF signals received in UK +Available on ARRL Audio News =========================================================== ==>FCC RESUMES PROCESSING AMATEUR SERVICE APPLICATIONS The FCC is back in the business of issuing Amateur Service license grants after a shutdown of several days. The Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) halted processing of Amateur Service applications November 5 after a Universal Licensing System (ULS) <http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/> computer programming problem caused application grants to go awry. Besides creating an application backlog, the glitch resulted in the issuance of nearly 130 out-of-sequence Group D (2x3) amateur call signs. Those erroneous grants now have been set aside, and licensees have been issued new, in-sequence call signs. "The Commission appears to have corrected the earlier erroneous call sign assignments," ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, said November 11. "In the past 24 hours, the FCC has issued 1915 Amateur Service grants, some of which were corrections for the earlier call sign anomalies." Jahnke says the rest of the grants represented the application backlog and an initial run of some 600 applications for license renewal, license modification, vanity call signs and administrative updates the WTB did November 10 to check out the system. WTB personnel auditing the results of that initial run apparently were satisfied that the trouble wouldn't resurface and removed the "alert" posted on the ULS Web site five days earlier to announce the suspension of Amateur Service grants. Jahnke says that each of the 130 or so licensees issued out-of-sequence call signs will get a set-aside letter from the FCC via Certified Mail, pointing out the assignment error and listing the corrected call sign. The problem seems to have affected only new 2x3 call sign grants. The 130 affected licensees can learn their new call signs by searching the ULS database by licensee name or by FCC Registration Number (FRN), if they know it. Records of the erroneous call sign grants will be maintained in the ULS archive. The difficulties began in late October, when a ULS software change shunted all amateur applications from the nation's VECs into "Pending 2" status and flagged them for manual review without any justification. Attempts to correct the error only seemed to make things worse, however. After regrouping, the WTB thought it had things under control by November 2, and it reprocessed all the applications in the queue. That time, the system not only failed to grant some routine requests for new sequential call signs but erroneously began issuing out-of-sequence Group D call signs from brand-new call sign blocks in several districts. At that point, the WTB stopped amateur processing altogether. Despite the processing error, Jahnke emphasized, the anomalous Group D call sign grants, which included numerous WQ-prefixes, were legal to use on the air. ==>COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROJECT PICKS PILOT COMMUNITIES The new ARRL Community Education Project (CEP) has targeted a dozen communities from Maine to Oregon to learn about the value of Amateur Radio to community safety and security. Between now and next August, CEP Coordinator Bill Barrett, W1WJB, will be visiting the 12 localities to explore the best ways Amateur Radio can work with Citizen Corps councils. Barrett wants to enlist local Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) teams and ham radio clubs to demonstrate Amateur Radio as a source of trained communicators--equipped and ready to serve. "We hope to leave behind new and durable working relationships between Amateur Radio groups--as embodied in ARES, RACES and local ham clubs--and Citizen Corps councils," Barrett says. In addition, he wants to share the message about Amateur Radio and emergency communication with community leaders and have ham radio written into local and state emergency plans. The overall effort, he hopes, will result in ongoing relationships that will "mutually educate and develop a well-integrated local emergency communication capability" to serve the public--in line with the goals of the grant funding the CEP. At the same time, Barrett says, the scope of his project is limited out of sheer necessity. "Since this is a developmental pilot program, we are not attempting to go everywhere at once," he said. The 12 target locations were chosen with guidance from Citizen Corps, a community volunteer organization operating under the Department of Homeland Security umbrella. Barrett also took pains to explain what the CEP is not trying to do. "Our purpose is not to recruit a lot of local emergency workers--professional or volunteer--to become licensed amateurs," he said. "Quite probably, some will go this route, but that would be a desirable side effect and not a main goal." Barrett has been enlisting the assistance of ARRL Field Organization officials and ARRL-affiliated clubs in the affected sections to coordinate his visits. In addition to local Citizen Corps councils, Barrett wants to reach Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members as well as "other interested parties, such as local educational system officials." Barrett is filling a new one-year position at ARRL. The League received a grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) of nearly $90,000 to develop the pilot Community Education Project. The 12 pilot communities are York County, Maine; Shenandoah Valley, Virginia; Jefferson County, Alabama; Old Hickory, Tennessee; Galesburg, Illinois; Humboldt County, Iowa; Bates County, Missouri; Arapahoe County, Colorado; Phoenix, Arizona; Clackamas County, Oregon; Grant County, New Mexico, and Concord, New Hampshire. ==>HF PROPAGATION FALLS VICTIM TO STRONG SOLAR WINDS; VHFers EXULT As HF radio conditions drifted in the doldrums over the past week, the Space Environment Center (SEC) <http://www.sec.noaa.gov/SWN/index.html> reports that geomagnetic storm activity spiked into the "extreme" (G5) category November 9. A result of disturbances in Earth's geomagnetic field caused by gusts of "solar wind" blowing past the planet, geomagnetic storms adversely affected HF radio propagation during much of the week and even resulted in limited radio blackouts. The SEC estimates that G5-scale geomagnetic conditions will occur on just four days of each 11-year solar cycle. Things calmed to "minor" (G1) by week's end, and the near-term prediction was for geomagnetic storm activity to dwindle. Even at the G1 level, geomagnetic activity can cause weak power grid fluctuations, possibly affect satellite operations and still generate aurora at higher latitudes. At the same time, HFers were suffering, however, VHF enthusiasts were exulting in the propagation the space weather generated on 6 meters. Chip Margelli, K7JA, in California says that as ARRL November Sweepstakes (CW) was coming to a close, many HF signals exhibited auroral characteristics. Six meters, however, was becoming a hotbed of DX. Early on November 8 (UTC), he says, KH6SX reported on the 50 MHz Propagation Logger <http://www.dxworld.com/50prop.html> that he was hearing the K6FV beacon. "I quickly rotated my beam in his direction, and with one call I had him in the log," Margelli reported. "His signal was full of rapid aurora flutter, which is astounding for a path to Hawaii!" Margelli says the opening later shifted to the west and north, and additional stations were able to add Hawaii to their 6 meter WAS list. A path then opened between Hawaii and Alaska (BP51) and ultimately between Hawaii and Japan. "It's hard to imagine a 'normal' Es opening with such a wide distribution, and the westward progression suggests an enhancement ahead of the heliopause," Margelli said. "But I think the book may need some re-writing on this one." Among the lucky stations in the east was ARRL Sales and Marketing Manager Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, who bagged his 50th state on 50 MHz by working NL7Z in Alaska via aurora. On HF, Junji Saito, JA7SSB, told ARRL propagation bulletin editor Tad Cook, K7RA, that he was able to generate big 20 and 30-meter pileups on November 8 around 1430-1500 UTC, late evening in Japan, when the bands usually are closed. He noted deep fading and echoes on signals. The recent space weather conditions resulted in auroral displays visible as far south as the Middle Atlantic states. In terms of radio blackouts--disturbances of the ionosphere caused by X-ray emissions from the sun--the SEC reported conditions as moderate (R2) at midweek but nil as week's end. Solar radiation storm activity dropped from the "moderate" (S2) level at midweek to minor (S1) by week's end. At the S1 level, solar radiation storms can have a minor effect on HF radio propagation in the polar regions. See this week's "Solar Update" (below) for additional details and the current forecast. ==>YOUNG ARRL AWARD WINNERS ENERGIZE GEORGIA YOUTH FORUM Those who fret about the future of Amateur Radio would have found reason for optimism during the Georgia State Convention November 6-7 in Lawrenceville. The popular hamfest this year played host to two of the country's most-honored young radio amateurs: Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, a 2003 ARRL Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award winner (Jay Thompson, W6JAY, was the other winner), and Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, an earlier HPM Award recipient and soon to be the League's youngest-ever division vice director. "Amateur Radio is not just a hobby but can set you on a lifelong path of enjoyment and even a career," Mileshosky told the convention's Youth Forum November 6. He should know. Although barely 25, Mileshosky, who's from Albuquerque, New Mexico, will assume the office of ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Vice Director on January 1. Currently completing graduate school at Georgia Tech, Mileshosky--the featured speaker at the Youth Forum Hartlage organized--says it was his interest in ham radio that guided his career path in electrical engineering. He encouraged young radio amateurs to seek leadership positions starting at the club level. Mileshosky and Hartlage have quite a bit in common. Both are Amateur Extra class licensees in addition to being HPM Award winners--Mileshosky was honored with the 1999 award--as well as recipients of the Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award. Mileshosky was selected in 1997, while Hartlage received the YHOTY award this year. In June 2003, Hartlage succeeded Mileshosky as contributing editor of the "Youth@HamRadio.Fun" Web column. ARRL Senior News Editor Rick Lindquist, N1RL, invited Mileshosky to share the stage as he presented Hartlage with the 2003 HPM Award plaque. The award also carries a $1500 stipend. "I often joke about having thousands of parents via ham radio," Hartlage said in her Youth Forum presentation, referring to those who have mentored her as well as to radio amateurs she's met on the air or worked with on various projects. Hartlage also spoke of the "fun activities" she's discovered through ham radio, including involvement in public service, and of the "lifelong friendships" she's developed. Ham radio has even helped her with school, she said. She encouraged veteran radio amateurs to become mentors--or Elmers--and to stay in touch with their younger charges after they're licensed to guide them in getting on the air or becoming involved in the various aspects of ham radio. Mutual respect was another point she stressed. "Adults should deal with younger hams as peers," she suggested. To her youthful audience, which included children as young as eight, Hartlage exhorted, "Go forth and build a radioactive youth!" The "youth lounge" Hartlage set up at the convention as a gathering spot for younger attendees especially impressed Mileshosky. "I've personally not seen a youth lounge at any other hamfest I've been to and have not seen so many youth at a youth forum except for the last time I was at Dayton," he remarked. The area included not only snacks, drinks, ham radio presentations and information but served as the home of the W4Y ("Watch for Youth") special event station. In addition to helping to oversee the various youth activities, Hartlage took time to guide several younger visitors to the youth lounge through their first Amateur Radio HF contacts. ==>THE TONE'S THE THING FOR 2004 ARRL FREQUENCY MEASURING TEST There's a new twist to the ARRL Maxim Memorial Station W1AW Frequency Measuring Test (FMT). The 2004 FMT takes place November 18 starting at 0245 UTC (the evening of Wednesday, November 17, in US time zones), replacing the W1AW phone bulletin normally transmitted then. Rather than measuring the transmission's carrier frequency, participants in this year's FMT will attempt to accurately determine the frequency of an audio tone. Engineer and ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, says measuring an audio tone will reinforce understanding of the relationship between carrier frequency and the components of a transmitted signal. "The carrier is suppressed for SSB signals, leaving only the sideband components," Silver explains in "The FMT Strikes a New Tone," in November QST. "The frequency of components of the modulating audio signal is preserved as the difference between the carrier frequency and the transmitted component. A single modulating tone results in a single transmitted component." W1AW will make the 2004 FMT transmissions on 80, 40 and 20 meters. The FMT will begin with a general W1AW "QST" starting at 0245 UTC sent simultaneously on the three W1AW transmission frequencies. The test itself will consist of three 60-second tone transmissions on each band, followed by a station identification. The whole test will run for about 15 minutes and will end with a station ID. The tone frequency will be the same on all three bands. During the 2004 FMT, W1AW will indicate the band on which participants should measure. After the initial call-up, W1AW will begin the test by announcing, "Now 80 meters." Except for the tone transmission, all transmissions will be voice. Frequencies are 3990 kHz (LSB), 7290 kHz (LSB) and 14,290 kHz (USB). All frequencies will be accurate to at least 0.1 ppm (eg, 3990 ±0.4 Hz). Submitted reports should include name, call sign, location, time of reception and, of course, the tone frequency. Those using an indirect measurement method also should include calculations showing how they arrived at the tone frequency. For additional details on indirect and direct measurement methods, see Silver's article "The ARRL Frequency Measuring Tests," on the ARRL Web site, <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/fmt/0210051.pdf>, or in Oct 2002 QST. Send entries postmarked by Friday, December 17, 2004, to W1AW/FMT, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. Separate reports for each band are welcome. All entrants qualify for a Certificate of Participation. Those coming closest to the measured frequency will be listed in the test report and get special recognition on their certificates. ==>US COAST GUARD AUXILIARY SEEKS RADIO AMATEURS CQ, CQ CQ! The US Coast Guard Auxiliary <http://www.cgaux.org/> is looking for Amateur Radio operators or prospective amateur licensees. "Like every other emergency based service, the Coast Guard operates every day, in good weather and in bad," says Wayne Spivak, KC2NJV, of the USCG's National Public Affairs Department. "We, in the USCG Auxiliary operate whether there is power to operate the normal modes of communication, such as phones, or whether the weather is bad, and the normal means of communications are out of service." At times like these, the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary rely on the Auxiliary Net (AuxNet), a backup radio network, to maintain communication with both the Auxiliary and the Coast Guard. In areas where there is no regular Coast Guard presence, the Auxiliary may rely solely on its AuxNet for communication. In areas with a large USCG presence, the AuxNet operates in both a support and backup capacity. The USCG Auxiliary is seeking ham radio volunteers because amateurs "are good communicators," Spivak says, in particular because of skills they've developed both in everyday radio operation and participation during emergencies in RACES, ARES and SKYWARN. He suggests Amateur Radio and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary are an ideal fit. To find out more, visit the USCG Auxiliary Public Service Articles Web site. The US Coast Guard Auxiliary is open to all US citizens over the age of 17. A security background check, paid for by the US Coast Guard, is required before an applicant is accepted. Visit the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Web site <http://www.cgaux.org/cgauxweb/getzip.html> to start the process. ==>SOLAR UPDATE Propagation maven Tad "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports: This was a wild week for propagation, fraught with radio blackouts, 6 meter auroral propagation, wild solar wind and severe geomagnetic storms. The prediction for the next few days is for continuing auroral displays and geomagnetic storms, but the storms should subside. These geomagnetic storms accompanied unstable and often unusable conditions on HF but produced interesting and exciting propagation on VHF. This week's average daily planetary A index (indicating geomagnetic instability) was up by nearly 70 points to 77.6, and the mid-latitude A index increased more than 36 points to 41.9. Average daily sunspot numbers and solar flux declined. Our reporting week runs from Thursday through Wednesday. Predicted planetary A index for November 12 is 100, dropping off to 30 on November 13 and 10 on November 14. A possible geomagnetic storm is predicted for November 12 because of a coronal mass ejection (CME) blown into space November 10. But this blast is not aimed at Earth, so its effect will not be as strong as if the CME were squarely in the middle of the solar disk. Predicted solar flux, which averaged below 130 this week, is expected to decline over the next few days but then rise again, with predicted flux values of 90, 85, 85, 90, 100 and 105 for November 12-17. Solar flux and associated sunspot numbers for the short term are expected to peak sometime around November 23-24. Sunspot numbers for October 28 through November 3 were 150, 130, 153, 163, 144, 110 and 123 with a mean of 139. The 10.7 cm flux was 133.4, 128.8, 136.4, 139.2, 135.5, 133.1 and 135.9, with a mean of 134.6. Estimated planetary A indices were 3, 7, 17, 10, 5, 4 and 10, with a mean of 8. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 2, 6, 10, 7, 4, 2 and 7, with a mean of 5.4. Sunspot numbers for November 4 through 10 were 135, 83, 106, 94, 93, 90 and 50, with a mean of 93. The 10.7 cm flux was 136, 141.2, 128.8, 129.6, 124.1, 140.9 and 104.6, with a mean of 129.3. Estimated planetary A indices were 7, 4, 3, 39, 189, 120 and 181, with a mean of 77.6. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 5, 1, 4, 19, 116, 47 and 101, with a mean of 41.9. __________________________________ ==>IN BRIEF: * This weekend on the radio: The Worked All Europe DX Contest (RTTY), the JIDX Phone Contest, SARL Field Day and the OK/OM DX Contest (CW) are the weekend of November 13-14. JUST AHEAD: The ARRL Sweepstakes Contest (SSB), the North American Collegiate Amateur Radio Club Championship (SSB), the RSGB Second 1.8 MHz Contest (CW), the LZ DX Contest, the EUCW Fraternizing CW QSO Party and the All Austrian 160-Meter Contest are the weekend of November 20-21. The CQ Worldwide DX Contest (CW) is the weekend of November 27-28. See the ARRL Contest Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/> for more info. * ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration: Registration for the ARRL Antenna Modeling (EC-004) and Radio Propagation (EC-011) on-line courses remains open through Sunday, November 14. Classes begin Friday November 26. The Antenna Modeling course is an excellent way to learn the ins and outs of computerized modeling of antenna designs. Computer-modeling expert and noted author L.B. Cebik, W4RNL, has combined the expertise of his long career as a college professor with his love and antennas and antenna modeling to offer a comprehensive, yet practical, course of study. Propagation students will study the science of RF propagation, including the properties of electromagnetic waves, the atmosphere and the ionosphere, the sun and sunspots, ground waves and sky waves, and various propagation modes--including aurora and meteor scatter. To learn more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Web page or contact the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Program Department cce@arrl.org. * Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course registration: Registration for the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level III on-line course (EC-003) opens Monday, November 15, 1201 AM EST, and remains open through the November 20-21 weekend or until all available seats have been filled. Class begins Friday, December 3. Radio amateurs age 55 and older are strongly encouraged to participate. 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, seats are being offered to ARRL members on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Web page <http://www.arrl.org/cce>. For more information, contact Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG, cce@arrl.org; 860-594-0340. * ULS maintenance shutdown scheduled: The FCC has announced that due to "scheduled maintenance," the ULS on-line filing, application and license search and several other non Amateur Radio-related functions will be unavailable starting Friday, November 12, at 9 PM EST until Monday, November 15, at 6 AM EST. Electronic batch file processing will stop November 12 at 5 PM, and VECs will not be able to send and retrieve files during the down period. This weekend's transaction files and Sunday's database public access files will not be available until Monday morning, the FCC says. * AMSAT establishes Echo "Experimenters' Wednesday" suggestion box: AMSAT-NA has set up an e-mail address <ao51-modes@amsat.org> for Echo satellite (AO-51) users to submit suggestions for "Experimenters' Wednesday" operations. AMSAT invites users to let the AO-51 ground control team know which modes they're interested in seeing on the satellite for the weekly experimental period. The FM voice repeater is turned off on Experimenters' Wednesdays. On November 17, Experimenters' Wednesday will feature PSK31 operation. The AMSAT Echo Web page includes the planned monthly Echo schedule and additional information. AO-51 ground controller Mike Kingery, KE4AZN, says he will post details about operating mode, updates to the operating plan and other timely information typically two or three times each week.--AMSAT News Service * AMSAT auctioning Phase 3D artifact to help fund Eagle project: Once again, AMSAT-NA is going the auction route to raise money for a satellite project. This time, the fundraiser is for Eagle, AMSAT-NA's next new satellite. On the eBay auction block <http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5730146069> is a prototype of the mounts used to secure the AMSAT Phase 3D satellite--which later became AO-40--to the Specific Bearing Structure and the Ariane 502 rocket. The auction of the amateur satellite memorabilia continues through Sunday, November 14, at 1900 Pacific Time. The winning bid in the 10-day auction will be recognized as a donation to the $600,000 Eagle launch campaign. Four of the prototype mounts were discovered while relocating the AMSAT Lab in Orlando after Hurricane Charley damaged the building housing the Lab beyond repair. AMSAT says the next-generation Eagle satellite will provide hemisphere-wide communication via amateur satellite utilizing both familiar modes and new microwave and digital techniques. Last January, AMSAT-NA auctioned off an original sculpture of the AO-40 satellite to help fund the successful launch of the Echo satellite, now AO-51.--AMSAT News Service * Clinton Presidential Library special event set: Special event W5C will be on the air November 13-14 to mark the dedication of the Clinton Presidential Library. Operation will be from the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock. Coordinated by N5TKG and KB5VJA, the event is sponsored by the ARRL Arkansas Section, and the ARES and CAREN clubs. Frequencies will be 14.040, 14.260, 21.360, 7.250, and 3.9875 MHz plus area repeaters. QSL to Dennis Schaefer, W5RZ, 181 Schaefer Dr, Dover AR 72837. * William Baker, W1BKR, inducted into Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame: New York Public Television CEO William F. Baker, W1BKR, has been tapped to be a member of the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. An induction ceremony took place November 8 in Manhattan. Baker has headed NYPTV since 1987. During his tenure, WNET/Thirteen established Charlie Rose, Wide Angle, Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly, and the children's math mystery series Cyberchase as syndicated public TV staples. He also established the station's Educational Resources Center and developed its first cable channel, MetroArts/Thirteen. Before joining NYPTV, Baker served as president of Westinghouse Television. During his 10 years with the company, the Discovery Channel and the Disney Channel were launched. He also established the successful national P.M. Magazine program franchise and introduced Oprah Winfrey as a talk show host. Among other awards, Baker has won six Emmys as a TV producer. * New 60-meter beacons on the air from the British Isles: The Daily DX reports that new 60-meter beacons are on the air from England and Scotland. GB3WES in Cumbria, England, and GB3ORK in Scotland's Orkney Islands join GB3RAL in Oxfordshire, which has been on the air since mid-2003. All transmit on 5290 kHz. Each beacon has a stepped transmit power sequence and a 30-second sounder sequence of 0.5 ms pulses at 40 Hz. All three beacons transmit at a nominal power of 10 W. There's more information, including how to file reception reports, on the RSGB Beacon Reporting Web page. * Three North American LF signals received in UK: Jim Moritz, M0BMU, in Hertfordshire, England, recently was able to receive LF signals transmitted by three North American stations operating on 2200 meters--in the vicinity of 137 kHz (137.777 kHz). Copied using a computer equipped with ARGO software were the "QRSS120" very slow-speed CW signals from WD2XES, operated by John Andrews, W1TAG, in Massachusetts; Joe Craig, VO1NA, near St Johns, Newfoundland; and WD2XDW, operated by Laurence Howell, KL1X/5, in Oklahoma. Moritz received the trio of signals October 29 at approximately 0300 UTC, reports Craig, who notes that Howell's LF CW signals also were detected recently in New Zealand. "The CW speed is very slow, taking two minutes to send a dit," Craig explained. "This corresponds to a speed of 0.01 WPM." =========================================================== The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur Radio--225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259; <http://www.arrl.org/>. Jim Haynie, W5JBP, President. The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential news of interest to active amateurs. The ARRL Letter strives to be timely, accurate, concise, and readable. Visit ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org/> for the latest news, updated as it happens. The ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> offers access to news, informative features and columns. ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> is a weekly "ham radio newscast" compiled from The ARRL Letter. Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League. ==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!): letter-dlvy@arrl.org ==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org ==>ARRL News on the Web: <http://www.arrl.org/> ==>ARRL Audio News: <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> or call 860-594-0384 ==>How to Get The ARRL Letter The ARRL Letter is available to ARRL members free of charge directly from ARRL HQ. 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