*************** The ARRL Letter Vol. 24, No. 35 September 9, 2005 *************** IN THIS EDITION: * +Ham radio continues to fill communication gaps in hurricane zone * +ARRL Headquarters mounts unprecedented response to Hurricane Katrina * +2005 World Exposition in Japan hosts successful space QSO * +ARRL opens "Volunteers Needed" clearing house * +Three ARRL divisions set to elect directors, vice directors * +League urges employer flexibility in leave time for volunteers * +Maine ham's license renewal application set aside by FCC * +AMSAT-NA cancels 2005 Symposium * Solar Update * IN BRIEF: This weekend on the radio: The ARRL September VHF QSO Party! ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course registration Katrina radio public service announcement available! "When All Else Fails" graphic available Floyd Koontz, WA2WVL, wins August QST Cover Plaque Award DXCC Desk approves operations for DXCC credit +Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> =========================================================== ==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!): letter-dlvy@arrl.org ==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org =========================================================== ==>AMATEUR RADIO VOLUNTEERS FILLING COMMUNICATION GAPS IN GULF REGION Hundreds of Amateur Radio operators from the Gulf Coast and elsewhere in the US continue to volunteer their skills and expertise as the Hurricane Katrina relief effort heads into its third week. ARRL Section Managers (SMs) and Section Emergency Coordinators (SECs) across and around the affected region have been teleconferencing daily to keep their efforts on the same page. In the field, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and other volunteers are assisting as needed to support communication for relief agencies as well as for state and local government and even the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Louisiana SEC Gary Stratton, K5GLS, says Amateur Radio was the only means for state officials at the state emergency operations center (EOC) in Baton Rouge to communicate earlier this week with the so-called "Florida parishes" above Lake Pontchartrain. "We have had praise from one end of Louisiana to the other about Amateur Radio operators," Stratton said. "There was a communication to the EOC in Baton Rouge from FEMA that said, 'Ham radio is our prime communications with you, and they should get anything they need,' so FEMA recognizes the importance of ham radio." He also recounted how state officials arriving at the EOC were using ham radio to get through to their hard-hit parishes. A marshaling center has been established in Covington, Louisiana. ARES has been continuing to support Red Cross shelter and Southern Baptist Convention debris-clearing in St Tammany parish, as well as Baptist Men's Kitchen canteen operations. In Washington Parish, ARES volunteers--including more than a dozen from South Texas--have been providing critical communication among hospitals and the parish EOC, among other functions. Field teams were continuing to use HF to maintain communication with the EOC in Baton Rouge. Stratton, who's temporarily handed over his SEC duties to former Louisiana SM Al Oubre, K5SDG, said that while things are going along okay right now, he foresees a need for additional operators down the road, once closed areas are reopened. "One of the biggest problems we're going to have is relief for the operators who have been down there [in the affected parishes]," he said. "New Orleans is, of course, our next thrust, and we're going to have to have to staff recovery efforts down there, but it'll be a different kind of recovery effort," Stratton predicted. "We'll be supporting the EOC in Baton Rouge with temporary communications until the National Guard can get in." Stratton said Amateur Radio has even had to loan some government agencies their communication gear because their own didn't function. "It's been an eye-opener to me operating in the EOC down there how terribly their equipment operates," he said. In Mississippi, ARES operators have been helping to maintain communication among hospitals, EOCs and shelters. ARES District Emergency Coordinator Tom Hammack, W4WLF, reported operators were sleeping on the floor when off duty. State RACES Officer and ARES DEC Ron Brown, AB5WF, was setting up a staging area for Amateur Radio volunteers near the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency in Jackson. SECs in the US Gulf advise volunteers signing up for duty in the hurricane-stricken zones to coordinate with their home SECs and, once given the go-ahead, arrive as self-sufficient as possible. "If you need it, you bring it," advised Alabama SEC Jay Isbell, KA4KUN. Volunteers have come from all over the US. Isbell said each Red Cross feeding unit was turning out 25,000 to 30,000 meals a day. "They still need communication," he said. Local amateurs in the affected areas were handling some of the tactical communication on VHF. A staging area in Montgomery, Alabama, continues to process and orient Amateur Radio volunteers for American Red Cross and other duty in Louisiana and Mississippi. Some volunteers will help support communication at Red Cross shelters set up for evacuees, while others will provide tactical communication for feeding stations or for emergency management. Alabama SM Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, has been coordinating ham radio volunteers at the Montgomery site. Norm North Jr, WA1DBR, of Arkansas, was deployed to a Red Cross shelter in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he managed to squeeze in some health-and-welfare messages among the emergency traffic. North says typical requests included pleas from mothers trying to find missing children, youngsters looking for parents and other trying to get word to families and loved ones that they'd survived the storm and were at the shelter. "Many messages got through," North said, "and I received many thanks and hugs." As conventional telecommunications starts coming back to life, traffic has been slowing on the major regional HF emergency net--the West Gulf ARES Emergency Net on 7.285 MHz days and 3.873 MHz nights. As a result, the net announced September 9 that it would secure routine operation at 0600 UTC September 10. An open net will be maintained on 3.862 MHz after that. West Gulf ARES Emergency Net Manager Lee Franks, N5FP (ex-AD5IS), says the net passed traffic as recently as September 7 about a man trapped in an attic in Arabi [Louisiana]. "We're still getting a trickle of messages like this," he said earlier this week. "As communications are reestablished via landline and VHF-UHF links in that area, there has been less demand on our net--but I'd call it an absolute, tremendous success what we have done." There's more information on Amateur Radio's Hurricane Katrina response on the ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/>. ==>ARRL HEADQUARTERS RESPONDING TO HURRICANE KATRINA ON SEVERAL FRONTS As the magnitude of Hurricane Katrina's devastation in human terms became evident along the US Gulf Coast, activities at ARRL Headquarters ramped up into crisis mode. The immediate challenges were many and seemed to multiply by the minute. Under the leadership of ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B--an experienced Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Emergency Coordinator--and Special Assistant to the CEO Dave Patton, NN1N, ARRL staff members mustered to focus their energies on responding to the needs of ham radio volunteers. Kramer says the overarching goal at ARRL Headquarters has been to support its Field Organization of ARES and other volunteers. "Their main job is to support the served agencies, such as the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, FEMA," Kramer said. "Because this is over such a widespread area, a lot of the Amateur Radio infrastructure in that area got destroyed, so we're having to bring in operators from further out--as well as equipment." With a lack of communication cited as the largest obstacle to rescue and relief efforts, ARES members--with support from Headquarters--began bridging the gap immediately. The sheer size of the geographical region affected by the disaster and the dearth of communication put ARRL Headquarters in the somewhat unusual role of serving as a clearing house for various aspects of the response. Activities include helping to recruit volunteers, coordinating equipment donations, and working with regulatory agencies and the news media. A daily conference call has brought together Headquarters personnel and Section Managers (SMs) and Section Emergency Coordinators (SECs) from the affected region to provide situation reports, compare notes and request any assistance they need from ARRL Headquarters. "We don't normally have to do that much support for the Field Organization," Kramer pointed out. ARRL has been receiving donations and offers of equipment and services for use in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. Some two dozen members of the Amateur Radio industry and individual radio amateurs have contributed gear. The donations were made as gifts to ARRL, which is redirecting these resources as needed to the disaster zone. Some donors have offered valuable services and supplies. "The ARRL would like to thank everyone who has generously donated Amateur Radio equipment, accessories and supplies," said Kramer. Some of the equipment already on hand has been or soon will be deployed to assist relief agencies such as the American Red Cross as well as state and local emergency managers, he said. Key ARRL staff members have been meeting on a daily basis--including over the Labor Day holiday weekend--to help keep track of events and relief-related initiatives as they progress. Over the Labor Day holiday weekend, ARRL Headquarters employees volunteered to staff Maxim Memorial Station W1AW around the clock and to keep telephone (860-594-0200) and e-mail communication open <katrina@arrl.org>. The activity at W1AW also provided a focal point for local news media. On more than one occasion, TV crews showed up at HQ for a story about how Amateur Radio was doing its part in the disaster. Major "media hits" included a favorable article in the Wall Street Journal September 6. Another turned up on MSNBC's Web site, and a third on the Computerworld Web site. ARRL Sales and Marketing Manager Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, volunteered to head into the hurricane strike zone. He checked in at the American Red Cross ham radio support volunteer center in Montgomery, Alabama, on September 6. Motschenbacher has a complete HF station as well as sufficient supplies to stay in the field for a couple of weeks. He was expected to be deployed to help in Mississippi. ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, also has headed to Montgomery to coordinate with national news media there. ==>JAPANESE SCHOOLCHILDREN ENJOY SUCCESSFUL ARISS CONTACT As some 150 people looked on, a group of Japanese schoolchildren spoke September 2 with the International Space Station via 8N2AI, a station set up at the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture (near Nagoya). The scheduled contact with NA1SS was arranged by the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program. NASA ISS Science Officer John Phillips, KE5DRY, told the students that he is able to see air pollution over large cities, forest fires in the US and agricultural fires in Central and South America. Another student asked about housekeeping chores around the space station. "We have air filter systems that constantly clean the air," Phillips responded. "In addition, once a week we use a vacuum cleaner and a wet cloth to make sure we clean up all the dust." Asked if he thinks there is life elsewhere in the universe, the astronaut replied: "Yes I do. I base this belief on the enormous number of other stars, many of which probably have planetary systems, but I've never actually seen any evidence of life elsewhere." Control operator at 8N2AI was Naoyuki Iso, 7L1FFN. Onlookers were joined by reporters from eight newspapers and the official EXPO TV. About 15 million visitors are expected at EXPO 2005, which runs through September 25. The Japan Amateur Radio League is sponsoring 8N2AI. More photos of the event are available on a Web site commemorating the event. ARISS <http://www.rac.ca/ariss> is an international educational outreach with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA. ==>"VOLUNTEERS NEEDED" CLEARING HOUSE NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS The Hurricane Katrina Amateur Radio Volunteers Needed Clearing House now is live on the ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/agencies/>. This database will be the primary means for relief organizations requiring Amateur Radio volunteers for communication support to list their needs. Additionally, volunteers looking to help may search the listings to match up their capabilities with the various requirements. "The purpose of this ARRL Web tool is to make it easier on both the agency in need, and the Amateur Radio operator to find matches to fill various requirements," said ARRL Special Assistant to the CEO Dave Patton, NN1N. "We have rapidly learned that during regional and national disasters such as that resulting from Katrina, bottlenecks and bureaucracy slow down responses to aid requests. This tool should help the Field Organization cope." Representatives of relief organizations or served agencies can post their *communications* requirements on this site for Amateur Radio operators to see. Patton asked organizations lacking a volunteer coordinator who is familiar with Amateur Radio to indicate in the "needs" section that they're looking for an Amateur Radio volunteer coordinator in addition to radio operators. Relief agencies seeking Amateur Radio volunteers will be asked to enter basic information about their organizations and their needs, including specific locations in the disaster area. The League anticipates making the Volunteers Needed database available in the future when groups may need the services of Amateur Radio volunteers to supplement or provide emergency or public service communication. "If you are an Amateur Radio operator wishing to volunteer, use the search engine on the site to find listings of agencies that are looking for your help," Patton added. Thanks to the volunteer efforts of Joe Tomasone, AB2M, the League has been using the Hurricane Katrina Disaster Communications Volunteer Registration and Message Traffic Database he developed as its primary site for prospective Amateur Radio volunteers to offer their services in the current disaster. On behalf of the ARRL, Patton expressed appreciation for Tomasone's prompt response to fill this need on short notice. ==>DIRECTOR/VICE DIRECTOR ELECTIONS SET IN THREE ARRL DIVISIONS There will be contested elections for ARRL Director and Vice Director seats in three divisions for terms beginning next January 1. In two other divisions, the incumbent Director and Vice Director are running unopposed and have been declared elected. Balloting for Director will occur in the Atlantic, Great Lakes and Midwest divisions. Balloting for Vice Director will take place in the Atlantic and Great Lakes divisions. In the Atlantic Division: Current Vice Director William C. Edgar, N3LLR, faces a challenge from Scott J. Bauer, W2LC, for the Director's seat. The winner will succeed Bernie Fuller, N3EFN, who is not seeking reelection to another term. Competing to replace Edgar on the back bench are Maryland-DC Section Manager Thomas J. Abernethy, W3TOM, and Thomas G. Valosin, WB2KLD. In the Great Lakes Division: Incumbent Director James E. Weaver, K8JE, is being challenged for reelection by Neil Sablatzky, K8IT. Running for Great Lakes Division Vice Director are Daniel M. Romanchik, KB6NU, and former Great Lakes Division Vice Director Gary L. Johnston, KI4LA. Current Vice Director Richard Mondro, W8FQT, has decided not to run for another term. In the Midwest Division: Incumbent Director Wade Walstrom, W0EJ, is being opposed for reelection by Harry S. Nordman, AB0SX. Vice Director Bruce Frahm, K0BJ, is unopposed. Both incumbent Directors and Vice Directors are unopposed in the Dakota and Delta divisions. Dakota Director Jay Bellows K0QB, and Vice Director Twila Greenheck, N0JPH, have been declared elected, as have Delta Director Rick Roderick, K5UR, and Vice Director Henry Leggette, WD4Q. Ballots will go out by October 1 to all full ARRL members on record as of September 10, 2005, in the Atlantic, Great Lakes and Midwest divisions. The deadline to receive completed ballots at ARRL Headquarters is noon Eastern Time Friday, November 18, 2005. Any member entitled to a ballot and who has not received one by November 1 should request a duplicate ballot from the Secretary, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. ==>ARRL URGES EMPLOYERS TO BE FLEXIBLE IN LEAVE TIME FOR VOLUNTEERS The ARRL is calling on employers of Amateur Radio operators who volunteer to assist in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort to be able to take off from work without penalty. ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, says volunteers need some kind of assurance that they won't be jeopardizing their jobs if they step forward to assist along the US Gulf Coast, where they could be deployed for a week or longer. He said the League is urging employers that have not already done so to take the opportunity to recognize the significance of the emergency and the importance of what Amateur Radio volunteers are doing to help alleviate suffering in the disaster zone. "What we're asking employers to do is to have some compassion for the people in the disaster area," he said. "If they've got an employee who has the training and skills of an Amateur Radio operator, please allow that person to take some time off to contribute to this relief effort." Haynie further suggested that employers might contemplate offering their employees who serve as Amateur Radio volunteers in the Hurricane Katrina response either paid leave or compensatory time. "An employer can consider this one way to make a contribution to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort--if not monetary at least by letting those workers who are Amateur Radio volunteers to contribute their time and talents in the field." ==>FCC SETS ASIDE MAINE AMATEUR'S LICENSE RENEWAL The FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) has set aside its grant of license renewal to Glenn A. Baxter, K1MAN, of Belgrade Lakes, Maine. According to correspondence the FCC released recently, the WTB took the action soon after it had granted Baxter's renewal application, received on July 22 via the W5YI VEC. "The application has been set aside for enforcement review," Associate Chief of Licensing Operations Tracy Simmons told Baxter in a July 25 letter from the FCC's Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, office. Simmons said the WTB took the action in accordance with 47 CFR §1.113(a). That section says: "Within 30 days after public notice has been given of any action taken pursuant to delegated authority, the person, panel, or board taking the action may modify or set it aside on its own motion." Baxter's Amateur Radio license is set to expire October 17, 2005. In early June, the FCC issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) proposing to fine Baxter $21,000. In the NAL, the FCC alleges that Baxter has violated several sections of the Part 97 Amateur Service Rules. The list includes rules proscribing interference with ongoing communications, transmitting communications in which he has a pecuniary interest, failure to provide information the FCC requested, engaging in broadcasting, and failure to exercise control of his station. The FCC has not yet affirmed the NAL by issuing a Forfeiture Order. Baxter has insisted in correspondence with the Commission that he has operated his station in full compliance with FCC rules and regulations. On July 31, Baxter responded to Simmons' setaside notification to assert that the FCC has "intentionally violated my constitutional rights of due process" by not renewing his timely filed renewal application. Baxter said it's his "legal position" that he may continue to operate K1MAN "indefinitely," until a final legal determination in the case. ==>AMSAT-NA 2005 SYMPOSIUM FALLS VICTIM TO KATRINA AMSAT-NA has announced that it's canceling the 2005 AMSAT Symposium, which had been set to take place October 7-9 in Lafayette, Louisiana. The AMSAT-NA Board of Directors made the difficult decision during a teleconference session September 6. "We regret that Symposium will not be held this year," AMSAT-NA President Rick Hambly, W2GPS, said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims on the Gulf Coast who are now relocated to Lafayette and surrounding states." Hambly noted that thousands of Gulf Coast evacuees are now housed in Lafayette for the near future. AMSAT now is processing refunds to those who already registered for the event. The AMSAT Board of Directors called on members to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort and expressed the wish that those who had planned to attend will donate a portion of their costs of attending to one of the organizations aiding the Gulf Coast relief effort. Check the AMSAT Web site <http://www.amsat.org/> for additional information. ==>SOLAR UPDATE Sol man Tad "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports: The K7RA Solar Update Sunspot 808 returned this week with a vengeance, releasing several powerful X-class solar flares. The solar flare of September 7 was considered among the largest on record. Although these flares were not aimed squarely pointed at Earth, glancing blows could cause greater geomagnetic activity. This week's flares came on the heels of a high-speed solar wind last weekend that provoked geomagnetic instability--hence the high A index values--although conditions quieted down after Sunday. Currently the interplanetary magnetic field points north, which could offer some protection. The forecast for the planetary A index for Friday through Monday, September 9-12, is 25, 20, 10 and 20. Predicted solar flux for the same days is 100 for Friday, September 9, then values around 110 for the following week. A little higher sunspot activity is welcome for the next couple of weeks as we head toward the autumnal equinox, usually a better time for HF propagation. Sunspot numbers for September 1 through 7 were 24, 28, 14, 12, 12, 12 and 11, with a mean of 16.1. The 10.7 cm flux was 79.2, 77.1, 74.2, 74.6, 75, 83.4, and 117, with a mean of 82.9. Estimated planetary A indices were 21, 33, 32, 26, 14, 9 and 15 with a mean of 21.4. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 11, 24, 20, 18, 9, 6 and 18, with a mean of 15.1. __________________________________ ==>IN BRIEF: * This weekend on the radio: The ARRL September VHF QSO Party, the North American Sprint (CW), the WAE DX Contest (SSB), the Swiss HTC QRP Sprint, the Arkansas and Tennessee QSO parties and the ARCI End of Summer PSK31 Sprint are the weekend of September 10-11. YLRL Howdy Days are September 14-16. JUST AHEAD: The Emergency Power Operating Event, the North American Sprint (SSB), the ARRL 10 GHZ and Up Contest, the SARL VHF/UHF Contest. the Scandinavian Activity Contest (CW), the South Carolina QSO Party, the Washington State Salmon Run, the QCWA Fall QSO Party are the weekend of September 17-18. The 144 MHz Fall Sprint is September 19. See the ARRL Contest Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info. * ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration: Registration remains open through Sunday, September 11, for these ARRL Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) Program on-line courses: ARRL Antenna Design and Construction (EC-009), ARRL Technician Licensing (EC-010), and ARRL Analog Electronics (EC-012). Classes begin Friday, September 23. To learn more, visit the CCE Course Listing page <http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the CCE Department, cce@arrl.org. * Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course registration: Registration for the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level II on-line course (EC-002) opens Monday, September 12, at 1201 AM EDT and will remain open until all available 86 seats have been filled. Classes begin Friday, September 30, and Friday, October 28. Students must have completed Level I before registering for Level II. Thanks to the United Technologies Corporation (UTC), the $45 registration fee paid upon enrollment will be reimbursed to students who complete the course requirements and are upgraded by their mentor to "Passed" within the 8-week course period. During this registration period, seats are being offered to ARRL members on a first-come, first-served basis. Mail in registrations may not qualify for reimbursement. To learn more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) Web page <http://www.arrl.org/cce>. For more information, contact Online Course Coordinator Jean Wolfgang, <cce@arrl.org>; 860-594-0200. * Katrina radio public service announcement available! ARRL is making available a 30-second radio public service announcement (PSA) to highlight that ham radio has been on the air throughout the Hurricane Katrina crisis, passing emergency communications when other systems failed. Dozens of stations across the country already are playing earlier ARRL "mini-commercials" for ham radio, and the numbers keep growing. You can help by listening to, then downloading, the latest PSA <http://www.arrl.org/pio/ARRLkatrina.mp3> from the ARRL Web site here onto a CD and taking it to your local radio stations. To download the MP3 file, right click on the above link and choose "Save Target." The latest 30-second PSA was made possible by Johnny Donovan at WABC (770 AM) and Howard Price, KA2QPJ, of WABC-TV (Channel 7), both in New York City. * "When All Else Fails" graphic available: Responding to a member's suggestion, ARRL is making available its graphic on the theme of "When All Else Fails... Amateur Radio." The image is available in several sizes and can be found on the ARRL Web site logos page <http://www.arrl.org/logos/#waef>. * Floyd Koontz, WA2WVL, wins August QST Cover Plaque Award: The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for August is Floyd Koontz, WA2WVL, for his article "Short Dipoles for 160 Meters." Congratulations, Floyd! 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 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 September issue by September 30. * DXCC Desk approves operations for DXCC credit: The ARRL DXCC Desk has approved these operations for DXCC credit: KH9/AH8H, Wake Island, for operations in 2003 and 2004; TT8BZ, Chad, March 31-August 23, 2005; 5X1B, Uganda, August 3-12, 2005. For more information, visit the DXCC Web page <http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/>. "DXCC Frequently Asked Questions" can answer most questions about the DXCC program <http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/>. ARRL DX bulletins are available on the W1AW DX Bulletins page <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/dx/>. =========================================================== 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. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail delivery: ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site <http://www.arrl.org/members/>. 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