Compiled by ARRL News Editor S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA
news@arrl.org

This feature -- including convenient Web links to useful information -- is a concise monthly update of some of the things ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of January.

The ARRL Board of Directors held its 2010 Annual Meeting in Windsor, Connecticut on January 15-16. ARRL First Vice President Kay Craigie, N3KN, was elected the League's 15th President, taking over from President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, who chose not to run for election for a third term.

Through its Ham Aid program, the ARRL sent a programmed VHF repeater with a microphone, as well as handheld transceivers, mobile 2 meter rigs with power supplies, antennas, mobile antennas with magnet mounts, coax and batteries to be used by amateurs in earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, appointed Dakota Division Assistant Director and former North Dakota Section Manager Kent Olson, KA0LDG, as the new Dakota Division Vice Director.

The ARRL announced that the FCC issued more than 30,000 licenses to new amateurs in 2009, an increase of almost 7.5 percent from 2008.

ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Jon Siverling, WB3ERA, prepared for the February meetings of WRC-2012's Working Parties 1A, 1B and 1C. ARRL Chief Technology Officer Brennan Price, N4QX, with assistance from ARRL Regulatory Information Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, contacted the FCC to ascertain the process for hams wishing to travel to Haiti to provide communications support in the aftermath of the earthquake.

At its Annual Meeting, the ARRL Board of Directors had the pleasure of bestowing two awards: the inaugural George Hart Distinguished Service Award and the print, video and audio winners of the Bill Leonard, W2SKE, Professional Media Award.

ARRL Official Observers in Eastern Massachusetts investigated interference on a 2 meter repeater, while OOs in Missouri documented evidence of business being conducted over a repeater. Official Observers in Ohio also investigated a someone conducting business over a repeater, as well as interference -- thought to be coming from a high powered Citizen's Band operation -- to an air traffic control station.

W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, finished construction of an IRLP-node relay box and installed it on the IRLP PC and radio. He also built a new panel with a new Yaesu FT-2900R 2 meter FM transceiver for use with all of W1AW's 2 meter broadcast transmissions.

The 2009 ARRL Periodicals on CD-ROM is now available and includes the complete 2009 fully searchable collection of three ARRL journals -- QST, QEX, and the National Contest Journal (NCJ). Users of Amazon.com's Kindle, as well as Apple's iPhone and iPod touch, can now download ARRL's General Q&A and Extra Q&A directly from the online book seller. These two titles join the Tech Q&A that was released for the Kindle in December.

Prior to the ARRL Board of Directors Annual Meeting, two of the League's standing committees -- the Programs and Services Committee and the Administration and Finance Committee -- met in Newington.

The ARRL announced that as of January 6, its online contest newsletter -- The ARRL Contest Update -- has more than 25,000 subscribers.

The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for January is Phil Salas, AD5X, for his article "160 and 80 Meter Matching Network for Your 43 Foot Vertical -- Part 2."

The March 2010 issue of QST was released to the printer.