***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 24, No. 10
March 11, 2005
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +Court appeal probable in BPL proceeding, ARRL CEO says
* +ARRL National Convention to offer forums, faces, fun
* +Space litter, space station tilt are ISS QSO topics
* +FCC denies reconsideration of $10,000 fine
* +FCC warns Vermont amateur of possible fine
* +New QST column to demystify today's ham equipment
* +Germany, Spain update amateur regs
*  Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF:
     This weekend on the radio
     ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
     Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course registration
    +Authors wanted!
    +New TrustedQSL software released for Logbook of the World:
     Expedition 11 will put two hams aboard the ISS
     Echo team establishes AO-51 Operations Group
     Emergency communication volunteers watch over California marathon
     Peter Lake, ZL2AZ, is new IARU Region 3 Director

+Available on ARRL Audio News

===========================================================
==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
letter-dlvy@arrl.org
==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org
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==>BPL RECONSIDERATION PETITIONS FILED; LEAGUE CEO SAYS COURT APPEAL
PROBABLE

More than a dozen petitions for reconsideration have been filed in the wake
of the FCC's October 14, 2004, Report and Order (R&O) adopting new Part 15
rules governing broadband over power line (BPL) deployment. They include the
ARRL's February 7 Petition for Reconsideration
<http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/et04-37/recon_petition/>. ARRL CEO
David Sumner, K1ZZ, has expressed little confidence that the FCC will make
any substantive rule changes in response to any arguments put forth in the
petitions for reconsideration. In a March 1 interview with Marc Strassman of
Broadband over Power Line World (BPLW)
<http://www.etopiamedia.net/bplw/audio/sumner2.0.wma>, Sumner predicted that
the BPL proceeding ultimately will wind up in court.

"Realistically, do we expect dramatic changes in the Commission's rules as a
result of the reconsideration petitions?" Sumner asked in concluding the
interview. "Probably not. So we're probably looking to the Court of Appeals
before all the dust settles."

In his interview with Strassman, Sumner discussed the League's petition,
which calls on the FCC to "reconsider, rescind and restudy" its unanimous
adoption of the new Part 15 BPL rules last October.

Strassman also interviewed Associate Counsel Brett Kilbourne of the United
Power Line Council (UPLC), an organization promoting BPL development that
also filed a reconsideration petition. Among other things, Kilbourne
conceded to BPLW that Amateur Radio complaints and concerns raised about RFI
from BPL could hinder BPL rollouts.

"Yeah, my concern is that you're going to have--whenever there's a
deployment--people complaining automatically," Kilbourne said. "To the
extent that does happen, that's going to discourage folks from getting into
this phase, I would think."

In its reconsideration petition, the UPLC calls on the FCC to not require
30-day advance notice of BPL operations. It also wants the FCC to extend the
18-month transition period that applies to marketing or installation of
equipment.

The various petitions for reconsideration came from BPL industry groups and
proponents as well as from the League and other organizations and
individuals concerned about BPL's interference potential. All petitions for
reconsideration filed in the two BPL-related proceedings--ET Docket 03-104
and ET Docket 04-37--are available for viewing via the FCC's Electronic
Comment Filing System (ECFS) <http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/>.

Interested parties must file opposition comments ("oppositions") to the
petitions by March 23, which is 15 days of the March 8 public notice of the
petitions in the Federal Register. A 10-day period to file replies to
oppositions follows. Those wishing to file oppositions to specific petitions
may use the ECFS to do so, but comments supporting one petition or another
are not welcome, ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, points out.

"Individual radio amateurs are welcome to file oppositions on any petition
with which they have specific issues," he said, adding that commenters
should support their points with facts and statements. "All statements
should be specific to one or more arguments in a reconsideration petition
with which the person filing an opposition disagrees," Imlay explained.
"They should not simply say, 'I oppose this petition.'"

Among other reconsideration petitions were those filed on behalf of BPL
manufacturers Amperion and Current Technologies; Donald G. Everist, a
professional engineer; the National Antenna Consortium; Aeronautical Radio
Inc; the American Petroleum Institute; the Association for Maximum Service
Television; G. Scott Davis, N3FJP; W. Lee McVey, W6EM, a professional
engineer; Steven E. Matda, KE4MOB, and Cortland E. Richmond, KA5S.

Imlay says the ARRL is reviewing all petitions for reconsideration filed in
the BPL proceedings to see if any oppositions from the League will be
required.

==>ARRL NATIONAL CONVENTION IN DAYTON TO FEATURE FORUMS, FACES, FUN

A slate of at least 10 ARRL-sponsored forums and activities will highlight
the League's 2005 National Convention, held in conjunction with Dayton
Hamvention® Friday through Sunday, May 20-22. Even more are in the planning
stages. In addition, ARRL EXPO 2005--a special area at Hara Arena where
visitors can learn what the League means to Amateur Radio--will offer an
opportunity to meet ARRL publication authors, view software demonstrations,
find out more about DXCC, ARES, clubs and mentoring, the ARRL Education and
Technology Program, youth activities, amateur licensing, product review
testing, RFI, BPL and much more. ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen,
NQ1R, now deeply engaged in planning activities, is eager to spread the
enthusiasm about this year's ARRL National convention.

"The level of excitement for the 2005 ARRL National Convention is
contagious," Inderbitzen said. "Dayton Hamvention has really rolled out the
red carpet for ARRL, preparing the way for a top-notch show, and ARRL
staffers and volunteers are pulling together loads of exhibits, displays and
presentations."

The lion's share of ARRL's National Convention activity will take place at
ARRL EXPO 2005 in the "Ballarena" at Hara Arena. Inderbitzen says visitors
should come prepared not just to learn or be informed but to have some fun.

Cover of the Rolling Stone? Well, how about cover of the QST? Visitors
dropping by ARRL EXPO 2005 can have their photo taken then digitally
superimposed on a cover of QST. For a modest fee, they'll walk away with a
souvenir to wow their friends--or at least to hang on the wall of the shack.

On the more serious or instructional side:

* ARRL Hudson Division Director Frank Fallon, N2FF, will moderate the ARRL
Grassroots Lobbying Forum, Friday, May 20, 9-10 AM, in Room 2. Here's a
chance to network with fellow hams involved in shaping Amateur Radio's
future in the arena of federal government planning and policy.

* ARRL Club and Mentoring Coordinator Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, will host the ARRL
Clubs and Mentoring Forum, Friday, May 20, 9-10 AM, in Room 4. Learn some
fresh and exciting ways to make your radio club a hub of activity, with a
special emphasis on exploring the role of clubs in mentoring and
instruction.

* ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, presents "ARRL Goes to Washington For
You," Friday, May 20, 10:15 AM-11:15 AM, in Room 2.

* The forum Amateur Radio and The Law, "Getting it Up and Keeping it UP," is
set for Friday, 12:45-2:15 PM, in Room 3. Led by Amateur Radio attorneys,
the discussion will cover legal issues of interest to hams including
restrictive covenants, antenna support structure permitting, and recent
court decisions on RFI.

* The ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Forum is Friday, May 20,
2:30 PM-3:45 PM, in Room 3. The moderator is ARRL Public Service Team
Manager Steve Ewald, WV1X.

* Well-known DXer and contester Tim Duffy, K3LR, will share the podium with
ARRL antenna expert and ARRL Antenna Book editor Dean Straw, N6BV, for the
Antenna Technology Forum, Friday, May 20, 2:45 PM-5 PM, in Room 1. Straw
will discuss "Strategies Using Propagation Predictions for DXing and
Contesting."

* "What's Your Buzz in Amateur Radio?" Find out or offer your own favorites
Saturday, May 21, 8:15-9:30 AM, in Room 3. President Haynie and members of
the ARRL Board of Directors will be your hosts. The focus will be on how
ARRL works for what you enjoy most in Amateur Radio.

* The ARRL Public Relations Forum takes place Sunday, May 22, 8:30 AM-10:00
AM, in Room 1. Moderating is ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen
Pitts, W1AGP. Highlighting the forum will be an interactive panel
discussion.

* The ARRL Technology Task Force Forum is Sunday, 10:15 AM-12 Noon, in Room
1. ARRL Central Division Vice Director Howard Huntington, K9KM, will
moderate.

* Steve Ewald, WV1X will moderate the ARRL Section Managers and Section
Leaders Forum, Sunday, May 22, 10:15 AM-11:15 AM, in Room 4.

Visitors also will find ARRL staff members and volunteers at many other
Hamvention forums. Sessions organized by individuals working directly with
Dayton Hamvention include: Teacher's Workshop with Carole Perry, WB2MGP, and
Youth in Amateur Radio Program; DXing and Contesting forums and more! A
complete slate of convention forums is available on the Dayton Hamvention
Web site <http://www.hamvention.org/>.

In addition to the various forums and presentations, ARRL Ohio Section
Manger Joe Phillips, K8QOE, is organizing an ARRL Wouff Hong ceremony
Saturday, May 21, at 10:30 PM, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Dayton.

The theme of Dayton Hamvention 2005 is "Bringing hams together from around
the world." Upward of 25,000 visitors from the US and elsewhere on the globe
make the annual pilgrimage to Hamvention, where socializing is a big part of
the fun.

For additional updates check the ARRL National Convention at Dayton
Hamvention Web page <http://www.arrl.org/announce/nc/2005/>.

==>ISS CREW COMMANDER ADDRESSES LITTER, SPACE STATION "TILT" IN HAM CONTACT

Littering the galactic highway and a curious International Space Station
(ISS) "tilt" phenomenon were among topics ISS Expedition 10 Commander Leroy
Chiao, KE5BRW, addressed in a ham radio contact with Bentley School in
Oakland, California. The February 28 QSO with NA1SS was arranged by the
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program. Chiao
opened the contact by greeting Bentley's students and teachers as well as
his sister Sandy, who visited the school for the event. One Bentley
youngster worried that space would becoming as polluted with trash as Earth.
Chiao acknowledged that rubbish is thrown from the ISS "every now and then,"
and even garbage went overboard from the now-defunct Russian Mir space
station. But he assured the youngster that tossing trash into space can be
an acceptable disposal method.

"That's really not as big of a problem as you might think, because what
happens is that over the course of a few days, the orbit decays, and it
burns up in the atmosphere, so it's really not a long-term problem," Chiao
explained. "But we do have to be careful to throw things off in the proper
direction and at the right speed so that it won't come back and hit us."

ISS crews also dispose of trash and unneeded items by stowing them in
Progress supply rockets after they've unloaded the cargo, then sending the
vehicles into Earth's atmosphere where they incinerate.

Responding to other questions, Chiao told the students that the ISS can
accommodate a maximum crew of six or seven people, although the current crew
increment is just two--Russian Cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov and himself. He
said the ISS now weighs 200 tons, and it will tip the scales at more than
250 tons--Earth weight--when it's finally completed in a few years.

Another youngster said he and his schoolmates had read that the ISS tilts
when the astronauts go on space walks. He asked if Chiao knew why this
happened.

"That is kind of a mystery," the astronaut answered. "We're not really sure
why during some of the space walks we do--including the one that Salizhan
and I took a few weeks ago--the space station ended up tilting a little bit
and we believe it's because of the forces we're putting into the station
while we're working."

Chiao said speculation is that when the crew members are outside the ISS
holding onto handrails, every time they turn bolts or have to do something
that applies some force on the spacecraft, it causes a physical reaction by
"tilting" the ISS.

Chiao said he views the current ISS missions as a "stepping stone" to
future, longer space missions to Mars and beyond, and he expressed the hope
that one of the Bentley Students could be on a future deep-space mission. In
all, students got in 15 questions before the ISS went out of radio range.

Handling Earth-station duties for the event was Nancy Rocheleau, WH6PN, at
Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu, Hawaii. Teleconferencing was compliments
of MCI. Contact audio went out to some 80 stations via EchoLink.

Teacher Carol Roach coordinated the students at Bentley School, while Kerry
Banke, N6IZW, mentored the contact and Will Marchant, KC6ROL, served as the
moderator. ARISS is an international educational outreach with US
participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.

==>FCC DECLINES TO RECONSIDER $10,000 FINE IN GERRITSEN CASE

The FCC has denied a Petition for Reconsideration and upheld a $10,000 fine
against briefly licensed radio amateur and alleged jammer Jack Gerritsen,
ex-KG6IRO, of Bell, California. The FCC proposed the forfeiture last June
after charging that Gerritsen had interfered with Amateur Radio
communications. The Commission affirmed the fine in a Forfeiture Order last
October. The following month, Gerritsen, who claims he's still a Commission
licensee, wrote the FCC challenging the fine and its basis. The FCC turned
away all of his arguments and suggested it was turning up the heat on
Gerritsen, who now faces a total of $52,000 in FCC-imposed or proposed fines

"Despite repeated warnings that he holds no valid Commission authorization,
investigations by field agents in the Bureau's Western Region reveal that
Gerritsen persists in his unauthorized operations in the Amateur Service,"
the FCC said in a March 4 Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O). "Because of
Gerritsen's ongoing illegal activity, we direct the Western Region to
continue to coordinate with the United States Attorney for the Central
District of California in pursuing additional sanctions against Gerritsen."
Signing the MO&O was FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief David H. Solomon.

The FCC said Gerritsen raised one argument that it already had considered
and rejected, but he also brought up two new ones in his November 2
handwritten letter, which the FCC considered a Petition for Reconsideration.
The Commission turned away Gerritsen's contention that the federal
government was attempting to deprive him of his constitutional right of free
speech. The FCC countered by noting that the right of free speech "does not
include the right to use radio facilities without a license and that the
licensing system established by Congress in the [Communications] Act was a
proper exercise of its power over commerce."

Gerritsen also asserted that the Forfeiture Order deprived him of due
process. The FCC pointed out that Sections 503 and 504 of the Communications
Act contain safeguards that legally satisfy due process requirements.

The FCC said reconsideration "is appropriate only where the petitioner
either demonstrates a material error or omission in the underlying order or
raises additional facts not known or not existing until after the
petitioner's last opportunity to present such matters."

In mid-December, the ARRL called upon Solomon to intervene with the US
Attorney's office in the Gerritsen case, citing the urgency of the situation
and suggesting "that procedures other than monetary forfeitures be brought
to bear." ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, suggested in the letter
that the time for gathering additional evidence was past, since the
malicious interference continues. Several hundred ARRL members from the Los
Angeles area have complained to the League about Gerritsen's alleged
activities.

==>NEW QST COLUMN AIMS TO TAKE MYSTERY OUT OF MODERN HAM GEAR

A new QST column, "Getting to Know Your Radio" debuts in the April edition
of QST. Author and ARRL Product Review Editor Joel Hallas, W1ZR, says the
column "basically talks about what all those knobs do" on modern equipment.

"The idea is to acquaint users with the typical features of modern radios."
Hallas says there was a time when radio receivers were pretty easy to
understand--in some cases not all that much different from the broadcast set
in the kitchen or living room--so most new amateurs could quickly learn
their way around the front panel. It's a new world now.

"It's fair to say that modern transceivers have come a long way since the
boat anchors of the 1950s and earlier," he says. "Many transceiver makers
seem to sell their wares by claiming the most and newest features." As a
result, modern ham transceivers can be pretty intimidating, making operation
daunting for newcomers and veterans alike.

The first installment of "Getting to Know Your Radio" will cover the
now-popular--and common--passband tuning feature. Hallas says a column on
audio compression systems is in the works.

==>GERMANY, SPAIN ANNOUNCE CHANGES IN AMATEUR REGULATIONS

Germany and Spain have recently announced changes in their Amateur Radio
regulations. Some revisions stem from the outcome of World
Radiocommunication Conference 2003, which essentially left it up to
individual countries to decide if they wanted to continue to impose a Morse
code requirement for HF access.

In Germany, the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC) reports that, effective
February 19, there now are only two classes of Amateur Radio license: Class
A (formerly Class B and C) and Class E (formerly Class D). The new Class A
works in accordance with the Harmonized Amateur Radio Examination
Certificate (HAREC), T/R 61-02. It permits radio amateurs in participating
European countries to go from one European nation to another and obtain a
full license. (Note: The US does not participate in HAREC.)

Longtime visitors or foreign residents with a CEPT license in Germany will
be issued a German Class A license. The Class E license remains limited to
VHF/UHF frequencies only, with the addition of 10 GHz, output limited to 10
W EIRP. There also have been some changes to the spectrum allocation at 1.8
MHz. The text of the new regulations, in German, is available on the DARC
Web site <http://www.darc.de/aktuell/afuv.pdf>.

In Spain, the Unión De Radioaficionados Españoles (URE) reports two
significant changes in that country's Amateur Radio regulations, effective
March 3: Spain has deleted the Morse code requirement to obtain a Class A
(General) or Class C (Novice) license. Also, Class A (General) and Class B
(Restricted) licensees now are allowed to use the band 50.0 to 51.0 MHz
"under special and particular authorization."

There's information on reciprocal licensing on the ARRL International
Operating Web page,
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/io/recip-country.html>.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Ra the Sun god Tad "Good Day, Sunshine" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington,
reports: The sun was quiet this week, but a new chain of sunspots is
rotating into a geo-effective position. There were some active days for
geomagnetic conditions. The most pronounced were March 6-8, due to a solar
wind stream. The average daily planetary A index rose less than 11 points to
20.1, and the average mid-latitude A index rose less than 6 points to 12.3
Average daily sunspot numbers were up more than 21 points to 36.1, and the
average daily solar flux rose less than 10 points to 85.9.

Expect rising solar flux and increasing sunspots over the next week. Solar
flux should peak near 115 around March 15-16, then drop below 100 around
March 20. The most active predicted geomagnetic day in the near term is
March 14, but conditions should be merely unsettled that day rather than
stormy.

Enjoy the next few weeks. The period around the equinox--the change from
winter to spring--is a good time for HF propagation, even with the sunspot
count so low.

Sunspot numbers for March 3 through 9 were 24, 13, 22, 22, 43, 52 and 77
with, a mean of 36.1. The 10.7 cm flux was 77, 78.9, 81.2, 83.6, 87, 93.5
and 99.9, with a mean of 85.9. Estimated planetary A indices were 4, 3, 10,
36, 42, 26 and 20, with a mean of 20.1. Estimated mid-latitude A indices
were 2, 1, 8, 17, 28, 17 and 13, with a mean of 12.3.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The North American Sprint (RTTY), the RSGB
Commonwealth Contest (CW), the AGCW QRP Contest, the Oklahoma and Wisconsin
QSO parties, the UBA Spring Contest (CW) and the NSARA Contest are the March
12-13 weekend. The RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (CW) is March 16. JUST
AHEAD: The 10-10 International Mobile Contest, the BARTG HF RTTY Contest,
the SARL VHF/UHF Contest, the Russian DX Contest, the CLARA and Family HF
Contest, the Virginia QSO Party, the UBA Spring Contest (6 meters) and the
9K Contest Club 15-Meter Contest are the weekend of March 19-20. The RSGB
80-Meter Club Championship (SSB) is March 24. 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 Technician Licensing course (EC-010) remains open
through Sunday, March 13. Classes begin Friday, March 25. With the
assistance of a mentor, EC-010 students learn everything they need to know
to pass the FCC Technician class license examination. To learn more, visit
the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/cce/> 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 II on-line course
(EC-002) opens Monday, March 14, at 1201 AM EST and will remain open until
all available seats have been filled or through the March 19-20
weekend--whichever comes first. Class begins Friday, April 1. 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. Act
now! This is the final year of the grant-subsidized classes! Radio amateurs
55 and up are strongly encouraged to participate. 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.

* Authors wanted! Have you ever thought about writing for QST? If so, we'd
like to hear from you! An informative Author's Guide is available on the
ARRL Web site. We can mail you a hard copy in exchange for a self-addressed,
stamped envelope to QST Author's Guide, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT
06111. While we will consider all articles directly related to Amateur
Radio, we are particularly looking for concise articles (no more than 2500
words) written at a basic level that teach QST readers something practical.
A few examples: How to get involved with a net; how to hit the road for a
county-hunting expedition; tips for operating HF mobile; how to use beacons;
how to select the best type of feed line, and how to organize a mini
DXpedition. If you have some expertise in a particular area and a knack for
writing clearly at a basic level, we want to hear from you. You need not be
a published author to write for QST! Good quality color photos and
illustrations are a plus. Interested? Send your article via e-mail
<qst@arrl.org>; or to QST Articles, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.
Authors of QST articles are compensated at the rate of $65 per published
page.

* New TrustedQSL software released for Logbook of the World: Version 1.11 of
the TrustedQSL software used with ARRL's Logbook of the World system now is
available. Windows, Linux and Mac OS users are encouraged to update their
systems. The new version fixes a serious bug that affected Linux and Mac OS
X versions of the software. This bug caused users’ saved certificate (.P12)
files to be corrupted. Linux and Mac OS X users are strongly advised to
install the new version of the TrustedQSL software and save all existing
certificates into .P12 files. Older .P12 files saved from these systems
should be discarded. Windows users of the TrustedQSL software should update
to the new version, in part because the updated Windows version of the TQSL
program now signs log data much faster. Instructions for downloading and
installing the software are available on ARRL's LoTW Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/lotw>.

* Expedition 11 will put two hams aboard the ISS: The licensing in February
of US Astronaut John Phillips, KE5DRY, will put two radio amateurs aboard
the International Space Station (ISS) this spring. Heading the Expedition 11
crew will be space veteran and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, U5MIR, who
will be doing his second tour of duty aboard the ISS. Phillips' licensing
eliminates complications for Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station (ARISS) school group contacts. The FCC granted Phillips' new
Technician ticket February 2. Phillips and Krikalev were scheduled to begin
their six-month stay aboard the ISS in April. A seasoned space traveler,
Phillips, who visited the ISS in 2001, will serve as flight engineer and as
NASA ISS science officer during Expedition 11. Krikalev served as flight
engineer on the very first ISS crew and did duty tours aboard the Russian
Mir space station in the late 1980s and early 1990s. By the time his
Expedition 11 stay is over, he'll have spent more time in space than any
other human

* Echo team establishes AO-51 Operations Group: AMSAT-NA has announced that
the Echo (AO-51) Command Team has set up an AO-51 Operations Group to help
monitor the satellite and develop operational schedules. Members were
selected based on their interest and participation in the varied modes
available via Echo and on their active membership in an AMSAT organization.
Current members are Mike Kingery, KE4AZN; Drew Glassbrenner, KO4MA; Clare
Fowler, VE3NPC, and Roy Welch, W0SL. The AO-51 Operations Group invites
users' requests or suggestions on the Echo schedule, preferably before the
team begins work on the next schedule. The team typically starts setting up
the next schedule two weeks before the end of the previous month. Contact
the AO-51 Operations Group via e-mail <ao51-modes@amsat.org>;.--AMSAT News
Service

* Emergency communication volunteers watch over California marathon: While
most of Huntington Beach, California slept early Sunday morning, February 6,
a team of Huntington Beach Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) and
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) radio communications volunteers
began to deploy along the 26.2 mile course of the Pacific Shoreline
Marathon. The mission of the radio volunteers: To help ensure a safe and fun
event for all participants and spectators. For the fourth consecutive year,
RACES and CERT personnel were on-hand to provide instant communications to
authorities in case an emergency happened during the marathon. Improvements
in the Amateur Radio "safety net" for this year's race included having a
communications volunteer "shadowing" medical personnel in the medical aid
tents. Huntington Beach RACES team member John Cerecedes, KE6OAQ, was among
the runners.

* Peter Lake, ZL2AZ, is new IARU Region 3 Director: The International
Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 3 Directors have named Peter Lake, ZL2AZ
(ex-ZL1AIZ, 5W1BZ and ZL2AZI), to fill the vacancy on the board that
resulted from the death in January of Chairman Peter Naish, VK2BPN. Lake
took office February 2. On February 4 the Region 3 Directors agreed
unanimously to appoint Young-Soon Park, HL1IFM, as chairman of the Region 3
Directors.

===========================================================
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
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<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> is a weekly "ham radio newscast"
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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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change your e-mail delivery address. You must do this yourself via the
Members Only Web Site.)

The ARRL Letter also is available to all, free of charge, from these
sources:

* ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>. (NOTE: The ARRL Letter will be
posted each Friday when it is distributed via e-mail.)

* The QTH.net listserver, thanks to volunteers from the Boston Amateur Radio
Club: Visit Mailing Lists@QTH.Net
<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/letter-list>. (NOTE: The ARRL
cannot assist subscribers who receive The ARRL Letter via this listserver.)