ARRL BoD Holds Productive Session July 21, 22

ARRL BOARD APPROVES MORE COLORFUL QST, TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE, "BIG PROJECT"

(L-R) David Woolweaver, K5RAV, West Gulf Division (left), Les Shattuck, N4NK, Roanoke Division; and William Edgar, N3LLR, Atlantic Division, attended their first ARRL Board meeting in their new roles as ARRL Vice Directors. [Dave Patton, NT1N]

A more colorful QST will be showing up in members' mailboxes within a few months. The ARRL Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution directing that the League's monthly membership journal be printed in full-color at a minimum size of 176 pages per issue.

"QST is the most visible ARRL membership benefit," said ARRL Publications Manager Mark Wilson, K1RO. "This will give it greater impact." He explained that advances in printing technology have narrowed the gap between full-color and monochrome reproduction to the point that it makes the most sense to go forward with color. "Color communicates better than monochrome," he said, adding that the additional cost would work out to "pennies per issue."

The Board's July 21-22 session in Hartford marked the first held under the leadership of ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, who took office following the January Board meeting. Board members said the session was the smoothest in recent memory.

In other action, the ARRL Board put its stamp of approval on "The Big Project," Haynie's ambitious initiative to provide a turnkey Amateur Radio curriculum in American classrooms. Now officially dubbed "The ARRL Amateur Radio Education Project," the program will offer a curriculum and equipment that schools can incorporate into existing curricula. The project will be funded by corporate and foundation donations.

 

Hudson Director Frank Fallon, N2FF (left), confers with his Vice Director, JP Kleinhaus, W2XX, prior to the July 21 board session in Hartford. [Rick Lindquist, N1RL]

The Board also okayed spending up to $1,025,000 to develop a new information technology platform for ARRL Headquarters. The new computer software and hardware not only will enhance the ARRL's e-commerce capabilities but update membership information and accounting systems. It also eventually will enable such services as electronic QSLing, member Web access to DXCC records, nearly real-time updates of DXCC listings, and expanded, detailed contest results. The Board also agreed to provide additional financial support for the popular ARRL E-Mail Forwarding Service.

The Board accepted the report of the Ad Hoc Antenna Case Assistance Committee, which recommended creation of an expert panel to evaluate requests for supplemental funding of antenna cases. The program unanimously approved by the Board puts a $10,000 cap on the funding of federal appeals in "those rare and infrequent cases in which there was a significant issue of law of benefit to the wider amateur community."

The Board also agreed to put the League's muscle behind an international effort to secure a 300-kHz exclusive assignment for Amateur Radio in the vicinity of 7 MHz. The 40-meter realignment issue now is on the agenda for World Radiocommunication Conference 2003.

ARRL Directors Ed Metzger, W9PRN, of the Central Division and Frank Butler, W4RH, of the Southeastern Division, show off their 50-year ARRL membership plaques, presented (along with 50-year pins) by ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, and Executive Vice President David Sumner, K1ZZ. [Dave Patton, NT1N]

In other action, the ARRL Board of Directors

• voted to proceed with the development of digital voice for the Amateur Service. President Haynie will appoint a committee of knowledgeable individuals to report at the 2001 annual meeting.
• heard a report from the RFI Task Group that detailed the threat to Amateur Radio from the increased use of Part 15 devices as well as efforts to resolve power line noise complaints on the West Coast and HF interference from wireless modem jacks.
• expressed its thanks and appreciation for "the effort, enthusiasm and dedication of ARRL VEs and the ARRL-VEC" for efforts above and beyond the call of duty in handling the flood of applications in the wake of Amateur Radio restructuring.
• extended sincere appreciation and thanks to John and Karen Nickel, WD5EEV and WD5EEU, for their work with NASA at the Johnson Space Center in support of the SAREX/ARISS Working Group's efforts to place Amateur Radio on the International Space Station.
• resolved to file a petition with the FCC "at the appropriate time" to request permission for spread spectrum operation in the 219-220 and 222-225 MHz bands.
• voted expand the ARRL's relationship with the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of America, reaffirming the League's commitment to the nation's youth.

The minutes of the ARRL Board of Directors July meeting are available on the ARRL Web site.

ARRL BOARD ALSO ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS

 

Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT

The ARRL Board of Directors has named 20-year-old Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, as winner of the 1999 Hiram Percy Maxim Award. The Hiram Percy Maxim Award goes each year to a radio amateur under the age of 21 whose Amateur Radio accomplishments and contributions are of the most exemplary nature.

First licensed at age 12, Mileshosky has a long track record of promoting ham radio among his peers. An ARRL member, Mileshosky is an active Official Observer and was a speaker at the 2000 Dayton Hamvention-ARRL National Convention. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Upper Rio FM Society Inc, a volunteer examiner, and a member of Amateur Radio Emergency Service teams in two counties.

Mileshosky, a senior this fall in electrical engineering at the University of New Mexico, will receive a cash award of $1000, an engraved plaque, and a expenses-paid trip to an ARRL convention for a formal presentation.

The Board also named: Allen Wolff, KC7O, as the 1999 ARRL Herb S. Brier Instructor of the Year Award. This award is presented to a volunteer ham radio instructor. Wolff, an ARRL Life Member, has been teaching ham radio for 14 years.

 

Allen Wolff, KC7O

 

Dan Calzaretta, NX9C

• Dan Calzaretta, NX9C, as the 1999 ARRL Professional Educator of the Year. This award goes to a professional teacher within a school system. Calzaretta has been teaching ham radio for 20 years. He's on the staff at the Pacific Crest Community School, where he added Amateur Radio to the curriculum.

   

  Diane Ortiz, K2DO

   

• Diane Ortiz, K2DO, as the winner of the 1999 Philip J. McGan Memorial Silver Antenna Award for her public relations efforts on behalf of Amateur Radio. An ARRL Life Member, she edits the "YL News" column in QST. As both an ARRL Public Information Coordinator and Public Information Officer, Ortiz has achieved outstanding success in telling the Amateur Radio story to the news media. She also hosts a cable television program about Amateur Radio.
• Rick Campbell, KK7B, as the recipient of the 1999 Doug DeMaw, W1FB, Technical Excellence Award. Campbell was selected on the basis of his March 1999 QST article, "A Binaural I-Q Receiver."
• Al Ward, W5LUA, as the recipient of the ARRL Microwave Development Award.
• Terry Fox, WB4JFI, as the recipient of the ARRL Technical Innovation Award.

  The Board awarded an ARRL National Certificate of Merit to Jack Landis, W0PRF, for having mentored more than 500 amateurs during his 50-plus years in Amateur Radio, and to Forrest Bartlett, W6OWP, who provided regular on-the-air code practice and qualifying runs for West Coast amateurs over a similar period.
  

  
  

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