The ARRL Letter
Vol. 16, No. 39
October 3, 1997
__________________________________
Address Changes: Kathy Capodicasa, N1GZO, e-mail kcapodicasa@arrl.org.
Editorial: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, e-mail elindquist@arrl.org.
__________________________________

IN THIS EDITION:
* Ham radio icon Doug DeMaw, W1FB, SK
* FCC announces electronic license renewal
* ARRL seeks changes in CW waiver rules
* KC5VPF upbeat about Mir
* Sputnik 1 model launch set
* Scanner case against ham dismissed
* Missing space lands vanity ap in WIPs
* WSJ article features Morse code
* Solar update
* IN BRIEF: This weekend on the radio;
   Corrections; Vanity update; Update--special
   event to mark Sputnik launch anniversary;
   JOTA to mark 40 years; QST Cover
   Plaque winner; AMSAT board election results
__________________________________

WELL-KNOWN AUTHOR, FORMER LEAGUE STAFFER DOUG DeMAW, W1FB, SK

Acclaimed ham radio icon Milton F. "Doug" DeMaw, W1FB, died September 28. He 
was 71. One of the most widely published technical writers in Amateur Radio, 
DeMaw was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year and had been in failing 
health in recent weeks.

DeMaw was first licensed in 1950 as W8HHS. An electrical engineer, he was a 
member of the ARRL Headquarters staff for 18 years--from 1965 to 1983--and 
served as Technical Department Manager and Senior Technical Editor from 1970 
to 1983. During his tenure at HQ, DeMaw served as editor of The ARRL 
Handbook. In 1970, he engineered the shift in emphasis toward solid-state 
design in QST and the Handbook. He has hundreds of articles in QST and other 
publications to his credit. DeMaw also was founder and publisher of VHFer 
Magazine. (His wife, Jean, W1CKK, also worked on the Headquarters staff.) 
DeMaw was a life member of the ARRL and a senior member of the IEEE.

After retiring to the family farm in Luther, Michigan, he was elected 
chairman of the Lake County Board of Commissioners and continued to write 
books and articles. He also tried his hand in the Amateur Radio business as 
proprietor of Oak Hills Research. Among his other books, DeMaw wrote W1FB's 
Design Notebook, W1FB's QRP Notebook, W1FB's Antenna Notebook, and The ARRL 
Electronics Data Book, which remain popular. In recent years, DeMaw also 
penned regular columns for CQ magazine and Monitoring Times.

A former ARRL colleague, Membership Services Manager Chuck Hutchinson, K8CH, 
counted DeMaw among his friends. "Doug loved to experiment with circuits and 
antennas. He also loved to encourage others to try their hand at building," 
he recalled. Hutchinson said DeMaw not only wrote prolifically about ham 
radio but also about gardening, another of his avocations. "He was an avid 
gardener and cook," he said. DeMaw also was an outdoorsman and hunter. "He 
loved to hunt with bow and rifle--both modern and muzzle loader. He was very 
good at throwing a knife or hatchet," Hutchinson said.

HQ staff member Paul Pagel, N1FB, also was one DeMaw's colleagues during his 
days at ARRL HQ. "Amateur Radio benefited greatly from his work," Pagel 
said. "He was a multifaceted man. I doubt there was anything he couldn't do 
if he set his mind to it." Retired HQ staffer Jerry Hall, K1TD, who also 
worked with DeMaw during his years at the League, called DeMaw a writer of 
"uncanny" ability. "Doug could write it once, and it was done," he recalled.

Another former HQ staffer, Gerry Hull, W1VE/VE1RM, called DeMaw an important 
career influence. "He was always there when I was stuck with a tough 
technical challenge," he said.

Jim Jones, K5GSH, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, called DeMaw's death "a 
personal loss." Jones recalled how, as a young ham, he had problems getting 
one of his first transmitters to work. He called the ARRL and DeMaw talked 
him through the circuit and helped him to uncover the problem. "I remember 
thanking Mr. DeMaw. He plainly told me that hams are friendly folk and 
always share what they know."

Forrest Plumstead, WB5HQO, of Ft Richardson, Arkansas, expressed similar 
sentiments. "He, more than anyone else I can think of, encouraged me to 
build my own equipment," he said. "The world of ham radio has lost one of 
its giants."

Survivors include DeMaw's wife, Jean, and a son, David, N8HLE, a technical 
writer who lives in Connecticut. Memorial contributions may be made to 
Luther Historical Museum, c/o Luther State Bank, Box 39, Luther, MI 49656.

FCC ANNOUNCES ELECTRONIC RENEWAL FORM 900

The FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) has consolidated eight 
renewal forms into one form. Form 900, Application for Electronic Renewal of 
Wireless Radio Services Authorizations, is an interim measure to permit all 
WTB licensees, including hams, to renew their licenses electronically.

This form is only for renewals, not for license modifications. You can only 
enter changes (eg, name, address) using Form 900 as a part of the process of 
renewing your license. You can only use Form 900 if the expiration date on 
your license falls within the renewal window (within 120 days of 
expiration). You cannot use Form 900 to renew an expired license. Form 900 
may only be submitted electronically. No Form 900 paper applications will be 
accepted. When filing Form 900, you will be required to enter a Social 
Security Number for a taxpayer ID number.

Access Form 900 on the WTB Electronic Commerce page, 
http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/electcom.html (click on Production Page for 
Electronic Commerce Applications to access the Form 900). Click on any item 
number for filing instructions. Once you have filed the form, clicking on 
Electronic Renewal Query lets you view or print the information submitted.

Once you have successfully submitted Form 900, it is important to click on 
the Continue button to obtain the fee information pertaining to your filing. 
The screen will prompt you with a Fee Remittance Advice, Form 159. The form 
will indicate that there is no charge to renew an Amateur Radio license 
(except for vanity call sign holders, who won't have to renew for several 
more years yet).

Form 900 updates will be batch processed at night. They are not 
instantaneous.

Send comments about the FCC Form 900 to sreed@fcc.gov. For technical 
assistance, call the FCC Technical Support Group at 202-414-1250. Other 
general information may be obtained from the FCC's National Call Center at 
888-225-5322 (CALL-FCC).--FCC

ARRL SEEKS CHANGES TO CW WAIVER RULES

The ARRL has asked the FCC to change the way Morse code exam exemptions for 
severely handicapped applicants are handled. The League wants to change the 
procedural requirements in Part 97 that must be met, prior to granting 
examination credit.

Under the League's proposed changes, a candidate at least would have to 
attempt the CW test--with any and all necessary accommodations--before being 
granted an exam waiver based on a physician's certification. Also, Volunteer 
Examiner Coordinators (VECs) would be entitled to request medical 
information pertinent to an applicant's handicap from the certifying 
physician. VECs also would be required to have this information on file 
before the application is forwarded to the FCC for processing.

In its petition filed September 23, the League said the two "rather minor 
changes" are needed to restrict the waiver process to use by severely 
handicapped individuals "for whom the process was intended in the first 
place and who deserve the substantive accommodation." The League also said 
the changes would "stem abuses" of the waiver system without putting 
unreasonable burdens on examinees.

The CW waiver system has been in effect for seven years. The League says 
that experience has shown that many applicants without severe handicaps 
"have abused the process" by obtaining physicians' certifications of 
inability to pass the telegraphy examination. At present, 8% of those 
applying through the ARRL-VEC have requested a medical exemption from the 
higher-speed code requirement. Another large VEC reports similar experience. 
The League cited "a growing suspicion" in the ham community of anyone who 
has upgraded by using the waiver route. But the League said this is 
"completely unfair to those who require and deserve the exemption because 
they cannot be accommodated by procedural means."

FCC rules requires volunteer examiners to exercise broad latitude in 
administering CW exams to accommodate handicapped applicants. Measures 
include using a flashing light or vibrating surface for hearing-impaired 
applicants, pausing in sending after sentences, phrases, words or even 
characters to allow an examinee time to interpret, or even substituting a 
sending test for a receiving test. Instead, the League observed in its 
filing, there is "a tendency for applicants to seek exemptions instead" of 
accommodations.

The League said it believes the procedural changes alone will help to deter 
those who might abuse the process while still allowing exemptions to 
deserving applicants.

(For some additional thoughts on this subject, see the editorial "It Seems 
to Us" by David Sumner, K1ZZ, QST, Oct 1997, page 9.--Ed.)

KC5VPF UPBEAT ABOUT MIR STAY

US astronaut Dave Wolf, KC5VPF, is looking forward to an enjoyable stay 
aboard the Russian Mir space station, especially with all the "computers and 
ham radio gear." The shuttle Atlantis, which delivered Wolf to Mir and took 
US astronaut Mike Foale, KB5UAC, back to Earth, also delivered a new 
computer to Mir. Computer failures have plagued the space outpost for 
months.

Foale, meanwhile, said in a packet message that he's looking forward to 
seeing his family again, after spending the past four months aboard Mir. "I 
will be sad to leave my good Russian friends Anatoli and Pavel here on Mir, 
but it is now time for me to say good-bye to them, and to all the hams in 
the world who have spent the time to talk to us."

While both men were together in space, Foale said he planned to spend some 
time showing Wolf how to operate the Mir personal message system (PMS) and 
ham gear. "I hope you will enjoy many contacts with him," he said. "Best 
wishes." Like many other astronauts, Wolf got his ham ticket in the event 
that he might be able to operate from space. He has no experience on the 
air, however.

A medical doctor and engineer, Wolf, 41, is scheduled to remain aboard Mir 
until January, when he'll be replaced by US astronaut Andy Thomas, KD5CHF.

Vladimir Titov, KD5AOS, a veteran Russian cosmonaut flying on the shuttle, 
and Atlantis flight engineer Scott Parazynski, KC5RSY, made a space walk 
October 1 to look for the puncture in the hull of the Spektr module from the 
June 25 collision with a cargo rocket. Titov goes down on record as the 
first Russian to walk in space from a US shuttle.

Meanwhile, the Mir International Amateur Radio Experiment--MIREX--is calling 
a success the just-ended experiment to use 70 cm for voice and packet 
communication with Mir. Ham radio activity has returned to 2-meters (145.985 
MHz simplex or 145.800/200 MHz split).

MIREX says that 2 meters will continue to be the primary means of contacting 
the hams aboard the Russian space station, because it's more widely 
available around the world. But, the experimental 437.650 MHz frequency 
might still be used as an occasional backup, especially when the 2-meter 
radio aboard Mir suffers interference from the commercial radio on 143 MHz.

The three-week long 70-cm experiment ran from September 8 until September 
28. Preliminary results show that the Mir crew did not experience any 
interference to the 70-cm station from other equipment on Mir. Likewise, the 
70-cm transmissions from Mir did not appear to interfere with any equipment 
on Mir. More than 110 stations around the world successfully contacted the 
Mir PMS while it was active on 70 cm, and simple ground stations were able 
to contact Mir on voice provided that they compensated for Doppler shift.

MIREX continues to gather information on the 70-cm experiment from amateurs 
who used the 437.650 MHz frequency. Contact Dave Larsen, N6CO, 
doc@volcano.net, for more information.--SpaceNews/Miles Mann, WF1F; AMSAT 
News Service

FUNCTIONAL SPUTNIK MODEL SET FOR MIR LAUNCH

Plans remain in place to launch a functioning mini-Sputnik from Mir October 
4--the 40th anniversary of the launching of Sputik 1 by the USSR. Sputnik 1 
was the first manmade satellite put into orbit around Earth.

Earlier this year, an agreement was signed between Russia and France to 
commemorate the 40th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1, and two groups 
of high school students cooperated in building the one-third scale model of 
the original Sputnik 1. Students in Russia built the satellite itself, while 
students in France built the 2-meter transmitter that will "beep" from space 
following its launch from Mir. The mini-satellite flew as cargo to Mir last 
month aboard a Progress rocket. According to Miles Mann, WF1F, of MIREX, the 
Mir crew will place the satellite in an airlock on Mir and push it out the 
door on October 4.

Following launch, the scale model of Sputnik will remain close to the 
Russian space station. It's estimated that its batteries will hold up for up 
to two months.

The transmitter will put between 100 and 200 mW into a circularly polarized 
antenna. The transmitter frequency is expected to be between 145.81 and 
145.85 MHz (FM). The audio tone will be at 1.3 kHz but vary with 
temperature. For more information, see 
http://www.oceanes.fr/~fr5fc/angspoutnik.html.--thanks to AMSAT/This Week in 
Amateur Radio

FLORIDA JUDGE THROWS OUT CASE AGAINST HAM

A County Court judge in Florida has dismissed a case against Joseph Osborn, 
KF4HXE, of Plantation, Florida, whose radio gear was confiscated by police 
under Florida's "scanner" law earlier this year. Osborn was involved in a 
minor accident on May 8, 1997, and subsequently cited by police in Davie, 
Florida, allegedly for breaking state law by having radios in his car 
capable of receiving police frequencies. Although the law specifically 
exempts hams, Davie Police impounded Osborn's equipment anyway because he 
could not produce his ham ticket--lost during a recent move. Even after 
Osborn showed Davie Police a copy of his license, authorities refused to 
drop the charges or to return his radios. Osborn later learned that police 
might have tampered with his equipment, possibly damaging it and voiding 
warranties.

Alexander L. Kaplan, KF4QBU, of Boca Raton--an ARRL Volunteer 
Counsel--represented Osborn. John Hennessee, N1KB, of the ARRL Regulatory 
Information Branch, supplied information on federal pre-emption.

Broward County Court Judge J. Steven Shutter ordered the case dismissed late 
last month. Shutter said the state law does not require hams to have their 
licenses in their possession, as local police had asserted. The judge also 
cited federal pre-emption of prosecution of hams under state and local laws 
that make it illegal to possess scanning radios capable of receiving public 
safety or emergency frequencies. Florida's law bans such scanners in 
vehicles and in retail stores, but not in homes.

Shutter ordered Davie police to return Osborn's radio equipment within ten 
days of his ruling and to provide an affidavit specifying "who, what, when, 
where and how the radios were examined and what was done to them." Osborn 
has since recovered his radios from the Davie Police but not the required 
affidavit. Kaplan said this week that he's considering filing a contempt 
order. He also says he's begun civil proceedings against the Town of Davie. 
Meanwhile, an independent repair shop is evaluating Osborn's equipment to 
see if it was damaged.

FCC "WIPs" VANITY APPLICANT OVER MISSING SPACE

Rick McMillion, K6SIX (ex-WB7UGZ), of Winton, California, found out the hard 
way that the FCC takes its spaces seriously. Back on August 6, McMillion was 
among the hundreds of hams who filed under vanity Gate 3 for a new call 
sign. Six weeks later, when the FCC finally issued a big chunk of new call 
signs to Gate 3 first-day applicants, McMillion was dismayed that his was 
not among them. But none of the call signs he'd requested had been issued to 
anyone else, either. Obviously, his application had arrived in that twilight 
zone Gettysburg calls WIPs, for "work in process."

After waiting another week, McMillion says he just couldn't stand the 
suspense. "I had already received my canceled check back from the FCC, so I 
knew they had received it," he said. It wasn't until he called the FCC's 
toll-free number (888-225-5322 or 888-CALL-FCC) that he found out that in 
the world of the FCC, sometimes nothing is something. "The person told me 
that the FCC database and my license had my name listed as "Mc Million" 
[with a space], and my vanity application had "McMillion" [without a space]. 
Because of this, the FCC did not process his application because the 
computer showed that his last name on the application and his last name in 
the FCC database did not agree. "I could not believe what I was hearing," 
said McMillion, who's never spelled his last name with a space between the 
"Mc" and the "Million" [although this is how the FCC database handles such 
names--Ed]. The FCC told him there was nothing he could do about the 
"misspelling," but McMillion had other plans. He fired off e-mail messages 
to FCC Commissioner Rachelle Chong and to John Johnston in the FCC's 
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.

McMillion wasn't expecting much, but within a day, he got a reply from 
Johnston saying he'd check with Gettysburg. An hour later, he heard from 
Larry Weikert at Gettysburg stating that there were "some editing problems 
with Gate 3," and that McMillion's new call sign would be among the first 
issued when the problems were resolved. True to his word, Weikert messaged 
McMillion the next day to alert him that he'd just been granted K6SIX.

McMillion says he's impressed. "It's refreshing to know that one person can 
get a problem resolved with the FCC in a very fast efficient manner." He 
says he hopes his experience helped out a few others who might have run 
afoul of the "space" problem.

ARRL/TAPR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE JUST AHEAD!

Just in case you haven't yet gotten the word, the joint ARRL/TAPR Digital 
Communications Conference is a week away--October 10-12--just outside 
Baltimore, Maryland, at the BWI Holiday Inn.

Some interesting seminars, symposiums, and special events are on tap, in 
addition to the main paper session all day Saturday. Papers scheduled cover 
APRS, DSP, HF, Linux, Spread Spectrum, and more. Yutaka Sakurai, JF1LZQ, 
vice president of Japan's Packet Radio User's Group (PRUG), will be this 
year's banquet speaker. He'll talk about PRUG and some of its projects.

The DCC is not just for digital experts. This year's conference presents 
beginning, intermediate, and advanced presentations, including APRS, 
satellite communications, TCP/IP, digital radio, spread spectrum and other 
introductory topics.

A full day symposium on Friday covering APRS will be conducted by Bob 
Bruninga, WB4APR (the father of APRS), Keith Sproul, WU2Z, and Mark Sproul, 
KB2ICI (developers of Mac and Windows APRS), Steve Dimse, K4HG (developer of 
javAPRS), and other nationally known APRS leaders.

Other seminars are set for later Friday and on Sunday. Those wishing to 
attend just a symposium or seminar don't have to register for the entire 
conference.

For more information on the conference and hotel accommodations, contact 
Tucson Amateur Packet Radio, 8987-309 E. Tanque Verde Rd, Tucson, AZ 
85749-9399; tel 940-383-0000; fax 940-566-2544; e-mail tapr@tapr.org; 
http://www.tapr.org.

WALL STREET JOURNAL ARTICLE FEATURES MORSE CODE

Without looking at the "translations," most hams would have a hard time 
deciphering the Morse code represented in an article that appeared in the 
October 1 edition of prestigious Wall Street Journal. That's because most of 
the code shown is American Morse, not the International code hams use. The 
report, "The Internet Generation Taps into Morse Code," by Anna Wilde 
Mathews, focuses on a resurgence of interest in American Morse Code--the 
version Samuel F. B. Morse invented in the 19th century and used for many 
years by railroad and Western Union telegraphers.

The ARRL and ham radio also are mentioned, but Mathews' otherwise 
interesting article fails to distinguish between American Morse, the 
telegrapher's code, and International Morse, the radioman's code.

SOLAR FLUX CONTINUES UPWARD

Solar guru Tad Cook, K7VVV Seattle, Washington, reports: Again this week the 
average solar flux for the previous 90 days rose two points, and again the 
daily flux values were above 83, which was the high average value on 
Wednesday, the last day of the reporting week. Wednesday was the 
fifty-eighty consecutive day that the solar flux was above the average for 
the preceding 90 days, and this is a very positive sign indicating a general 
upward trend in the new solar cycle.

This increased activity can have a downside though, and on October 1 the 
geomagnetic field was very unstable, which generally means higher 
absorption, especially on high-latitude and polar signal paths. The 
planetary A index was 41, and planetary K index went as high as 6. The A 
index measured at College, Alaska, was 67, and the highest K index was 8, 
which means miserable HF conditions. These stormy conditions were caused by 
a flare and a coronal mass ejection a few days earlier. (For a good 
explanation of K and A indices, see the Propagation chapter in any recent 
edition of the The ARRL Handbook.)

Conditions stabilized October 2, and geomagnetic conditions were very 
stable, with the Alaska K indices at zero over most of the day, and 
worldwide it was mostly one and zero.

Over the next few days look for higher solar activity, with the solar flux 
up over 100 around October 7-11. It may dip below 90 after mid-month, then 
rise again to around 90 until November. Based on the previous solar 
rotation, October 25 and 26 may be unstable. Look for a smaller possibility 
of geomagnetic instability on October 12 and again on October 15.

Sunspot numbers for September 25 through October 1 were 50, 40, 33, 23, 27, 
25 and 38 with a mean of 33.7. The 10.7-cm flux was 88.5, 89.1, 88.4, 87.2, 
89.7, 87.7 and 87.1, with a mean of 88.2, and estimated planetary A indices 
were 3, 4, 13, 14, 9, 7, and 41, with a mean of 13.

For the VK/ZL/Oceania contest this weekend, here are a few projections for 
conditions to that part of the world:

>From the center of the continental United States check 80 meters 0630-1230 
UTC, 40 meters 0600-1300 UTC, 20 meters 0300-1530 UTC, 15 meters 1930-0130 
UTC, and 10 meters 2130-2330 UTC.

>From Southern California, check 80 meters 0630-1400 UTC, 40 meters 0600-1430 
UTC, 20 meters 0300-1030 UTC, 15 meters 1900-0330 UTC, and 10 meters 
2300-0130 UTC.

>From Texas check 80 meters 0630-1230 UTC, 40 meters 0600-1300 UTC, 20 meters 
0230-1100 UTC, 15 meters 1830-0200 UTC and 10 meters 2130-0030 UTC.

>From the Southeast states check 80 meters 0700-1200 UTC, 40 meters 0600-1230 
UTC, 20 meters around 0300 UTC and 1300-1500 UTC, 15 meters with weaker 
signals around 1900-2300 UTC, and possible 10 meter openings around 
2130-2300 UTC.

>From the New York area check 80 meters 0700-1130 UTC, 40 meters 0630-1200 
UTC, 20 meters possibly around 0400-0530 UTC and 1300-1530 UTC, although 
conditions do not look promising, and 15 meters with only fair signals from 
1930-2330 UTC, and a possible opening on 10 meters from 2000-2130 UTC.
__________________________________

IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The California QSO Party, the VK/ZL/Oceania 
Contest, and the RSGB 21/28 MHz Contest are featured. See October QST, page 
107 for details.

* Corrections: Re The ARRL Letter, Vol 16, No 38--the story on Form 159 
should have said "Form 610V." The correct title of the song that Patty 
Loveless, KD4WUJ, sang with George Jones during the recent CMA Awards 
telecast was "You Don't Seem to Miss Me."

* Vanity update: FCC has processed August 7 vanity call sign application 
receipts and granted 112 new call signs. The FCC reports that of the 759 
"work in process" or WIPs applications from August 6, almost all were 
duplicates. Following the approximately 600 grants from August 6 receipts, 
the FCC issued another 50 new call signs from the WIPs stack.

* Update--special event to mark Sputnik launch anniversary: Special event 
stations MX1ASE (Amateur Satellite Experimenters) and GX0AUK will mark the 
40th anniversary of the launching of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, by the 
Soviet Union. The 184-pound, basketball-sized sphere was the first 
artificial Earth satellite. MX1ASE and GX0AUK will be on air for 24 hours on 
October 4, 1997. Then, activity will continue into November, ending at 2359 
UTC on November 3, the date of the 40th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 
2. MX1ASE and GX0AUK will be active in voice mode on all available analog 
satellites, concentrating on RS-10, RS-12, RS-15, RS-16. Joining the event 
will be Leo Labutin, UA3CR, and Andy Miranov, RK3KPK, of the Russian 
Satellite Ground Station near Moscow. RK3KPK will be on CW on the RS birds 
and UA3CR on voice and CW on FO-20 and FO-29, which will be switched to mode 
JA for this occasion. An SWL award, special QSL cards and an award 
certificate are available for those working any of the participating special 
event stations on more than one satellite. The limited-edition Anniversary 
Award Certificate is $10. Apply to John Heath, G7HIA, Chestnuts, Desford Ln, 
Kirkby Mallory, Leicestershire LE9 7QF, England.--AMSAT News Service/John 
Heath, G7HIA; NASA

* JOTA to mark 40 years: JOTA 1997 will mark the 40th Jamboree On The Air. 
This year, JOTA will take place on the weekend of October 17, 18 and 19. The 
ARRL Scout Handbook has lots of details on JOTA, and on the Radio merit 
badge. It's available at http://www.arrl.org/ead/#scout. Some DX stations 
already have indicated they'll be active in this year's JOTA event. Look for 
HB9JAM, the official call sign of the Swiss Scout Federation, Bern, 
Switzerland on HF, as well as HB4FF and HL9BSA (dependent children of US 
military and civilian personnel stationed in Korea).--thanks to Glenn 
Swanson, KB1GW; Ulrich Fierz, HB9AIK; and Vernon Eubanks, HL9VE/K0LVS

* QST Cover Plaque winner: Robert W. Schmieder, KK6EK, won the September 
1997 QST Cover Plaque for his article, "The 1997 VK0IR Heard Island 
Expedition." Congratulations, Bob!

* AMSAT board election results: The results are in for the annual AMSAT 
Board of Directors balloting. A total of 1386 members voted in this year's 
election. Elected to two-year terms were Bill Tynan, W3XO (1234 votes); Stan 
Wood, WA4NFY (1161 votes); Dick Daniels, W4PUJ (1114 votes); and Joe Holman, 
AD7D (933 votes). Barry Baines, WD4ASW (842 votes), will serve as the 
alternate until the next AMSAT Board election. The newly elected board will 
gather during the AMSAT-NA annual meeting later this month to elect 
officers.--AMSAT News Service

===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published by the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main 
St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259. Rodney J. 
Stafford, KB6ZV, President; David Sumner, K1ZZ, Executive Vice President.

Circulation, Kathy Capodicasa, N1GZO, e-mail kcapodicasa@arrl.org.
Editorial, Rick Lindquist, N1RL, e-mail elindquist@arrl.org.

Visit the ARRLWeb page at http://www.arrl.org.

The purpose of The ARRL Letter is to provide the essential news of interest 
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