If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:   
   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2014-11-06   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   November 6, 2014   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  ARRL Asks FCC to Continue Issuing Hard Copy Licenses to Those Who Want   
       Them   
    *  ARISS: Your Students Could Be Among the Next to Speak with the Space   
       Station Crew via Ham Radio   
    *  Kansas Radio Amateur is ARRL McGan Silver Antenna Award Winner   
    *  ARRL Introduces Kindle Edition of Ham Radio License Manual   
    *  W1AW Centennial Operations Shift to Rhode Island and Mississippi;   
       American Samoa Operation Continues   
    *  Put On Your Radio Voice! The ARRL November Sweepstakes SSB is Just Ahead   
    *  IARU Region 1 Approves Youth Working Group, Budget   
    *  New DX Summit Website Now Beta Testing, Will Debut Formally by December   
       1   
    *  American Legion Amateur Radio Club Plans On-Air Tribute to Veterans   
    *  Tromelin Island DXpedition, FT4TA, Drawing a Crowd   
    *  South African 5 MHz Research Project Sees Unexpected Results   
    *  Dominica Now Permits 60 Meter Operation   
    *  The ITU Elects a New Secretary-General   
    *  Kentucky Historical Society Honors Former ARRL Director   
    *  International Amateur Radio-Scouter Shelly Weil, K2BS, SK   
    *  A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________    
      
   ARRL Website Will Be Unavailable on November 7 Starting at 2100 UTC   
      
   The ARRL website is scheduled to be offline on Friday, November 7, starting   
   at 2100 UTC. The length of the outage could run for several hours and   
   possibly into Saturday, November 8. The ARRL IT Department will be   
   performing maintenance and testing in the process of switching the site to a   
   new server.   
      
   A "Down for Maintenance" message will appear for the duration of the outage   
   whenever someone attempts to access www.arrl.org. All e-mail functionality   
   will remain online -- only the website will be down for testing.   
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
   ARRL Asks FCC to Continue Issuing Hard Copy Licenses to Those Who Want Them   
      
   In comments filed November 5, the ARRL has recommended that the FCC continue   
   to provide paper license documents to Amateur Radio licensees who want them.   
   The League's remarks were in response to an FCC Public Notice (in WT Docket   
   14-161) that proposed to cease the routine issuance of hard-copy license   
   documents to all Wireless Service licensees, including radio amateurs. While   
   having a paper license document from the FCC to post on the wall of the ham   
   shack has been a tradition, the Commission for several years has considered   
   the "official" Amateur Radio license to be the virtual document residing in   
   its Universal Licensing System (ULS) database.   
      
   "The FCC is willing to continue to mail paper   
   licenses to those who request them," ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD,   
   has explained. "However, they are making available to licensees -- starting   
   right now -- the actual license to print via the FCC ULS, and it is allowing   
   hams now to opt out of receiving paper licenses from the FCC directly." (See   
   ULS menu below.)   
      
   Under the FCC-proposed process, once a license application is granted, the   
   ULS will generate an official electronic license but will no longer mail a   
   hard copy license unless notified that the licensee wishes to receive an   
   official paper license document. Until new procedures are final, however,   
   the Commission will continue to print and mail official paper licenses,   
   unless notified to stop.   
      
   "Should the Commission proceed with the Notice proposals," the League said   
   in its comments, "it is ARRL's strong recommendation that the Commission   
   give serious consideration to continuing a default provision for sending an   
   initial paper license document to new licensees in the Amateur Radio   
   Service, along with detailed, simple instructions for how to make the   
   elections set forth in the notice relative to future modified or renewed   
   licenses."   
      
   The ARRL pointed out that not everyone has easy access to, or is comfortable   
   using, the ULS and that Amateur Radio licensees may occasionally need an   
   official license document -- for example, when applying for a license   
   upgrade at a VEC exam session or for vehicle call sign license plates.   
      
   "If there is not a license printed on distinctive license stock by the   
   Commission, authentication issues arise and the possibility of electronic   
   alteration of a license document is created," the League.   
      
   The ARRL also suggested that requiring individuals to go online in order to   
   obtain a license document may prove to be a roadblock to some applicants.   
      
   "It is not acceptable to erect barriers to entry for anyone to obtain an   
   Amateur Radio license or to modify a license," the League commented. "ARRL   
   is concerned that there should be, especially for newcomers, an easy,   
   intuitive path to make the election for license delivery method that does   
   not involve ULS access at the outset."   
      
   A portion of the menu on the left-hand side of the ULS license record page.   
   "Set Paper Authorization Preferences" lets the licensee opt to receive a   
   paper license or not. "Download Electronic Authorizations" allows the   
   licensee to download a PDF copy of the license.   
      
   The Notice also has proposed, alternatively, that the FCC send the official   
   electronic license via e-mail upon grant of an application, if the applicant   
   has provided a valid e-mail address on the application form. Licensees not   
   wanting to provide an e-mail address could obtain an official electronic   
   license document directly from the ULS. The Notice further proposes that   
   licensees could notify the Commission that they wish to receive or continue   
   receiving official authorizations on paper.   
      
   The ULS License Manager online system now includes a setting that allows   
   licensees to notify the FCC that they want to receive official licenses on   
   paper. Licensees could change the default setting online, so that once an   
   application has been granted, the FCC would mail an official paper license.   
      
   The deadline to file comments is November 10.   
      
   ARISS: Your Students Could Be Among the Next to Speak with the Space Station   
   Crew via Ham Radio   
      
   December 15 is the deadline for schools and educational institutions and   
   organizations -- formal and informal -- to submit proposals to host an   
   Amateur Radio contact with a member of the International Space Station crew.   
   The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program   
   recently announced the opening of the application window. ARISS is   
   especially interested in arranging contact events that will draw large   
   numbers of participants and integrate the radio contact into a   
   well-developed educational plan. Schools and educational organizations may   
   apply individually or with other institutions or organizations. ARISS   
   anticipates that the ham radio contacts between students and the space   
   station will take place between May 1 and December 31, 2015.   
      
   "ARISS provides an exciting outreach opportunity for the ham   
   radio community to connect with local schools," ARRL Educational Services   
   Manager Debra Johnson, K1DMJ, said. "A scheduled ARISS contact is a   
   voice-only communication via Amateur Radio between the ISS crew and   
   classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts allow education audiences to   
   learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to work and live in space."   
      
   By and large, at least one member of an ISS crew complement is licensed, and   
   NASA makes Amateur Radio licensing available to ISS-bound astronauts.   
   Contacts have a question-and-answer format and typically run up to 10   
   minutes. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the contact schedule.   
   Educational organizations are encouraged to partner with a local Amateur   
   Radio club or group to handle the technical aspects of the contact. Given   
   the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities   
   aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate   
   changes in contact dates and times.   
      
   ISS crew members have taken part in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts with   
   students on Earth since December 2000.   
      
   Amateur Radio organizations around the world; NASA; and space agencies in   
   Russia, Canada, Japan, and Europe sponsor these educational opportunities by   
   providing the equipment and operational support to enable direct   
   communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world via   
   Amateur Radio.   
      
   The ARRL website has more information about the program, including details   
   on expectations, audience, proposal guidelines and application form, as well   
   as the dates and times of informational sessions. Contact ARISS with any   
   questions or for additional information.   
      
   Kansas Radio Amateur is ARRL McGan Silver Antenna Award Winner   
      
   Brian Short, KC0BS, of Olathe, Kansas, is the recipient of the 2014 Philip   
   J. McGan Silver Antenna Award. The award recognizes outstanding public   
   relations efforts in promoting Amateur Radio to the non-ham community.   
   Short, an ARRL Life Member, appeared on Kansas City Public Media's "Up To   
   Date" interview program on KCUR-FM in November 2013. The show, "Exploring   
   Ham Radio in a Digital World," highlighted Amateur Radio's value to the   
   community and how individuals can get involved. An Amateur Radio instructor,   
   he was the recipient of the 2009 Herb Brier Instructor of the Year Award.   
      
   "Brian has done an outstanding job of using both traditional and social   
   media to bring the message of Amateur Radio to the public," said ARRL   
   Midwest Division Director Cliff Ahrens, K0CA. "He is very deserving of this   
   recognition."   
      
   McGan Award Winner Brian Short, KC0BS.   
      
   The product of an Amateur Radio family, Short has been licensed since 1987,   
   when he was 18. He is an ARRL Midwest Division Assistant Director, serves as   
   Johnson County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Emergency Coordinator,   
   and is a SKYWARN weather spotter. He is also president and frequency   
   coordinator of the Kansas Amateur Repeater Council and president of the   
   NEKSUN/K0HAM group. He has been a Public Information Officer in the Kansas   
   City area.   
      
   The ARRL Public Relations Committee recommended Short for the award, and the   
   ARRL Board of Directors affirmed the committee's choice. As this year's   
   McGan Award winner, Short will receive a plaque. The award's namesake,   
   journalist Philip J. McGan, WA2MBQ (SK), served as the first chairman of the   
   ARRL's Public Relations Committee.   
      
   ARRL Introduces Kindle Edition of Ham Radio License Manual   
      
   The ARRL has introduced a digital edition of The ARRL Ham Radio License   
   Manual (3rd edition), its most popular introduction to Amateur Radio. The   
   e-book includes everything a newcomer needs in order to prepare   
   [HRLM-cover(1).jpg] for the Amateur Radio license exam. The digital edition   
   is available in the Kindle format from Amazon, which has long identified the   
   print edition as a best seller.   
      
   "As the leading publisher of Amateur Radio licensing and training materials,   
   ARRL is expanding beyond traditionally printed books to meet the increasing   
   demand from readers who prefer digital publications and online content,"   
   ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, said. "Finding the next   
   generation of radio amateurs requires meeting prospective hams where they   
   are reading and consuming content."   
      
   ARRL offers Kindle editions of its question-and-answer study guides, ARRL's   
   Tech Q&A, ARRL's General Q&A, and ARRL's Extra Q&A. ARRL license manuals are   
   also available directly from ARRL and many other ARRL publication dealers.   
      
   W1AW Centennial Operations Shift to Rhode Island and Mississippi; American   
   Samoa Operation Continues   
      
   The ARRL Centennial W1AW portable operations taking place throughout 2014   
   from each of the 50 states are now in Kansas (W1AW/0) and Washington   
   (W1AW/7). They will transition at 0000 UTC on Wednesday, November 12 (the   
   evening of November 11 in US time zones), to Mississippi (W1AW/5) and Rhode   
   Island (W1AW/1). W1AW/KH8 operations from American Samoa will continue until   
   November 12. So far during 2014, W1AW has visited each of the 50 states for   
   at least 1 week, and by year's end W1AW will have been on the air from every   
   state at least twice.   
      
   [HPM-W1AW-logo.jpg] The ARRL Centennial QSO Party kicked off January 1 for a   
   year-long operating event in which participants can accumulate points and   
   win awards. The event is open to all, although only ARRL members and   
   appointees, elected officials, HQ staff and W1AW are worth ARRL Centennial   
   QSO Party points.   
      
   Working W1AW/x from each state is worth 5 points per mode/contact, even when   
   working the same state during its second week of activity.   
      
   To earn the "Worked all States with W1AW Award," work W1AW operating   
   portable from all 50 states. (Working W1AW or W100AW in Connecticut does not   
   count for Connecticut. Participants must work W1AW/1 in Connecticut.) A W1AW   
   WAS certificate and plaque will be available.   
      
   An ARRL Centennial QSO Party leader board shows participants how many points   
   they have accumulated in the Centennial QSO Party and in the W1AW WAS   
   operations. Log in using your Logbook of The World (LoTW) user name and   
   password, and your position will appear at the top of the leader boards.   
   Results are updated daily, based on contacts entered into LoTW.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
   Find ARRL on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter!   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
   Put On Your Radio Voice! The ARRL November Sweepstakes SSB is Just Ahead   
      
   Operators in the US and Canada will exercise their vocal cords (or their   
   digital voice memories) November 15-17 to compete in the 2014 ARRL November   
   Sweepstakes SSB event. The action gets underway at 2100 UTC Saturday and   
   runs through 0259 UTC Monday (Sunday evening in continental US time zones).   
   Many operators hope to get a "Clean Sweep" by working stations in all 83   
   ARRL and Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) sections.   
      
   [sweepstakes_logo.jpg] "A humongous station is not required to have a lot of   
   fun in the Sweepstakes -- modest antennas and 100 W will do just fine," SS   
   regular and ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, commented in the   
   November 5 edition of The ARRL Contest Update newsletter. "Since only one   
   contact per station is needed and not one per band, you can stay on your   
   best band and work stations that tune by. Give the other bands a try, too,   
   and you will probably be surprised at how well you do."   
      
   The exchange goes like this: Call sign of the station worked, consecutive   
   serial number, starting with 001, a precedence -- a letter that indicates   
   your operating category; see the rules), your call sign, a check -- the last   
   two numerals of the year you were first licensed, and the two-letter   
   abbreviation of your ARRL or RAC section (SEC).   
      
   Many stations will use phonetics for clarity, since logging accuracy is   
   paramount in any contest. For example, if W8EXK -- a Class A station in West   
   Virginia -- works W1MSW as his 15th contact, it would sound something like   
   this: "W1MSW, number 15, alpha, from whiskey eight echo x-ray kilowatt,   
   check six-three, West Virginia." The log entry would look something like   
   this: W1MSW 015 A W8EXK 63 WV. All popular logging programs include a   
   template for ARRL November Sweepstakes.   
      
   The 2014 ARRL November Sweepstakes Operating Guide contains a collection of   
   Sweepstakes information and links to help both newbies and old timers to   
   understand the rules, operating techniques, and log-submission guidelines.   
   Be sure to read the rules for all ARRL contests too.   
      
   Logs are due 15 days after the event is over. CW Sweepstakes submissions   
   must be received by 0300 UTC Tuesday, November 18, 2014. SSB logs are due by   
   0300 UTC on Tuesday, December 2, 2014. ARRL still accepts paper logs, but   
   electronic Cabrillo logs submitted via e-mail are preferable. Send paper   
   logs to: ARRL November Sweepstakes, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.   
   WA7BNM's online Cabrillo converter lets the operator manually enter   
   hand-logged data to create a Cabrillo file. Submitting logs electronically   
   enhances the quality of the log-checking process and permits more rapid   
   publication of results.   
      
   Icom is the Principal Awards Sponsor for ARRL November Sweepstakes events.   
   For more information about ARRL November Sweepstakes, contact ARRL Contest   
   Branch Manager Matt Wilhelm, W1MSW.   
      
   IARU Region 1 Approves Youth Working Group, Budget   
      
   International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU R1) has established a Youth   
   Working Group and appointed Region 1 Youth Coordinator Lisa Leenders, PA2LS,   
   as Youth Working Group Chair for the next 3 years. The action came as   
   delegates from IARU Region 1 countries (Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and   
   Northern Asia) met September 21-26 in Bulgaria for the 23rd IARU Region 1   
   General Conference. The minutes of the Final Plenary are now available.   
      
   IARU Region 1 Youth Working Group Chair Lisa Leenders, PA2LS.   
      
   The Youth Working Group will organize and coordinate Youngsters On The Air   
   (YOTA) program activities, including an annual special event. IARU Region 1   
   delegates also allocated 3-year budgets of $26,000 for youth projects and   
   $2080 for the Youth Working Group. Leenders, who's 24, has been licensed   
   since the age of 13. During December, stations in several Region 1 countries   
   will be active with YOTA-suffix call signs.   
      
   In other actions, delegates appointed a Region 1 Amateur Radio Observation   
   Service Coordinator to establish independent AROS operations in about a   
   half-dozen member societies "to commence the monitoring of DXpeditions for   
   malicious QRM" and to work to identify "any patterns and possible sources of   
   jamming." Mark Jones, G0MGX, was appointed as the AROS Coordinator. Read   
   more.   
      
   New DX Summit Website Now Beta Testing, Will Debut Formally by December 1   
      
   The DX Summit website will soon have a fresh new face and a more modern user   
   interface. The well-known and popular portal for getting DX spots via the   
   Internet, operated by Radio Arcala OH8X in Finland, will become "My DX   
   Summit" -- MDXS for short -- when it formally goes live for the Amateur   
   Radio community by December 1. Right now, though, hundreds of volunteers are   
   beta testing the new website and offering suggestions and changes in advance   
   of the changeover from the current site to the new one.   
      
   "We ended up having 700 testers and early   
   check-ins," Radio Arcala's Martti Laine, OH2BH, told ARRL this week. "Their   
   input was very valuable, and we will implement those urgent ones immediately   
   and process those many new ideas for continuing development work."   
      
   Laine said that since "no major challenges" have been encountered and the   
   system is holding up well, Radio Arcala may make the site live sooner than   
   anticipated.   
      
   My DX Summit will display spots in HTML format as they are posted, so users   
   will not have to wait for a new set of spots to reload every 60   
   seconds. The page has a clean and modern look and feel, and users can select   
   filters in a check-off type menu. For example, users who don't want to see   
   any VHF spots can check a box, or they can check which VHF bands they do   
   wish to receive spots for. Receiving only CW, SSB, or digital mode spots is   
   just a matter of clicking the appropriate boxes in the filter menu. Selected   
   filters are listed on the top of the display. In short, the new site will   
   let users customize the cluster postings to their particular preferences.   
      
   Laine said the current DX Summit site is serving some 143,000 unique users   
   each month. "With all these new features, we plan to double the number," he   
   told ARRL. "What is amazing on our portal is that each user is spending an   
   average of 55 minutes on the system. We will soon compete with their   
   TV-watching time!" Read more. -- Thanks to Martti Laine, OH2BH   
      
   American Legion Amateur Radio Club Plans On-Air Tribute to Veterans   
      
   Amateur Radio operators who are members of the American Legion will honor   
   the military services and their fellow veterans in a special on-the-air   
   tribute on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11. Members of The American   
   Legion Amateur Radio Club (TALARC) will be on the air as W9L from 1400 until   
   2100 UTC, from American Legion national headquarters in Indianapolis. Radio   
   amateurs who contact the station or shortwave listeners who monitor it are   
   eligible to receive an attractive full-color commemorative certificate.   
      
   [TALARC%20logo.jpg] "Veterans Day is more than just a holiday. It is a time   
   for all Americans to recognize the honorable nature of military service and   
   the men and women who have sacrificed so much in defending our nation   
   through the years," said TALARC President Marty Justis, W9WMJ. "This special   
   event operation serves to underscore the importance of Veterans Day via the   
   Amateur Radio community, to salute the men and women who have served our   
   country honorably in uniform, and to recognize the contributions of so many   
   military personnel."   
      
   Justis also cited the contributions of MARS (Military Auxiliary Radio   
   System) members, who arranged phone-patches that allowed soldiers in war   
   zones, at sea, and in other overseas locations to speak directly with their   
   families back home, especially in the pre-Internet era of the Korean and   
   Vietnam wars.   
      
   While the Internet has changed things, Justis said, Amateur Radio still   
   assists communities in many other ways, primarily in the event of   
   emergencies and disasters. "Many of The American Legion Amateur Radio Club's   
   2000 members are committed to emergency preparedness as well as promoting   
   the hobby, art and science of Amateur Radio to young and old alike," he   
   said.   
      
   Special event station W9L will be on 20 meters SSB, 14.275 MHz ñ5 kHz, IRLP   
   Node 4816, or in Central Indiana to 146.46 MHz simplex or the 145.17 MHz   
   repeater in Hamilton County.To receive a certificate send a 9 x 12   
   self-addressed, stamped-envelop to The American Legion Amateur Radio Club,   
   700 N Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis, IN 46204.   
      
   Tromelin Island DXpedition, FT4TA, Drawing a Crowd   
      
   Pileups on the HF band are "still big and wide," according to the FT4TA   
   DXpedition team on Tromelin Island in the Indian Ocean. Operators say   
   they're doing their best to find "the best balance between rate and   
   bandwidth usage" and that the sprawling and, many would say, unruly pileups   
   are a result of the "thousands still calling." Over the November 1-2   
   weekend, DXers and ARRL November Sweepstakes CW participants competed for   
   elbow room on the bands.   
      
   "We know many of you still need Tromelin   
   for an all-time new one. So, narrowing pileups too much would not be good   
   for you," a team update said this week. "Also, there is no band open where   
   we can stay 'all day long.'" Operators have conceded that working the US or   
   Oceania is not easy unless European stations stand by -- "and this is   
   something quite difficult to achieve."   
      
   The FT4TA DXpedition has said its operation is a chance to get Tromelin   
   Island off the Top 10 most-wanted lists. Right now, it's number 8 (mixed) on   
   the ClubLog DXCC Most Wanted List. Operators at FT4TA report a lot of   
   "unique" call signs in their log. "Keep your fingers crossed -- you'll make   
   it!" they added.   
      
   The DXpedition reports excellent propagation with several bands open at the   
   same time for Japan, Europe, and North America. "We are trying to give the   
   same chances to everyone," the team said, urging those attempting to snag   
   FT4TA to respect their on-air instructions regarding which areas of the   
   world they're focusing on. "Operators at FT4TA won't get you if they are not   
   calling your area," they said.   
      
   "We have been able to enjoy some short openings with the West Coast on [long   
   path]," they said. "We will keep our efforts on low bands and try again to   
   be on 160, 80, and 40 at our sunset," although 75 meter SSB operation was   
   not in the team's plan "and we are not sure to try again as conditions on   
   this band are not the best for SSB."   
      
   The six-station operation has "found a good rhythm, working radio until   
   falling asleep on the keyboard; eat, sleep, radio, repeat. Everyone is tired   
   but over-motivated to satisfy the entire community."   
      
   The FT4TA DXpedition has been uploading its logs to Logbook of The World   
   (LoTW). FT4TA operation will continue until November 10 (UTC). The   
   DXpedition is the recipient of an ARRL Colvin Award grant.   
      
   South African 5 MHz Research Project Sees Unexpected Results   
      
   A 5 MHz propagation research project in South Africa has encountered some   
   unexpected results regarding near-vertical incidence skywave (NVIS)   
   propagation on that band. The project is a joint venture between the South   
   African Radio League (SARL) and the Kempton Park Amateur Radio Technical   
   Society, where one 5 MHz beacon has been installed. An interesting, but   
   tentative, finding was inconsistent NVIS propagation test results. NVIS   
   takes advantage of skywave propagation for short-distance communication,   
   especially on the lower end of the HF spectrum. An EE Publishers article   
   described the preliminary test results.   
      
   "Comparing a communications path between two   
   amateur stations, ZS6KN and ZS6KTS (distance of 51 km), it is interesting to   
   note that in June 2014 there was a good communications path from just after   
   [0500] till approximately 1630, after which the signals disappeared," the   
   article recounted, noting that the pattern for July was the same, but   
   signals were considerably stronger than during August and September.   
      
   The experimenters also observed that the band opens earlier and closes later   
   heading into summer (winter in the Northern Hemisphere), "which indicates   
   variations in the ionization of the D layer of the ionosphere as the sun   
   rises earlier and sets later," the article said, noting, however, that not   
   enough data have been collected to draw any meaningful conclusions.   
      
   The project uses several automated beacons using WSPR (Weak Signal   
   Propagation Reporter), which was developed by Joe Taylor, K1JT.   
      
   The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has awarded   
   two licenses to the SARL to carry out 5 MHz propagation research in advance   
   of World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15). Conference agenda item   
   1.4 would grant radio amateurs a secondary allocation within the band 5250   
   to 5450 kHz. Several countries, including the US, have allocated discrete   
   channels to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis.   
      
   Dominica Now Permits 60 Meter Operation   
      
   Dominica (J7) is among the latest countries to allocate spectrum in the   
   vicinity of 5 MHz to Amateur Radio. The Dominica National Telecommunications   
   Regulator, NTRC, has granted hams on the Caribbean island the ability to   
   operate on five 3 kHz-wide channels on the 60 meter band. Dial frequencies   
   are 5330.5, 5346.5, 5355.5, 5371.5, and 5403.5 kHz at 50 W PEP on SSB only.   
      
   The channels are only available to General and Advanced licensees in the   
   Commonwealth of Dominica. With the exception of 5355.5, the channels are the   
   same as those available to hams in the US. -- Thanks to Dominica NTRC   
      
   The ITU Elects a New Secretary-General   
      
   At the 19th International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary   
   Conference in Busan, South Korea, member states   
   confirmed candidates for the organization's five elected posts, as well as   
   the 12 members of the Radio Regulations Board and the 48 Members of ITU   
   Council, the administrative body that governs the ITU in between quadrennial   
   plenipotentiary conferences.   
      
   Houlin Zhao of China succeeded in his bid to become the next   
   Secretary-General of the ITU, after serving for 8 years as Deputy   
   Secretary-General. He will succeed Dr Hamadoun Tour‚, HB9EHT, on January 1,   
   2015.   
      
   Malcolm Johnson of the United Kingdom was elected as the ITU's new Deputy   
   Secretary-General. Fran‡ois Rancy of France was confirmed for a second term   
   as the Director of ITU's Radiocommunication Bureau. -- Thanks to IARU Region   
   1 News   
      
   Kentucky Historical Society Honors Former ARRL Director   
      
   Former ARRL Great Lakes Division Director Gary Johnston, KI4LA, has been   
   named as the recipient of the Kentucky Historical Society's 2014 Award of   
   Distinction. Johnston chaired the ARRL Board of Directors Historical   
   Committee during his tenure, which included stints as both a Vice Director   
   and Director. Johnston is president of the Board of Trustees of the   
   Behringer-Crawford Museum (BCM) in Covington, Kentucky, which also received   
   a History Award. According   
   to an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Award of Distinction goes to a   
   volunteer, board member, or member of an organization who has made a   
   significant contribution to state and local history during his or her   
   career.   
      
   "Since joining BCM's board of trustees in 2003, Johnston has had a   
   significant impact on the museum and the communities it serves," the article   
   said. "During thousands of volunteer hours, he redesigned and upgraded the   
   museum's computer systems, chaired the committee that revamped its   
   organizational structure, and helped secure more than $2.3 million in   
   funding to complete the museum's major expansion which opened in 2007."   
      
   Johnston also was credited with applying his technical and creative talents   
   to enhance and promote the museum's exhibits and events. He currently chairs   
   the museum's Capital Improvements Committee and has raised more than a   
   quarter-million dollars for additional museum improvements. Read more.   
      
   International Amateur Radio-Scouter Shelly Weil, K2BS, SK   
      
   Sheldon "Shelly" Weil, K2BS (ex-W2GQN), of Delray Beach, Florida, died   
   October 29, following complications resulting from serious injuries   
   sustained in a fall. He was 81. Weil, an ARRL member, was legendary within   
   Scouting's Amateur Radio community, and regularly attended National and   
   World Jamborees, helping to staff the Amateur Radio station and sharing his   
   affection for ham radio with the Scouts on hand.   
      
   "Shelly made an unforgettable impression on me at the 1973 Jamboree East,"   
   said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ. "I may have had the title of KJ3BSA   
   station manager, but it was Shelly's experience and remarkable scavenging   
   ability that was the essential ingredient to the success of the ham radio   
   tent."   
      
   ARRL staff member and Scout leader Larry Wolfgang, WR1B, recalled how Weil   
   would arrive at K2BSA during Scout Jamborees with a transceiver and   
   amplifier in tow. "He would get on the air and make many contacts with his   
   friends and acquaintances around the world, giving many Scouts an   
   opportunity to get on the air," Wolfgang said.   
      
   A Brooklyn, New York, native, Weil graduated from Brooklyn College with a   
   degree in psychology. He was an Eagle Scout who subsequently was recognized   
   with other Scouting honors and awards. He once served as chairman of the   
   National Jewish Committee on Scouting. Weil also served the Anti-Defamation   
   League as a regional board member.   
      
   During a World Scout Jamboree in Japan several years ago, Weil took part in   
   the rescue effort after a typhoon that occurred during the event. In those   
   pre-Internet days, Weil was able to use Amateur Radio to let parents back   
   home know that their youngsters were okay.   
      
   The family has invited memorial contributions to the Anti-Defamation League   
   or to Friends of Israel Scouts. -- Read more.   
      
   A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL   
      
   VHF/UHF scanners had become very common by the 1990s, and many local and   
   state governments enacted laws making their use illegal. At the same time,   
   several manufacturers of amateur VHF/UHF equipment started including   
   scanners in their amateur transceivers, which provided reception outside the   
   ham bands. This put some hams between a rock and a hard place.   
      
   In the late 1980s, the ARRL launched an effort to have the FCC clarify its   
   rules regarding scanners. Finally, on August 20, 1993, FCC published a   
   Memorandum and Order to settle the issue. The Order stated that hams have a   
   federal right to own and operate their equipment, which preempts state and   
   local radio laws. Furthermore, the FCC's decision supported, at length, the   
   very essence of the purpose of the Amateur Service. Once again, the League   
   represented our interests and preserved our place in radio.   
      
   One of the Nobel Prizes awarded in   
   1993 went to Joe Taylor, K1JT, and Russell Hulse, ex-WB2LAV, for their   
   discovery of binary pulsars and their investigation of the gravitational   
   fields exerted by those ultra-dense stars. Joe credited his interest in   
   Amateur Radio while still a teenager as leading to his chosen field of   
   physics and to his Nobel Prize.   
      
   By 1995, the FCC had implemented electronic filing of license applications,   
   greatly reducing the time lapse between passing a license exam and getting   
   the license. The new system often reduced the waiting period to as little as   
   2 weeks.   
      
   By the 1990s, digital signal processing (DSP) was coming into use in the