SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX002   
   ARLX002 Fred Maia, W5YI, (SK)   
      
   ZCZC AX02   
   QST de W1AW     
   Special Bulletin 2  ARLX002   
   From ARRL Headquarters     
   Newington CT  March 30, 2012   
   To all radio amateurs    
      
   SB SPCL ARL ARLX002   
   ARLX002 Fred Maia, W5YI, (SK)   
      
   The holder of one of the best-known US Amateur Radio call signs,   
   Frederick (Fred) Maia, W5YI, died of cancer Wednesday, March 28. He   
   was 76 and was a resident of Arlington, Texas.   
      
   Fred was a leading Amateur Radio journalist for nearly 35 years and   
   a pioneer of the volunteer examining program adopted by the FCC in   
   1984.   
      
   Maia published "The W5YI Report," dubbed "America's Oldest Ham Radio   
   Newsletter," from 1978 to 2003, and has been a CQ contributing   
   editor since 1985. His regulatory affairs column, first titled   
   "Ticket Talk," then "Washington Readout," offered news and   
   perspective on FCC Regulations and ITU actions. His final column   
   will appear in the May 2012 issue of CQ.   
      
   After the FCC adopted volunteer examining for all levels of Amateur   
   Radio licensing in 1984, Fred became the first Volunteer Examiner   
   Coordinator (VEC) appointed by the FCC. Fred subsequently founded   
   The W5YI Group in 1986 to develop, publish and sell amateur and   
   commercial radio license study materials. In the realm of FCC   
   commercial radio licensing, Fred formed National Radio Examiners to   
   provide examination services.   
      
   Maia served as President of the W5YI-VEC until his retirement in   
   October of 2000 when he sold The W5YI Group study material products   
   to Master Publishing, Inc. The retail operations were purchased by   
   General Manager Larry Pollock, NB5X, newly appointed President of   
   the W5YI-VEC and National Radio Examiners organizations. Maia   
   continued writing "The W5YI Report" newsletter until July 2003.   
      
   A graduate of the US Air Force Radio Operators School, Fred was an   
   avid CW operator. He was first licensed as a teenager as W1NTK in   
   Brockton, Massachusetts, where he grew up. Maia was later licensed   
   as W5UTT, and held DXCC CW awards and EU-PX-A CW. He was a member of   
   QCWA and Life Member of the ARRL.   
      
   For several decades, Maia also served on the National Conference of   
   Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) as a member of the Question   
   Pool Committee that oversees the development and maintenance of the   
   Amateur Radio license examination question pools.   
      
   ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, commented: "Amateur   
   Radio is healthier today because of the tireless efforts of Fred   
   Maia. While Fred did not always see things quite the same way as the   
   ARRL, in my experience he always had the best interests of Amateur   
   Radio at heart. He was a major figure who will be sorely missed."   
      
   He is survived by his wife, Doris, and two daughters. A memorial   
   service will be held at 3 PM, Saturday, March 31, at Moore Funeral   
   Home, 1219 North Davis Dr, Arlington, TX 76012.   
   NNNN   
   /EX   
      
   ---   
                                   ========   
      
   IF you have questions or concerns regarding the accuracy   
   of information posted, or the opinions expressed, contact the content   
   originators directly.   All publications retransmitted as   
   fidonet echomail without alteration other than the removal of   
   email header and other control information which   
   is not part of the actual publication.   
      
   DO  you  offer  a  ham radio related service via fidonet? We   
   post a notice in the ls_arrl echo every 90  days  describing   
   fidonet ham radio services and echomail conferences.   
      
   Send  netmail  to infoserv at fidonet 1:116/901 and describe   
   the  service  you  offer.  If  an  echomail  conference  not   
   available via the various backbone systems please tell those   
   interested wehre to link  in.  OTherwise,  give  the  reader   
   enough information to get started using your service.   
      
      
      
   ---   
    * Origin: RRN BBS: Your fidonet ham radio connection! (1:116/901)