Compiled by S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA
ARRL News Editor
news@arrl.org

This feature -- including convenient Web links to useful information -- is a concise monthly update of some of the things ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of May.

Almost 150 ARRL staff members, officers, Board members and volunteers made their way to Dayton for the ARRL EXPO at the 2010 Dayton Hamvention® to support the League’s 25 exhibits and activities -- ranging from youth activities, kit building, QSL card checking and an expanded ARRL bookstore.

The ARRL reported that the FCC is seeking comments on two Notice of Proposed Rule Makings: WT Docket No 10-72 seeks to mend Part 97 to facilitate the use of spread spectrum communications technologies by eliminating the requirement that amateur stations use automatic power control (APC) to reduce transmitter power when the station transmits a spread spectrum (SS) emission, and reducing the maximum transmitter power output when transmitting a SS emission, while ET Docket No 10-98 looks to modify the rules that govern amateurs’ secondary use of five channels in the 5 MHz frequency range (60 meters).

After a hiatus of nearly four months, the ARRL Audio News returned on May 27.

In the only Section Manager race this spring, Tom Ciciora, KA9QPN, of Sandwich, was re-elected as the ARRL Illinois Section Manager. The following incumbent ARRL Section Managers did not face opposition and were declared elected for their next terms of office beginning July 1: John Poindexter, W3ML, Indiana; Bill Woodhead, N1KAT, Maine; Paul Eakin, KJ4G, Northern Florida; Bonnie Altus, AB7ZQ, Oregon; Paul Gayet, AA1SU, Vermont, and Don Michalski, W9IXG, Wisconsin. There were no nominations received for the next term of office of Section Manager in the Santa Clara Valley Section. Nominations will be re-solicited this summer for an 18-month term of office starting in January 2011.

The National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) announced that they have withdrawn two questions from the Technician class pool and two questions from the Extra class pool. ARRL VEC Assistant Manager Perry Green, WY1O, is a member of the NCVEC’s Question Pool Committee.

The annual reception for ARRL donors -- held just prior to Hamvention -- welcomed the largest attendance since its inception in 2002. Nearly 150 donors who contributed $1000 or more during the previous year enjoyed the reception on May 13 at the Meadowbrook Country Club in Clayton, Ohio.

The ARRL Foundation Board of Directors announced its scholarship recipients for 2010 to deserving Amateur Radio operators to further their undergraduate or graduate education. For 2010, the Foundation awarded 65 annual scholarships to young Amateur Radio operators valued at $71,450, almost $17,000 more than awarded in 2009.

The ARRL’s Atlantic Division hosted a webinar on how hams can make the most of their ARRL Field Day experience. Moderated by ARRL Regulatory Information Branch Manager and Field Day Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, the interactive Web-based seminar also included ARRL Emergency Communications and Response Manager Mike Corey, W5MPC, ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, and Roland Anders, K3RA.

The ARRL introduced four new books in May: Remote Operating for Amateur Radio, the third edition of The ARRL RFI Book, Storm Spotting and Amateur Radio and ARRL’s PIC Programming for Beginners.

ARRL Field Day merchandise is available in the ARRL Online Store.

The June issue of QST was sent to the printer.

The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for May is Mert Nellis, W0UFO, for his article “Build an Ampere-Hour Meter for Portable Operations.”