The ARRL Letter Vol. 12, No. 22 November 29, 1993 3 ARRL divisions get new board teams Three ARRL divisions will each have a new pair of representatives beginning in January as the result of elections concluded Nov. 19. New directors and vice directors were chosen in the Dakota, Midwest, and Pacific divisions. This was election year for seven ARRL divisions (the other eight divisions are up for election in even-numbered years); two years ago in elections in these same divisions all seven directors were returned to office (but four new vice directors were elected, including three who opposed incumbents). This year, in alphabetical order: In the Atlantic Division, Director Hugh Turnbull, W3ABC, and Vice Director Kay Craigie, WT3P, were unopposed. Two years ago both turned back challengers. In the Dakota Division, earlier in the year Vice Director Rick Whiting, W0TN, became director when Director Howard Mark, W0OZC, resigned due to moving outside the division. Whiting chose not to seek election to the office of director, and former director Tod Olson, K0TO, ran unopposed. Meanwhile, Whiting ran for a second term as vice director but was defeated by challenger Hans Brakob, K0HB, 726 to 585 votes. Brakob, 53, is currently a member of the Contest Advisory Committee. In the Delta Division, Director Joel Harrison, WB5IGF, withstood a challenge from Jack Hill, W4PPT, 1618 to 1244. Hill told voters "You know what the incumbent has brought you for six years. Now, it's time for us to move forward." Harrison, who at age 35 is the youngest ARRL director, reminded voters that he has served as chairman of the Administration and Finance Committee and is now a member of the Executive Committee. In the Great Lakes Division Director Allan Severson, AB8P, and Vice Director George Race, WB8BGY, were unopposed. Well-known contest operator and DXer Lew Gordon, K4VX, was victorious in the Midwest Division over incumbent Bill McGrannahan, K0ORB, 1674 to 1609. Two years ago K0ORB joined the board family as Midwest Division vice director by beating incumbent Chuck Miller, WA0KUH, and in the summer of 1993 became director following the death of Director Paul Grauer, W0FIR, Gordon, who is 64, noted in his campaign statement that his wife Terry is an Extra Class licensee (NS0Z) and daughter Sharon is N0HVY. A bit of trivia: K4VX will be the first ARRL director to serve with a call sign issued in a call area that does not "match" his ARRL division. Others have run but Gordon is the first to be elected under this seeming handicap. When McGrannahan assumed the directorship of the Midwest Division, ARRL President Wilson named Larry Staples, W0AIB, to serve as vice director for the remainder of McGrannahan's term. Staples ran this year to retain the post to which he had been appointed, but was defeated by Bruce Frahm, K0BJ, 1813 to 1387 votes. In a somewhat unusual turn both Staples and Frahm noted their ages in their campaign statements (Frahm is 41, Staples 62). Frahm told Midwest Division voters he has "been involved with the family farm all my life." Two years ago Charles P. McConnell, W6DPD, retained his seat as Pacific Division Director by defeating his opponent, Glenn G. Zumwalt, KJ6EN, by a two-to-one margin. In 1993 McConnell faced a challenge from his vice director, Brad Wyatt, K6WR, elected two years ago. Wyatt more than doubled McConnell's vote total, 2714 to 1354. Wyatt told voters he had taken early retirement from IBM and that his "experience and demonstrated willingness and ability to travel year-round to meet with you are YOURS when you vote 'K6WR.'" With Wyatt's vice-director slot up for grabs in the Pacific Division, a three-way race developed between three long-time amateurs and ARRL life members. Former vice director Jettie Hill, W6RFF, sought the position once again, running against Jim Maxwell, W6CF, and Jerry Boyd, KG6LF. All three cited extensive experience and qualifications in their campaign statements; Maxwell ran away with the election, with 2372 votes to 849 for Hill and 844 for Boyd. A former Santa Clara Valley ARRL section manager, Maxwell holds a Ph.D. in aeronautical engineering/biomechanics. In the Southeastern Division, long-time Director Frank Butler, W4RH, overcame opposition by three opponents; his vote total of 2807 was greater than that of the three other candidates combined. Butler in his campaign statement cited his Executive Committee membership and his role in international (IARU) affairs. Running against Butler were South Florida Section Manager Rudy Hubbard, WA4PUP, also a former Section Emergency Coordinator; Alan Page, KE4WO, the only candidate to appear on ballots this year *without* a photo; and David Shiplett, AC4MU, who said "New Blood Needed...the incumbent has been a League official since 1957..How many years is that?" (Frank Butler was a Florida Section Manager from 1957 to 1980 but an ARRL director only since 1980). Southeastern Division voters also returned Vice Director Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR, to office. Her opponent, "Mitch" Mitchell, WA4OSR, ran a strong campaign, however, earning 44 per cent of the votes cast. Mitchell introduced his campaign statement saying "I am excited about the opportunities and challenges facing ham radio and the ARRL. *I am NOT running because I am upset or mad at anyone or anything*" (his emphasis). The terms of office are for two years, beginning at noon January 1, 1994. Here are the official results for the contested offices: *Delta division for director,* Joel Harrison, WB5IGF, 1618. Jack Hill, W4PPT, 1244. *Midwest division for director,* Lew Gordon, K4VX, 1674. Bill McGrannahan, K0ORB, 1609. *Pacific division for director,* Brad Wyatt, K6WR, 2714. Charles McConnell, W6DPD, 1354. *Southeastern division for director,* Frank Butler, W4RH, 2807. David Shiplett, AC4MU, 1837. Rudy Hubbard, WA4PUP, 731. Alan Page, KE4WO, 186. *Dakota division for vice director,* Hans Brakob, K0HB, 726. Rick Whiting, W0TN, 585. *Midwest division for vice director,* Bruce Frahm, K0BJ, 1813. Larry Staples, W0AIB, 1387. *Pacific division for vice director,* Jim Maxwell, W6CF, 2372. Jettie Hill, W6RFF, 849. Jerry Boyd, KG6LF, 844. *Southeastern division for vice director,* Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR, 3094. S. Felton Mitchell, WA4OSR, 2436. MORE CHANGES IN JAPAN'S LICENSING OF FOREIGNERS A few months ago Japan liberalized licensing requirements to allow foreigners to "establish their own station" (that is, obtain a station license which grants a call sign) after passing a Japanese Amateur Radio license examination. This enabled amateurs from countries not having a reciprocal operating agreement with Japan to operate there, if they had a good command of the Japanese language and the time to sit for an exam. On October 5, Japan further liberalized licensing of amateur stations, by now disregarding the nationality of applicants, including its own citizens. Now anyone holding a valid amateur license from a country with which Japan has a reciprocal agreement may apply for a *station* license in Japan -- these countries are the U.S., Germany, Canada, Australia, France, Republic of Korea, Finland, and Ireland. The result is that a Japanese citizen holding, say, a U.S. Amateur Extra class license, could then operate with full (First Class) Japanese privileges. Or the holder of a U.S. Novice class license could obtain Third Class privileges in Japan. The hitch? U.S. exams are said to be "much easier" than their Japanese counterpart examinations, at least according to one experienced person who has taken both. LICENSES WITHDRAWN IN PROBE OF VE EXAM IRREGULARITIES The FCC has invalidated the licenses and license upgrades of 21 people after an investigation of irregularities at four volunteer examiner test sessions in southern California in June and August, 1993. The sessions involved both the ARRL and W5YI VECs and a number of volunteer examiners have had their accreditations suspended as a result. The ARRL-VEC has suspended the accreditation of four volunteer examiners at the FCC's request, and that of three additional VEs involved in one of the test sessions after finding irregularities in the records from one of the suspect test sessions. The FCC thanked the ARRL-VECs for their help in the investigation and lauded volunteer examiners for their hard work and dedication. John B. Johnston, chief of the FCC's Personal Radio Branch, said: "I'd like to commend ARRL-VEC for working together with W5YI-VEC to uncover irregularities at several recent sessions in the Los Angeles area and suspend the VEs involved. Your action will prevent future occurrences and assure that amateur licenses are granted only to those who are truly qualified. You've also sent a strong signal that ARRL-VEC is vigilant in its oversight to keep the volunteer testing system at the highest level of integrity. "I know," Johnston said, "it takes time and effort to scrutinize test materials and contact applicants and VEs concerning a suspect session, but it's occasionally necessary for the good of amateur radio. The volunteer testing system is a great success. Your oversight validates and supports the hard work of the many dedicated VEs who participate in testing -- as well as the hams who passed their tests and are now making the contributions to society for which amateur radio is so justly renowned." SECTION ELECTION RESULTS Ballots were counted November 23 in ARRL Section Manager elections for Alabama, Delaware, Kansas, Tennessee and Western Massachusetts. Terms of office begin January 1, 1994. The results are as follows: *Alabama*: Ken McGlaughn, KM4JD, 428 (elected) Joe Smith, WA4RNP, 228 *Delaware*: Randall Carlson, WB0JJX, 172 (elected) Carl Dennis, NX3A, 64 *Kansas*: John Seals, WR0R, 358 Robert Summers, K0BXF, 386 (elected) *Tennessee*: O.D. Keaton, WA4GLS, 696 (elected) Dana Stine WI3B, 382 *Western Massachusetts*: Dan Senie, N1JEB, 196 (elected) Bill Voedisch, W1UD, 181 Four other sections were not contested and the following were declared elected: East Bay, Bob Vallio, W6RGG; Michigan, Dale Williams, WA8EFK; New Mexico, Joe Knight, W5PDY; Santa Barbara, Marc Holzer, N6UNX. {next story gets Winkler headshot} LOCAL AMATEUR RADIO PROGRAM OFFERED TO NATIONAL AUDIENCE A local radio program on Amateur Radio went nationwide on November 28. "Ham Radio and More," hosted by Len Winkler, KB7LPW, from KFNN in Phoenix, is being offered to the 82 member stations on the Talk America Network (TAN) on Sunday evenings at 6 p.m. EST. The show, now in its third year on KFNN, is non- technical and intended to appeal to licensed amateurs as well as the general public. Well-known amateurs are guests on the show, which runs two hours locally but which will last one hour in the network version. Winkler says a grass-roots effort by hams is needed to make the national broadcasts a success. Amateurs are asked to call their local talk radio station (TAN affiliate or not) and encourage them to air "Ham Radio and More." Winkler's first national guest on November 28 was Frank Moore, WA1URA, a television executive in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and producer of an award-winning documentary video about Amateur Radio's role in communications from Kuwait during the Iraqi occupation in 1990 and early 1991. Amateurs can find out the call signs of stations in their area affiliated with TAN by calling KFNN at 602-241- 1510. The show also can be heard via Satcom C-5, Transponder 19, 6.0 audio, and Galaxy 2, Transponder 3, Channel 55.4. *10 years ago in *The ARRL Letter* *The ARRL Letter* for November 22, 1983, continued to lead with the upcoming space shuttle flight of Dr. Owen Garriott, W5LFL. The launch had been rescheduled for Nov. 28, with W5LFL hoping to operate on 2 meter FM during what little free time he expected to have. The big news on the regulatory front was still the volunteer examiner program (PR Docket 83-27); Congress had just included in its FCC authorization bill an item enabling volunteer examiner coordinators to recoup expenses. Two petitions for reconsideration of the VE proposal had been filed. One, by David Siddall, K3ZJ, had not yet been made available. The other, by David Popkin, W2CC, questioned how identifier codes for testing sessions would be assigned. Ballots had been counted in elections for the ARRL Board of Directors and *every* incumbent running was reelected to the board (Including seats for which there was no competition that year). 10 years later the following are still on the board (some in different capacities or back after an absence): Frank Butler, W4RH; Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR; Hugh Turnbull, W3ABC; Tod Olson, K0TO (who takes office in January, 1994); and George Wilson, W4OYI. Two incumbents who won reelection in 1983, Clyde Hurlbert, W5CH, and Paul Grauer, W0FIR, are Silent Keys. BRIEFS * Joe Lynch, N6CL, is the new editor of the Quarter Century Wireless Association's *Journal*, beginning with the Winter, 1993 edition. Joe will continue as VHF editor for *CQ* magazine, and he's also ARRL Oklahoma Section Manager. * Troy Fehring, N5VIN, worked the space shuttle from his tractor late last month, the *Lawton (Okla) Constitution* reported. Fehring, of Sterling, Okla., was baling hay at the time the shuttle, *Columbia*, came overhead, but admitted he'd "been listening for them." Fehring told the paper "I didn't have anything to write on, so I jumped out of my tractor, took my screwdriver and scratched it on my toolbox so I wouldn't forget" the time and frequency. The contact was on FM, with astronaut Bill McArthur, KC5ACR. The story was written by *Constitution* writer Mitch Meador. * The next shuttle SAREX flight, STS-60, is scheduled for January 27, 1994. Several members of the 6-man crew are studying for amateur licenses. Mission Specialist Sergei Krikalev, is a veteran of the Russian MIR space station and has swapped his UZ3AK call sign for U5MIR. Whether or not he will be able to operate from space has still not been settled. Four U.S. and one Russian school have set schedules with STS-60. SAREX Configuration C is planned, allowing robot packet mode for most of the flight with voice operation by the crew as time permits. * Curious about the Motorola ad in December *QST* (and which also appeared in October, the one that says "ATTENTION, Public Safety Announcement)? According to Motorola the ad is aimed at lawbreakers known in the industry as "cellular phone hackers" who can bill calls to other numbers by breaking cellular codes. Books are actually available on how to do this and are advertised in some magazines (but *not QST*). An article in the Nov. 23 *New York Times* described the so-called "clone phones" as available on the street for as little as a few hundred dollars and popular among drug dealers, according to the Manhattan U.S. district attorney. The *Times* also said that devices capable of intercepting cellular phone codes can be bought by mail-order or "for even less money can be fashioned out of more commonly available gadgetry." * Once again this year ARRL Hudson Division Director Steve Mendelsohn, WA2DHF, was in charge of Amateur Radio communications at the New York Marathon. This year he was joined by the FCC's Private Radio Bureau Chief Ralph Haller and some 400 other amateurs. Hams were involved in every stage of the race's planning, and provided logistical and emergency communications, according to ARRL Public Information Manager Steve Mansfield, N1MZA. Mansfield, who ran (and finished) the race, said he was surprised to see an ARRL flag displayed at the finish line. * Readers who saw an item in the Nov. 9 issue of the *San Jose Mercury News* will be interested in a correction. One Thomas Lee Larsen, a convicted child molester now charged with an arson threat and about whom the newspaper said "whose hobbies include amateur radio and photography" is not, in fact, to be found in the FCC Amateur Radio database. K3KMO, N6BV join *QST*, technical staff Two recent additions to the HQ staff are Senior Assistant Technical Editor Dean Straw, N6BV, and Al Brogdon, K3KMO, who has become managing editor of *QST*. Al Brogdon, 57, was previously a technical editor at the Applied Physics Laboratory of the Johns Hopkins University in Laurel, Maryland. He is originally from Cookeville, Tennessee, where he began ham life as WN4UWA, and is a graduate of Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He served in the U.S. Army in the late 1950s in Germany, where he was licensed as DL4WA; he also held M1M (in San Marino), LX3TA, and DJ0HZ. Al and his wife Maggie have a son, Pat, at home. Maggie is a first grade teacher. Al moonlights in a German Oompah band and in a Dixieland jazz band. Dean Straw has been on the East Coast for about five years, most recently working for Raytheon Marine in Hudson, NH. He's well known among contest operators as a highly competitive (and successful) HF operator. Dean's forte is antennas, and he has among other assignments taken over as editor of *The ARRL Antenna Book* (the biggest ARRL publication after the *Handbook*). Dean, 47, admits to being licensed "more than 30 years." He has a bachelor's degree in engineering and applied science from Yale. He and his wife Rayma live in Windham, New Hampshire. Rayma teaches bi-lingual English- Chinese classes for immigrant children.