Month: April 2022

May 2022 QST Paper

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ARRL logoApril 5, 2022

As many organizations and industries have struggled with supply chain issues, ARRL has been no exception. The supply of paper has become constrained for many reasons, and despite the best efforts of our publishing partner LSC Communications (formerly R.R. Donnelley) to mitigate those problems, getting paper for the May 2022 issue of QST was a challenge to ensure it was printed and distributed to members — and on time.

While other magazines have struggled to get their print edition delivered to subscribers, we were not going to let this be an issue for our members. As a result, we went to paper brokers to get paper, to ensure QST would be delivered. Regrettably, as you have probably seen, the paper is printed on different paper than readers are used to, and not what we would have liked. However, we are happy to know that members have been receiving their copies and enjoying them, despite the difference in this issue’s paper.

Please note that this is not a new direction for QST. We have not made a conscious decision to change the paper QST is printed on every month. Even though going to paper brokers is an expensive proposition, the ARRL Board and Staff will do what is necessary to keep the presses running for our membership journal. We are committed to ensuring that our members receive QST on a timely basis.

Even before the current supply chain problems, we were facing the reality that there are, today, fewer printers, fewer paper mills, and always-rising costs for paper, transportation, and mailing. This is not a short term problem – it will require our continued close attention as we manage the print side of our organization.

The good news is that ARRL committed to developing a parallel print-and-digital publishing competency over 10 years ago. Today, all members can access all four ARRL periodicals — QST, On the Air, NCJ, and QEX — in fully searchable digital editions. These are available to you any time and from anywhere.

73

David A. Minster, NA2AA

ARRL Chief Executive Officer

Amateur Radio Tower Ordinance Being Debated in Jonesboro, Maine

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Contest station towers in Jonesboro, ME
Amateur contest station towers, Jonesboro, Maine

Phil Duggan, N1EP, writes in the April, 2022 issue of Signals Downeast:

The antenna farm pictured here is right adjacent to RT-1 in Jonesboro. This upset many locals who wanted to ban or severely restrict amateur radio antennas and support structures via a proposed ordinance. A public hearing was held on March 25 and Maine Section Manager Phil Duggan, N1EP, and Peter Stackpole, N1MLE, informed town officials and residents at the hearing of the value of ham radio as a public service and emergency communications asset for the community and regions.

The selectmen, town clerk, and most of the residents seemed amendable to meet with members of the amateur radio community and emergency services to discuss drafting a more reasonable ordinance that comply with federal and state laws, but would still prevent any further large installations as pictured above.

Other towns will probably be watching what Jonesboro does in regard to amateur radio restrictions, as similar stations have been erected in other parts of the county. The Maine Ham Radio Society will continue to monitor the situation, and will be following up with Jonesboro officials to make sure we do get input in any new proposed ordinance.

RFI Troubleshooting Guide now Available for Comment

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The New England Division RFI Troubleshooting Guide is a resource for all radio amateurs in the New England Division and part of a process in place to help hams in the Division with their RFI issues.  The seven New England sections are recruiting RFI Team members to assist Division hams who work through the Guide and need additional help to resolve their RFI issues.  The teams will help to interface with the ARRL Lab and utilities, build credibility with both and build up a body of information that can be used as a reference.

The noise floor on our bands has risen dramatically in recent years due to the proliferation of many RF-generating technologies:  solar energy systems, LED’s, especially grow lights and municipal lighting systems, internet-connected devices, cable leakage, power system component failures and many more.  The creation of this RFI Troubleshooting Guide and the RFI Teams are an effort to improve the quality of our spectrum and our ability to mobilize in response to threats to that spectrum.

As we ramp up the RFI Teams and the use of the RFI Troubleshooting Guide, we welcome your suggestions to improve the process.

 

Rocky Neck Relay Race, Communicators Needed, East Lyme, CT, April 24, 2022

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Tim Rodgers, KC1TWR, writes on the Radio Amateur Society of Norwich (CT) mailing list:

Communicators needed! 

The 2022 Rocky Neck Relay Race is scheduled for Sunday, April 24, 2022. This is a new event for us this year. The course is all within Rocky Neck State Park. The race starts at 8 AM and the award ceremony at noon. Report time at the Region 4 Mobile Communications Unit will be 645 AM to 7:30 AM.

Attached are the maps for the trail and road course. The road course is all within Rocky Neck State Park. . I am working on the Comm Plan that will have checkpoint numbers. In the mean t5ime the checkpoint locations are marked on the maps with big yellow stars. 

This is a GREAT opportunity to introduce newly licensed amateurs or persons interested in getting licensed to public service.  Please ask someone to join you!

If you are available, please send an email to: TimKC1TWR@gmail.com 
Please include your cell and home phone numbers for the COMM Plan even if you have sent them for previous events.  Include your T-Shirt size as well. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

73,
Tim KC1TWR

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Tim Rodgers KC1TWR
TimKC1TWR@gmail.com

New ARRL.org Sign-in Instructions to Membership Management Page

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Following ARRL’s conversion to a new membership management system, these steps should be followed to sign in and access ARRL website features and services.

Thank you for your patience during the conversion!

If you need help, we’re here for you. Call us Monday – Thursday from 8 am – 7 pm (ET) and on Friday from 8 am – 5 pm (ET) or e-mail us at membership@arrl.org.

New ARRL sign-in page

Important Message from ARRL VEC

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ARRL logoImportant Message from ARRL VEC

By Maria Somma, AB1FM, ARRL VEC Manager

The FCC released a Public Notice on March 23, 2022, stating that the amateur radio application fees, including those associated with Form 605 application filings, would become effective on April 19, 2022. The Federal Communications Commission’s authority to impose and collect fees is mandated by Congress.

The $35 application fee, when it becomes effective on April 19, will apply to new, renewal, and modification applications that request a new vanity call sign. The fee will be per application.

Administrative updates, such as a change of name, mailing or email address, and modification applications to upgrade an amateur radio licensee’s operator class*, will be exempt from fees. (*this new information was just confirmed by FCC staff on Tuesday, March 29.)

VECs and Volunteer Examiner (VE) teams will not have to collect the $35 fee at exam sessions.

Once the FCC application fee takes effect, new applicants will pay the $15 exam session fee to the ARRL VE team as usual and pay the $35 application fee directly to the FCC by using the CORES FRN Registration system. VEC and VE team licensing procedures will not change.

When the FCC receives the examination information from the VEC, it will email a link with payment instructions to each qualifying candidate. The candidate will have 10 calendar days, from the date of the application file number being issued, to pay. After the fee is paid, and the FCC has processed an application, examinees will receive a second email from the FCC with a link to their official license or, in very rare instances, an explanation for why the application was dismissed or denied. The link will be valid for 30 days.

Per usual procedures, examinees that pass multiple exams at one session, will have one application transmitted to the FCC reflecting the highest-level license class earned. Again, our procedures will not change. The new license candidates will have an extra step before the license is issued. VE teams can point candidates to our FCC Application Fee webpage. Our new ARRL VEC CSCEs also include information about the application fee and points candidates to the webpage. The FCC rule pertaining to CSCEs will not change. CSCE credit will continue to be valid for 365 days, starting from the date of issuance.

For VE teams holding exam sessions the weekend before April 19, the FCC advised that applications not received by the FCC before April 19 will be subjected to the fee. The ARRL VEC urges teams to upload sessions via our documents upload page to get your sessions to us as quickly as possible. Assuming the FCC electronic batch filing (EBF) system is functioning properly on Monday, April 18, the VEC staff will work to get these to the FCC before April 19. Email the VEC department at VEC@arrl.org for the upload instructions.

Additionally, the FCC stated that the fee for applications processed and dismissed will not be refundable. This includes vanity requests where the applicant does not receive the requested call sign. However, returned applications that are missing information will not require an additional fee, if the missing information is submitted to the FCC within the proper amount of time.

Youth Licensing Grant Program

Anticipating the implementation of the fee in 2022, the ARRL Board of Directors, approved the ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program in July 2021. Under the program, ARRL will cover a one-time $35 application fee for license candidates younger than 18-years old for tests administered under the auspices of the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC). Qualified candidates also would pay a reduced exam session fee of $5 to the ARRL VEC. ARRL is finalizing details for administering the program.

Further news and instructions will follow as the FCC releases them. Details for the ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program will be posted when available. For additional information, visit the resources below.

ARRL VEC Application Fees webpage:

arrl.org/fcc-application-fee

ARRL News Story: arrl.org/news/new-amateur-radio-license-applications-fee-to-become-effective-april-19-2022

FCC CORES Video Tutorials: fcc.gov/licensing-databases/fcc-registration-system-cores/commission-registration-system-video-tutorials

FCC Registration Help: apps.fcc.gov/cores/publicHome.do?help=true