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IN THIS EDITION:
Field Day is coming up the weekend of June 23 and NOW is the time to prepare for it! Don’t wait until the final weeks and expect that you will be able to get people to act on a moment’s notice.
The 2007 Field Day package is up on the web. While it is hard to write a specific press release months ahead of the event, (we had to stay pretty generic) the package includes the first of what will be several releases and more timely materials made available to PIOs as we get closer to this event. To see all the FD materials already available, go to
http://www.arrl.org/contests/announcements/fd/
Logo Info
This year's Field Day logo is going to be very popular. As a result, we're likely to get the usual requests for the rights to place the logos on T-shirts, etc. I asked Bob Inderbitzen, Manager of Marketing, about the rules governing this year's logo. His response . . .
The ARRL Field Day logo may be used on newsletters, flyers (including posters directing people to an ARRL Field Day site), or on club Web sites.
Permission is required for any other use. If it is not clothing related, it usually is given, but you need to ask. Write MWeinberg@arrl.org .
It is a really neat logo and I hope you enjoy it, but it is copyrighted and part of Marketing’s annual campaign. It may not be used for any embroidery, silk screening, or other use on apparel or products.
75 for the 75th
Field Day is 75 years old this year.
Celebrate by joining the Diamond Club!
One great way to celebrate Field Day 2007 -- the 75th Field Day -- is to take the extra step and support ARRL as part of the ARRL Diamond Club. Started in 2002, the Diamond Club is a great way for members to receive all the benefits of ARRL membership and some extra benefits for an extra contribution. Current members can upgrade to the Diamond Club at any time during their membership year.
This year ARRL is launching a new and unique benefit for Diamond club support at the Brass Level ($250 a year). It's the Diamond Terrace at ARRL. The Diamond Terrace will be filled with bricks inscribed by donors to honor their own call sign or that of an Elmer, friend, family member of club. All of the information is available on the ARRL website at www.arrl.org/diamondclub or by calling the Development office at 860-594-0397.
Why not join the Diamond Club on this Diamond Anniversary Field Day!
PROCLAMATIONS
Getting a proclamation is a good way to pull in the politicians. They LIKE to do it (good PR for them) and we like to get them (good relationships and a door-opener for us).
But often politicians are at a loss of what to write in a proclamation.
Remember – getting a proclamation takes time. Politicians usually move slowly, so plan weeks ahead. Start NOW! People to ask are: Mayors, Governors (go through your SM for that), Emergency Management leaders, city councilmen.
Here’s text with a fill-in-the-blank draft of some text you can use. Modify it for your local situation and don’t be afraid to ask your mayor, manager or other elected official to make it “official.”
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Whereas, Amateur Radio operators are celebrating a century of the miracle of the human voice broadcast over the airwaves with their “Hello” campaign; and
Whereas, Amateur Radio has continued to provide a bridge between peoples, societies and countries by creating friendships and the sharing of ideas; and
Whereas, Amateur Radio Operators have also provided countless hours of community services throughout these decades; and
Whereas, these Amateur Radio’s services are provided wholly uncompensated; and
Whereas, the State also recognizes the services Amateur Radio’s people also provide to our many Emergency Response organizations, including FEMA, DHS, _______add local and gov’t served agencies___________; and
Whereas, these same individuals have further demonstrated their value in public assistance by providing free radio communications for local parades, bike-a-thons, walk-a-thons, fairs and other charitable public events; and
Whereas, the ___state/city_____ of _________ recognizes and appreciates the diligence of these “hams” who also serve as weather spotters in the Skywarn program of the National Weather Service; and
Whereas, Amateur Radio once again proved its undisputed relevance in the modern world in 2005 by providing emergency communications when other systems failed in the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the USA and in the Tsunami catastrophe overseas; and
Whereas, the ARRL is the leading organization for Amateur Radio in the USA; and
Whereas, the ARRL Amateur Radio Field Day exercise will take place on June 24-25, 2006 and is a 24 hour emergency encampment exercise and demonstration of the Radio Amateurs’ skills and readiness to provide self-supporting communications even in fields without further infrastructure; now
Therefore, I ____name_____, _______title_______ of the ____place_______, do hereby officially recognize and designate June 18-25, 2006 as
Amateur Radio Week
In the ____place______
Signed
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WHY BE BORING?
One simple rule of PR - never pass up a good idea you can steal. But also be sure to give credit where it really is due. So I am stealing an idea from Dee Logan, W1HEO.
“For Field Day, don’t just have a local civic leader come visit your camp – Instead, have them OPEN the field day activities with a little ceremony! Get everything set up, then a quick opening ceremony, then a "Gentlemen start your engines" call to the keyers. It makes for good video for TV, the politicians in the area will like it and remember you, and everyone wins.”
The 2006 Simulated Emergency Test in the Fall of 2006 was supported by 4,334 Amateur Radio operator participants
The ARRL Letter and ARRL Audio News are free to use in whole or in part, provided they give attribution to ARRL as the source (there's a note in the Letter's masthead that says this). But the news stories on the Web site, however, are copyrighted. Permission requests for that and QST go to Maty Weinberg (MWeinberg@arrl.org) .
Do you remember the scene at the end of Miracle on 34th Street in which the postmen carry in sacks of mail? The ARRL VEC offices felt a lot like that following the change in code requirements – and YOU helped make that possible! Getting the word out about the change was a challenge to PIOs, but the “30 Day Blitz” was a great success. Irrespective of your feelings about the change itself, we needed to inform the world – and we did that well.
Besides the sacks of mail resulting from new hams and upgrades, another measure was the number of hits on the websites designed specifically for non-hams to introduce ourselves to the public. Between Hello and the newer Emergency-Radio.org sites, there were over 857,000 hits in just February alone. Obviously people are listening, reading and wanting more info.
While we need to continue our efforts to educate the public about Amateur Radio, remember that we need to welcome, guide and mentor these new people too.
April
18 World Amateur Radio Day
21 Lyrids Meteor Shower
28 ARRL VEC Amateur Exam Day
29 ARRL VEC Amateur Exam Day
May
4-6 EmComm West
18-19 Dayton Hamvention®
19 Armed Forces Day
20 Dayton Hamvention®
21 Hurricane Awareness Week
25 McGan Award Nominations due
26-27 CQ WW WPX CW Contest
Also remember Severe Weather Week!
See the web to find out when it is held in your area
http://www.weather.gov/os/severeweather/severewxcal.shtml
NEWS RELEASE
World Amateur Radio Day April 18
Newington, CT. March 22, 2007 -- The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), and its member societies representing over 150 countries around the world, will celebrate World Amateur Radio Day on April 18, 2007. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Amateur Radio: Allowing youth to connect the world.”
Despite the Internet and cellular phone, Amateur Radio continues to attract people world-wide by providing free international communications and friendships. Because it does not need pre-established supporting infrastructure, Amateur Radio (often called “Ham Radio”) reaches into every corner of the world – and into space too.
With the help of Amateur Radio clubs and ham radio operators, space shuttle astronauts and crewmembers of the International Space Station have been speaking to youth around the world over the ham airwaves while in orbit. They are talking directly with schools, showing teachers, students, parents and communities how Amateur Radio energizes youngsters about science, technology, and learning. The program is called ARISS, Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, and is an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly about science, technology, and learning. Speaking to the ISS crewmembers is a unique educational experience. Hundreds of Amateur Radio operators, including those from NASA Amateur Radio clubs at Johnson Space Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, and Marshall Space Flight Center, work behind the scenes to make these educational experiences possible. Recently, a Wisconsin teacher tuned to the ISS frequency. His students were excited to hear Astronaut Suni Williams, KD5PLB, talking to another school. One comment about traveling “over 17,000 mph” in the ISS really got the kids. The teacher reported, “The class made a collective ‘Ohhhhh’ sound... That’s interested students!”
Similar youth programs are available through Scouting as each year more than many thousands of Scouts “get together" over the airwaves for their Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA). Modern radio technology offers Scouts the exciting opportunity to make friends in other countries without leaving home.
JOTA is an annual event in which Boy and Girl Scouts and Guides from all over the world speak to each other by means of Amateur Radio. Scouting experiences are exchanged and ideas are shared via radio waves. Since 1958 when the first Jamboree-on-the-Air was held, millions of Scouts have met each other through this event. Many contacts made during JOTA have resulted in pen pals and links between Scout troops that have lasted many years. The radio stations are operated by licensed ham radio operators. Many Scouts and leaders hold licenses and have their own stations, but the majority participate in JOTA through volunteering stations operated by local radio clubs and individual radio amateurs.
Calling “CQ” on the Amateur shortwave bands can result in a contact with other Amateurs across town or far across the oceans. While Hams have repeatedly been in the news for their life-saving communications services in disasters, a large part of their activities remains the excitement and joy of contacting distant and remote areas of the world, learning directly about each others’ regions and lives and trying different ways to make radio contacts around the world. It is through this enjoyable radio hobby activity that the Hams learn the skills which, in other situations, have earned them world praise for their responses in emergencies. In addition, leading electrical engineers are able to draw from their practical, hands-on experiences gained as Amateur Radio Operators while they develop the inventions that are today’s necessities.
A special, international World Amateur Radio Day Award is issued by the MK QTC, Polish Radio Amateurs’ Journal, with support of PZK, Polish Amateur Radio Union based in Tolkmicko, Poland. Recognizing and encouraging international conversations over radio on April 18, the award is available for Amateur Radio operators who are successful in making multiple contacts.
Since 1925, the IARU has been instrumental in coordinating and representing Amateur Radio to the world. For information about the International Amateur Radio Union please see: www.IARU.org
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For further information, contact
Allen Pitts, w1agp
Media & PR Manager
ARRL
860 594-0328
apitts@arrl.org
The Radio Amateurs’ Journal MK QTC
Suchacz-Zamek - Wielmozy 5b
82-340 Tolkmicko, Poland
The following are good talking points for presenters to have in their pocket when speaking at a ham fest or club:
“The ARRL just wants my money.”
Well, of course the ARRL needs money! You would be hard pressed to find a non-profit organization that doesn’t need money to do its work.
But the better question is,
“Why should I be a member and support the ARRL, when I can just participate in my club?”
ANSWER: Besides the obvious ARRL membership benefits and service (QST, awards/contents, QSL Bureau, equipment insurance, etc.) there are many other reasons for joining:
Your annual dues support ARRL and many of our national and local initiatives. Your dues support an organization that represents ham radio operators in governmental matters, such as lobbying to protect your frequency privileges, support for local volunteers with the materials they need to provide excellent public service, and continuing education with online courses.
ARRL member donations support programs not covered by member dues, such as the successful Education & Technology program that trains teachers and puts ham radio stations in schools.
As the national association for Amateur Radio, ARRL also offers you "all-risk" equipment insurance, a monthly journal (QST magazine), local licensing opportunities, technical and regulatory information and answers, and opportunities for volunteers.
Amateur Radio is also international, representing your interests in the International Amateur Radio Union and other world radio conferences.
But what's in it for ME?
ANSWER: Here are just some of the benefits ARRL has tailored just for you!
DXers and Contesters
Public Service and Volunteers
New Hams 
Amateur Experimenters
VHFers
There’s more, but to put it bluntly… If it were not for the combined voice by YOU and thousands of ARRL members, commercial interests with a lot MORE money would have invaded the ham bands long ago and many of the activities and conveniences you enjoy simply would not exist. - THAT’s why every ham should support the ARRL and be a member.
This is just a reminder that the new brochures about Amateur Radio's emergency communications capabilities and the benefits of getting your own license are available. Thanks to the generosity of the DARA group in Dayton, OH, we are able, for only a donation of $6 per 100 to pay for the postage costs, ship them to you. This can be done by writing to hello@arrl.org