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IN THIS EDITION:
What is it about Amateur Radio that arouses the interest of people? If you asked fifty hams, you would probably get fifty different answers. But if you ask it of NON-hams, the responses usually fall into one of three categories:
1 The fun, friendship and hobby side
2 The emergency service side
3 The technology and creative side
There’s something about hams that makes them want to open the plastic box and see what’s inside every gizmo they encounter. What makes it work? How can we make it better, or even use it in a whole new way. It is this inquisitive and creative streak that is the third component in the trilogy of the ARRL Public Relations campaigns. First came “Hello.” Then in 2007 came EmComm. For 2008 comes “We Do That!”
To be unwrapped at the Dayton Hamvention®, the new coordinated PR effort shows the world the technological activities and creative imaginations which Amateur Radio’s people love. Once again, this is a campaign with several interlocking parts including Public Service Announcements, brochures, special Web site, stickers, Talk on a Disk, and more. It shows, “It’s not your grandfather’s ham radio anymore!”
One of the nice parts about this campaign is that the materials can be expanded as the year unfolds to include new and developing topic areas.
It all comes out on May 16th
I think you will be pleased
The 2008 edition of the Swiss Army Knife for PIOs is available. For your own copy, just send us a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope big enough to mail you back a CD. Put about 80 cents postage on it and we’ll ship you one quickly.
This is the CD with almost everything you’ll need as a PIO all in one place. Be sure to add in a note that you want the Swiss Army Knife for PIOs!
As an experiment, last year we created a Power Point presentation coordinated to the EmComm brochures. We had 1000 CD’s made of it and thought that it would last for several years. It didn’t!
The first Talk on a Disk was such a hit for PIOs and others who were making presentations before non-ham groups that only a very few are left. People asked for them – and used them – in all sorts of ways to promote Amateur Radio in their communities. The Power Point went along with the brochures, and by putting the two together, most anyone could make a really good presentation to a non-ham group.
With the launch of the 2008 campaign on the technical/creative side of Amateur Radio, once again we have developed a special Power Point to go along with the new brochures. But to be safe, we’ve also included last year’s EmComm presentation on it too.
Talk on a Disk 2008 will be available beginning May 18. If you are making a presentation to a non-ham group and want this for your speech, just send us a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope big enough to mail you back a CD. Put about 80 cents postage on it and we’ll ship you one quickly. Be sure to add in a note that you want the Talk on a Disk!
Throughout the year hundreds of ARRL PICs, PIOs and other PR volunteers strive to keep Amateur Radio visible in their communities by publicizing special events, writing press releases, and maintaining good relations with local media among many other valuable activities. Their efforts benefit us all. If you know someone who has achieved public relations success on behalf of Amateur Radio, nominating him or her for the McGan award is the perfect way to say thank you.
The award’s namesake, Journalist Philip J. McGan, WA2MBQ (SK), served as the first chairman of the ARRL’s Public Relations Committee, which helped reinvigorate the League’s commitment to public relations.
In honor of Phil, his friends in the New Hampshire Amateur Radio Association joined with the ARRL Board of Directors to pay a lasting tribute to the important contributions he made on behalf of Amateur Radio.
The 2008 McGan award will go to that ham who has demonstrated success in Amateur Radio public relations and best exemplifies the volunteer spirit of Phil McGan.
Public Relations activities for which the McGan Award is presented include efforts specifically directed at bringing Amateur Radio to the public’s attention (and most often the media’s) in a positive light. This may include traditional methods, like news releases; or non-traditional methods, such as hosting a radio show or being an active public speaker. If you’re considering nominating someone in your area for the 2008 award, please ask yourself if your candidate’s work fits the public relations definition. PR is fundamentally getting a message out to people while public service is providing a service.
A committee of volunteers knowledgeable about Amateur Radio public relations will pick the winner, subject to approval by the ARRL Board of Directors.
CALL FOR 2008 NOMINATIONS
Missed K3TUP on CBS’ 60 Minutes or the Morning Show? You can still see it here: http://www.southgatearc.org/news/april2008/john_kanzius_k3tup.htm
May
watch for Hurricane Awareness Week
16 Dayton Hamvention® days
23 Deadline for McGan Award entries
30 Sea-Pac in Oregon
June
1 Hurricane Season Begins
14 ARRL June VHF QSO Party
21 Kid’s Day
21 Amateur Radio Week Begins
28 ARRL Field Day
Allen, w1agp, and the PR gang will be at Dayton and also at Sea-Pac in May. Please stop by and say Hello if you can.
Unless you have been under a rock, you know that broadcast TV is going digital early next year. The PR Committee has been looking into what happens to all the little battery powered 5” B&W TV sets people have “for emergencies.” Were there battery powered digital converters? Well, it seems not! The converter chips apparently take too much power to be run from batteries. There are 12v “wall warts,” but not batteries. However, in the process of looking about, a friend at the National Association of Broadcasters, John Marino, pointed us to something we did not know – there are USB port TV antennas and your computer can use them to run with digital TV just fine as long as there is a strong enough signal in your area. John says these are very handy for laptop applications. One is detailed at this website http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/us/Products/Consumer+Products/PCTV+Tuners/PCTV+Flash_TV+Stick/PCTV+HD+Ultimate+Stick.htm
John’s guess is that battery powered analog television sets will wind up in the trash. The price we pay for progress!
Remember the Uncle Sam poster from WW 1 with the top-hatted character pointing at you? Most people do, and it is still an effective poster. But the copyright on it ran out decades ago! So… never people to leave a working idea behind, Mark Conklin, N7XYO, made it into an ARES® poster. PR Committee member Kevin O’Dell, N0IRW, spotted it and it has been making the rounds in Oklahoma. Interesting! See it at: http://tinyurl.com/3qs94q
Rob Macedo, KD1CY, alerted me to this clip (there’s both a video and just the audio) of the new Director for the National Hurricane Center talking about the role of Amateur Radio in monitoring hurricane events. These are excellent to download and use in presentations and insert into powerpoints. There is both an audio and video clip available. See the following links:
Video Clip of Bill Read-KB5FYA, Director of the National Hurricane Center:
http://www.voipwx.net/local/Bill_Read_on_Ham_Radio_Hurricane_Conference2008.wmv
Audio Clip of Bill Read-KB5FYA, Director of the National Hurricane Center:
http://www.voipwx.net/local/Bill_Read_on_Ham_Radio_Hurricane_Conference_2008.mp3
Making a local audio public service announcement is not all that hard. But making one sound GOOD is a skill. With Field Day coming up, many clubs are making their own audio PSA’s announcing their activities. Why not your group too? One of the key elements is the background music. Listen carefully to how several radio commercials are crafted. The background music or noise is not there by chance. It is an important part of the message theme.
To make it easier, here’s a place you can find Royalty Free Music for your use. http://tinyurl.com/5sdhlc
Something interesting happening in the world? What is the news saying about you – or a ham related topic. Would you like to see LIVE broadcast news from around the world at any time? Or maybe you’re traveling and you just want to check in on things back home?
This website has live feeds from all over the world and you can select which one to watch in real time. Take a look at http://www.livenewscameras.com/
Sometimes it is hard to get any interest in a story. And in some places it is hard to get interest in any ham radio story. Angel Santana, WP3GW, had been swimming against the tide for too long. But in this game one never knows when suddenly 2 + 2 can total 5 and everything clicks.
Last April 18 a group of operators and I wanted to operate Isla de Cabras island to qualify it for the US islands program and commemorate World Amateur Radio Day, a two on one event. After we got the permission to operate there we did a meeting Thursday April 10 to work the logistics. Then I exposed to them the press release, personal written invitations and a small description for the OPDX bulletin if there was time for it. All were approved with minor changes.
We posted it on the PR reflector. Next, to the local reflectors and media, and then to the local nets. Later it was reported on the member list newsletter (thanks to our SM), a news reporter wanted to make an interview on radio and TV, it was posted on a local newspaper, and oh, last but not least, it was posted on the OPDX and ARRL bulletin.
Results: My cell went crazy vibrating for people who wanted to know about ham radio as a result of the TV interview, and since I got my Tech ticket on 2000, there had been no exposure on TV. The reporter called me about the results and I told her about the next opportunity: FIELD DAY!! Also the first contacts to come in on CW said to our operator they were expecting us to get on the air. All that and without pressure or even expecting responses; maybe the force was on our side-on time. And, Isla de Cabras has been qualified for the US islands Program (PUR012S).
Have you had a similar last minute results and success stories? Let us know!
Angel Santana - WP3GW
PIO Puerto Rico Sectio
Modern Marvels is a TV show usually seen on the History Channel. They have an upcoming show on Tesla and early electrical experiments scheduled for May 14. See local listings for further details.
Section Manager Tom Blackwell writes:
I helped as a volunteer with a Channel 5 health fair event a year ago. They sent me a package with this coffee cup. It was unsolicited and unexpected. I keep it on a counter in a bathroom. ARRL has a lot of merchandise to promote various things we do. It seems we might get somewhere with our local, major media contacts if we sent them coffee cups promoting Field Day. Field Day is quite an opportunity for promoting the hobby and the organization. People who receive coffee cups, like I did from Channel 5, are unlikely to throw them away.
Well Tom – we hear you!
But all the cups had dates on them, so… I went to the website and then to Bob Inderbitzen of the Marketing Department. If you look on the web you can find the Field Day Water Bottle #1071 at $3.95/ea. It’s the 20 oz. white bottle with black screw on push-pull cap. But wait – there’s more!
For PIOs who will get them and (on their honor system) send to the press or politicians together with invitations to come to their field day sites, they are available for $2.00 each if you call. (This covers our costs and shipping. This offer is not available via web site – only through here as part of helping PIOs.) Call 1-888-277-5289 and tell them you want this special $2 PIO rate on the bottles so you can send them to media or leaders together with invitations to visit your local FD site.
We received a notice from Penny S. Burke of the Citizen Corps Program, Community Preparedness Division at 500 C St SW, Washington DC, 20472
(202) 786-9610 Office or penny.burke@dhs.gov .
I believe it should be of interest to many clubs and groups – especially those involved in ARES or other community service works. Here’s a fast summary…
Attached is an announcement from Citizen Corps Councils and Program Partners nationwide. In recognition of National Volunteer Service Week, FEMA Community Preparedness Division has partnered with the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation to provide 10,000 Presidential Volunteer Service Awards free of charge to Citizen Corps Councils and Program Partners. Citizen Corps Councils and Program Partners acknowledge the vital contributions of volunteers in community preparedness. The announcement provides information about the Presidential Volunteer Service Award and how local Councils and Programs can use this award recognize their outstanding volunteers.
Citizen Corps has partnered with
the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation
to provide 10,000 Presidential Volunteer Service Awards to
Citizen Corps Councils and Program Partners!!!
This year during National Volunteer Week (April 27- May 3 2008), Citizen Corps honors the selfless individuals who volunteer their time to further community preparedness efforts. Citizen Corps has partnered with the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation to provide 10,000 Presidential Volunteer Service Awards free of charge to Councils and Citizen Corps Partner Programs: Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program, Fire Corps, Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), Neighborhood Watch, and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS). It is with sincere appreciation that we are able to pay tribute to volunteers who support Citizen Corps programs and initiatives.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation on behalf of the President of the United States to recognize the best in American spirit, and to encourage all Americans to improve their communities through volunteer service and civic participation. The Award is given to individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard – measured by the number of hours served over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.
Citizen Corps has been registered on the Presidential Volunteer Service Award website as a national Leadership Organization and has pre-registered state, local, and tribal Citizen Corps Councils and all local Program Partners to be official Certifying Organizations. As a Certifying Organization, your Council or Program is approved to review and verify a volunteer’s hours, and to nominate and distribute the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Award packages include a letter from the President, a certificate of achievement (with customized logo depending on affiliation) and a pin. Please note that, although the 10,000 awards are free of charge, Councils and Programs will be responsible for shipping and handling costs.
To learn more about being a Certifying Organization, please visit:
http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/s/citizencorps.
Volunteers can track their hours through the President’s Volunteer Service Award website, http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/tgact/login/dspLoginAll.cfm to create an ongoing Record of Service. As a Certifying Organization, you would need to verify the number of hours served and submit the volunteer’s name and number of hours to have the award certificate personalized.
We would like to personally thank every volunteer who has dedicated time and energy to Citizen Corps. Thank you for acknowledging the contributions of those in your community!! If you have any questions or need assistance, please call 1-866-545-5307.
Presidential Volunteer Service Award Criteria
| Bronze Level | Kids: 50 to 74 hours |
Silver Level |
Kids: 75 to 99 hours |
Gold Level |
Kids: 100 hours or more |
Presidents Call to Service |
All Ages: 4,000 hours or more of volunteer service (over a lifetime). |
Obviously the good news here at HQ has been the recent court decision regarding BPL and interference issues. The BPL issue has been going on for five years this month and the end is not in sight. While, to their credit, the BPL industry has made changes to avoid causing interference problems, the cheering of the FCC and passing of rules which were beneficial to those installations still causing harmful interference was a PR nightmare. “My mind’s made up – don’t confuse me with facts!”
It has been called an “uphill battle” here, and indeed it was a steep hill. A little research will show that it is very unusual for a court to overturn a federal agency decision. There has to be something really blatant for them to even consider it. In this case, there was. Discounting any information contrary to a predetermined agenda, violations of their own internal rules as well as the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act, plus selective editing (they called it “redaction”) of those reports showing the interference problems in their plan was enough to get their rules remanded to the drawing board.
Two points come out of this which need to be understood by PIOs. First, this battle is not over. We took the hill, but there still are the problems of protection for mobile licensees, the FCC might appeal it, or they may race a “do-over” though channels and end up back with the same faulty decisions – there are a host of options. In the coming month, keep an eye out for how the media plays this and what the next moves are. Second, this is not just a win for the ARRL staff but a win made possible by all those hams that supported the Spectrum Defense fund and believed in putting money where their mouth has been. It was far from a sure thing, and there were times when faith was shaky. But it was the members and donors who helped pay for the lawyers, the travel, the conferences, the site testing and re-testing, and all the drudge-work needed in the past five years that made this happen.
Thank you!
de W1AGP