
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.




