• Public Service: Amateur Radio Operators "Stand Down" from Chinese Earthquake Relief
• ARRL Audio News to Return May 27
• The 2010 ARRL EXPO at the Dayton Hamvention^®: Loving Every Minute of It!
• ARRL's Annual Donor Reception Welcomes Record Crowd
• FCC News: FCC Seeks Comments on Newly Proposed Rules for Amateur Radio Operators Using Spread Spectrum Communications
• FCC News: FCC Again Denies Amateur's Petition Regarding Station Identification
• ARRL Section News: Spring Section Manager Election Results
• There's Still Time to Enter the 2010 ARRL Photo Contest!
• CQ Announces 2010 Hall of Fame Inductees
• Solar Update
• This Week on the Radio

The earthquake that struck China's Qinghai province on April 14 killed more than 2000 people and left thousands injured and homeless. According to Fan Bin, BA1RB, of the Chinese Radio Sports Association (CRSA), relief efforts are continuing for those left homeless. Amateur radio operators from Beijing, Sichuan, Shandong, Anhui, Qinghai and Jiangsu were widely involved in the disaster relief actions, traveling to the disaster center. Working through the poor weather conditions, they helped with transportation of medicines, tents, food and clothes to the disaster area. The Amateur Radio operators were even directly involved in disaster rescue activities -- one Beijing Amateur Radio rescue team saved six people. Read more here.

After a hiatus of four months, the ARRL Audio News is scheduled to return Thursday, May 27. With the advent of the new ARRL Web site, we have had to make some changes in the way the Audio News is presented. It will only be available as one mp3 file; we will no longer be breaking it up into segments. For the time being, it will not be available by telephone, but that feature may return in the future. You can find the ARRL Audio News here on the ARRL Web site.

It just wouldn't be a "real" Hamvention if the weather didn't cooperate, and on Friday -- the first day of the 2010 Dayton Hamvention -- the humidity was brutal. Be it too much rain, too much sun (or not enough!) or maybe even a snowstorm, thousands of radio amateurs flock to Hara Arena. But late on Friday afternoon, the sweltering atmosphere gave way to clear skies and frisky breezes, a harbinger of the rest of the weekend.

Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM -- along with dad Scott, KF4PWI -- coordinated the Youth Lounge inside the ARRL EXPO at the Dayton Hamvention. Andrea is a junior at Georgia Tech and recently completed a semester abroad in England. [S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, Photo]

Inside Hara, aisles were packed with hams from all over the world seeking the latest in Amateur Radio technology, products, gadgets, gizmos and more. It's said that if you can't find it at Dayton, it just doesn't exist. If you were looking for the latest in top-of-the-line transceivers, there were more than a few to choose from. If you needed a 45 tube for your 1920s-era TNT oscillator, take your pick from the more than 200 exhibitors and vendors - not to mention the acres of flea market booths -- attending Hamvention.

The largest exhibit at Dayton is the ARRL EXPO. Almost 150 ARRL staff members, officers, Board members and volunteers made their way to Dayton, bringing with them the best that Amateur Radio has to offer. With 25 exhibits and activities located in the EXPO area -- ranging from youth activities, kit building, QSL card checking and an expanded ARRL Bookstore -- throngs of amateurs wound their way through to check everything out. Read more here.

The annual reception for ARRL donors in Dayton welcomed the largest attendance since its inception in 2002. Nearly 150 donors who contributed $1000 or more during the previous year enjoyed the reception on May 13 at the Meadowbrook Country Club in Clayton, Ohio. Guests at the reception included international visitors IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH; IARU Region 2 Secretary Ramon Santoyo, XE1KK; IARU Secretary Rod Stafford, W6ROD; IARU Region 1 President Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, and his wife Margareet, K2XYL; Seike Hidefumi, JA5CKZ; Keko Diez, TI5KD, and Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC) Board Member Mitch Wolfson, DJ0QN.

ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, was the keynote speaker at the annual Donor Reception, held Thursday night, right before the opening of the Dayton Hamvention.

The Guest of Honor was new ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, who mingled with the crowd and shared her thoughts on what it takes to be successful in the Amateur Radio world. Her comments began with the story of how she launched her involvement with the ARRL as an Assistant Section Manager in Eastern Pennsylvania when she said "yes" to a request for her to prepare the Section's newsletter. Her steps to the Presidency of ARRL continued with her role as Section Manger, Vice Director, Director, Vice President, culminating with her election to ARRL President in January 2010. Her message to the audience was simple but straightforward -- those who continue to say "yes" make a commitment to service, as well as a willingness to contribute generously to support the League make significant contributions to both Amateur Radio and to the ARRL.

At the conclusion of President Craigie's remarks, the ARRL announced new members of the Maxim Society. Current Maxim Society Donors gathered to recognize William Fugate, W8IYD; Kenneth Goodwin Jr, K5RG; Charles Heath, K6ZIZ; Henry Pownall, W4FWR; Walter Wooten, W1LW; Kurt Pauer, W6PH, Ted Goldthorpe, W4VHF, and his wife Itice Goldthorpe, K4LVV. The ARRL Maxim Society recognizes donors whose lifetime giving to various ARRL funds reaches $10,000 or more. As of May 2010, the Maxim Society numbers 67 members. For more information -- including all the benefits of membership in the Maxim Society -- visit the Maxim Society Web page on the ARRL Web site or call the ARRL Development Office at 860-594-0397.

In March, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed to amend Part 97 to facilitate the use of spread spectrum communications technologies by eliminating the requirement that amateur stations use automatic power control (APC) to reduce transmitter power when the station transmits a spread spectrum (SS) emission, and reducing the maximum transmitter power output when transmitting a SS emission (WT Docket No 10-62). On May 14, a summary of the NPRM and the Order was published in the Federal Register; the FCC is seeking comments on the NPRM. Comments must be filed on or before June 14, 2010 (30 days after publication in the Federal Register); reply comments must be filed on or before June 28, 2010 (45 days after publication in the Federal Register). Instructions on how to file comments are listed beginning on page 5 of the NPRM.

The Commission also attached an Order to the NPRM that makes certain non-substantive revisions to Part 97. According to the FCC, the rules are necessary to amend the Amateur Service rules or conform them to prior Commission decisions, enhancing the usefulness of the Amateur Service rules by making them conform with other Commission rules, thereby eliminating licensee confusion when applying the rules to Amateur Service operations. According to the Federal Register, the new rules take effect July 13, 2010.

On May 18, the FCC denied a Petition for Reconsideration filed by Glen Zook, K9STH, that asked for changes in Part 97 regarding how often amateurs must identify themselves on the air. This action follows the Commission's denial of Zook's April 2009 Petition for Rulemaking requesting that the Commission amend Section 97.119(a) to change how often amateur stations must identify themselves, specifically "to require that an amateur station transmit its call sign during the first transmission of any communication or series of transmissions, and to allow an amateur station to not transmit its call sign at the end of a communication when the communication or series of transmissions lasts less than three minutes." Read more here.

In the only Section Manager race this spring, Tom Ciciora, KA9QPN, of Sandwich, was re-elected as the ARRL Illinois Section Manager with 954 votes. His opponent, Michael J. Schulz, W9MJS, of Wayne, received 799 votes. Election ballots were counted Tuesday at ARRL Headquarters. Ciciora starts his new third two-year term of office on July 1, 2010; he was first elected Section Manager in 2006. The following incumbent ARRL Section Managers did not face opposition and were declared elected for their next terms of office beginning July 1: John Poindexter, W3ML, Indiana; Bill Woodhead, N1KAT, Maine; Paul Eakin, KJ4G, Northern Florida; Bonnie Altus, AB7ZQ, Oregon; Paul Gayet, AA1SU, Vermont, and Don Michalski, W9IXG, Wisconsin. There were no nominations received for the next term of office of Section Manager in the Santa Clara Valley Section. Nominations will be re-solicited this summer for an 18-month term of office starting in January 2011.

Have you ever wanted to see a photo of yours in QST, the annual ARRL Amateur Radio Calendar or another ARRL publication? Well, here's your chance! If you're among the winners, not only will your photographic skill be propagated far and wide, but we're offering $100 as the First Prize. The winning photo and three runners-up will be published in QST. All submitted photos will also be considered for the 2011 ARRL Calendar. For more information, including rules and requirements, click here.

On May 14, CQ magazine announced its 2010 Hall of Fame inductees, welcoming 15 new members into the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame and two new members each into the CQ DX Hall of Fame and the CQ Contest Hall of Fame. The CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame honors those individuals -- whether licensed hams or not -- who have made significant contributions to Amateur Radio, as well as those amateurs who have made significant contributions either to Amateur Radio, to their professional careers or to some other aspect of life on our planet. The CQ Contest and DX Halls of Fame honor those amateurs who not only excel in personal performance in these major areas of Amateur Radio, but who also "give back" to the hobby in outstanding ways. Read more about the 19 new inductees here.

Ham radio demonstrations and displays are in the works for Maker Faire, the world's largest do-it-yourself (DIY) festival. As in 2009, the festival will take place at the San Mateo County Expo Center in San Mateo, California on May 22-23. According to ARRL Sales and Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, this annual event showcases the country's best innovations in science and technology, engineering, arts and crafts, food and music. "Like last year, there is a very well-coordinated effort among area groups to help represent the Amateur Radio Service at Maker Faire," Inderbitzen explained. "Volunteers are planning a variety of visual, interactive and hands-on displays for the thousands of attendees." Read more here.

Click here to order your ARRL Field Day merchandise.

How can you be the best-dressed ham at your Field Day site this year? When you wear the official 2010 ARRL Field Day shirt -- accompanied by the 2010 ARRL Field Day hat -- of course! Field Day -- Amateur Radio's largest on-the-air operating event -- is just a little more than five weeks away, so be sure to get your shirts, hats and pins, as well as the new ARRL Field Day Handbook for Radio Amateurs and coffee mugs before they run out. Field Day shirts are offered in sizes Small-4XL and are royal blue with the 2010 Field Day logo on the left chest; the back of the shirt says "Amateur Radio -- Goodwill • Service • Fun!" with www.arrl.org underneath. Fulfill all your Field Day apparel needs at the Field Day Supplies section of the ARRL Web site.

The Sun, as seen on Thursday, May 20, 2010 from NASA's SOHO Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope. This image was taken at 304 Angstrom; the bright material is at 60,000 to 80,000 Kelvin.

Tad "The wonderfulness of the sundown, or stars shining so quiet and bright" Cook, K7RA, reports: We've now seen 11 days with no sunspots. The average daily solar flux from May 6-12 dropped from 75.8 to 69.2 for the week of May 13-19. This may end soon, as sunspot group 1063 is due to return in the next two days, and predictions show a rising solar flux: 70 for May 20-21, 72 for May 22-23, 74 for May 24-25, 76 for May 26 and 80 for May 27-June 4. There is also a prediction of geomagnetic instability for today, May 20, with planetary A index for May 20-23 of 18, 15, 8 and 5. The latest issue of WorldRadio online is available for download and it contains an interesting propagation column from Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, with an analysis of 6 meter propagation from California to New Zealand. Look for more information, including a look at 6 meter propagation reports, on the ARRL Web site on Friday, May 21. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service Propagation page. This week's "Tad Cookism" brought to you by Walt Whitman's Miracles.

Click here to go to the QST Multimedia Page. Scroll down to the Kit Expo video and see some of the activity that took place in the ARRL booth at the 2010 Dayton Hamvention.

The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 51 times each year. ARRL members and registered guests may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their profile. Copyright © 2010 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other purposes require written permission.