Interim ARRL Chief Executive Officer Barry Shelley, N1VXY, informed members on March 20 that ARRL will remain operational to meet their needs during the coronavirus pandemic. Shelley noted that ARRL is taking steps to help protect the health and safety of ARRL Headquarters employees, in line with the recommendations provided by US and Connecticut health officials and government leaders.

“We have arranged for many of our staff, depending on their job responsibilities and requirements, to work remotely during this unprecedented time,” Shelley said. “This helps the organization reduce the number of people in the building and improve our ‘social distancing’ capabilities.”

At present, all departments at ARRL Headquarters are functioning, and customer service representatives remain available to answer members’ questions or direct them to the appropriate department for assistance. Shelley advised that ARRL is encouraging members to use email as the preferred method of communication with ARRL, in order to get a timely response.

The ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) has been dealing with a higher-than-normal volume of emails and phone calls and is asking for members’ patience as they attempt to answer everyone’s questions as promptly as possible. “There has been some significant disruption to VE exam session schedules, given the restrictions imposed on gatherings in many locales,” Shelley pointed out. “As with our employees, the health and safety of our Volunteer Examiners is a top priority, and we have informed our VEs that they need to follow their local community’s guidelines and then use their best judgement when deciding whether to conduct, postpone, or cancel an exam session.”

As previously announced, ARRL has suspended all tours and guest visits to ARRL Headquarters and to W1AW until further notice. ARRL has also posted a statement relating to Field Day and the coronavirus situation.

“We will continue to monitor conditions from this outbreak and follow any additional guidelines provided by federal and state health professionals and government officials. We thank you for your understanding and patience during this difficult time,” Shelley said.