Compiled by S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA
ARRL News Editor
news@arrl.org

This feature -- including convenient Web links to useful information -- is a concise monthly update of some of the things ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of August.

The FCC released its study on Amateur Radio’s role in emergency and disaster communications and the impact of private land use regulations on the amateur community’s ability to provide such communications.

ARRL members nominated 14 candidates for the 10 positions of Director and Vice Director. There will be balloting for the Director positions in the Hudson and Northwestern Divisions, and for the Vice Director position in the Northwestern Division.

With the resignation of ARRL Southeastern Division Vice Director Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, appointed James Millsap, WB4NWS, of Acworth, Georgia, to fill the position.

With four new RAC Sections, hams participating in the ARRL November Sweepstakes will need to collect 83 Sections to make a Clean Sweep.

The list of logs received for 2012 ARRL Field Day have been posted online.

ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, and ARRL VEC Assistant Manager Perry Green, WY1O, participated in the annual conference of the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators.

ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, was re-elected as Secretary of the IEEE EMC Society Standards Development Committee at the IEEE EMC Society Symposium.

The ARRL presented three sessions of its popular Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology: Two basic sessions in California and at ARRL Headquarters, and an advanced session in Dayton Ohio.

ARRL RFI Engineer Mike Gruber, W1MG, and ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, are working to help solve power line noise near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration updated its 2012 hurricane outlook.

Section Manager elections in Connecticut and Western New York were decided by member balloting, while Puerto Rico will be gaining a new Section Manager without balloting and eight Sections will keep their incumbent Section Managers.

Derek Brown, W4DTB, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was named the recipient of the 2011 Hiram Percy Maxim Award.

The ARRL Development Office is working on a map to help Diamond Club members identify the location of bricks on the ARRL’s Diamond Terrace.

The ARRL Information Technology Department made software changes to improve shipping options in the ARRL Online Store.

DXCC News: The DXCC Desk approved the 1998 XU1A DXpedition to Cambodia for DXCC credit.

A new QuickStats poll was made available on the ARRL website.

The winner of the August QST Cover Plaque award is Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, for his article “Rethinking Electrical Power for the Ham.”

The October print issue of QST was released to the printer and the digital edition was released to the digital publisher. The September digital edition of QST was made available to ARRL members.

Official Observer Desk: ARRL Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, handled complaints concerning interference on 7.251 MHz, unidentified signals on 14.340 MHz, unidentified buzz-type signals on 17 meters, unlicensed truck drivers on 2 meters and continuing interference on 14.313 MHz.

Member Contact: ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, along with ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, and ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, attended the ARRL New England Division Convention in Boxboro, Massachusetts. Inderbitzen also attended the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention in Huntsville, Alabama. ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, attended the ARRL West Virginia State Convention in Weston, West Virginia. ARRL Marketing and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, attended the ARRL Western Pennsylvania Section Convention in Kensington, Pennsylvania. ARRL Field Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, attended the ARRL Kansas State Convention in Salina, Kansas.