SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX002
ARLX002 Fred Maia, W5YI, (SK)

ZCZC AX02
QST de W1AW  
Special Bulletin 2  ARLX002
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  March 30, 2012
To all radio amateurs 

SB SPCL ARL ARLX002
ARLX002 Fred Maia, W5YI, (SK)

The holder of one of the best-known US Amateur Radio call signs,
Frederick (Fred) Maia, W5YI, died of cancer Wednesday, March 28. He
was 76 and was a resident of Arlington, Texas.

Fred was a leading Amateur Radio journalist for nearly 35 years and
a pioneer of the volunteer examining program adopted by the FCC in
1984.

Maia published "The W5YI Report," dubbed "America's Oldest Ham Radio
Newsletter," from 1978 to 2003, and has been a CQ contributing
editor since 1985. His regulatory affairs column, first titled
"Ticket Talk," then "Washington Readout," offered news and
perspective on FCC Regulations and ITU actions. His final column
will appear in the May 2012 issue of CQ.

After the FCC adopted volunteer examining for all levels of Amateur
Radio licensing in 1984, Fred became the first Volunteer Examiner
Coordinator (VEC) appointed by the FCC. Fred subsequently founded
The W5YI Group in 1986 to develop, publish and sell amateur and
commercial radio license study materials. In the realm of FCC
commercial radio licensing, Fred formed National Radio Examiners to
provide examination services.

Maia served as President of the W5YI-VEC until his retirement in
October of 2000 when he sold The W5YI Group study material products
to Master Publishing, Inc. The retail operations were purchased by
General Manager Larry Pollock, NB5X, newly appointed President of
the W5YI-VEC and National Radio Examiners organizations. Maia
continued writing "The W5YI Report" newsletter until July 2003.

A graduate of the US Air Force Radio Operators School, Fred was an
avid CW operator. He was first licensed as a teenager as W1NTK in
Brockton, Massachusetts, where he grew up. Maia was later licensed
as W5UTT, and held DXCC CW awards and EU-PX-A CW. He was a member of
QCWA and Life Member of the ARRL.

For several decades, Maia also served on the National Conference of
Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) as a member of the Question
Pool Committee that oversees the development and maintenance of the
Amateur Radio license examination question pools.

ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, commented: "Amateur
Radio is healthier today because of the tireless efforts of Fred
Maia. While Fred did not always see things quite the same way as the
ARRL, in my experience he always had the best interests of Amateur
Radio at heart. He was a major figure who will be sorely missed."

He is survived by his wife, Doris, and two daughters. A memorial
service will be held at 3 PM, Saturday, March 31, at Moore Funeral
Home, 1219 North Davis Dr, Arlington, TX 76012.
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/EX