October, 2006

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World War II-Era QST is Bonus with 2007 ARRL Handbook Advance Orders
The 84th edition of The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications -- the 2007 edition -- is set to begin shipping in early October. ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, says now's the time to place orders for the reference manual, which has proven popular both within and outside the Amateur Radio community. Those placing advance Handbook orders by September 30 will receive a reproduction January 1942 issue of QST as a bonus.

ARRL Granted Experimental License for 500 kHz Research by Radio Amateurs
The FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology has granted a Part 5 experimental license to the ARRL on behalf of a group of radio amateurs interested in investigating spectrum in the vicinity of 500 kHz. Experimental license WD2XSH was issued September 13. The two-year authorization permits experimentation and research between 505 and 510 kHz (600 meters) using narrowband modes at power levels of up to 20 W effective radiated power (ERP). ARRL Member Fritz Raab, W1FR, of Vermont, will serve as experimental project manager for "The 500 KC Experimental Group for Amateur Radio."

Islands on the Air program announces Icom sponsorship deal
The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) has announced that Icom will become the new corporate sponsor of its Islands on the Air (IOTA) program, effective October 1. "This three-year worldwide sponsorship deal is a major boost to IOTA both in the UK and internationally," the RSGB said. "Principally involving sponsorship from both Icom UK and Icom America, this deal is set to build this already-popular program into 2009 and beyond." RSGB says the IOTA program has expanded significantly in recent years and now boasts tens of thousands of participants. New Web-based software has been launched to ease the filing and checking of award applications. Since IOTA's launch in 1964, both Yaesu and Kenwood have served as program sponsors.

Amateur Radio Antenna Law Leads Virginia County to Revise Ordinance
The existence of Virginia's Amateur Radio antenna statute recently was instrumental in convincing the Stafford County Board of Supervisors to adopt changes that make it easier for radio amateurs to erect antenna support structures. Tom Gregory, N4NW -- a former Virginia Section Emergency Coordinator who lives in Stafford -- says that before the amendments went into effect, an Amateur Radio licensee wanting to put up a tower could have been asked to apply for a conditional use permit (CUP) and pay a $7500 filing fee. Gregory says that's because the old county ordinance did not distinguish between Amateur Radio and cellular or other telecommunication towers. Stafford County didn't necessarily oppose ham radio antennas, he said, but the application earlier this year of Lewis Cheek, K4HR, to erect a 120-foot antenna support structure apparently caught county officials unawares.

October, 2006

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