Jay Talbot’s Ramblings

On Friday, October 3, the ARRL HQ family will say goodbye to Membership Manager Katie Breen, W1KRB, as she moves away from her native Connecticut. In her short time here, Breen quickly became popular as she travelled to hamfests and conventions around the country — as well as making videos that have been posted online — promoting the League to members and non-members alike; she headed up the ARRL team at the 2008 Dayton Hamvention® this past May.

For four days earlier this month, members of Asia’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector convened at ITU Telecom Asia, focusing on core issues relating to ICT expansion across the region. The event featured the latest technologies and innovations — including Amateur Radio — as well as an extensive forum that explored key technologies, policies and applications.

We’re still looking at a quiet sun, but currently a solar wind is disturbing the Earth’s magnetic field. Six meter operators — after enjoying a fine season of sporadic E propagation this summer — may see some added excitement from auroral propagation. Check here for updated indicators.

This week, Surfin’ skims the Internet for information about CW Skimmer, an impressive Morse code decoder application.

As the ARRL Headquarters staff continues to support response and recovery efforts in Louisiana and the areas impacted by Hurricane Gustav, yet another storm begins to shift some of the focus eastward. Tropical Storm Hanna, currently forecasted to impact the North Carolina coastline early Saturday morning, has begun to activate ARES® preparations from Florida northward. Hanna is responsible for at least 137 deaths in Haiti.

Army Captain Jeff Hammer, N9NIC, who represents the Army Military Affiliate Radio System (Army MARS) in Iraq, has appealed to the families of troops deployed overseas that have been affected by the recent tropical storms and hurricanes to let their loved ones know all is well at home.

On September 3, the American Red Cross released a statement to clarify their policy as it concerns Amateur Radio operators. The letter below from American Red Cross Disaster Service Technology Manager Keith Robertory, KG4UIR, is presented in its entirety:

Late last month in Panama, the Executive Committee of IARU Region 2 held its annual meeting. According to IARU Region 2 President Reinaldo Leandro, YV5AMH, the importance of having active and inclusive IARU Member-Societies is the "only way to ensure the future of Amateur Radio." Leandro said this theme was "underlined" throughout the meeting. The United States is a member of Region 2.

Registration remains open through Sunday, September 21, 2008 for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, October 3, 2008: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1 (EC-001); Radio Frequency Interference (EC-006); Antenna Design and Construction (EC-009); Technician License Course (EC-010); Analog Electronics (EC-012), and Digital Electronics (EC-013). Each online course has been developed in segments — learning units with objectives, informative text, student activities and quizzes. Courses are interactive, and some include direct communications with a Mentor/Instructor. Students register for a particular session that may be 8, 12 or 16 weeks (depending on the course) and they may access the course at any time of day during the course period, completing lessons and activities at times convenient for their personal schedule. Mentors assist students by answering questions, reviewing assignments and activities, as well as providing helpful feedback. Interaction with mentors is conducted through e-mail; there is no appointed time the student must be present — allowing complete flexibility for the student to work when and where it is convenient. To learn more, visit the Continuing Education course listing page or contact the Continuing Education Program Coordinator.

After several days of harrowing watching and waiting for Hurricane Gustav to make landfall, the storm slammed into southeast Louisiana Monday afternoon, leaving flooding, wind damage and power outages in its wake and evacuees eager to go home. As Amateur Radio operators across the area moved from an emergency response stance to clean-up, evaluation and repair, the need for some changes to operations and equipment became clear, as well as the vastly improved response as compared to Hurricane Katrina.