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 the ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of March.

With the assistance of ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, Montana now has a law that establishes a 100-foot by-right height below which local jurisdictions may not regulate Amateur Radio towers, and protects them from distracted driving laws when operating mobile.

Acting upon a request by the ARRL, the FCC issued an Order granting a temporary waiver to transmit communications on amateur service channels above 30 MHz using single time-slot Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems.

The ARRL announced its Second Century Campaign. With a goal of raising $10 million, the ARRL has already received cash and commitments of more than $4 million.

For the fourth year in a row, the Dayton Amateur Radio Association will provide funding for the advanced session of the ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology.

The ARRL provided technical assistance and award certificates to the hit ABC comedy Last Man Standing for a storyline featuring Amateur Radio.

Development Update: The ARRL’s Development Office sent out congratulatory letters, certificates and pins to those ARRL members celebrating 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 years of ARRL membership. ARRL Individual Giving Manager Lauren Clarke, KB1YDD, reported that the ARRL Diamond Club is at 23 percent of its 2013 goal (311 donors), the Spectrum Defense Fund is at 7 percent of its goal (213 donors) and the Education & Technology Fund is at 17 percent of its goal (36 donors). Click here to make your contribution to the fund of your choice.

The ARRL’s Maxim Society -- comprised of radio amateurs who have made financial commitments to the ARRL exceeding $10,000 in lifetime contributions -- now has 124 members.

The ARRL introduced two new books for spring: Ham Radio for Arduino and PICAXE and Radio Science for the Radio Amateur, as well as The Amateur Radio Public Service Handbook for Kindle.

The ARRL’s UHF/Microwave Band Plan Committee presented draft band plans for 5 centimeters (5.650-5.925 GHz) and 3 centimeters (10-10.500 GHz). The committee is accepting comments on these draft band plans through April 30.

The ARRL’s Executive Committee met March 9, considering items concerning the FCC and regulatory items, FCC enforcement, legislative issues and organizational matters.

W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, announced its 2013 spring operating schedule.

The ARRL’s IT Department resolved a mail blockage issue regarding Microsoft domain addresses and the arrl.net e-mail forwarding service.

ARRL staff members operated from W1AW in the Straight Key Century Club Weekend Sprintathon, making more than 200 contacts.

A new QuickStats Poll was posted to the ARRL website.

The winner of the March QST Cover Plaque award is Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, for his article “The Sun and the Ionosphere.”

The May print issue of QST was released to the printer and the digital edition was released to the digital publisher. The April digital edition of QST was made available to ARRL members. Four new books – Hands-On Radio Experiments (Volume 2), ARRL’s Tech Q&A (fifth edition), Radios to Go! and Morse Code Operating for Amateur Radio were released to the printer.

Official Observer Desk: ARRL Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, handled complaints concerning inappropriate language on 75 meters, jamming on a New Hampshire repeater and a steady carrier on 3.526 MHz. He also answered questions concerning operating in the Free Band segment between the amateur portion on 10 meters and the Citizens Band portion on 11 meters, operating overseas and license requirements.

Member Contact: ARRL Regulatory Information Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, attended the ARRL North Carolina State Convention in Raleigh, North Carolina; ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, attended the ARRL Santa Clara Section Convention in Monterrey, California; ARRL Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, attended the ARRL Oklahoma Section Convention in Claremore, Oklahoma.