The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit released its decision on the ARRL's Petition for Review of the FCC's Orders adopting rules governing broadband over power line (BPL) systems. The Court agreed with the ARRL on two major points and remanded the rules to the Commission.

When tornadoes swept across Suffolk and Norfolk, Virginia on April 28, local Amateur Radio operators responded to the call for assistance.

ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, filed an Informal Objection with the FCC regarding a pending application for a Special Temporary Authority (STA) filed by Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. The following day, the FCC upheld the ARRL position when it ruled that the STA would not be in the public interest.

After more than 17 years at ARRL, Laboratory Test Engineer Mike Tracy, KC1SX, has left the HQ staff for a position with Synergy Microwave, a New Jersey company owned by Dr Ulrich Rohde, N1UL. Bob Allison, WB1GCM, is the new ARRL Lab Test Engineer.

Dayton Hamvention® has named QST Contributing Editor and Author H. Ward Silver, N0AX, as its 2008 Amateur of the Year.

ARRL DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, reports that the following DXpeditions have been approved for DXCC credit: the 2006 and 2007 YA/LY1Y operations in Afghanistan; the 2007 operation to Uganda, 5X1NH; the 2007 operation to Western Sahara, S05A; the 2008 operation to Burundi, 9UXEV; the 2008 operation to Syria, YK9G; the ongoing operation of HZ1PS in Saudi Arabia, and the 2007 G4GIR/KH9 DXpedition to Wake Island.

St Barthelemy (FJ) has been added to the DXCC computer system and Logbook of The World (LoTW).

Antenna authority and prolific QST, QEX and NCJ contributor LB Cebik, W4RNL, died in late April at age 68.

The June 2008 issue of QST, the annual Field Day preview issue, was released to the printer, as were the May/June issues of QEX and NCJ.

The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for April is Jim Oberhofer, KN6PE, for his article "Outpost: Packet Radio for Emergency Messaging."

The May issue of CONTACT! for public relations volunteers has been posted.

W1AW will conduct a spring Frequency Measuring Test May 21 at 9:45 PM EDT (0145 UTC May 22), replacing W1AW's normally scheduled phone bulletin.

Registration remains open through Sunday, May 25, 2008 for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, June 6, 2008: Technician License Course (EC-010); Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1 (EC-001); Radio Frequency Interference (EC-006); Antenna Design and Construction (EC-009); Analog Electronics (EC-012), and Digital Electronics (EC-013).

ARRL is offering a new line of HAM apparel -- a shirt, sweatshirt and ball cap that feature the oval Euro design with "HAM" emblazoned in the center and the ARRL Web site address centered underneath it.

Kansas is now the 26th state to have a PRB-1 law on the books, thanks to the hard work of radio amateurs there. It becomes effective July 1.

Hams in the West Chester, Ohio area assisted with an emergency hepatitis A vaccination program after an outbreak was traced to a fast-food restaurant.

Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the 27th annual ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC), September 26-28, in Chicago, Illinois.

The ARRL/VEC Volunteer Examiner Manual is available for sale.

Al Shuman, K1AKS, of New Boston, New Hampshire, has been appointed Section Manager of the New Hampshire Section, effective April 21.

A new set of inscribed bricks have been installed in the Diamond Terrace at ARRL HQ.

Chuck Skolaut reviewed a report of unlicensed operation on 75 meters and forwarded the information to the FCC. He also sent information about Internet sales of high-power CB amplifiers originating from California.

The first of six Teachers Institutes in 2008 -- hosted by the Museum of Science & Technology in Tampa, Florida -- wrapped up April 10.

Staff travel: David Sumner took part in the IARU Region 1 Executive Committee meeting in London. Norm Fusaro traveled to the International DX Convention in Paestum and the ARI Fair in Pordenone, Italy. Mary Hobart attended the International DX Convention in Visalia, California. Dennis Dura attended the National Communications Systems meeting in Reston, Virginia. Ed Hare took part in an IEEE ANSI C63 (EMC Committee) meeting. Sean Kutzko, KX9X, gave a talk at the North East Weak Signal VHF Conference in Enfield, Connecticut.

Compiled by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE
Managing Editor