ARRL Hudson Division 
 June 2002
 Hudson Division Beacon - e-mail edition
 By Frank Fallon, N2FF, Director, Hudson Division, ARRL
 30 East Williston Avenue, East Williston, NY 11596
 (516) 746-7652
  n2ff@arrl.org
Hudson Division Home Page - http://www.hudson.arrl.org
 
ARRL Members
 
Please continue to spread the word to others who may want to receive
this information that they will need to access the ARRL members only web
site and after becoming a member they must edit their profile and elect
to receive bulletins from the Section Manager and Director.
 
> DAYTON 
 
Dayton as always was fun but cold. We saw Tom Carrubba, KA2D,
representing the hams that responded in the 9/11 attack, receive on
their behalf the TOPGUN Award from Kenwood on Thursday night in the
Doubletree Hotel. Again, thanks to Kenwood for honoring our ARES, RACES
and Red Cross volunteers. Tom gave a very nice acceptance speech and
spoke also at the ARES Forum in the HARA Arena during the weekend. The
joint proclamation the New York State Legislature issued in recognition
of the support Amateur Radio operators provided after the 9/11 attack
was on display at the ARRL booth. (It is now available on the Hudson
Division web site as a jpg file which you can view and print out - check
http://www.hudson.arrl.org.) Many of you did stop by on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday morning to take a look. On Saturday morning I
moderated the RTTY Forum at the HARA Arena for a third year. The topic
this year was "The Secrets of SO2R Contesting" and we had a record
audience of over 90 people. The presenters did a great job with Power
Point presentations and hand-outs. For the first time ever at Dayton I
managed to resist making a major purchase. Subscription renewals and
software updates were the order of the weekend this year.
 
The big thrill of the weekend was to meet Joe Taylor, K1JT, a real live
Nobel Prize winner and New Jersey Amateur Radio operator. Joe, a Nobel
Prize laureate and QST author, was the guest of honor as the League
recognized donors who have generously supported ARRL fund-raising
campaigns. He spoke at an ARRL reception for large contributors at the
Officers Club at Wright Patterson AFB on Friday night.  Joe is very
approachable individual and all round interesting guy. He started to
tell a story about how his antenna knocked the chimney off his house but
didn't get to give us the gory details. Joe is the Dean of Faculty at
Princeton University but still finds time to operate and write software
for ham applications. That's one of the great things about ham radio:
you never know who you are going to run into on the air or a hamfest.
 
When I returned home I read Joe's December 2001 QST article "WSJT: New
Software for VHF Meteor -Scatter Communication" with great interest. 
Joe has developed a software package for two new modes FSK441 and PUA43
for weak signal work. While I don't really need another project this is
interesting reading from a Nobel Prize winning QST author. It's almost
like science fiction becoming real but those of us who have been hams
for a long time have seen that happen again and again in our ham
lifetimes. I continue to be impressed. See Dave Sumner's December 1993
QST "It Seems to Us..." subtitle "How to Win the Nobel Prize" for more
about Joe. In December 1958 Joe had his first article printed in QST,
"Working Ionospheric Scatter on 50Mc." when he was only seventeen and
before we all became hertzed.
 
You might also want to look at story on the ARRL web about rocketry and
young hams at http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2002/06/13/4/?nc=1 
Perhaps there is another Nobel Prize winner in our ham radio future?
 
> CC&R BILL INTRODUCED IN WASHINGTON - HR 4720
 
The BIG news continues to be that Congressman Steve Israel from Long
Island has introduced an Amateur Radio antenna bill in the US Congress. 
The bill is titled "The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
Consistency Act of 2002" as it is designed to include those hams now
living under CC&R rules and home owners associations into PRB-1
protections. Cosponsors at this point are Congressman Greg Walden
(WB7OCE)of Oregon, and Congressman Pete Sessions of Texas. Since its
introduction , the bill has attracted two additional sponsors - Rep J.D.
Hayworth (R-AZ) and Rep Patrick Tiberi (R-OH). Please talk to your
congressional representative about signing on to the bill. 
 
Consistency is important because every section of the country needs to
have our emergency communications capability available. We are going to
need to work hard to convince Congressmen and Senators to sign on to
this bill. I have already sent requests to meet with Congresswoman
Carolyn McCarthy who is my own representative and also with Peter King
who was very helpful when we had NK2T's, now W2UFO, tower problem in
Hempstead. 
 
Congressman Israel received a very warm reception when he spoke about
this bill and other topics at a special meeting of the Great South Bay
Amateur Radio Club on Wednesday, May 29 in the Babylon Town Hall EOC. 
There is coverage and pictures on the ARRL web site of the event. The
Congressman spoke about "My Father the Ham and How I Hope to Solve His
Antenna Problems." Thanks to Phil Lewis, President of GSBARC for
arranging the event.
 
The bottom line is that Congressman Steve Israel is going to be a great
spokesman for Amateur Radio and he is going to push hard for HR 4720 but
he cannot do it alone. We are very lucky to have him as a sponsor. But
we are going to have to convince other congressional representatives to
sign on and we are going to need to locate a Senate sponsor. Keep in
mind this is a very worthwhile effort to insure the future of Amateur
Radio. Please approach your congressional representative to get support
for HR 4720. 
 
> HUDSON DIVISION ADVISORY AND CABINET CHANGES
 
The division director has a number of advisors helping him do the job. 
Recently Rich Gelber, K2WR, the Contest Advisory Committee
Representative advised me that due to work pressures he no longer wished
to continue in that important position. Rich had been doing the job for
the past five years. He had been doing such a good job I didn't realize
that he had been at it that long. Richard had been very active in the
recent revision of the club contest rules and perhaps felt he needed a
rest. Thanks for a job well done, Richard. 
 
Another Richard, Richard Wujciak, K2RW, had been serving as the DX
Advisory Committee Representative but has been unable to attend cabinet
meetings. I want to thanks the "Richards" for serving in these
positions. I must admit it has been a problem for me to keep the
callsigns straight. 
 
Filling these slots will be John Crovelli, W2GD, as Contest Advisory
Committee Representative and Angel Garcia, WA2VUY, as DX Advisory
Committee Representative both New Jersey residents and very well known
and respected in the contest and DX communities. I am sure they will do
an excellent job of presenting our views while serving on the respective
national committees for the next few years. 
 
Recently a number of cabinet positions, Hudson Division Assistant
Director slot, were changed. Here is a list of all those currently
serving in the cabinet. The cabinet meets twice yearly, in June and
December, to discuss issues just before the July and January ARRL Board
meetings. They help keep Steve and I informed and on target. Some of
them are probably in your local club. They are:
 
Saul Abrams - K2XA, Gerry Agliata - W2GLA, Joyce Birmingham - KA2ANF,
Phil Bradway - KB2HQ, John Burgio - W2JB, Bob Chamberlain - N2KBC,
Shirley Dahlgren - N2SKP, John Gagan - W2YR, Derry Galbreath - W2XT,
Richard Gelber - K2WR, George Gluck - WA2WKV, Mel Granick - KS2G,
George Hall - N2CG, Jim Joyce - K2ZO, Roberta Keis - N2RBU, J.P.
Kleinhaus - W2XX, Phil Lewis - N2MUN, Howard Liebman - W2QUV, Larry
Lutzak - WA2CNV, Lew Malchik - N2RQ, Dennis McAlpine - K2SX, Frank
Occidentale - N2ZNF, Diane Ortz - K2DO, Carole Perrry - WB2MGP, Larry
Puccio - K2QDY, Bob Raffaelli - W2XM, Richard Sandell - WK6R, Bill
Schiebel - N2NFI, Andrew Schmidt - N2FTR, Mario Sellitte - N2PVP, Marty
Smith - KA2NRR, Barbara Sweet - WA2KCL, Herb Sweet - K2GBH, Rob Todaro
- N1XL, Norman Wessler - K2YEW, Ray Wemple - KA2DVM, Sid Wollen - K2LJH,
Al Yerger II - WA2EHI, and Stan Zak - K2SJO 
 
Two of the above are former Hudson Division Directors. Do you know
which two they are?
 
> NEW YORK LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO END SOON
 
On Wednesday, June 5th we (KA2DVM, W2GLA and I) returned to Albany once
again to lobby a key senate member and some of the key committee
staffers. In May it was a thirteen-hour day and this time even longer. 
I won't bore you with a long winded blow by blow description this
month.
 
We listened to one key staffer rant about QSL card correspondence. Even
after we explained what they were and why we use them he was still
angry, but we did manage to convince him to recommend to his committee
that the bill be moved to Rules. By the end of the day we learned that
the bill was in Rules in the Assembly and the Senate, but not on the
active or prioritized list. 
 
Our sponsors, Tocci and Volker, are working hard to get the bills on the
active list so they can be voted before the session ends about June
20th. Write, fax, e-mail, telephone NOW. There is not much time left. 
Talk it up on local repeaters. Joint e-mail bulletins have been sent to
all ARRL members in New York State asking for their help in getting this
done. See http://www.hudson.arrl.org for the numbers and a sample
letter.
 
Let's keep working at it!
 
> NEW JERSEY TOWER BILL
 
The New Jersey PRB-1 Task Force has just held a teleconference meeting
as it hones the text of a tower bill for New Jersey hams. The group is
very close to final language on the proposed bill thanks to the work of 
K1XV and W2ML. It's our goal to have the text of a bill in place so
that it can be introduced early next year. 
 
A reminder. The New York bill has been in the works for four years. It
took more than a year to get the bill introduced. These things,
unfortunately, do not happen overnight.
 
> ROCHESTER HAMFEST
 
The three-day event ran into a wet and windy start on Friday, May 31st. 
I drove up from Roscoe, New York on Friday morning and I was in heavy
rain just south of Syracuse. It was wind and rain from there on. In
addition to rain, winds up to 60 mph overturned a number of tables in
the flea market causing damage. Saturday was sunny and windy day but
nothing like the previous day so there was a nice crowd. I was a
speaker at both the ARRL Forum and the ARES Forum on Saturday. At the
ARES Forum Ken Goetz, N2SQW, who is the SEMO State Radio Officer, gave a
great Power Point presentation and explained in detail how the New York
State RACES organization came on line. Ken spent about six days at
ground zero. It was a very interesting presentation. I filled in with
some details about the ARES response in and around New York City and
made comments about some of the things that could have been done better
- more PIO involvement and the use of distinctive vests which identify
us as "Amateur Radio" operators. I also had the legislative
proclamation and copies of it to hand out to those who attended.
 
It appears that the ARRL Board Volunteer Resources Committee is about to
finalize its report on such a garment. At the January ARRL Board
meeting I made a motion which set the process in motion. I expect in
about five weeks there will be a story on the ARRL web page and some
pictures. I know I plan to buy a few of these things for car, home and
gear bag.
 
I had a chance to twist a lot of arms in Rochester for letters on the
tower bill.
 
At the Atlantic Division Banquet Friday evening I was both proud and
surprised when Atlantic Division Director Bernie Fuller awarded the
"Atlantic Division Man of the Year Award" to the Hudson Division as a
thanks to those 800 plus New York and New Jersey Amateur Radio operators
who responded on 9/11. On your behalf I thanked the Atlantic Division
members present.
 
As covered in the ARRL Letter: "The Atlantic Division Awards Committee
announced that, on the basis of ballots received, the 2002 Atlantic
Division Amateur of the Year Award will be jointly presented to the
amateurs of the Maryland-District of Columbia Section, the Western
Pennsylvania Section and the ARRL Hudson Division for their
participation with disaster and emergency communications in the wake of
the September 11 attacks. The committee also named Bob Arnold, N2JEU, as
winner of the 2002 Atlantic Division Technical Achievement Award. Arnold
operates the "N2JEU's Web Controlled Shortwave Receivers" Web site
http://www.ralabs.com/webradio/. "
 
In the flea market I came across a Hal DXP38 that I was not able to
resist. I think Dayton had worn down my resistance a bit.
 
> PCARA FUNDRAISING EFFORT
 
The PCARA, Peekskill Cortland Amateur Radio Association, is holding its
Annual Raffle. Tickets Now On Sale! First Prize: Yaesu FT-1500M VHF
Mobile and 2nd Prize: 1 Year Subscription to CQ Magazine Tickets are
$5.00 donation each. Limit of 100 tickets sold. Contact KR2V
(kr2v@arrl.net) to buy yours today!
 
>From Bruce Appelbaum KC2JDL
Yorktown Heights, NY
 
> DEAN SWENSON, N2JNG, SK
 
 Long time Hudson Valley Net member Dean became a silent key yesterday -
 here's the obit from the online Middletown Herald 
(http://www.th-record.com/neighbors/obituaries.html):
 
 DEAN R. SWENSON Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y. Dean R. Swenson retired from
IBM of Fishkill, after retiring he worked for Geo Carroll Bus Co. in
Newburgh, died June 4, 2002, at home. He was 55. The son of Gustav
William Swenson and Dorothy Smith Swenson, he was born June 20, 1946 in
Cornwall. He was a member of the Cornwall Baptist Church of Cornwall,
Aux. Police, Mountainville Eng. Co. #3, and a life member of Cornwall
Vol. Ambulance Corp. Survivors include his wife, Tammy Jones Swenson, at
home; mother Dorothy Smith Swenson of Cornwall; one son, Steven Swenson;
step-son, Thomas J. Eason Jr. at home; two daughters, Christine Swenson
and Ashley Swenson at home; one brother, James Swenson of Cornwall and
three grandchildren. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Thursday, June 6, 2002, at the Quigley Bros. Funeral Home, 337 Hudson
St., Cornwall-on-Hudson. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m.
Friday, June 7, at the funeral home, with the Rev. James Bargefeld
officiating. Burial will be in the Cornwall Baptist Church, Cornwall.
Contributions may be made to Hospice, 800 Stonybrook Ct. Newburgh, NY
12550/ COVAC, POB, 151 Cornwall, NY 12518. Funeral arrangements were
made by Quigley Bros. Funeral Home.
 
- Andrew, N2FTR@arrl.net
 
> SPECIAL EVENT STATION - W2C
 
County Line ARA is running a special event station to celebrate their
10th year anniversary. They will be on the air as W2C on 15 June from
0900-2100 EDST. Look for them approx. 30KHz up from the lower edge of
the General class phone sub-band on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m. A
certificate will be available, please QSL to KF2EW.
 
73 de Chris Linne-N2OPO
PIO - NNJ County Line ARA, An ARRL Affiliated Club
 
> SUSSEX COUNTY WEATHER STATION
 
The NOAA Weather station KZZ-31 on 162.500 MHz is back on the air from
Hardyston in Sussex County. Its signal is weak but readable in the
Chathams. Turn down the squelch to hear the signal in the noise. The
New York Weather station on 162.550 is still much more reliable. But
try 162.500 when in northwestern New Jersey.
 
73, Jack, W3FKT editor, Newsletter Radio Amateur Civil Emergency
Service of the Chathams
 
> FIELD DAY PLANS - Think PR here, please.
 
New York Governor George Pataki informed us a few days ago that he will
be unable to attend any New York Field Day this year. We believe he is
going to be in California at that time. 
 
I hope some of you will use it as an opportunity to show state and
federal legislators what ham radio can do in an emergency. With tower
bills in both New York and New Jersey, plus HR 4720 in Washington it's
important to show off our stuff. Have a great time at Field Day.
 
>>>>>>>>> APPROVED HAMFESTS: 
 
15 Jun + Raritan Valley Radio Association Dunellen, NJ
 2002 http://www.w2qw.org Div: Hudson
 Contact: Doug Benner, W2NJH Sect: Northern New
  1020 Laurel Trail Jersey
 Martinsville, NJ 08836
 Phone: 732-469-9009
 Email: wb2njh@aol.com
 
 30 Jun + Hall of Science ARC Queens, NY
 2002 http://www.qsl.net/hosarc Div: Hudson
 Contact: Stephen Greenbaum, WB2KDG Sect: New York
 85-10 34th Avenue City-Long Island
 Jackson Heights, NY 11372
 Phone: 718-898-5599
 Email: wb2kdg@bigfoot.com
 
 
 14 Jul Sussex County ARC Augusta, NJ
 2002 http://sussexhamfest.org Div: Hudson
 Contact: Dawn Payne, AD2P Sect: Northern
 16 Longview Lane New Jersey
 Sussex, NJ 07461-4725
 Phone: 973-702-0290
 Email: ad2p@warwick.net
 
17 Aug + Ramapo Mountain ARC Oakland, NJ
 2002 http://www.qsl.net/rmarc Div: Hudson
 Contact: Steven Oliphant, N2KBD Sect: Northern New
 10 Glen Road Jersey
 Ringwood, NJ 07456
 Phone: 973-962-4584
 Fax: 973-962-6210
 Email: rmarc@qsl.net
 
7 Sep + Saratoga County RACES Ballston Spa, NY
 2002 http://www.capital.net/users/lake Div: Hudson
 Contact: Darlene Lake, N2XQG Sect: Eastern New
 314 Louden Road, #84 York
 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
 Phone: 518-587-2385
 Email: lake@capital.net
 
 15 Sep + Long Island Mobile ARC Bethpage, NY
 2002  http://www.limarc.org Div: Hudson
 Contact: Diane Ortiz, K2DO Sect: New York
 PO Box 392 City-Long Island
 Levittown, NY 11756-0392
 Phone: 516-520-9311 or
 631-286-7562
 Email: hamfest@limarc.org
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL Hudson Division
Director: Frank Fallon, N2FF
n2ff@arrl.org