• FCC on vanity grants: It could be four weeks
• ARRL New England Convention
• FCC reaffirms $2000 fine
• Dave Newkirk departs ARRL HQ
• No sunspots
• C-W Crystals closes
• Noel B. Eaton, VE3CJ, SK
• In Brief: MARS drops CW; KC5TZQ active on Mir; Call for papers; DXCC processing status

If all goes well at the FCC's Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, office, you might have that new vanity call sign you applied for under Gate 2 in time for the ARRL Sweeptstakes CW weekend (November 2-3). "We're looking at something like four weeks" before making any grants, an FCC spokesman said this week. "It may be sooner, it may be later." The FCC said the number of personnel available to enter application information and call sign lists is limited, and "keying in up to 25 call signs and then verifying that they were keyed correctly is not a very fast process." It's hard even for experienced personnel to maintain the pace, the spokesman added.

The FCC will not start making any grants for first-day filers until all day-one applications have been entered into the FCC's computer. Then, applications will be processed randomly from among those in the first-day pool.

The number of hams taking advantage of Gate 2 has been less than anticipated. As of September 25, the FCC had received 5297 Gate 2 applications. First-day vanity filers totaled 4527, a number that even surprised the FCC, which had been expecting a larger flood of Gate 2 filings. The FCC said 4188 paper applications and 339 electronic applications were received the first day. Another 770 applications, mostly paper, had showed up by Wednesday, September 25. Slightly more than 7% of applicants used the FCC's newly inaugurated electronic filing system. The FCC spokesman said that most of the applications he saw during the course of a half day recently included a full list of 25 call signs.

Among the major headaches for the folks in Gettysburg are applications that contain illegible information. FCC personnel have been instructed to skip over any call signs in an applicant's list that they cannot decipher. Also, some electronic filers have been sending their payments to the wrong post office box in Pittsburgh and using the FCC Form 159 designed for use by those filing on paper. The FCC said that contrary to instructions on the electronic application form, electronic filers should not forward a copy of their Amateur Radio license to the FCC by mail. FCC personnel have no way to match up licenses with applications, and they don't need the license copy to process the application.

The FCC said that some applicants apparently have had second thoughts about changing their call signs and have contacted the FCC to pull their Gate 2 paperwork. The FCC says that cannot be done. Those issued a vanity call sign who decide they like their old call sign better will have to pay another $30 and reapply under Gate 1.

What happens if the FCC is unable to grant any of your vanity call sign requests? In that case, your application will be dismissed, and the FCC will notify you to that effect in writing. But the Commission will not return your $30 application fee until you request a refund in writing. Unlucky vanity applicants will be informed that "credit cannot be provided toward future filings," and that FCC procedures authorize a refund "only when requested in writing." To take another chance under Gate 2 means completing another Form 610V and sending in another $30 fee.

The FCC has not announced a schedule to open Gates 3 and 4.

Several ARRL HQ staff members will be on hand this weekend as The New England Ham Radio Convention and Flea Market at Boxboro, Massachusetts, gets under way today, Saturday and Sunday, October 4-6. Special event station W1A will be on the air, and visitors who show a copy of their ham license might get a chance to operate. Convention highlights include workshop sessions on Friday on ham radio legal matters (a special program for attorneys) and Computer-Aided Antenna/System Design of HF/VHF Stations by Dean Straw, N6BV, of the HQ staff.

An ARRL Forum and other informational sessions are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Topics include a youth forum, SSTV, fox hunting, antennas and even AM. A Wouff Hong induction ceremony is set for Saturday at midnight.

The flea market, dealers' area and exhibits will be open Saturday and Sunday only. The convention is at the Holiday Inn and Conference Center, Route 495 at Route 111 (Exit 28), Boxboro, Massachusetts.

The FCC has denied an application for review of a $2000 fine against Danny Lee Coffield of Lakewood, California, for unlicensed operation. The FCC Compliance and Information Bureau levied the fine last year and affirmed it earlier this year. Coffield, 48, was cited for operating an unlicensed transmitter on 27.7744 MHz in 1993. Since that time, he obtained his Amateur Radio Technician class license and holds the call sign KE6RIX. (See The ARRL Letter Electronic Update, 2/16/96).

The FCC had warned Coffield of the potential penalties for unlicensed operation prior to citing him on September 29, 1993. The FCC has not indicated whether Coffield's ham license, issued in 1995, would be in jeopardy. The Commission acted on the review application on September 19, 1996.--FCC

Electronic Publications Editor Dave Newkirk, W9VES (ex-WJ1Z), a familiar face at ARRL HQ for many years, has left the ARRL staff to pursue other professional opportunities. Newkirk, 41, was a second-generation ARRL staffer (his dad is Rod Newkirk, W9BRD, who once edited the DX column in QST). The recently acquired W9VES call sign once belonged to his uncle.

During his stay at HQ, Newkirk has been the guiding force behind the ARRLWeb site. In its short nine-month lifespan, the site has enjoyed overwhelming response from members and others--2.5 million "hits" and counting. Dave first joined the ARRL staff in the DXCC Branch at HQ during the mid-1970s. He left for eight years on the West Coast, then returned in 1985. He's served as manager of the Regulatory Information Branch and has been a prolific and talented technical writer and editor, noted especially for his expertise in receivers and his extensive knowledge of Amateur Radio history.

We wish Dave the best of luck and happiness for the future. Jon Bloom, KE3Z, and Dan Wolfgang will assume responsibility for the ARRLWeb site.

Solar observer Tad Cook, KT7H, reports from Seattle, Washington, that solar activity remains low, and there were no visible sunspots over the reporting period, September 19-25. The average sunspot number was zero this period, down from 1.6 for the previous week. Solar flux was actually up slightly, from 67.8 to 69.6. On every day of the reporting period, the solar flux was lower than the 71 average of the previous 90 days.

Geomagnetic conditions were active since mid-September, and the worst on September 20, when the A index was 37 and the K index was 5 for half of the day. Geomagnetic disturbances were expected to slack off, and the A index should be below 10 through October 6. The solar flux is expected to dip down slightly until mid-October. Look for recurring disturbances around October 7 or 8, although these should not be as severe as those of the previous two weeks.

As noted, sunspot numbers for September 19 through 25 were 0 across the board. The 10.7-cm flux was 69.2, 69.2, 69.8, 68.6, 69.9, 70 and 70.8, respectively, for a mean of 69.6.

C-W Crystals of Marshfield, Missouri -- "Your Crystal Shop since 1933" -- has closed its doors after 63 years of operation. Almost a ham radio institution, C-W Crystals was begun in 1933 by Bob Woods, W0LPS, and, after 1941, was run by him and his wife Ruth, whom he called "a vital part of the C-W Crystal team of Bob and Ruth." It was her sudden passing this summer that made Woods decide it was time to quit. "Ruth was with me for the past 55 years making crystals, and it is with a heavy heart that I will have to close down C-W Crystals, this Bob and Ruth operation," Woods wrote in a letter to his customers. Woods had a running classified ad in QST that encouraged hams to "build something."

Woods' letter recounted how his wife was in charge of quality control for C-W Crystals in the early years when he supplied crystals to commercial manufacturers, and later did all of the finishing from the raw blanks, plus bookkeeping and taxes "as well as taking care of this now-83-year-old ham."

Woods' mailing to customers included "A Little Evangelistic Message on--What is Amateur Radio?" In it, he wrote: "Amateur Radio--Defend it, keep it clean and support your ARRL, that headquarters may defend it against unfair regulations, encroachment or any who would demean it in any way."

Amen, and our best wishes to Bob Woods, W0LPS!--Thanks to Vern Van Valkenburg, W0VV

International Amateur Radio Union President Emeritus Noel B. Eaton, VE3CJ, of Waterdown, Ontario, Canada, died September 28, 1996. He was 86. Eaton served as IARU president from 1974 until 1982 and was long active in Amateur Radio. Eaton also served as ARRL Canadian Division Director from 1960 until 1974.

Upon learning of Eaton's passing, IARU Region 2 President Tom Atkins, VE3CDM, called him "a highly respected and widely known personality in the international Amateur Radio community."

A memorial service for family and friends is set for 11 AM, Wednesday, October 9, at Grace Anglican Church, 157 Mill St N, Waterdown, Ontario.

• MARS drops CW: All CW nets and other CW activity in the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) were ordered to cease operation effective October 1, 1996. After that time, no CW nets or other CW activity will be allowed on any DOD MARS frequencies. A final MARS CW message was transmitted simultaneously on Army, Navy and Air Force MARS frequencies on September 30.

• KC5TZQ active on Mir: Astronaut John Blaha, KC5TZQ, has been active from the Russian space station Mir on 145.55 MHz, making frequent voice contacts with stations around the world. The packet station also is running, but when the crew is near and hears stations calling CQ, they will try to answer. If you've been lucky enough to catch KC5TZQ and want a QSL, send a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope to Dave Larsen, N6JLH, Box 1501, Pine Grove, CA 95665. N6JLH is the contact person for Mir. For further details, get in touch with him via e-mail at doc@volcano.net.

• Call for papers: The Southeastern VHF Society Inc of Cornelia, Georgia, has issued a call for conference papers for its 1997 conference April 4-5, 1997, at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest Windy Hill, between Atlanta and Marietta, Georgia. The society promotes weak-signal modes and VHF, UHF and microwave experimentation. Jim Worsham, WA4KXY, is conference chairman. For more conference information, visit the SVHFS Web site at http://www.akorn.net/~ae6e/svhfs/svhfs.html, or contact Tad Danley, NZ3I, 2045 Amber Creek Dr, Buford, GA 30519; tel 770-513-9252; e-mail tad.danley@nextel.com.

• DXCC processing status: The DXCC Desk reports the number of unprocessed applications at the end of September, 1996, was 929 (55,598 QSLs). It received 1013 applications (53,385 QSLs) for endorsements and new awards during September. Applications being sent out at the end of September were received about two weeks earlier. A few applications received prior to that time were awaiting conversion of paper records, or were being audited.

• Correction: QST was supplied with the wrong date of the Asia-Pacific Sprint. The correct date is October 19, 1230-1430 UTC, 20 and 40 M CW only. (See October QST, page 101, under October 12 contests for details.)

The ARRL Letter is published by the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259. Rodney J. Stafford, KB6ZV, President; David Sumner, K1ZZ, Executive Vice President.

Electronic edition circulation, Kathy Capodicasa, N1GZO, e-mail kcapodicasa@arrl.org.

Editorial, Rick Lindquist, KX4V, e-mail rlindquist@arrl.org.

Visit the ARRLWeb page at http://www.arrl.org.

The purpose of The ARRL Letter is to provide the essential news of interest to active, organizationally minded radio amateurs faster than it can be disseminated by our official journal, QST. We strive to be fast, accurate and readable in our reporting.

Material from The ARRL Letter may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form, including photoreproduction and electronic databanks, provided that credit is given to The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League.