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 October.

As Hurricane Sandy pounded the East Coast, the Emergency Response Team at ARRL Headquarters supported the affected Sections.

The ARRL held its 2012 National Convention at Pacificon in Santa Clara, California on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 12-14.

Acting on various Petitions for Rulemaking, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks to change the Amateur Radio licensing rules, especially as they concern former licensees. It also looks to amend the Amateur Service rules to allow amateur stations to transmit additional emission types in order to permit Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) in the Amateur Service.

Cub Scouts from Den 8 of Pack 15 in Middlebury Connecticut participated in the 55th annual Jamboree on the Air from W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station.

ARRL International Affairs Vice President Jay Bellows, K0QB, and IARU Secretary Rod Stafford, W6ROD, attended the meeting of the IARU Region 2 Executive Committee.

The ARRL released five new books: the hardcover and softcover editions of The ARRL Handboof for Radio Communications (90th edition),  The ARRL Operating Manual (10th edition), The Amateur Radio Public Service Handbook, The Care and Feeding of Transmission Lines by QST Technical Editor Joel Hallas, W1ZR, and Antenna Modeling for Beginners by H. Ward Silver, N0AX. The 2013 ARRL Calendar, featuring historic highlights from the pages of QST, was also released.

The ARRL held its Seventh Annual ARRL On-Line Auction.

W1AW received its semi-annual antenna inspection and got a new 160 meter dipole.

For the 28th consecutive year, the ARRL hosted the United States Telecommunications Training Institute’s Amateur Radio Administration Course.

The ARRL invites nominations for the 2012 ARRL International Humanitarian Award.

After more than eight years of professional service to the League, ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, retired.

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 113 members.

The ARRL presented MFJ’s Martin F. Jue, K5FLU with the ARRL Special Achievement Award.

DXCC News: The DXCC Desk approved the 2010 J5IFD DXpedition to Guinea-Bissau for DXCC credit.

The winner of the October QST Cover Plaque award is James Klitzing, W6PQL, for his article “Solid State 1 kW Linear Amplifier for 2 Meters.”

The December print issue of QST was released to the printer and the digital edition was released to the digital publisher. The November digital edition of QST was made available to ARRL members.

Official Observer Desk: ARRL Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, handled complaints concerning CW identification, antenna restrictions, operating overseas, making distress calls, spurious signals on 160 meters, unidentified signals on 29.000 MHz.

Member Contact: ARRL RFI Engineer Mike Gruber, W1MG, attended NearFEST in Deerfield, New Hampshire; ARRL Field Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, attended the Florida State Convention in Melbourne, Florida; ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, attended the ANSI EMC Committee Meeting in Santa Clara, California, the IEEE EMC Society Chapter Meeting in Detroit, Michigan and the IEE EMC Society Standards Development Committee Meeting in Denver, Colorado; ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, attended MFJ’s 40th Anniversary Celebration in Starkville, Mississippi; ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, attended the IARU Administrative Council Meeting and Region 3 Conference in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.