Aurora Contest Team LA8W - LN8W

The ARRL is pleased to welcome Membership Manager Diane Petrilli, KB1RNF, to the Headquarters staff in Newington. Petrilli's key areas of responsibility include programs and activities that directly affect membership growth, engagement and retention. Petrilli is taking over the position from Katie Breen, W1KRB. Breen left in October.

Registration remains open through Sunday, December 21, 2008, for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, January 2, 2009: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1, Radio Frequency Interference, Antenna Design and Construction, Technician License Course, Analog Electronics, and Digital Electronics.

With all the educational opportunities the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program (ARISS) provides, it's no wonder that the organization has captured the attention of the US Department of Education (DOEd). According to ARRL ARISS Program Manager Rosalie White, K1STO, the DOE has been tracking ARISS's activities for a long time: "The Department of Education invited ARISS to help celebrate the ninth annual International Education Week (IEW) by coordinating three contacts with the International Space Station (ISS) during IEW, November 17-21. How could we say no?" International Education Week is a joint initiative of the US Department of Education and US Department of State.

Nominations are open for the 2008 ARRL International Humanitarian Award. The award is conferred upon an amateur or amateurs who demonstrate devotion to human welfare, peace and international understanding through Amateur Radio. The League established the annual prize to recognize Amateur Radio operators who have used ham radio to provide extraordinary service to others in times of crisis or disaster.

ARRL DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, reports that the following operations have been approved for DXCC credit: Wake Island -- WA2YUN/KH9 (for operations commencing 2007); Willis Island -- VK9DWX (2008), and Andaman and Nicobar Island -- VU4RG (2008). "If you had cards rejected for the Wake Island operation, please send an e-mail to the ARRL DXCC Desk and you will be placed on the list for update," Moore said.

Twenty-five years ago this week, Owen Garriott, W5LFL, made history by being the first Amateur Radio operator to talk to hams from space. His historic flight on STS-9 on board the Space Shuttle Columbia was launched on November 28 and landed on December 8, 1983. Garriott's ham radio adventure on that mission ushered in a host of what Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, called "outstanding outreach activities that continue today with the ARISS program."

The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for November is Larry Coyle, K1QW, for his article "A Modular Receiver for Exploring the LF/VLF Bands." Congratulations, Larry! The winner of the QST Cover Plaque award -- given to the author or authors of the best article in each issue -- is determined by a vote of ARRL members on the QST Cover Plaque Poll Web page. Cast a ballot for your favorite article in the December issue by Wednesday, December 31.

Christmas break is only a few weeks away and is a prime time for our favorite hobby of Amateur Radio. Spending days and nights tuning the bands, listening to conversations, starting our own and adding another country to our list, we have time for all of our favorite operating activities during our Christmas season. But what about dedicating time to others? Mickey Hicks, WO6T, sure does! Mickey operates as W6S (Whisker 6 Santa) from Santa’s Workshop in California every December 13-24, talking to youngsters and operators of all ages. He enchants the young ears with his jolly voice, jovial laughter and his knack for sounding like Santa.

Today's bulletin is going out on Monday instead of Friday, due to last week's Thanksgiving holiday. The last Solar Update was released on Wednesday, November 26. Starting Friday, December 5, we return to a regular Friday weekly bulletin schedule.

Defending and enhancing amateurs’ access to the radio spectrum: That is the most important mission of the ARRL. Members support this mission through their membership dues, but another essential source of support is the Fund for the Defense of Amateur Radio Frequencies, often called the Spectrum Defense Fund for short. Without the voluntary contributions to this fund, we could not do what we do.

Earlier this month, IARU Region 1 held its triennial conference in Cavtat, Croatia. Forty IARU Member Societies were present, with another 12 Member Societies represented via proxy. IARU Vice President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, and IARU Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ, attended the conference, along with ARRL International Affairs Vice President Rod Stafford, W6ROD, and representatives from IARU Regions 2 and 3..

This week's Surfin' considers the final courtesy of a radio contact: The QSL card.

Nothing is what it seems, it seems as you shall see in this quiz, bursting at the seams with unseemly seas of see-mantics. See? Si!

This is an early bulletin for the Thanksgiving holiday, as ARRL is closed on Friday, the regular day for release of this bulletin. We plan another brief regular propagation bulletin on Monday, December 1 that will contain the propagation numbers for November 20-26 in the regular format that normally appears at the end of the bulletin. On Friday, December 5, the propagation bulletin will be back on regular schedule, at least into spring 2009.

Registration remains open through Sunday, December 7, 2008, for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, December 19, 2008: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 2; Antenna Modeling; HF Digital Communications, and Radio Frequency Propagation.

George S. Wilson III, W4OYI, of Owensboro, Kentucky, passed away at his home on November 25. He was 76. Wilson served as the ARRL's 11th President from January 1992-July 1995. He resigned from the position after a stroke in 1995. Wilson's tenure in ARRL leadership included positions as Kentucky Section Emergency Coordinator, Kentucky Section Communications Manager, Vice Director and Director of the Great Lakes Division, as well as Vice President and First Vice President, eventually culminating in the position of ARRL President. Upon retirement from the League's top position, Wilson was named President Emeritus based on his lifelong commitment to Amateur Radio and the League -- one of only four people granted this honor. He also served as an Assistant Director in the Great Lakes Division.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has notified a group of hams led by veteran DXpeditioners Bob Allphin, K4UEE, and Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, that they will be able to mount a DXpedition to Desecheo Island (KP5, IOTA NA-095), February 12-26, 2009. Desecheo currently sits at number 7 on DX Magazine's Most Wanted list. Desecheo is a small uninhabited island in the Mona Passage, 14 miles off the western coast of Puerto Rico. It is part of the USFWS's national wildlife refuge system administered by the Caribbean National Wildlife Refuge Complex (CNWR).

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has notified a group of hams led by veteran DXpeditioners Bob Allphin, K4UEE, and Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, that they will be able to mount a DXpedition to Desecheo Island (KP5, IOTA NA-095), February 12-26, 2009. Desecheo currently sits at number 7 on DX Magazine's Most Wanted list. Desecheo is a small uninhabited island in the Mona Passage, 14 miles off the western coast of Puerto Rico. It is part of the USFWS's national wildlife refuge system administered by the Caribbean National Wildlife Refuge Complex (CNWR).

ARRL Audio News--OPEN--In this edition . . .; ARRL Delta Division Gets New Leadership; Great Lakes Division Remains Unchanged; Section Manager Election Results Announced; ARRL Audio News ID--Satellite Update--BREAK:; Weather Spotters Receive Award as Severe Weather Comes Calling; Leonard Award Nominations Due December 8; Global Emergency Network Marks Record; ARRL Audio News--News Briefs--CLOSE:

On Friday, November 21, ARRL staff members started opening ballots for the Director and Vice Director races in the Delta Division and the Vice Director race in the Great Lakes Division. ARRL Chief Financial Officer Barry Shelley, N1VXY; Dakota Division Director Jay Bellows, K0QB; Southeastern Division Director Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, and a representative from an independent auditor looked on; Sarratt is also a member of the League's Ethics and Elections Committee. After all the ballots were counted, the Delta Division gained a new Director and Vice Director, while hams in the Great Lakes Division voted to keep their Vice Director. The leadership team in the Atlantic, Dakota and Midwest Divisions will remain the same. Terms for Directors and Vice Directors begin at noon on January 1, 2009 and run for three years.