I personally wish you all a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous year in 2006 and hope you all have many more.

       

---

      

Every regular session of WSN is directed by a Net Control Station (NCS), or if unable to be present, by an Alternate NCS. (If the regular net control station or Alternate doesn’t show up then please wait for TWO MINUTES before volunteering as net control). Also please call for the regular NCS and Alternate before taking over as NCS.

---

Band conditions have not been very favorable since WSN Session 1 time was changed to 6 PM, however traffic is being passed without and serious problems. Hopefully conditions will improve and the starting time for session 1 can be changed back to 6:45 PM sometime in February.

---

Bill W7IJ is back from school in Georgia and is now a Customs Officer at the Sea-Tac Airport. Bill has to be at work very early in the morning so he does not get as much time on the net right now but he will be changing shifts and that will allow him more time for Ham Radio.

Mike VE7MMH is recovering from major surgery that was performed on Nov. 28. It’s taking time for Mike to get back to normal, however he is doing well and taking it easy and he hopes to be working on all his Radios maybe in another month.

Bill W7NDO has went South for the winter and will be absent from WSN until his return sometime in April 2006.

                        

---

ARRL Northwestern Division Director Greg E. Milnes, W7OZ (ex-W7AGQ), of Hillsboro, Oregon, died December 17 as a result of a heart attack he'd suffered earlier while returning from a trip. He was 66.

"It's a great sadness that we all feel here at the League at the passing of Greg Milnes, our Northwestern Division Director," ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, said. "I've worked with Greg for a number of years, and I know he was conscientious and tried to do the best for Amateur Radio, and it's going to be a real loss on our Board of Directors."

Northwestern Division Vice Director Jim Fenstermaker, K9JF, of Vancouver, Washington, has assumed the position of Director and will fill the remainder of Milnes term, which runs through 2006. Haynie is expected to appoint someone to fill the vacant Vice Director's chair prior to the ARRL Board of Directors meeting January 20-21.

An ARRL Life Member and a retired Oregon Circuit Court judge, Milnes had served as Northwestern Division Director for seven years. He acceded to the post in December 1998 after then-Director Mary Lou Brown, NM7N, died unexpectedly, and he had since been re-elected to new terms.

Milnes was known to many in his Division as the long-time master of ceremonies for the SeaPac Northwestern Division Convention banquet. During the past year, he had served on the ARRL Board's Administrative and Finance and Elections and Ethics committees, and he previously chaired and was a member of the Volunteer Resources Committee. Milnes also was a member of the ARRL Foundation Board of Directors. A member of DXCC, he belonged to the Western Washington and Willamette Valley DX clubs. He also was a member of the Quarter Century Wireless Association and the International Friendship Amateur Radio Society.

Survivors include Milnes' wife, Loretta. A memorial service will be held December 30 in Hillsboro, Oregon. The family has invited memorial contributions to the ARRL Foundation, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.

---

QST de W1AW 
> ARRL Bulletin 25  ARLB025
> From ARRL Headquarters 
> Newington CT  October 31, 2005
> To all radio amateurs
>
> SB QST ARL ARLB025
> ARLB025 W1AW 2005/2006 Winter Operating Schedule
>
> Morning Schedule:
>
> Time                  Mode     Days
> -------------------   ----     ---------
> 1400 UTC (9 AM EST)   CWs      Wed, Fri
> 1400 UTC (9 AM EST)   CWf      Tue, Thu
>
> Daily Visitor Operating Hours:
>
> 1500 UTC to 1700 UTC - (10 AM to 12 PM EST)
> 1800 UTC to 2045 UTC - (1 PM to 3:45 PM EST)
>
> (Station closed 1700 to 1800 UTC (12 PM to 1 PM EST))
>
> Afternoon/Evening Schedule:
>
> 2100 UTC (4 PM EST)    CWf      Mon, Wed, Fri
> 2100  "      "         CWs      Tue, Thu
> 2200  "  (5 PM EST)    CWb      Daily
> 2300  "  (6 PM EST)    RTTY     Daily
> 0000  "  (7 PM EST)    CWs      Mon, Wed, Fri
> 0000  "      "         CWf      Tue, Thu
> 0100  "  (8 PM EST)    CWb      Daily
> 0200  "  (9 PM EST)    RTTY     Daily
> 0245  "  (9:45 PM EST) VOICE    Daily
> 0300  "  (10 PM EST)   CWf      Mon, Wed, Fri
> 0300  "      "         CWs      Tue, Thu
> 0400  "  (11 PM EST)   CWb      Daily
> 
> 
>                          Frequencies (MHz)
>                          -----------------
> CW:    1.8175 3.5815 7.0475 14.0475 18.0975 21.0675  28.0675 147.555
> RTTY:     -   3.625  7.095  14.095  18.1025 21.095   28.095  147.555
> VOICE:  1.855 3.990  7.290  14.290  18.160  21.390   28.590  147.555
>  
> Notes:
>
> CWs = Morse Code practice (slow) = 5, 7.5, 10, 13 and 15 WPM
> CWf = Morse Code practice (fast) = 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 13 and 10 WPM 
> CWb = Morse Code Bulletins = 18 WPM
>
> CW frequencies include code practices, Qualifying Runs and CW
> bulletins.
>
> RTTY = Teleprinter Bulletins = BAUDOT (45.45 baud) and AMTOR-FEC
> (100 Baud).  ASCII (110 Baud) is sent only as time allows.
>
> Code practice texts are from QST, and the source of each practice is
> given at the beginning of each practice and at the beginning of
> alternate speeds.
>
> On Tuesdays and Fridays at 2330 UTC (6:30 PM EST), Keplerian Elements
> for active amateur satellites are sent on the regular teleprinter
> frequencies.
>
> A DX bulletin replaces or is added to the regular bulletins between
> 0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Thursdays and 0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Fridays.
>
> In a communications emergency, monitor W1AW for special bulletins as
> follows: Voice on the hour, Teleprinter at 15 minutes past the hour,
> and CW on the half hour.
>  
> FCC licensed amateurs may operate the station from 1500 UTC to 1700
> UTC (10 AM to 12 PM EST), and then from 1800 UTC to 2045 UTC (1 PM to
> 3:45 PM EST) Monday through Friday.  Be sure to bring your current
> FCC amateur radio license or a photocopy.
>
> The W1AW Operating Schedule may also be found on page 100 in the
> November 2005 issue of QST or on the web at,
> http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html .
> NNNN
> /EX
>

---

About 80 "Santagrams" were sent in December via cw from W7IJ and K7BFL to North Pole, Alaska.  Ed, AL7N, who lives in Fairbanks received the messages for delivery to Santa.  [YES....there really is a Santa Claus!].    Most of the messages were originated in the Lewis County portion of Washington state.  George, K7BDU was instrumental in starting  the messages of hope and instructions on their way north.   A few others came via EAN...PAN...RN7...WSN  from Michigan.  

Ed reports that they were all delivered.....and further reports from many folks indicate that ham radio again helped put a smile on many children's faces and hearts.

---

The second Sunday in January is the day to turn your shack over to the kids for some ham radio fun with a purpose. The first running of Kids Day 2006 begins Sunday, January 8, at 1800 UTC and continues until 2400 UTC with no limit on operating time (the second Kids Day will be Saturday, June 17). Kids Day provides a terrific opportunity to show youngsters what Amateur Radio is all about--and that includes its role in emergency communication. ARRL Education and Technology Program ("The Big Project") Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME, says Kids Day can be a great opportunity spark change and get kids and families thinking about emergency preparedness.

"While you are coaching the youngsters who visit your shack--and their parents too--on how to make contacts and new friends via ham radio during Kids Day, why not take a few moments to ask them about their family's plans to deal with emergency challenges?" he says in December 2005 QST (see "Kids Day 2006" on p 45). "Why not use the opportunities offered by Kids Day to show the youth in your neighborhood that ham radio can be loads of fun, and that ham radio is a way that they can contribute something very valuable to their communities?"

Call "CQ Kids Day." The suggested exchange for Kids Day contacts is first name, age, location and favorite color. It's okay to work the same station more than once if the operator has changed. Suggested frequencies are 14.270-14.300, 21.380-21.400 and 28.350-28.400 MHz. Contacts via VHF repeaters are okay too, with permission from the repeater owner. Observe third-party traffic restrictions when making DX QSOs <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/io/3rdparty.html>.

All participants are eligible to receive a colorful certificate, which becomes the youngster's personalized "sales brochure" for ham radio, Spencer says. The League asks everyone taking part in Kids Day to complete a short survey and post comments afterward <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/kids-day-survey.html>. Doing this provides access to download the certificate page, or participants can send a 9x12 self-addressed, stamped envelope to Boring Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 1357, Boring, OR 97009.

Spencer notes that this year's hurricane season highlighted one of the real values that ham radio brings to the community--a spirit of resilience. "By their very nature, ham radio operators are interested in personal preparedness and community service.this is resilience," he says. Spencer suggests that Kids Day sponsors take advantage of the opportunity to show how ham radio offers a way for participants to contribute something very valuable to their communities.

"A very effective advertising strategy is to get kids hooked on an idea," he says. "The kids in turn go home and 'bug' their parents about the idea. You plant the seed in a young mind, and they will take care of the rest!"

Spencer believes Kids Day activities can result in a family emergency plan campaign that could save lives, and future community planners who know communication and how to communicate.

"Make that personal connection that may result in a new licensee and, perhaps, more resilient individuals by opening your station and inviting kids and neighbors to share in your hobby," Spencer urges. "You just might find yourself re-infected with that enthusiasm that you once had."

Visit the ARRL Web site for full information on Kids Day <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/kd-rules.html>.

---

The FCC has announced that routine processing of Amateur Radio vanity call sign applications will resume Wednesday, January 4, 2006. The Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) suspended vanity processing in September as an indirect result of its hurricane-related extensions of certain regulatory and filing deadlines. The Commission said licensees or applicants needing relief beyond the initial extension periods should follow the process for submitting waiver requests provided in §1.925 of the Commission's rules.

"The Bureau will consider additional relief related to the hurricanes on a case-by-case basis," the FCC said December 19 in a public notice.

Earlier this year, the FCC announced it would extend filing and regulatory deadlines for licensees in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and Florida directly affected by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. During the extension periods, the WTB temporarily suspended certain automated licensing functions. These included dismissing applications that are returned and not amended on a timely basis, changing the status of a call sign from active to expired if a license is not renewed within the two-year grace period for Amateur Radio licensees, and issuing vanity call signs.

In September, the FCC said it had to suspend routine vanity call sign processing because the extensions included the two-year grace period and could conceivably affect the vanity program.

---

Oct. - Sessions  93  QNI  868   QTC   175
Nov - Sessions  90  QNI  884   QTC   175
Dec – Sessions  93  QNI  788   QTC   166