Several states proclaimed Amateur Radio Week in the runup to ARRL Field Day June 28-29. This year saw the debut of the Field Day Station Locator, and it turned out to be very popular.

When severe thunderstorms started to threaten the Midwestern United States with tornadoes, hail, severe lightning and rain starting June 4, state agencies were quick to call on Amateur Radio operators for assistance. Later in the month, hams manned the Iowa State Emergency Operations Center in the wake of Mississippi River flooding that drowned parts of Iowa.

Ham radio volunteers from Santa Cruz ARES provided a vital layer of communications to support firefighters, law enforcement, Red Cross and even animal control during the Martin fire in the hills above Santa Cruz over Father's Day weekend.

Chuck Skolaut compiled reports from Intruder Watch monitors about the Firedrake jammer on 20 meters.

New editions of The ARRL Extra Class License Manual and ARRL's Extra Q&A are available for sale and a new edition of FCC Rules and Regulations for the Amateur Radio Service has been released to the printer.

The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for May is Jim Veatch, WA2EUJ, for his article "The TAK-40 SSB CW Transceiver."

A new California hands-free cellular telephone law went into effect July 1. It doesn't apply to Amateur Radio stations.

These online course sessions begin July 18, 2008: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 2 (EC-002), Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 3 (EC-003R2), Antenna Modeling (EC-004), HF Digital Communications (EC-005), VHF/UHF--Life Beyond the Repeater (EC-008), and Radio Frequency Propagation (EC-011).

The Administrative Council (AC) of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) held its Annual Meeting June 24-25, 2008 in Konstanz, Germany.

The ARRL DXCC Desk announced that Fausto Minardi, I4EAT, is the winner of the 2007 DXCC Challenge DeSoto Cup.

US Power Squadrons Amateur Radio Club members held a Special Event at W1AW to celebrate the National Safe Boating Council's Safe Boating Week.

The ARRL Annual Report for 2007 is available online and in print.

Katie Breen reported that 213 newly licensed hams became ARRL members during May.

Sean Kutzko activated W1HQ during the June VHF QSO Party.

Ballots for the Western New York Section Manager election have been mailed.

The August 2008 issue of QST, and the July/August issues of NCJ and QEX were released to the printer.

Nine teachers from six states took part in a Teachers Institute at Rocklin, California.

A one page Logbook of The World Basic Information handout will be distributed to those requesting LoTW passwords.

On the air: The June VHF QSO Party was June 14-16, and ARRL Field Day was June 28-29. Up next: The IARU World Championship will be July 12-13.

Staff travel: David Sumner attended the IARU Administrative Council meeting in Konstanz, Germany, and Ham Radio 2008 in Friedrichshafen. Mary Hobart attended the West Gulf Division Convention in Dallas, Texas. Allen Pitts presented the new Technology Public Relations campaign at the Northwestern Division Convention in Seaside, Oregon. Dennis Dura attended the Delta Division Convention in Knoxville, Tennessee, the NPSTC quarterly meeting in Crystal City, Virginia, a Citizen Corps meeting in Washington, DC and Ham Radio 2008 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Steve Ewald represented the ARRL at an event honoring long-time Northern Florida Section Manager Rudy Hubbard. Dan Henderson and Bob Inderbitzen attended Ham Radio 2008 in Friedrichshafen. Dan also took part in the Atlantic Division Webinar.

Compiled by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE
Managing Editor