On July 21, the Federal Communications Commission issued a Citation to the owner of a Georgia company for selling unauthorized radio frequency devices (specifically wireless video transmitters) and importing radio frequency devices without filing the proper FCC forms with the US Customs office and the US Border Patrol.

On July 3, Virginia officials, along with representatives from that state's ARES® and RACES groups, signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), uniting the three groups. State Coordinator, Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) Michael M. Cline; State RACES Officer Mac McNeer, K4YEF; ARRL Virginia Section Manager Carl Clements, W4CAC, and ARRL Virginia Section Emergency Coordinator Ron Sokol, K4KHZ, signed what ARRL Emergency and Preparedness Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, called a "precedent setting" document.

According to reports from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Tropical Storm Dolly is expected to become a hurricane within the next 12-24 hours and track toward the Texas/Mexico border. With this in mind WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, activated its HF and EchoLink/IRLP station on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 2 PM EDT (1800 UTC).

At the ARRL Board of Director's meeting this past weekend, the telegraph key that once belonged to Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW, was returned to ARRL Headquarters. According to ARRL First Vice President Kay Craigie, N3KN, the key had been in the collection of the Antique Wireless Association's Electronic Communication Museum near Rochester, New York for more than 20 years.

The 23rd Annual AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium will be held July 25-27 at the University of Surrey in Guildford, about an hour's drive from London. The Colloquium is a chance to talk to satellite designers and builders, as well as a place to discover how to use Amateur Radio satellites. A beginner's session on satellites is held prior to the formal opening on the first day of the event,

The Foundation for Amateur Radio (FAR) has announced the 2008 winners of the 55 scholarships it administers. The scholarships were open to all licensed radio amateurs who met the qualification and residence requirements of the various sponsors.

ARRL Audio News--OPEN--In this edition . . .; ARRL Board of Directors Meets July 18-19 in Connecticut; New 70 cm Coordination Agreement Reached for New England; ARRL Audio News ID--Satellite Update--BREAK; Kansas Ham, Son, Electrocuted While Erecting Antennas; Court of Appeals: FCC Must Reimburse Fees Stemming from BPL Challenge; ARRL, FCC, Meet in Washington to Discuss BPL Remand; ARRL Audio News--News Briefs--CLOSE

The ARRL Board of Directors holds their second meeting of 2008 July 18-19 in Windsor, Connecticut, with Directors, Vice Directors and ARRL Board officers in attendance. The meeting, which begins today and continues through Saturday, was preceded on Thursday with meetings of the Administration and Finance Committee and the Programs and Services Committee.

In the next step of developing a long-term procedure to mitigate interference to the Air Force PAVE PAWS radar site at Cape Cod Air Force Station in Massachusetts, the ARRL has brokered a deal that will allow new coordinations to be considered by the New England Spectrum Management Council (NESMC) on the 70 cm band.

If today is like yesterday and the day before that, it will be the 26th consecutive day with no sunspots. Think this is bad? At the last solar minimum, there were only four days showing any sunspots between September 5 and October 24, 2006.

This week, Surfin’ take a radio road-trip to Disney’s East and West Coast worlds.

Registration remains open through Sunday, August 3, 2008 for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, August 15, 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). Each online course has been developed in segments -- learning units with objectives, informative text, student activities and quizzes. Courses are interactive, and some include direct communications with a Mentor/Instructor. Students register for a particular session that may be 8, 12 or 16 weeks (depending on the course) and they may access the course at any time of day during the course period, completing lessons and activities at times convenient for their personal schedule. Mentors assist students by answering questions, reviewing assignments and activities, as well as providing helpful feedback. Interaction with mentors is conducted through e-mail; there is no appointed time the student must be present -- allowing complete flexibility for the student to work when and where it is convenient. To learn more, visit the Continuing Education course listing page or contact the Continuing Education Program Coordinator.

Earlier this month, ARRL Contest Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, presented ICOM's Amateur and Receiver Products Division Manager Ray Novak, N9JA, and ICOM Sales Representative Pat Marcy, W7PZ, with a plaque, thanking ICOM for its support of ARRL stations W1AW and W1HQ throughout the years. ICOM recently donated an IC-756PROIII and an IC-746PRO to W1HQ, the ARRL's Laird Campbell Memorial HQ Operators Club station.