[RTTY] MISSED CHANCE AT ALERT

[W0YR at aol.com]

National Amateur Radio Organization Celebrates Milestone 


- After 90 Years, the Popularity of 'Ham Radio' Endures - 

NEWINGTON, Conn., May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Two men made history on May 18, 1914, 
when they formed the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) -- the national 
association of Amateur Radio. On the cutting edge of wireless communication in 
their era, the founding vision of the late Hiram Percy Maxim, who also served as 
the first president of ARRL, and the late Clarence Tuska has not waned over the 
years. Amateur Radio operators throughout the United States continue to 
master their craft and enjoy being a part of a fellowship grounded in public 
service and global goodwill.

"Maxim referred to Amateur Radio as an 'institution' in the late 1920s," says 
ARRL President Jim Haynie. "That still holds true today, and the League is 
dedicated to fostering Amateur Radio communication for many years to come." 
Headquartered in Newington Connecticut, ARRL has nearly 155,000 members.

Today's Amateur Radio operators represent a diverse segment of the 
population, with people from every age bracket and every profession. Some get involved 
to make friends all over the world, while others are lured by the technical 
challenges. Many are routinely active in serving public service agencies and 
local emergency management personnel during natural or man-made disasters.

"After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001," says Haynie, "ham radio 
operators answered the call to duty -- just as they've done for decades -- 
when traditional methods of communications failed. Amateur Radio is as relevant 
today as it's ever been."

Today there are nearly 700,000 Amateur Radio licensees in the United States 
and more than 2.5 million worldwide. Information on how to become involved in 
Amateur Radio is available from ARRL -- the national association for Amateur 
Radio, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111 or by calling 1-800-32-NEW HAM. 
Visit ARRL on the Web at www.arrl.org.

SOURCE  ARRL -- the national association for Amateur Radio  

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The ARRL has just put out the above note about the 90th Anniversary of its 
founding.  It seems too bad to me that not one word was mentioned about the 
"emergence BPL, a major threat to world wide shortwave communications in which 
radio amateurs engage, including the kind of emergency communications that 
followed 9/11 and which are going on right now at California forest fire scenes."