The semi-annual newsletter for The Radio Club of America members 2021 V. 1
FROM YOUR PRESIDENT Greetings to all of our RCA members as we begin a new year! 2021 will surely prove to be an exciting one as we return to live activities. First, some exciting news about this year's Technical Symposium and Awards Banquet. We plan to have an in-person Technical Symposium and Awards Banquet on Saturday November 20th. We plan to live-broadcast and video-record these events to allow participation for those who are unable to travel. Both events will be held in Denver, Colorado. As in past years, we want to move the meeting locations around the country to provide greater local access for our members to participate in RCA's premier annual event. In this case, that will be from the Rocky Mountain area and the west coast. More details about the hotel, etc. will be provided in the coming months. • We are especially excited to confirm that our keynote speaker at the Awards Banquet will be Dr. Marty Cooper, inventor of the first handheld portable cell phone. Marty Cooper is a long time RCA member, and we are honored to have him present this year at the Awards Banquet in conjunction with the publication of his new book Cutting The Cord. • I want to remind all our members that it is time again to submit nominations for Awards and Fellows. The nominations process closes on May 15. Our members have many connections in wireless, and the Awards and Fellow Committee relies on your nominations of deserving people in wireless. Most of the awards do not require the awardee to be an RCA member, but some do. Full details and forms are on the RCA Website. RCA is undertaking several New Initiatives This Year, some of which build upon work that President Emeritus Carroll Hollingsworth started. • Our Scholarship Committee, ably led by member Alan Spindel, has been hard at work re-crafting our scholarship program to be more responsive to the needs of the 21st century. This the committee has created two new scholarship funds. You will hear more about that soon. • Last year President Hollingsworth started looking into the future for RCA. To continue that effort, this year I stood up a new temporary committee chaired by Vice President David Bart to do strategic planning for the Club. The wireless world is changing, and we need to examine how the Club can prepare itself better for the future. • RCA is increasing its outreach to our members, especially in developing new ways that RCA can add value to your wireless careers. As a result, we inaugurated several new committees who are looking at specific groups within our membership ranks to see how we can better serve those members. To increase participation in these committees, I have asked several non-Board RCA members to work with or chair these committees including Keith Kaczmarek, Denis Marin, Stephanie McCall, and David Witkowski. If other members are interested in helping us please contact our Executive Secretary Amy. • With so much going on, I have asked Executive Vice President Chip Cohen to help me in working with these committees. RCA launched a New Regional Chapter this year! A group of RCA members has been meeting in the Rocky Mountain area for the past few years. That group is now formalized into an official RCA Section, and Director Charles Kirmuss is leading that effort. We will get to meet these section members at our meeting in Denver this November! RCA continues to be active at Trade Shows despite the pandemic, and we plan to begin undertaking live activities this summer. RCA is exhibiting at several trade shows this year, including APCO in August in San Antonio, IWCE in September in Las Vegas, and at least one other trade show. We hope to see our members at these events and network with them after a long hiatus due to the pandemic. RCA is launching a New RCA Website, which has been in the works for the past year. The new website will feature easier navigation, more information, improved visibility for our sponsors and advertisers, and better emphasis on our organizational partners. Also, I want to encourage all our members to join us for RCA’s Virtual Events on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 9 PM ET, hosted by President Emeritus Tim Duffy. Each month we alternate between an interview with a notable wireless person, and an RCA member only networking event. We will continue these virtual events for the foreseeable future as another way for members to connect or learn something new. Check the website www.radioclubofamerica.org for details. We have already started Planning for 2022. Our Technical Symposium and Awards Banquet will be in the southern U.S. that year. More information about that will be provided early next year. Finally, if you are interested in learning a bit more about my vision for RCA, and about some of our future plans, please see my video on the home page of the RCA Website “A Chat with RCA’s New President John Facella”. Please stay safe. JOHN FACELLA, P.E., President The Radio Club of America, Inc. The World’s Oldest Wireless Society | Edition 1 2021 | 1
RCA Celebrates the Achievements of Notable Women in Wireless Technology during Women’s History Month Every day in March, to celebrate Women’s History Month, RCA is posting a short biography on our Facebook page of a prominent woman in wireless; specifically, the inventors, company founders, pioneers, and CEOs in every segment of wireless. Visit the Radio Club of America Facebook page to read the posts (and while you’re there, like us on Facebook so you see all our posts) . Our Facebook page is public, so you can read these posts even if you don’t have a Facebook account. Just use your favorite search engine and enter these terms: Facebook.com, Radio Club of America.
On International Women’s Day, we featured Dr. Maryam Rofougaran, an Iranian immigrant who holds 250 patents, and is the CEO and founder of Movandi and Innovent Systems. If you are one of the 35 million people who subscribe to Sirius XM, you can thank another woman we featured, Dr. Martine Rothblatt, the co-founder of Sirius Satellite Radio and founder of both PanAm Sat and WorldSpace. After her success in wireless, she was driven by a family tragedy to study biology, later founding United Therapeutics, one of the world’s most successful biotech companies.
Some posts are about historic figures including Helen Campbell, a pioneer who was one of the first women licensed as a wireless operator and Hedy Lamarr, actress and inventor, who patented the technology that led to spread spectrum, Bluetooth and other modern innovations.
Dr. Martine Rothblatt
We also showcased the achievements of well-known RadioResource Media Group founder, Paulla NelsonShira; inventor and “First Lady of Wireless”, Arlene Joy Harris; and Dr. Maha Achour, the founder and CEO of Metawave. Hedy Lamarr
Of course, you’ll also learn more about the first female airplane designer who also founded the Radio Club of America in 1909, E. Lilian Todd. Lillian, incidentally, also inspired a popular YouTube video by international pop star, Elizaveta, singing the song “Icarus” with clips from a celebrated animated feature about Todd.
Arlene Joy Harris
Visit the Radio Club of America Facebook page every day this month, to learn more about these exceptional and inspiring women in land mobile radio, cellular, satellite communications and broadcast technology. Better yet, share the posts with a girl or young woman in your life!
"Space Gal" Emily Calandrelli, host of Wonderlab on Netflix and 2020 Radio Club of America Vivian Carr Award Recipient 2 | Edition 1 2021 | The World’s Oldest Wireless Society
What Can You Donate to the 2021 RCA Silent Auction? If you did any pandemic house and attic de-cluttering, did you find any treasures? Consider donating them to the RCA Silent Auction! Items that are ideal for the auction include: • Vintage radio equipment • Books (even better if they’re signed) about wireless topics • Hard to get electronics (have an extra Play Station 5?) • Collectible items related to wireless history • Jewelry, designer handbags and small artworks Or get creative for a good cause and purchase these popular items to donate for the auction: • Gas for a year (52 gift cards worth $40 each) • A 3-, 6- or 12-month subscription for gourmet beer, wine, flowers, or snacks • Airline or hotel chain gift certificate • Gift cards to popular national retailers like Amazon, the Cheesecake Factory or Best Buy Please start thinking about how you can contribute to a fun and successful RCA Silent Auction. The auction will be held during the Tech Symposium and Awards Banquet in November. Remember your donations are eligible for a tax deduction. Further details and donor forms will be available soon.
MARTY COOPER WILL BE THE 2021 AWARDS BANQUET KEYNOTE Join us at the Awards Banquet on Saturday, November 20, for a keynote presentation titled "The Future of Cellular, 5G and the Digital Divide" given by Marty Cooper, known as the "Father of the Cell Phone". Watch for more information including registration details on the RCA website. The World’s Oldest Wireless Society | Edition 1 2021 | 3
Call for Abstracts RCA 2021 Technical Symposium Denver The Radio Club of America is soliciting abstracts for presentations for the 2021 Technical Symposium. We welcome abstracts on all wireless subjects including antennas, broadband, broadcasting, cellular communications, land mobile radio, manufacturing, military communications, satellites, and other wireless-related topics. Please submit the following to amy@radioclubofamerica.org, prior to May 28th: • A title for the presentation • 1 or 2 paragraph abstract or summary • A short biography of the presenter(s) • A 300 dpi headshot of the presenter(s) Abstracts will be reviewed in June and you will be notified if you are chosen to present. Presentation slide decks are hosted on the RCA Website after the event. All presentations are captured on video and archived for public access. Prospective presenters will receive free registration to the Technical Symposium plus receive breakfast and lunch, however, we are unable to reimburse travel expenses.
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Moving into the Future with RCA Scholarships
The RCA Scholarship Committee enters 2021 with a modernization plan that increases the efficiency of the committee’s processes, an exciting new scholarship fund, and revitalization of a legacy program. The RCA Scholarship Committee acts with direction from the RCA Board of Directors to oversee contributed funds that are close to three‐quarter of a million dollars and distributes with board approval over fifteen thousand dollars each year in grants. These grants all support students who are studying wireless at U.S. colleges and universities. The institutions were either designated by the original donors of the scholarship funds or they met selection criteria for their wireless communications programs. Over fifty years ago, wireless pioneer and inventor, Captain W.H. “Bill” Finch convened the first meeting of the RCA Scholarship Committee, beginning a history of support given to people studying in the field(s) related to wireless communications. Finch was a radio engineer who in the late 1930s who pioneered the development of fascimile transmission of printed matter and photographs. He founded Finch Telecommunications Laboratories and held hundreds of patents in radio communications. Today, that legacy continues and is entering a new phase. The Scholarship Committee chair is Alan Spindel, AG4WK, with committee members Dr. Jim Breakall, W3FET and Dr. Julio Urbino. RCA Counsel Chester B. “Barney” Scholl, K3LA, RCA Treasurer Ron Jakubowski, K2RJ and RCA President John Facella, K9FJ, have also been active participants in the committee’s recent work. As part of the new plan approved by the RCA Board of Directors, RCA’s legacy scholarship funds will be combined under a single name, the Captain Bill Finch RCA‐Legacy Scholarship Fund. The Scholarship Committee also announced the creation of a new fund called the RCA New Century Scholarship Fund, which will focus on assisting students training for a wireless career in vocational, international, graduate, or secondary institutions. Immediately upon announcement of the new fund, RCA Director Charles Kirmuss, W0CBK, gave the first donation. The Scholarship Committee is exploring other avenues to create a new RCA Grant‐in‐Aid program that could possibly benefit students with family members who belong to RCA.
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Why Awards Matter and How You Can Make a Difference
For 100 years, the Radio Club of America has identified and elevated achievers, pioneers, game changers and inventors through the RCA awards program. For nearly as long, the RCA Fellows program has showcased RCA members who have not only contributed to the success of the Club but have distinguished themselves with their professional accomplishments. To do this, we need the participation of the RCA membership. You know people who do award-winning work. Think about the people you know who, through their collaboration skills, brilliant insights, persistence, or leadership, demonstrate grit and creativity. Their contributions may be limited to a single company or this person’s invention or innovation may be key to the success of an entire industry segment. Think about the people others turn to for advice or mentorship. Consider those you look up to or who inspire you. And don’t forget people who just flat out deliver measurable results for their companies and their clients. Some RCA awards are limited to people who are RCA members. But that’s not really a limitation because RCA members are some of the most accomplished people in wireless. People who are not RCA members can be considered for several awards, too. The criteria for being elevated to Fellow are spelled out clearly on the form, so think about RCA members who would benefit from having a light shone publicly on their achievements. Nominating someone you know for an award or a Fellow is time well invested and a great way to be involved with the Radio Club.
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Award Nomination Form The Club annually grants each of several major awards to members and nonmembers in recognition of outstanding achievement, and to provide inspiration for many people, both currently and in the future. As a member of the Club, your help in nominating and sponsoring candidates is appreciated. This form is provided to assist you in this process. In order to complete the selection process in time for the annual Awards Banquet in November, the Awards Committee prefers to receive nominations prior to May 15, 2021. For each major award, the Awards Committee collects and evaluates all nominations then submits its recommendation to the Board of Directors for final approval by a majority of the Board. Complete information on available Awards can be found on our website. To nominate someone for an award, please legibly provide the information below to the Club's Awards Committee in care of the Club's Executive Secretary by May 15, 2021 in any of the following ways: Fax: E-mail: Print and mail to:
(612) 430-6995 amy@radioclubofamerica.org Radio Club of America, 13570 Grove Drive #302, Maple Grove MN 55311
A. Name of RCA award: B. Is Club membership required for this award? C. Full name of candidate: D. Phone number of candidate: ________________________________________________________ E. Email address of candidate: ________________________________________________________ F. Is candidate a member of the Club? G. Proposed citation (between 5 and 25 words), based on why it is felt that this candidate should be considered: (to be published and announced at the presentation of the award)
H. Attach supporting material such as an expanded explanation, a biography, a resume, and any significant published articles: (please list your attachments below)
Sponsor submitting this nomination: Full name: _________________________________________________________________________ E-mail address:
Phone number:
Date submit: Radio Club of America, Inc. 13570 Grove Drive #302, Maple Grove MN 55311 www.radioclubofamerica.org | info@radioclubofamerica.org (612) 405-2012 The World’s Oldest Wireless Society| Edition 1 2021 | 7
Fellow Nomination Form The Club annually elevates worthy Club members to the grade of Fellow in recognition of outstanding achievement, and to provide inspiration for many people, both currently and in the future. As a member of the Club, your help in nominating and sponsoring candidates is appreciated. This form is provided to assist you in this process. In order to complete the elevation process in time for the annual Awards Banquet in November, all nominations are due by May 15, 2021. Article l of the Club's Bylaws states the following: Section 4: Elevation to the status of Fellow is by invitation only to those persons who have been a member in good standing for the previous five years and whose contributions to the art and science of Radio Communications or Broadcast or the Radio Club of America are deemed outstanding by the Club. Nominations for Fellow must be submitted in writing to the Awards Committee and must be supported in writing by at least two members in good standing. The Fellows Committee will report to the Board of Directors the names of all nominees for fellow, including any relevant information regarding each nominee. Invitations to persons to become a Fellow will be made pursuant to a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
To nominate an RCA member, please legibly provide the information below by May 15, 2021 to the Club's Fellows Committee in care of the Club's Executive Secretary in any of the following ways: Fax: E-mail: Mail:
(612) 430-6995 amy@radioclubofamerica.org Radio Club of America, 13570 Grove Drive #302 Maple Grove MN 55311
A. Full name of candidate: ___________________________________________________________ B. Email address of candidate: ________________________________________________________ C. Telephone number of candidate: ____________________________________________________ D. Proposed citation (between 5 and 25 words), based on why it is felt that this candidate should be considered: (to be announced at the presentation of the award)
E. Attach supporting material such as an expanded explanation, a biography, a resume, and any significant published articles: (please list your attachments below)
Sponsor submitting this nomination:
Date submit:
Full name:__________________________________________________________________________ E-mail address:
Phone number:
Mailing address:
The Radio Cl ub of America, Inc. 13570 Grove Drive #302 Maple Grove MN 55311 Tel: (612) 405-2012 Fax: (612) 430-6995 radioclubofamerica.org 8 | Edition 1 2021 | The World’s Oldest Wireless Society
With Appreciation to Our Sustaining 3-Year Corporate Sponsors
THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 SPONSORS! Contributions from our sponsor companies make it possible for RCA to offer high quality events and further the mission of advancing wireless art and science for the betterment of society.
Don’t see your organization listed? Contact us to become a sponsoring organization today!
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL Member renewal notices have been sent electronically and via US Mail to those whose memberships expired 12/31/2020. If you still need to renew, you can do so on the homepage of our website at www.radioclubofamerica.org/membershiprenewal. Not sure if your membership lapsed? Email us at info@radioclubofamerica.org today!
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RCA CALENDAR
EVENTS
Visit the event calendar on the RCA website for the most up-to-date event information.
RCA EVENTS
INDUSTRY EVENTS
2021RCA Technical Symposium November 20, 2021 Denver, CO
U.S. Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association Reunion June 16 - 20, 2021 Ft. Worth, TX
GSMA Mobile World Congress June 28-July 1, 2021 Barcelona, Spain
IWCE September 27-30, 2021 Las Vegas, NV
2021RCA Awards Banquet November 20, 2021 Denver, CO
Ham Com June 17-19, 2021 Plano, TX
APCO August 15-18, 2021 San Antonio, TX
AWA Convention October 5-9, 2021 Rochester, NY
MEMBER NOTICE Aerogram Update 2021 will see changes in the publication method and distribution of the Aerogram . The Aerogram will now be an electronic publication, and, will be distributed bi-annually, alternating with the Proceedings . Those interested in advertising in either publication should contact RCA's offices at info@radioclubofamerica.org.
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