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<DIV><STRONG>Dra. Kay Craigie, N3KN</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV>
<H1>US Ham Radio Grows - Elects Woman President</H1>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>Amateur Radio, often called 'ham radio,' had two
history-making events in January. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>The ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio,
elected <STRONG>Dr. Kay Craigie, N3KN</STRONG>, of Blacksburg, Virginia, as the
organization's new President. She is the first woman to hold the top position.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma><U>The ARRL also celebrated year-end reports that there
were over <STRONG>30,000</STRONG> new American Amateur Radio licensees in
2009</U>, capping five years of continuous growth in the hobby. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>"All the way back to the ARRL's founding in 1914, Amateur
Radio has always existed in a challenging environment. The ARRL will continue
meeting today's challenges so hams can continue to serve the public, explore
technology and have fun on the bands," she said after the election.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>First licensed in 1983, “I was a computer hobbyist before
becoming a ham, so I enjoy exploring digital communications and the many
applications of computers in Amateur Radio,” </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>Craigie has been ARRL Section Manager for Eastern
Pennsylvania, Atlantic Division Director and a Vice President. She has served on
committees of the ARRL Board of Directors and worked on the League's Enforcement
Task Force in cooperation with the FCC. Craigie was instrumental in creating the
ARRL Education & Technology Program supporting schools in teaching science
and wireless technology. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>"When we do what benefits kids," she says, "ham radio will
benefit in the long run, too. Ham radio is great for kids. It introduces them to
modern communications technology not in a passive couch-potato way but in an
active way through discovering how things work and how this technology can be
used to help others when there's a disaster." </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>Craigie also chaired the National Emergency Response
Planning Committee, which made recommendations on ham radio responses to
emergencies in the US.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>Dr. Craigie’s FCC callsign is N3KN and she lives in
Blacksburg, Virginia, with her husband Carter Craigie, N3AO. She earned her PhD
from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>On the air, Craigie enjoys talking to radio amateurs
internationally and is also involved with SKYWARN® weather spotting through the
National Weather Service Forecast Office in Blacksburg. Her husband likes to
carry a compact ham radio station in a backpack with him on the Appalachian
Trail and operate his radio from scenic mountain spots.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>According to <STRONG>Allen Pitts</STRONG>, Media & PR
Manager of the ARRL, “It really should not be a surprise to anyone that Amateur
Radio is growing in the US or that Mrs. Craigie is our President. The technical
and communication skills of radio amateurs, both men and women, are considerable
and Amateur Radio is the place to learn about wireless communication in the
modern world.” </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>Craigie adds, “Amateur Radio is a high-tech activity for
the whole family. It offers something for people with all sorts of
interests.”</FONT></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>