QRZ! Ham Radio 1/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - December 1993.iso/arrl/auth_gu.ide

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>From the files of the ARRL Automated Mail Server, ([e-mail]):

Prepared as a membership service by the American Radio Relay
League, Inc., Technical Information Service.

file: \public\info\tis\aguide.cii updated: 12-04-92

Reprinted from:  ARRL Authors Guide
Copyright 1992 American Radio Relay League, Inc.
All rights reserved.

Thank you for requesting the following information from the ARRL
Technical Information Service or the ARRL Automated Mail Server
([e-mail]). ARRL HQ is glad to provide this information free
of charge as a service to League members and affiliated clubs.

For your convenience, you may reproduce this information,
electronically or on paper, and distribute it to anyone who needs
it, provided that you reproduce it in its entirety and do so free
of charge. Please note that you must reproduce the information as
it appears in the original, including the League's copyright
notice.

If you have any questions concerning the reproduction or
distribution of this material, please contact Michael Tracy,
American Radio Relay League, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111
(email: [e-mail]).

--------------------------- cut here ----------------------------

*The ARRL Author's Guide, Electronic Edition* -- rev 5/28/92

Table of Contents

Writing for ARRL Publications
     Share Your Experience with Other Hams
     ARRL Publications Acceptance Criteria
     Preparing Your Manuscript
The Writing Process
     Guidelines for Preparing Manuscript Material on a Computer
     Improving Your Article's Reader Appeal
     Graphics
     Drawings
     Photographs
The Release Form
The Handling Editor's Role

*QST*

Feature Technical Articles
How Your Article is Processed
Lead Time
Technical Columns

     Hints and Kinks
     Technical Correspondence
Feature General-Interest Articles
How Your Article is Processed
Lead Time

General- and Special-Interest Columns
     Up Front in *QST* and Strays
Compensation
Awards
*QEX*: The ARRL Experimenter's Exchange
*NCJ*: The National Contest Journal

Writing for ARRL Publications

     The American Radio Relay League publishes three magazines.
*QST*, published by the League since 1915, is a membership
benefit. League members, all 160,000 or so of them, receive *QST*
monthly in the mail. The other two, *QEX* and *NCJ*, are more-
specialized publications that are available to anyone at the
prevailing subscription rate.
     * *QST* has the largest circulation of any Amateur Radio
magazine. It has always been regarded as the most prestigious
Amateur Radio publication. As such, it is read by beginners,
experienced amateurs, technicians, engineers and scientists.
     * QEX, published by the League since 1981, has quickly
become an authoritative and highly respected "experimenter's
exchange" in the Amateur Radio community.
     * *NCJ: The National Contest Journal*, published by the League
since 1987, specializes in contesting and DXing techniques and
activities. [Note: The *NCJ* editor is not a member of the ARRL HQ
staff, and does not work at HQ. The format, requirements and
policies for *NCJ* articles are the responsibility of the Editor,
not the HQ staff. Therefore, some of the policies and procedures
explained in this Guide do not apply to *NCJ*. For more information
about writing for *NCJ*, see the last section of this Guide.]
     Most of the material the League publishes is written by
people who are not professional writers. In fact, many have never
had an article published before! The only qualification we
require of authors is that they know their stuff.

Share Your Experience with Other Hams

     Why should you write an article about ham radio? One primary
reason is that you have some technical expertise or have had an
interesting experience that you would like to share with other
hams. You have probably derived much enjoyment and knowledge from
Amateur Radio, and now you have a chance to pass on some of that
satisfaction. There are additional rewards as well.
     First, there is a sense of accomplishment in completing an
article and knowing you gave it your best effort. It's also a
good feeling when your article is accepted for publication.
Undoubtedly the biggest high is when you finally see your article
in print! That has to rank with the boost you experienced after
your first Amateur Radio contact. That's not the end of it,
however. People take the time to write you a letter or postcard
saying "thanks" or "good job."
     You can be proud of your article when it appears in a League
publication. It will stand for years to come as testimony to your
Amateur Radio expertise. Beyond all other considerations, when
your work has been published, you will have contributed something
to the Amateur Radio Service and to your fellow

amateurs--something that might even help advance the state of the
technical art or motivate readers to try a new aspect of Amateur
Radio.
     This guide provides you, as a prospective contributor to a
League periodical, with the information needed to give your
material the best possible chance of being accepted for
publication. We are looking for a wide variety of written
material and photographs, be it a new circuit design or a small
Strays item.
     This *ARRL Author's Guide* describes the types of material
usually accepted for publication. It provides some basic
guidelines for writing an article and tells you how to submit the
article. The Guide also tells how a manuscript is handled once it
arrives at ARRL HQ.
     Many experienced authors think of *QST* as the best vehicle
for their Amateur Radio writing efforts. Reasons for this include
the prestige and wide readership of the magazine. Other ARRL
publications can direct your article to the audience that will
benefit most from the information, however. Give some thought to
the article you are writing, and the type of readers it will
appeal to most. The table summarizes the various types of
articles that are most often published in *QST*, *QEX* or *NCJ*.

ARRL Publications Acceptance Criteria

     ARRL staff and management strive to maintain a balance of
material in our various publications in order to meet the needs
of our members. Unsolicited manuscripts are received regularly at
ARRL from authors who would like to have their work published. We
welcome and encourage these manuscripts, and we rely on them for
many of the articles that appear in our periodicals. To reach a
decision to accept or return a manuscript, the ARRL editorial
staff asks the following questions concerning each submitted
article:

     1) Is it pertinent to Amateur Radio?
     2) Is it legal, prudent and in good taste?
     3) It is technically sound?
     4) Is it consistent with ARRL policy and objectives?
     5) Is it free of needless controversy?
     6) Is it of interest to our readers?
     7) Is it original work (or a new twist on an old theme)?
     8) Is it timely (or timeless)?
     9) Is it of appropriate length?
     10) Is the topic treated in sufficient detail?
     11) Is the presentation appropriate and not self-serving?
     12) Is it appropriate to publish the article at this time?
     13) If parts are needed, are they readily available, or can
they be made available?
     14) Can we expect to receive adequate author cooperation and
support?
     15) Has this material been submitted only to ARRL?
     16) Will this be the first time that this material has been
published where it will receive wide circulation?
     17) Do we need it?
     18) If we accept it, will it be published in a reasonable
time?

     Positive answers to the above questions lead toward an
"accept" decision, while negative answers lead toward a decision
to return the manuscript. We do not use a mathematical formula
for reaching the decision. Rather, the decision is the result of
editorial judgment based on the above criteria. These criteria
apply to general-interest and technical articles. The editorial
judgments and decisions of the editor and publisher are final.
*(Adopted September 1988)*

Preparing Your Manuscript

     Perhaps half the battle is deciding to write an article and
choosing a subject. Ask yourself a few questions. What subject do
you know well enough to help others understand? Is it a technical
area or does it have more to do with station design or operating
experience? Have you recently completed a construction project
with unique features? Do you have experimental results to pass
along to others? Is there something new about your subject or
your presentation? Will your article interest other amateurs?
     Ah, but you think you're not a writer? Well maybe you are!
The important thing is that you must be able to convey your
message in written form. Your manuscript doesn't have to be
letter-perfect, in a polished style that includes impeccable
English and correct grammar. The *QST* editors are accustomed to
working with a wide variety of manuscripts. It's important to
provide the editors with a manuscript that is technically valid
and complete with all important information.
     The table illustrates the kinds of articles that are most
attractive for ARRL periodicals. Just about any article relating
to Amateur Radio can be interesting. If you're planning to write
a *QST* technical article, there are three particular types that
readers devour. The favorites are construction articles about
projects that can be completed in a few evenings or weekends. The
second category is articles for beginners. Articles involving new
technology comprise the third group. Reader interest in these
kinds of articles seems to be insatiable.

*THE WRITING PROCESS*

     Now that you've picked a topic and decided to write an
article, give some thought to organization. Some writers can just
type the manuscript once and have a good article. They don't use
an outline and don't have to make any revisions. Such authors are
exceptional! Most people need to start with a written outline to
maintain an orderly progression of ideas, and to avoid forgetting
things.
     With outline in hand, it's time to sit down at the
typewriter or word processor and start writing. Follow your
outline, but don't be afraid to modify it if you discover
something out of order or some detail missing.
     Don't be discouraged if you seem to be having a bad day
writing. If you put it off until you really get in the mood, that
day may never come. It's probably best to work on your manuscript
anyway. At least you can put some thoughts on paper and have
something to edit later.
     Place all footnotes and bibliographical information at the
end of the manuscript. Double check all of your references to be
sure they are correct. Include complete reference information,
such as the author's name, article title, publisher's name and
address, date of publication and page numbers.
     After you think you have completed the article, set it aside
for a day or so. Then read over the manuscript and make any
revisions that come to mind. Now is the time to correct errors
such as incomplete and run-on sentences, and any other mistakes
that you spot. You might even want to ask a ham friend to read
the manuscript and comment on it.
     We prefer to receive your manuscript electronically to save
the work of retyping the text, so if you have a computer with
word-processing software, please use it. We use IBM PC computers
and WordStar versions 3, 4 or 5, or Microsoft Works for most of
our editing work at ARRL HQ. We can handle 3.5-inch or 5-1/4-inch
floppy disks in MS-DOS format from any compatible computer. We
will also accept Apple Macintosh disks and 5-1/4-inch floppy disks
from Apple II series computers in DOS 3.2, DOS 3.3 or ProDOS
format. For files in other than IBM PC WordStar or Works formats,
*all data must be on the disk in sequential ASCII text files*.
(This may not be the normal format used by your word processor
for saving files.) Disks for accepted articles become the
property of the ARRL.
     If your article is accepted and if you prefer, you may
transmit the files to HQ by telephone modem. Coordinate this with
your handling editor, after you have been notified that your
article has been accepted for publication. Sorry, we cannot
accept files by packet radio, as this would be a business use of
amateur frequencies.
     Typewrite or computer-print your manuscript, double-spaced, on
one side of each sheet, and use 8-1/2- X 11-inch paper. Leave at
least a 1/2-inch margin around all sides of the text on each page.
The top of each manuscript page should have a heading. Include
the author's name, a key word or two from the title and a page
number.
     It is a good idea to make a copy of your article before
sending it to ARRL HQ. (Material sometimes gets lost in the
mail.)

*Important Note:* Material should be sent to only one magazine at a
time. Most magazines automatically return articles submitted
simultaneously to several magazines. Multiple submissions can
only lead to copyright infringement problems for publishers. If
we know (or have good reason to suspect) that an article we
receive has been offered simultaneously to other ham magazines,
or has been published previously, we'll return it without further
consideration. Articles published previously in a club
newsletter, or a magazine or journal of other than Amateur Radio
interest, can still be considered for publication. If your
manuscript is not accepted for publication, you are of course
free to submit it elsewhere.
     Later sections of this Guide provide more specific
information about submitting various types of material for
publication. Each particular section tells who to send your
article to at ARRL HQ. Please include a *daytime* phone number, so
we can contact you during normal business hours if necessary.

*GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING MANUSCRIPT MATERIAL ON A COMPUTER*

     1) Provide a hard copy of the electronic manuscript.
     2) Prepare material with ragged (unjustified) right margin.
Avoid carriage returns except at the end of a paragraph or where
a new line should begin.
     3) Indent the first line of each paragraph at least three
spaces. Use only a single carriage return between paragraphs.
     4) Use double carriage returns only to set off  titles,
subheads and equations. Place titles, subheads and equations at
the left side of the page (flush with left margin).
     5) Place captions, footnotes and tables at the end of the
text.
     6) Avoid the use of control characters (printer commands,
page formatting commands, etc) embedded in running text or
equations. Such commands are acceptable *if* they occupy a line by
themselves, apart from text.
     7) Unless equations can be typed on a single line, omit them
entirely from the electronic manuscript. Use a series of carriage
returns in their place, and legibly write the equations in the
proper position on the manuscript hard copy.
     8) Use common abbreviations as appropriate. See the
Abbreviations List at the back of this *Guide*.
     9) For special characters that do not appear on the standard
keyboard (such as Greek letters and math symbols), use a dollar
sign ($) followed immediately by a word describing the character.
For example, use $pi for the lower-case Greek letter pi and $OMEGA
for the capital Greek letter omega (the symbol for ohms). If
further description is necessary, write in the right margin of
the hard copy next to the paragraph containing the character.
     10) Avoid large files. Very long manuscripts should be
broken up into two or more files of not more than 50 or 60
kilobytes per file. Any program listings *must* be contained in a
text file or be supplied "camera ready"--in a size and format
that will allow us to reproduce it with our graphics camera.
(Your handling editor will be able to provide more details about
the exact format needed after your article has been accepted.)

Improving Your Article's Reader Appeal

     Concentrate on preparing a manuscript that is accurate,
thorough and readable. Here are some hints that will help you
make your article more appealing to readers:
     1) To lure the reader into the presentation, use a
descriptive and appealing title and "deck" (the short blurb
following the title). Look over recently published articles for
examples.
     2) Indicate the scope of the article in its lead paragraphs
and encourage the reader to delve into it further. Use relatively
short sentences--ones that contain only the words necessary to
convey the message to be digested by the reader.
     3) Break up the narrative occasionally with subheadings.

Graphics

     Your article has a better chance of being accepted for
publication if you provide graphics with your manuscript.
Articles illustrated with drawings (schematics, technical
illustrations or cartoons) and/or photographs are usually more
appealing to the reader.

*DRAWINGS*

     Sketches and/or schematic diagrams you supply should be as
clear as possible so our technical illustrator can work directly
from them. We do *not* require professional line drawings from you.
Current issues of *QST* and *QEX* illustrate the symbols and
component identifications used in our drawings, and a condensed
schematic-symbols chart is included at the end of this Guide.
     Captions and parts lists that accompany drawings should be
patterned after those appearing in recent issues. They should be
in the same format as the manuscript (that is, double spaced) and
included at the end of the manuscript. Please do not attach
captions and parts lists to the drawings.
Here are a few additional pointers to help you prepare the
drawings for your article:
     1) Because parts are often difficult to come by, especially
in small quantities, try to include the name, address and
telephone number of a known supplier of the parts used in your
project. Part numbers for equivalent components are also
helpful.
     2) Use commonly available components whenever possible.
     3) When preparing a parts list for your diagrams, please
specify the type of part, manufacturer's name and part number.
You don't have to specify manufacturer's names and part numbers
for such ordinary components as disc-ceramic capacitors and 1/4- or
1/2-watt resistors. Do include any important features or
specifications for common components, however. If, for instance,
the capacitor is an NP0 type, or if it requires a specific
voltage rating, please include that information.
     4) All dimensional drawings should include US Customary
units. When it is more natural to render dimensions in metric
terms, use millimeters and meters.
     5) If you feel that a cartoon or line illustration would
enhance the appeal of your article, provide a word description or
rough sketch for the cartoonist.

*PHOTOGRAPHS*

     Photos should be black-and-white, glossy 5- X 7- or 8- X 10-
inch enlargements. Photos must be properly exposed and sharply
focused. The print should possess a normal range of contrast.
Prints that are too contrasty or too flat generally don't
reproduce well. We urge potential authors who are not
accomplished photographers to have photos taken by a skilled
amateur or professional photographer. Arrangements may also be
made to have equipment photographs taken at ARRL HQ after an
article is accepted. We will reimburse you for reasonable
shipping costs if you provide us with a receipt. If you have a
professional photographer take some pictures of your project, we
will reimburse you for those prints we publish, at a rate to be
set by the Managing Editor. Be sure to check with your Handling
Editor *before* you spend any money you expect to be reimbursed
for.
     If you (or another amateur photographer) are going to shoot
some pictures for your article, we recommend that you use a 35-mm
single-lens reflex (SLR) camera with interchangeable lenses.
Professional photographers will probably use a camera that
produces larger negatives, such as 2-1/4 X 2-1/4 inches.

*TIPS FOR BETTER PHOTOS*

     The following discussion relates to the use of a basic 35-mm
SLR camera. Although this information may not lead to
professional-quality results, it may remind a practiced amateur
photographer of the considerations that will produce acceptable
photos.
     1) For equipment photos, use a background of plain white or
gray paper that has no lines or creases.
     2) Sharply focus your pictures. If the photo is of a project
you built, or of your station arrangement, for example, the
entire photo must be in focus. If one side of the equipment is
fuzzy and out of focus, this will detract from the whole
presentation. This discussion relates to the "depth of field" of
the camera lens. Depth of field describes the range of distances
from the camera that will be in focus. For example, if anything
between five and ten feet from the camera is in focus, you have a
fairly narrow depth of field. If anything from five to 50 feet is
in focus, you have a much wider depth of field. The smaller the
lens opening (the larger the f-stop number), the greater the depth
of field. Most 35-mm SLR camera lenses have a depth-of-field scale
marked on the barrel. To use a smaller lens opening (and obtain a
greater depth of field) you will have to provide more light
and/or slow the shutter speed.
     3) A lens with a focal length in the range of 70 to 100 mm
is generally considered optimum for photographing people and
equipment. Such a lens is called a *telephoto* lens because it
makes the image appear larger and closer than the "normal" (50-mm)
lens of a 35-mm camera. *Wide-angle* lenses (shorter than the 50-mm
focal length) will make the image appear smaller and farther
away. This leads to a type of distortion known as "keystoning."
(Squares come out looking like trapezoids.)
     4) Best results are obtained with a medium or fine-grained
black and white film, such as Kodak Plus-X or Tri-X. Take your film
to a lab that specializes in black and white processing. (See
"Photo Finishing" in the Yellow Pages of your phone book.) The
corner drug store or 1 hour photo lab isn't set up to develop or
print this film properly.
     5) Use two or three light sources to illuminate the project
from all angles and eliminate shadows rather than using a single,
straight-on flash.
     6) If you prefer, you could submit 3- X 5-inch prints from
your film developer, but please include the negatives in that
case.
     7) Generally speaking, instant prints and color prints are
unsuitable for publication. Color photographs (transparencies are
greatly preferred to prints) are used in some sections of *QST*,
however, such as Up Front in *QST*. The lead article of an issue
often falls in a color section, so if your article is chosen as
the lead article, color photos may be used. A color slide may
also be considered for the cover, but these need to have a
vertical format (taller than they are wide) to fit the cover
design. Slides should be evenly illuminated. Slides that are very
slightly overexposed tend to print the best. Slides will be
returned upon request.
     8) Don't write directly on the front or back of prints. Type
photo credit or descriptive information on a piece of paper and
tape the paper to the back of the print, or use adhesive-backed
note paper.
     9) Write separate photo captions and include them with the
remainder of the manuscript. Photo credit information should
appear at the end of the caption, in parentheses, as:

Three generations of Amateur Radio operators, from the left: Jim
Smith, WA3XYZ; Joe Smith, K3ABC; and Susan Smith, KA3ZZZ. *(K3XXX
photo)*

     We will normally publish photo credit information supplied
by the author, but photo credits are not provided if the author
pays a professional photographer and is reimbursed (as described
earlier in this section). If you need more specific information
about photographic requirements for ARRL publications, please
direct your questions to your handling editor or the Production
Department at ARRL HQ.

The Release Form

     Articles accepted for publication become the property of The
American Radio Relay League, Inc. Before we can prepare a
manuscript for publication in *QST* or *QEX*, we must have your
written permission to do so. This is the purpose of the author's
release form, which is sent to you along with the acceptance
letter. The release form specifies that the material you have
submitted
     * is original, except as noted;
     * has not been submitted or published elsewhere, except as
noted; and
     * contains suitable credit for circuits or ideas borrowed
from already published material.
     Please be sure to include your social security number on the
release form. If the material falls within our compensation
guidelines (later in this Guide), and you are a US citizen or
resident alien, we must have your social security number before
payment can be made.

The Handling Editor's Role

     Upon acceptance, a handling editor is assigned to process
your article. He or she will contact you concerning revisions or
other matters relating to your article. If you need to make minor
revisions to the material after it is submitted, contact your
handling editor at ARRL HQ. You may write, or you can call 203-
666-1541 between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern time, Monday through
Friday, to speak to your handling editor personally.
     After the editing process is completed, you'll receive a
photocopy of the manuscript, as it is submitted for typesetting
in ARRL HQ's Production Department. The cover letter specifies a
*tentative* publication date, along with a deadline (usually about
two weeks from the date of the letter), for author's corrections,
if any, to be received at HQ. If major revisions are necessary at
this stage, the publication date may have to be changed. Soon
after the issue goes to the printer, photocopies of the final
page layout are sent to you.

*QST*

     *QST* articles fall into several major categories: feature
technical articles, technical columns, feature general-interest
articles and general- and special-interest columns.

Feature Technical Articles

     Most of the technical articles that appear in *QST* are
written by authors who send in unsolicited manuscripts. We're
looking for articles that deal with
     * new technologies
     * computers and Amateur Radio
     * the design and construction of receivers, transmitters,
transceivers, power supplies, station accessories, amateur test
equipment and tools for use from 1.8 MHz into the microwave
region
     * construction of equipment for all popular amateur
modes--CW, SSB, FM, packet radio, RTTY, FAX, SSTV and ATV.
Articles with relatively broad appeal have a greater chance of
being accepted for publication in *QST* than those describing
esoteric circuits and concepts except in cases where a new
concept is being highlighted, or when a high-performance version
of a standard circuit is treated.
     We are also looking for material that covers relatively
well-known subjects in a new and interesting way. For example, if
the subject of pi networks is presented in terms that beginners
can relate to, and if the narrative provides a more definitive
explanation of the design and application concepts than those
found in previously published works, it may be just the article
*QST* readers have been waiting for.
     Straightforward construction projects are among the more
popular *QST* technical features--articles that describe the
construction and use of homemade gear that has widespread reader
appeal. Circuits should be easy to build, use standard components
and offer good performance. In summary: *Keep it as simple and
inexpensive as practical*, specify parts that are available to
amateurs and use plain language. All material submitted for
publication should be presented as neatly and completely as
possible.
     There are two approaches you can take to writing a technical
article for *QST*: (1) You can submit a completed manuscript; (2)
you can write a letter of inquiry (or place a telephone call) to
the Associate Technical Editor for *QST*, describing your proposed
article. Our preference is to review a completed manuscript,
however. Letters of inquiry involve longer turnaround times,
primarily because of the time required for mail deliveries.
Reviewing an outline gives no guarantee that the final manuscript
will make a good article. Once the finished manuscript is
submitted, it still must be read by our editors and then
discussed at the weekly editorial meeting. The only advantage to
submitting an outline is that you will find out beforehand if
there is no interest in publishing an article on the subject you
have chosen. (There can be many reasons for that, including a
surplus of articles on your topic.)
     If you do decide to send an outline, include a photograph of
the project (if you can), with block and schematic diagrams of
the circuit. Highlight the circuit features in your description.
     Mail your completed technical article manuscript to the
Associate Technical Editor for *QST*. If you are sending an outline
first, you should also send it and all related material to the
Associate Technical Editor for *QST*.

*HOW YOUR ARTICLE IS PROCESSED*

     When we receive your manuscript, we send you an
acknowledgment letter and our technical editorial staff
immediately begins review of the material. This process usually
takes a few weeks. If we foresee a delay in the article-handling
process, we will contact you by phone or mail to keep you
informed. Should we decide that we are unable to publish your
material for any reason, we will return it to you.

*LEAD TIME*

     Our minimum lead time is five months, so, in all likelihood,
your article will appear in print between five months and a year
after it is accepted for publication. Some of the material
accepted for use in *QST* may be used later in other ARRL
publications, such as *The ARRL Handbook*, *The ARRL Antenna Book* or
*The ARRL Operating Manual*. You will be given credit in such
cases.

Technical Columns

     The technical columns in *QST* include Hints and Kinks,
Technical Correspondence and Product Review. We welcome your
contributions to Hints and Kinks and Technical Correspondence.
The Product Review column is written by members of the
headquarters staff and League officials. Unsolicited manuscripts
are not accepted for this column.

*HINTS AND KINKS*

     Many amateurs have developed novel circuits or ideas for use
in their stations or workshops--information that can be presented
in *QST* on a smaller scale than a feature article. That's the
stuff of Hints and Kinks, one of *QST*'s most popular columns.
     Electronic, electrical or mechanical innovations are what we
seek for publication in Hints and Kinks. Short, hardware-oriented
articles on circuit improvements, equipment modifications and
tips for making workshop tasks and station operation easier are
always popular. The primary requirement for H&K material is that
it be applicable to or related to Amateur Radio. Send this
material to the Hints and Kinks editor.

*TECHNICAL CORRESPONDENCE*

     Another popular column in *QST* is Technical Correspondence.
Correspondence that contains information of technical merit or
thought-provoking ideas along technical lines is selected for this
column. Topics might range from tutorial presentations to
discussions of technical principles to "idea" presentations of
unproven but likely or feasible concepts, if related to
techniques used in or applied to Amateur Radio. Letters of
constructive criticism concerning recent *QST* articles also are
candidates for the column.
     Address mail for this column to the Technical Correspondence
Editor. Technical Correspondence authors receive no compensation
for the publication of their material in *QST*.

Feature General-Interest Articles

     Although *QST* publishes many different types of general-
interest articles, the ones most likely to be accepted for
publication are those that help readers get the most enjoyment
out of Amateur Radio. Articles we're looking for include those
describing
     * how to make the most of operating from an apartment
     * how to select station accessories
     * how to assist local towns with their emergency
communications needs
     * how to get involved with traffic-handling through NTS
     * how to get young people interested in taking a class to
earn an Amateur Radio license
     * how you (or someone you know of) overcame a disability or
other limitation to get on the air
     * how to set up a station for under $200.
     * a particularly noteworthy Amateur Radio adventure or
experience
     Novice Notes is a regular feature of *QST* that is written at
a level beginners of all ages can understand and enjoy. Articles
usually explore a specific subject in just enough detail to
convey the information. These articles are usually kept to two or
three published pages. If you would like to write a Novice Notes
article, refer to recent installments to make sure your subject
hasn't been covered.
     Another feature is *QST* Profiles. Although this column is
written by the *QST* staff, we are always looking for new subjects.
If you know of an amateur who has accomplished something
extraordinary, either in the electronics field or in another
area, please let us know about him or her.
     If you have an idea for an article, but would like some
reassurance before writing it, drop a line to the *QST* Managing
Editor. He will let you know whether the subject is one that
would have a good chance of being accepted for publication. Send
completed manuscripts for general-interest feature articles to the
*QST* Managing Editor as well.

*HOW YOUR ARTICLE IS PROCESSED*

     All general-interest articles are acknowledged on receipt by
the Managing Editor. Manuscripts are then circulated to an
editorial committee, which makes one of the following decisions:
Accept as a feature article; accept for Up Front in *QST*, another
column or as a Strays item; accept for use in a League
publication other than *QST*; hold for possible future use; or
return with thanks. You are then notified about the decision,
usually within a month of receipt of the manuscript. If the
material has been accepted, the cover letter will specify where
it will be published (in *QST*, the *Field Forum* newsletter or *The
ARRL Operating Manual*, for example). Once you sign and return the
release form that accompanies the acceptance letter, we will
begin preparing the material for publication. For more
information, see The Release Form, earlier in this Guide.

*LEAD TIME*

     No publication date can be promised. Minimum lead time for
feature general-interest articles is three months. General-interest
articles accepted for *QST* are usually published between three
months and a year after acceptance. Some of the material accepted
for use in *QST* may be used later in other ARRL publications, such
as *The ARRL Operating Manual*. You will be given credit in such
cases.

General- and Special-Interest Columns

     All the regular columns in *QST* have editors (conductors) who
are responsible for column content. A column editor may or may
not work at League Headquarters.
     Occasionally, a column conductor will choose to publish
someone else's material. For example, the Public Service column
may contain a well-thought-out opinion on the correct way to
operate during an emergency, or The World Above 50 MHz may
feature a contributed piece on the usefulness of VHF/UHF
beacons.
     All material submitted for possible publication in *QST* is
given due consideration. Manuscripts that reflect the author's
views of a certain aspect of Amateur Radio, however, are rarely
used as full-fledged feature articles; this is the type of
material that is, on occasion, accepted for publication in a *QST*
column or in another, specialized, League publication.

*UP FRONT IN* QST *AND STRAYS*

     *QST* welcomes news of interest to Amateur Radio operators
worldwide, although we must allocate the limited space available
to material that is of interest to the largest number of readers.
The amount of available space varies considerably. If your notice
or news item does not appear, please bear with us; it may show up
in the next month's issue. Or, it may not make it into print. We
have space in *QST* for only one tenth of the material we receive
for these columns.
     For Up Front in *QST* we prefer Amateur-Radio-in-action
photographs rather than staged awards presentations. We would
rather receive photographs of hams involved in the activities
that earned them an award than photos of awards presentations.
     If you have a news item for *QST*, mark Strays or Up Front in
*QST* on the outside of the envelope and at the top of the first
page. If you want to have material (such as a photo) returned,
let us know, and please enclose a self-addressed, stamped
envelope. If the material is timely and should appear in a
specific issue, write the preferred issue date at the top of the
first page. The deadline is the first of the second month before
the issue date (a timely item must arrive at HQ before September
1 to be included in November *QST*, for example).
     Strays items submitted for consideration are normally
acknowledged, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will appear
in *QST*.

Compensation

     The League compensates authors of certain material published
in *QST* according to these guidelines:
     * Payment will be made for *QST* articles and Hints and Kinks
items. Payment for articles will be at the rate of $65 per
published page, or part thereof, including photographs, drawings
and other related material. Authors of Hints and Kinks items will
be compensated at the rate of $20 per published item.
     * Payment will be made upon publication.
     * ARRL and IARU officials (officers, directors and vice
directors as well as officials of IARU member-societies), and
authors of ARRL National Convention articles are not eligible for
compensation.
     * For authors who are presently under contract to the League
(such as Contributing Editors), the provisions of the contract,
and not this policy, apply.
     * If you are a US citizen or a resident alien, we must have
your social security number before payment can be made.
     * All rights to the published material are reserved to The
American Radio Relay League.

Awards

     The ARRL awards a *QST* Cover Plaque each month. Members of
the Board of Directors select the article that they judge to be
the best in each issue. The author of that article receives an
attractive wall plaque, which includes a copy of the *QST* cover.
The author's name and call sign are included on the plaque.
     The ARRL Technical Excellence Award is bestowed for the best
technical article of the year. This award winner is also selected
by the Board of Directors. (Articles published in any League
periodical are eligible.) The award, a large pewter cup, bears
the author's name and call sign along with the year of the
award.
     All *QST* authors are sent a certificate, which includes the
author's name and call sign, article title and issue of
publication. In addition, authors are sent three complimentary
copies of the issue in which their article appears. Tear sheets
or reprints in quantity are not available from ARRL HQ.

*QEX*: The ARRL Experimenter's Exchange

     Since its inception in 1981, *QEX* has become an authoritative
and highly respected "experimenter's exchange" throughout the
Amateur Radio community. Articles accepted for publication in
*QEX* are highly technical, and are directed toward an audience
well versed in the electronics field. Papers on packet-radio
experiments, digital-signal processing, VHF/UHF projects, the
amateur satellite program, and news of technological
breakthroughs beneficial to Amateur Radio are welcome.
     *QEX* articles may be theoretical or practical, and may deal
with subjects not heretofore adequately explored. Letters for the
*QEX* Correspondence column are also welcomed.
     Address your potential *QEX* article to the *QEX* Editor at ARRL
HQ. Manuscripts sent for *QEX* evaluation are reviewed in the same
manner as those submitted for publication in the technical pages
of *QST*. All authors are compensated at the rate of $50 per
published page. (There is no compensation for published letters,
however.)

*NCJ*: The National Contest Journal

     Contesting is one of the most enjoyable facets of Amateur
Radio, but contesters tend to work hard while they're enjoying
themselves! When they're not working hard at having fun, many
contesters read *NCJ*.
     If you've got a contesting or DXing story to relate to other
experienced contesters or DXers, or you've found a way to squeeze
a few more dB out of your antenna (or otherwise improve your
station), your material may be just what the *NCJ* editor is
looking for. For more information about writing for *NCJ*, contact
its editor, Tom Taormina, K5RC, at PO Box 800228, Houston, TX
77280-0228.

*The ARRL Author's Guide, Electronic Edition*, rev 5/28/92--end