Thursday, May 10

9:00 am – Opening remarks by NASB, DRM USA and RFA officials

9:15 am – Technical overview of Radio Free Asia by David Baden, RFA Chief Technical Officer

9:45 am – Tour of Radio Free Asia

10:30 am – Coffee Break

11:00 am – Radio Free Asia Audience Research, by Betsy Henderson, Director of Research for RFA

12:00-1:00 pm – Lunch break

1:00 pm – DRM USA Seminars – Speakers will include:

Adil Mina of Continental Electronics and the DRM Consortium Steering Board, who will have the latest news from the DRM General Assembly in London which takes place in late March and the NAB Convention in mid-April, as well as the latest information about DRM receivers.

Charles Jacobson from the HCJB Global Technology Center in Indiana, who will provide updates on DRM conversion of HCJB's HC100 shortwave transmitters, DRM tests and evaluation with which HCJB is helping in Ecuador, the DRM diversity receiver project at LeTourneau University.

5:00 pm – End of DRM USA meeting

Friday, May 11

9:00-9:15 am – Official opening of meeting

9:15-9:45 am – VOA Reporter's Journal – by Dan Robinson, Chief White House Correspondent for the Voice of America (subject to preemption due to breaking news or presidential travel)

9:45-10:15 am – Media on the Move: Smartphone apps that help broadcasters and Engineers - by AJ Janitschek, Director of Program and Operation Support, RFA

10:15-10:45 am – Coffee Break

10:45-11:15 am – Dr. Dowell Chow, President of NASB member Adventist World Radio

11:15 am-11:45 pm – Shortwave for Good – Thomas Witherspoon explains his initiative for shortwave radio to support educational efforts worldwide

11:45 am-12:00 pm – FCC Update from Tom Lucey – introduction of Ms. Shahnaz Ghavami, Tom's new backup; new license applications; decline of some European broadcasting organizations; questions and answers

12:00-12:05 pm – WRC Update – Dr. Donald Messer will have a brief report on agenda item 1.15 at the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2012 (high frequency oceanographic radar system) and the preliminary agenda for the next WRC

12:05-1:00 pm – Lunch break

1:00-1:15 pm – An Introduction to Antenna Products, NASB's newest associate member, by Mark Allen

1:15-1:30 pm – NASB Spanish Shortwave Listener Survey Results – presented by Dr. Jerry Plummer of NASB member station WWCR

1:30-4:00 pm – NASB Annual Business Meeting – Invitation to next year's meeting in Birmingham, financial reports, board of directors elections, etc.

4:00 pm – End of NASB meeting. (The newly-elected NASB Board members will have a brief meeting from approximately 4:00-4:30 pm.)

Location: The 2012 Meeting will take place May 10 and 11, 2012 at the headquarters of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036 USA.

Registration: Registration for the meeting is free of charge, and it is open to anyone with an interest in shortwave broadcasting or listening. To register, send your name and e-mail address to Jeff White at radiomiami9@cs.com.

Conference Hotel – Although the meetings will be held at Radio Free Asia, the NASB has arranged a special hotel rate of $99.00 per night (plus tax) at the Country Inn & Suites in Camp Springs, Maryland – just outside of Washington, near Andrews Air Force Base. This rate is for a room with one king-size bed. Rooms with two double beds are available for $134.00 plus tax. These rates are guaranteed until April 9, 2012.

Those who are flying to Reagan National Airport in Washington can take the DC Metro system from the airport to the Branch Avenue Metro station, where a free hotel shuttle will pick you up and take you to the hotel. Benjamin Jonas and Rick Barnes of VOA explain that while participants can, in fact, get from Reagan National Airport to Branch Avenue via the Metro system, it requires a change of trains at the “L’Enfant” Metro station. NASB/DRM participants at Reagan National Airport need to catch a Yellow Line train that is not going towards “Huntington” (at different day parts it is “Mt Vernon,” “Fort Toten” or “Greenbelt”) and get off at the “L’Enfant” Metro station. Then, they need to catch a Green Line train bound for “Branch Avenue” and take it all the way to the end.

Here is the DC Metro System map:

The hotel offers a free hot breakfast and free high-speed Internet access. The hotel address is: 4950 Mercedes Blvd., Camp Springs, MD 20746. Telephone +1-240-492-1070. Fax +1-240-492-1089. The hotel's reservations line, which is toll-free in the US and Canada, is +1-800-596-2375. To get the special NASB conference rate, call the hotel and ask for the NASB rate when you make your reservation. You must guarantee your reservation with a credit card. Reservations can be canceled until two days before arrival with no penalty.

Most meeting participants will arrive on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 (since the meeting will begin at 9 am on May 10) and will depart on May 11 after the meeting ends in the afternoon, depending on flight arrangements. You can also make a reservation by e-mailing Ms. Ranak Patel, Director of Marketing at the hotel. Her e-mail is: ranak.patel@countryinns.com. If you have any problem making a reservation at the NASB rate, please contact Jeff White at radiomiami9@cs.com and we will help you make the reservation or make it for you.

Transportation from the hotel to Radio Free Asia will be possible by a combination of the free hotel shuttle and a low-cost Metro ticket to a station near Radio Free Asia.

Sponsorship – Sponsors are being sought for the Thursday and Friday lunches at the Annual Meeting. If your company would like to sponsor a lunch, contact Jeff White at radiomiami9@cs.com.