QRZ! Ham Radio 4/QRZ Ham Radio Callsign Database - Volume 4.iso/files/arrl/hiram/ltr12n2.txt

Text File | 1994-11-27 | 23KB | 443 lines

The ARRL Letter
Vol. 12, No. 2
January 27, 1993

Board Backs Continued D.C. Initiative, Status of CW; Shelves Name
Change Idea

     At its annual meeting January 15 and 16 the ARRL Board of
Directors tackled several important items, including
recommendations for rules regarding HF autoforwarding of digital
data, suggestions that the name of the ARRL be changed, and
directing initiatives in Washington to make national legislators
more aware of Amateur Radio.
     For the first time in several years the meeting was held in
a locale other Connecticut, namely in Jacksonville, Florida. The
board subsequently voted to ask the president to investigate
holding the 1994 January meeting somewhere other than
Connecticut.
     In addition to all directors and officers and the usual
Headquarters staff members, a large number of vice directors --
15 of 18, attended as observers. Two new vice directors, Dennis
Bodson, W4PWF, for the Roanoke Division, and Art Goddard, W6XD,
for the Southwestern, were welcomed.

Morse code backed

     The board passed a resolution for continued support for
Morse code proficiency for amateurs operating below 30 MHz, as
presently required by international law.
     Citing the code's longevity as a license requirement and its
ability to overcome language barriers, the board not only went on
record as supporting the existing international regulation
regarding CW but instructed "all ARRL representatives to continue
to insist before all national and international bodies that there
be no modification of the present Morse code proficiency
[requirement] below 30 MHz."
     In the matter of a possible name change, the board simply
abandoned further consideration of the idea. Voting *not* to
abandon the study were Directors Mark, Mendelsohn and Heyn.
     The League's Washington group was "authorized to seek formal
recognition by the 103rd Congress of the role played by the
Amateur Radio Service as a national resource in preparation for
and relief from disasters, and for technical progress in
electronics." A decision on whether to pursue the Amateur Radio
Spectrum Protection Act in the new Congress was deferred for the
time being.

HF autoforwarding

     The Board considered recommendations of the ARRL Digital
Committee regarding the matter of HF autoforwarding (December
*QST*, page 90). 12 of 15 directors favored the committee's
recommendations, with the following changes:
     1. Eliminate the proposed 160 meter subband;
     2. Narrow the proposed 40 and 15 meter subbands to reduce
the impact on Novice and Technician licensees;
     3. Delete provisions for so-called "semi-automatic
operation" which, under the committee's recommendations, would
have been permitted anywhere that digital operation was
authorized.
     The Board instructed the League's general counsel to file a
petition for rule making with the FCC, combining the IARU Region
2 band plan adopted last September with the Digital Committee's
(modified) recommendations.
     Directors Butler, Heyn, and Comstock vote in opposition to
the proposal.
     ARRL officers reported on their activities the past year,
virtually all of which were summarized in the last issue of *The
ARRL Letter*.
     EVP Sumner noted that strong *QST* advertising revenues have
recently permitted larger, more colorful issues of the journal,
including the largest issue ever, November, with 256 pages, and
the debut in February of "New Ham Horizons." (The number of
amateurs aged 7-17 has increased 31% in just one year, to 21,000,
Sumner said).
     In the area of membership services, mechanisms now are in
place to eliminate the DXCC backlog in 1993 and the enhanced W1AW
bulletin program originated 324 bulletins in 1992, more than
twice previous years' totals.
     In Field Services, a major restructuring of the amateur
auxiliary is underway, in response stepped-up enforcement by FCC.
     Chief Financial Officer Barry J. Shelley said that lower-
than-expected (book sales were offset by increased membership
income and advertising.

Growth in Foundation funds

     The ARRL Foundation's funds have increased by more than
$51,000, 10 per cent over the previous year. The Foundation
celebrates its 20th anniversary in 1993.
     The Board created a contingency Building Fund to provide for
future repair and maintenance of the Headquarters building and
facilities, with an initial funding from 1992 revenues of
$50,000.
     In a change to field organization procedures, disputes over
the "qualifications, campaign, balloting or ballot-counting
pertaining to a Section Manager election" will be adjudicated by
the Board's Election Committee.
     The National Convention Committee will continue plans for
the first League-conducted national convention, scheduled for
1995. So far the Committee has endorsed using outside contractors
to manage the conventions, using staff personnel for conducting
educational programs; and rotating the sites of ARRL national
conventions between three or four cities. The 1993 National will
be held in Hunstville, Alabama; the 1994 in Arlington, Texas.
     Elected to the League's Executive Committee for one-year
terms were Directors Mendelsohn, Harrison, Quiat and Mark. Gene
Hastings, W1VRK, John Kanode, N4MM, and Paul Grauer, W0FIR, were
elected as Directors of the ARRL Foundation.
     Appointments for 1993 were made to the following committees:
Administration and Finance;
Membership Services;
Volunteer Resources;
Election;
Ad Hoc Committee on Spectrum Management;
Ad Hoc Committee on Amateur Auxiliary;
Ad Hoc Committee on National Conventions;
SAREX Working Group;
RFI Task Group: Bioeffects;
Public Relations;
Long Range Planning;
Digital; Future Systems;
Industry Advisory Council:
Contest Advisory;
DX Advisory;
Public Service Advisory;
VHF Repeater Advisory;
ad VHF/UHF Advisory Committee.
     Eligibility for the offices of League director, vice
director, president, vice president, and treasurer was clarified
to require full League membership (and an amateur license) for a
continuous period of at least four years immediately preceding
nomination and throughout the subsequent term of office. This
amended Article 11 of the League's by-laws.
     An ad hoc committee will be appointed to analyze current
computer usage and requirements at Headquarters and will report
its findings to the Board in July.
     Bill Tynan, W3XO, and Jerry Hall, K1TD, were honored. Tynan
wrote *QST*'s "World Above 50 MHz" column for 18 years, retiring
in November, 1992, and Associate Technical Editor Hall retired in
November after 25 years as a Headquarters staff member.
     And the ARRL-VEC was instructed to develop a plan for
ensuring adequate volunteer examination opportunities in Alaska
in time for the July meeting.

NATIONAL CONTEST JOURNAL TO SEE CHANGE OF EDITORS

     A change of editors is in the works for the ARRL's *National
Contest Journal*. Stepping down effective with the July/August
issue after four years is current editor Tom Taormina, K5RC, of
Bellville, Texas. He will be replaced by Trey Garlough, WN4KKN,
who lives in Santa Cruz, Calif.
     Trey, who is 29, got his Novice license in 1974 at age 10.
His parents were both amateurs, although inactive. Local hams
took Trey under their wings, especially long-time DXer and
contester Tom Russell, N4KG, who loaned the young Trey a rig in
time for the ARRL Novice Roundup. Trey still signs the same call
today!
     After getting a bachelors degree in computer science from
the University of Texas at Austin, Trey worked at the UT-Austin
Computation Center for nine years as a systems analyst. He then
journeyed west to join the technical staff of TGV, Inc., a vendor
of networking products for Digital's VAX and Alpha computers.
     In 1987 Trey joined the *NCJ* as a contributing editor,
managing the North American Sprint (CW) contest, among other
jobs. Asked what his goals will be as editor of the *NCJ*, Trey
said, "I hope to contribute to the continued success the *NCJ*
has experienced under the stewardship of Tom Taormina, K5RC (paid
subscriptions up 25 per cent in the past four years - ed).
     "I want to broaden the scope of the magazine to include more
items also of interest to readers beyond the U.S. and Canada, and
to encourage more foreign readers to share their perspectives
with us."
     Trey doesn't have a station of his own, but he gets around,
operating from N5AU, W6QHS, K1AR, 9V1YC, ZP0Y, or HC8N in recent
years.  Typical of many contesters, he gets his radio in massive
weekend fixes.
     "Contests act as a focal point for on-the-air amateur
activity, much like 'activity nights' on the UHF bands," he said.
"As such, they permit me to enjoy the magic of wireless while
minimizing the amount of time spent indoors."
     Tom Taormina, meanwhile, will stay busy with his new
business, Productivity Resources, as well as operating from home
and helping in the construction of a new "super station" nearby.

COMMISSION FINES AMATEUR $10,000 FOR INTERFERENCE

     The FCC's Kingville, Texas office, has issued a Notice of
Apparent Liability to an amateur for a whopping $10,500.
     Richard L. Whiten, WB2OTK, 46, of Taylors, South Carolina,
was cited for "willful and malicious interfering transmissions"
monitored by the FCC on September 26, 1992, on 14314.7 KHz.
     Whiten, a General class licensee, was issued the NAL two
days later. In his reply     to the FCC he did not, according to
the Commission, dispute making the transmissions, but he "denied
that his signals constituted willful, malicious interference,
because, he says in his letter, if he truly wanted to willfully
and maliciously interfere he could have done so to such an extent
that communications between other amateur radio operators would
have been impossible; that his comments were not disruptive; that
his statements were innocuous, that he was recognized and spoken
to by the other amateur operators, and that he was the victim of
entrapment by the other operators."
     The FCC did not buy this argument, and noted that Whiten
already had received two previous NALs, on January 28, 1991 and
July 12, 1991, for the same rules violation.
     The FCC's "base amount" fine for willful interference is
$7,000; in this case the fine was raised 50 per cent "in view of
Mr. Whiten's repeated violations."

Hams Help Bail Out Remote California Town

     During the recent rains in California the tiny community of
DeLuz, north of Fallbrook and midway between San Diego and Los
Angeles, lost all power, telephones, water and all major roads
were blocked by flooding. Only those with 4-wheel drive vehicles
making their own roads as they went were able to get in and out.
     Many individuals left their DeLuz homes in the morning to go
to work and found it impossible to return in the evening. Many
were concerned about the spouses and children they had left
behind, and about their homes.
     The San Diego *Union* called DeLuz "An island of chaos,"
where "every access road was demolished by flooding." DeLuz lost
dozens of roads, and had no electricity or water for five days
beginning January 15.
     Fortunately, an amateur in DeLuz, George Shippey, N6YMH,
activated his 2-meter station and began running emergency traffic
via the Fallbrook repeater autopatch, the only 2-meter repeater
that can be reached from DeLuz. This repeater belongs to     61-
year-old Art Rideout, WA6IPD, a self-employed electrical
engineer, who home-brewed the repeater after the 1989 Loma Prieta
earthquake "because I was concerned that in the event of an
emergency the community would not have communications. In this
area we could not reliably access any 2-meter repeaters. I also
provided an autopatch, all free for local amateurs," Rideout
said.
     Soon, Marv Druskoff, K2VIV, took control from the Fallbrok
end and, because of the large volume of communications,
established his base of operations at the Fallbrook Fire Station.
     The *Union* reported that "With DeLuz cut off from the rest
of the world, the sole communication has come from George
Shippey's ham radio."
     On the hour and sometimes on the half hour, communicatons
were established with Shippey to confirm that loved ones were
safe and that people on medication had adequate supplies. Where
necessary, helicopters were directed in to provide necessary
supplies. Numerous other amateurs were involved with the
emergency communications but Druskoff continuously manned his
station for 72 hours, handling communications originating from
the Fallbrook Fire Department and the sheriff's station.
     "Since Sunday," said the *Union*, "Shippey has manned the
radio from morning until night, providing a crucial link between
stranded residents and the outside world.
     "The 69-year-old retired salesman has braved washed-out
roads and mudslides, checking on residents in need of drinking
water, food or medicine. In many cases, he simply checked on
folks whose friends and relatives have relayed messages via his
radio," the paper said.
     "Because of Shippey and another ham, Marv Druskoff,
residents in need of insulin received some, thanks to a sheriff's
helicopter," the *Union* said. "Another resident, requiring
kidney dialysis treatment, was to be flown to a hospital because
of information relayed between Shippey and Druskoff."
     Fallbrook sheriff's Sgt. Derek Cook told the Oceanside
*Blade-Citizen* that "Without [Shippey], we wouldn't know
anything about anything."
     North County Fire Protection District Capt. Milt Davies gave
his view of radio amateurs to the *Blade Citizen*: "Once again,
the hams come through and save the day. They're the ones to rely
on when all the copper wires and cell phones go down."
     Amateur Radio participation in the DeLuz rescue effort came
to a close on Friday, January 22, according to Rideout, after
telephone service was finally established. Amateur Radio had been
the main means of communications for eight days, most of that
time the only means of communications for the remote community.
     Amateurs established communications for RACES, the local
fire department, the sheriff's office, Red Cross, the U.S.
Forestry Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA).
     All of the communications were handled over the WA6IPD 2-
meter repeater in Fallbrook, since no other reliable
communications systems were available. Some cellular telephones
were used but without a.c. power to charge the batteries they
were of limited use.
     Helicopters were in short supply, according to Rideout. "Our
next door neighbor, the Marine base at Camp Pendleton, usually
responds to local emergencies, but they experienced major
flooding and most helicopters had been under water," Rideout
said.
     Finally on Friday the Air National Guard came in with their
helicopters and dropped water tanks, medical supplies, and food.
     At the height of the rescue effort nine amateurs were
helicoptered into DeLuz to provide communications. One amateur,
Ellen Utschig, N6UWW, who is active in RACES, established a base
station at a DeLuz Forestry Station that had been closed for the
winter. She stayed for several days and operated her station 24
hours a day. She was finally evacuted with her radio equipment on
Friday afternoon.
     George Shippey summed up the amateurs' spirit: "The only
thing I want to do is to make sure people are OK," he told the
*Union* in an interview via his ham radio.

BRIEFS

     * The ARRL Eductional Activities Department now has an 800
number for prospective new amateurs: 800-32NewHam (800-326-3942).
Staff members will answer calls and questions from 8 a.m. to 5
p.m. EST Monday-Friday; an answering machine will be on the line
at other times. The number is *excludively for the use of
prospective amateurs.

     * "220 Notes," a periodical for afficianados of the 222 MHz
band, is looking for new management. Editor/publisher Art Reis,
K9XI, and Walt Altus, AA9AW, looking for a breather, have put out
the four-times-per-year newssheet for 11 years; "That's four
times longer than the average lifespan for Amateur Radio
newsletters like ours," Reis, 44, says.
     "Ideally," Reis says, "we would like to see "220 NOTES" be
carried on by someone (or several someones) who is active on the
222 MHz band, who will have the time to devote to this
enterprise, and who has the Amateur Radio savvy to produce or
improve the quality of product our readership has come to expect.
We can be there for a little time after a transfer to help with
the technical production questions, and I personally might be
able to contribute an occasional article or two to help fill the
pages, but I simply cannot continue with the grind of putting a
newsletter together anymore."
     If you're interested, contact AA9AW at W6539 Birch St.,
Onalaska, WI 54650.

     * Nominations are being solicited for the Pacific Division
Amateur of the Year award. Send a SASE to Director Chuck
McConnell, W6DPD, for nomination guidelines. Deadline for
nominations is September 1, 1993.

     * Although the DX Advisory Committee has yet to recommend
DXCC status for the new Czech and Slovak Republics, the two will
count as separate multipliers in the upcoming ARRL International
DX Contest. Czech use the prefixes OK and OL; Slovaks sign OM.
     The move to reconfigure multipliers in the Contest before
DXCC recognition is a precedent. According to Membership Services
Manager Chuck Hutchinson, K8CH, the unresolved question before
the DXAC is is whether to make two new DXCC entities (deleting
Czechoslovakia) or to retain Czechoslovakia and add one.
     In other DXCC news, the "start date" for 5-band DXCC has
been moved back from its original January 1, 1969, to November
15, 1945, the start date for Mixed and Phone DXCC and for single
band awards (10, 40, 80, 160, 2 meters).
     "A change in the start date for CW DXCC is not planned for
the forseeable future," the ARRL said in a news release.
     Finally, the board at its meeting voted to implement field
checking of DXCC endorsements at the "earliest appropriate time."
(currently only initial DXCC applications may be checked in the
field).

     * The Foundation for Amateur Radio has opened nominations
for its 1993 scholarships (for the 1993-'94 academic year). 47
scholarships are planned, five of them funded by FAR and the
remaining 42 by various donors and administered by the
Foundation.
     The awards range from $500 to $2,000, and clubs are
encouraged to pass the word among their younger licensed amateur
members.
     For application forms write before April 30 to FAR
Scholarships, 6903 Rhode Island Ave., College Park MD 20740.

     * The Tucson Amateur Packet Radio group will hold its annual
meeting March 6 and 7 in Tucson. ARRL Senior Engineer Jon Bloom
will present a workshop on digital signal processing, a short
course bridging the gap between complex (modulated) signals and
computer programming.
     The meeting will be held at the Tucson Airport Best Western
motel. For more information, contact the TAPR office, PO Box
12925, Tucson AZ 85732; 602-749-9479 (10-3, Tue-Fri) or fax to
602-749-5636.

     * A story about SAREX in the December 24, 1992 issue of *The
ARRL Letter* had the scheduled launch date for STS-55 wrong. It's
February 25, 1993.

     * The South African Department of Posts and
Telecommunications has scrapped a long-standing rule that
amateurs must complete 200 contacts or a year of CW before
receiving radiotelephone privileges. Now amateurs there get
'phone privileges immediately after passing their 12 wpm exams.
The government acted on a petition by the South African Radio
League.

     * Australia has completed its first year of using volunteer
examiners to administer amateur exams. More than 400 examiners
have been accredited and more than 3,000 exams have been given to
some 2,000 candidates. 68 per cent of the examiners were found to
be members of the Wireless Institute of Australia (the national
organization); the average pass rate was 51.4 per cent.

     * ARRL will again this year have a booth at the National
Association of Broadcasters convention (Las Vegas, April 19-22).
Last year more than 600 "radio and TV hams" stopped by to say
hello, according to ARRL Public Information Officer Steve
Mansfield, N1MZA.

     * And the Amateur Radio Industry Advisory Committee journeys
to south Florida again this year for their annual meeting
(February 5, at the Miami Marriott, site of the Miami Hamboree
that weekend). If you'd like to make a presentation to the group,
contact Mike Forsyth at 913-422-4646 (fax [phone]).

     * Best-selling author and television documentary star Cliff
Stoll, K7TA, will be the featured speaker at the 1993 Dayton
HamVention banquet. Stoll, who wrote *The Cuckoo's Egg" in 1989
and later portrayed himself in an episode of Public Television's
"Nova," also was the subject of a *QST* profile in 1990.
     Stoll has a PhD in planetary science. In his spare time he
"pieces quilts, works 40 meter CW, and squeezes lumps of
bituminous coal into diamonds" (according to his Internet
announcement).

     * The board of directors of the German amateur society, the
Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC) has elected three interim
officers, to serve until regular elections are held in May, 1993.
The three, Horst Ellgering, DL9MH (president) and Jodi Elbers,
and Rolf Kadau, DJ3XV and DJ7CH (vice presidents), fill posts
vacant since last October, when the three officers then serving
were asked by the board to resign in a dispute over the handling
of proposed changes in Amateur Radio regulations in Germany.

     13-year-old Rick Cabral, KA1YZE, of South Dartmouth, Mass.,
as he appeared in the *Standard Times* of New Bedford last month.
In December Rick received a letter from Coast Guard Rear Admiral
J.D. Sipes, commending him for his role in a sea rescue October
30. "Without your rapid response," Sipes said, "darkness and
deteriorating weather combined with the lack of communications
could have produced a much different outcome."
     While talking to his father, Richard, who is KA1YZF, Rick
heard a distress call from Dave Dextrader, KD1GH, one of three
people on Aeolian II with a dead engine. Young Rick patched the
boaters to the Coast Guard, who effected the rescue, the
*Standard Times* reported.
     "There's really not too many emergencies," Rick told the
newspaper. "I'm just glad I could help."

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