Monster Media 1996 #15/Monster Media Number 15 (Monster Media)(July 1996).ISO/ham/arrl.zip/ARRL0426.TXT

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The ARRL Letter
Electronic Update
April 26, 1996
__________________________________

IN THIS UPDATE:

* FCC drops pilot RFI program
* H-Ts okay at Olympics after all
* FCC proposes 5 GHZ spectrum for wireless LANs
* FCC denies W5YI petition
* Action by Skywarn hams saves lives in NC tornado
* "Sparks" victim of satellite system
* Solar update
* In Brief: Vanity call sign status; DO-17 still down;
   Scouts take to the mall; SUNSAT satellite launch set

__________________________________

FCC DROPS PILOT RFI PROGRAM

The FCC has quietly ended a pilot program in Tampa, Florida, that referred
consumer-electronics interference cases to a local repair shop for
resolution. Jim Dailey, the FCC engineer in charge in Kansas City and head
of the FCC's privatization task force, says the FCC's data showed the
program "had no takers" because the complainants did not want to spend money
to eliminate the interference.

Fear was another reason, says Roy Lewis, W4WLY, whose Vulcan Electronics in
Tampa was the only shop certified by the FCC (from August 1995 until
February 1996) to deal with interference problems. Lewis reports that all of
the approximately two dozen complaints of RFI to televisions, stereos,
telephones and even air conditioners, stemmed from unlicensed, high-power
operations that the customers already had identified. He said the customers
not only didn't want to pay to have the problems resolved, "they were afraid
of retaliation if I went out there."

In an April Public Notice, the Commission said it cannot resolve most of the
thousands of complaints of interference to TVs, radios, stereos and
televisions "because the cause of this interference is the design or
construction of these products and not a violation of any FCC rule."
Resolving interference problems will be the responsibility of manufacturers
and consumers, Dailey said. "We are separating the issue of interference
from the issue of compliance. We are not in the television or telephone
repair business." Daily said consumers who buy an electronic device "have a
presumption that it ought to work when they buy it."

The FCC's Telephone Interference Bulletin encourages consumers experiencing
telephone interference to write equipment manufacturers, and it even
provides a sample complaint letter to make it easy.

Lewis said the consumers complaining about RFI problems believe the
government should do something about it. Extremely high-powered 11-meter
operations are common in the Tampa area, Lewis reports. He said the
scofflaws often cascade several illegal power amplifiers to obtain extremely
high power levels, and he'd like to see the FCC beef up enforcement, "at
least in metro areas."

In the same Public Notice, the Commission emphasized that its Compliance and
Information Bureau "will continue to take appropriate enforcement action
where it has been determined that the interference is caused by violations
of the Communications Act or the Commission's rules or policies."

ARRL Lab Supervisor Ed Hare, KA1CV, says he's cautiously optimistic about
the FCC's stance on interference, as reflected in the Public Notice. "I
truly hope the Commission's statement represents a shift in the way the FCC
will handle these matters," he said. But he noted that the FCC has not taken
"appropriate enforcement action" in any of the cases referred to Lewis'
shop. Ralph Barlow, engineer in charge of the FCC's Tampa office, agrees
that such illegal operators generate lots of interference complaints, but
says it would take more than complaints before his office would treat it as
a compliance issue. For example, a properly operating amplifier could cause
telephone interference, but "it's still the telephone's problem," he
suggested, until the FCC has good reason to believe the interference source
also is breaking the law. Then, "we would address it only as a compliance
issue" and on a priority basis. "Which probably means we'd never get to it,"
Barlow conceded. Tracking down an offending operator can sap a lot of
resources the FCC needs to apply elsewhere, he said. "We go after the worst
first."

Dailey concurred that the FCC's staff is thinly spread and that other
issues--primarily those involving safety--come first. After the FCC's
reorganization is complete, he'll have one person for each of the four
states in his region. "We have to look at what we can accomplish with the
resources available to us," he said.

Hare says the ARRL will continue to cooperate with the FCC and manufacturers
in cases of interference that involve Amateur Radio.

The FCC provides basic consumer information about interference problems via
the Internet on the FCC Compliance and Information Bureau's home page at
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Compliance/WWW. (The list also is available
through the Commission's Fax on Demand service at 202-418-2830. Request
document 6904.) Documents available for viewing and downloading include the
Interference Handbook and the Telephone Interference Bulletin. The
Interference Handbook includes a list of equipment manufacturers who provide
specific assistance with interference problems.

The ARRL makes available several RFI-information packages through its
Technical Information Service. Specific packages are available for
interference to TV, cable, VCRs, telephone, computer and audio equipment as
well as on electrical and automotive interference. Each package costs $2 for
ARRL members and $4 for nonmembers, postpaid. Write to the ARRL Technical
Department Secretary, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. Most are also
available on the Hiram BBS (860-594-0306) or the ARRL FTP site
ftp://oak.oakland.edu/pub/hamradio/arrl/infoserv/tech.

HOLD THE PHONE: H-Ts WELCOME IN OLYMPIC VENUES AFTER ALL

The latest word from Atlanta is that Amateur Radio will be welcome at the
Olympics this summer after all. ARRL Southeastern Division Assistant
Director Jim Altman, N4UCK, reports that ham equipment, including hand-held
transceivers, is not on the list of items excluded from Olympic events.
"There was some thought at one time of banning all communications devices,
including cellulars," Altman said. He said he had assurances "straight from
the horse's mouth" that H-Ts would not be banned from Olympic venues, as had
been announced earlier and confirmed by Michael Smalls of the Atlanta
Committee for the Olympic Games' technology department.

Altman said he's been in close contact with the top security people in ACOG
in his capacity as head of the ad hoc group under the ARRL umbrella that's
coordinating the Amateur Radio volunteer force for the games in July, and
the security heads have assured him that ham radio H-Ts--as well as CB
transceivers and cellular telephones--will not be kept out and may be used
in Olympic venues. Altman said not only will ham radio be allowed through
the gates, hundreds of ham radio volunteers will provide "contingency
communications" to support the security force's radio system. He expects to
have approximately 350 ham radio volunteers.

Altman had no explanation for the earlier, contradictory announcement, but
he did offer a word of caution:  "ACOG's decision-making process changes
daily. This is the state of affairs today," he said.  "But I don't see any
indication that it will change."

FCC PROPOSES 5-GHZ SPECTRUM FOR WIRELESS LANS, INTERNET ACCESS

The FCC has adopted a Notice of Proposed Rule Making to make available 350
MHz of spectrum at 5.15-5.35 GHz and 5.725-5.875 GHz for use by so-called
NII/SUPERNet devices. The spectrum includes part of the shared Amateur Radio
allocation at 5.65-5.925 GHz. The unlicensed devices provide short-range,
high-speed wireless digital information transfer and could support new
wireless local area networks (LANs) and facilitate access to the Internet.
The proposal is in response to Petitions for Rule Making from Wireless
Information Networks Forum (WINForum) and Apple Computer Inc.

The FCC has proposed regulating NII/SUPERNet devices under its Part 15
rules. "Unlicensed Part 15 status would facilitate spectrum reuse and
provide protection to incumbent and proposed primary operations," the
Commission's announcement said. The Commission also has proposed only the
minimum technical standards necessary to prevent interference to other
unlicensed devices as well as to services already using those frequencies
and to ensure efficient spectrum use. Proposed rules specify power limits,
out-of-band emission limits and a basic "listen-before-talk" protocol.
Details of the proposed rules are not yet available, however, according to
ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, N3AKD. The FCC said it was encouraging
industry to develop additional standards it believes necessary.

In a separate statement, FCC Commissioner Susan Ness said such unlicensed
devices "can play a vital role in meeting established and incipient needs
for communications offering mobility, flexibility, versatility and economy."
She said she was "especially enthusiastic" about WINForum's proposal, and
said the proposal sets the FCC on a course that will "bring substantial
benefits, with no intrusive governmental intervention."

FCC DENIES W5YI PETITION TO END ONE-WAY TRANSMISSIONS

Citing overwhelming opposition, the FCC has denied a Petition for Rule
Making, RM-8626, filed last year by Frederick O. Maia, W5YI, that would have
prohibited one-way transmissions of bulletins and code practice--such as
those aired by W1AW--on frequencies below 30 MHz. Maia had argued that such
transmissions were outmoded and that some one-way, broadcast-type
transmissions have interrupted two-way communications already in progress.

Maia publishes the commercial newsletter the W5YI Report, manages the
W5YI-Volunteer Examiner Coordinator and publishes training materials for
amateurs.

When he filed his petition, Maia expressed concern over the level of anger
directed at certain one-way transmissions. "The proliferation of these
stations has caused chaos in the amateur community that has now reached
crisis proportions," he said.

The ARRL said that Maia's arguments were overstated and inflammatory, and
the League urged the FCC "in the strongest possible terms" to deny or
dismiss the petition without further consideration. The League cited W1AW's
65 years of free service to amateurs; other countries whose amateur
societies also conduct informational bulletins on the air; the absence of
any allegations that W1AW creates any significant interference to ongoing
amateur communication; and the value of W1AW's bulletins in alerting
amateurs to emergency situations.

The League said that "any on-air anger perceived by Maia" ought to be the
subject of FCC enforcement action, not rules changes, saying such situations
were the direct result of the Commission "allowing abuses to continue for
months and years" rather than addressing them in a timely manner in the
context of the existing rules.

The ARRL also said that W1AW code practice as a free alternative to Maia's
retail sale of code practice products "is sufficient rebuttal to the
allegation that the code practice has 'outlived its usefulness'."

During the comment period, the FCC said it received 371 comments opposing
Maia's request and 20 comments supporting it. While acknowledging some
disagreement about the propriety of one-way transmissions on HF bands, the
Commission said the overwhelming opposition to Maia's petition "persuades us
that the amateur service community continues to view the one-way information
bulletins and the text for telegraphy practice to be of great value to the
service."

SKYWARN HAMS SAVE LIVES DURING CAROLINA TORNADOS

Thanks to early eyewitness reports of tornado activity by Skywarn hams, no
lives were lost when tornadoes hit the Raleigh, North Carolina, suburb of
Zebulon around suppertime on April 15. The storms damaged or destroyed
nearly 100 homes and caused some minor injuries. Eyewitness reports of the
tornadoes on the Amateur Radio Skywarn network, intercepted and broadcast by
Raleigh TV stations, gave many people the few minutes they needed to take
cover.

The Skywarn network is a voluntary effort by Amateur Radio operators and
other weather spotters, working in cooperation  with the National Weather
Service. Because of a severe thunderstorm watch, the Raleigh Skywarn network
had been on the air since midday April 15, with an operator at the ham
station at the Raleigh NWS office. Just before 6 PM, sightings from hams on
the Skywarn system prompted a tornado warning from the weather service.
WRAL-TV monitored the Amateur Radio traffic and broadcast its own warning
before the official NWS warning.

The Skywarn net stayed on the air late into the evening, as a tornado watch
continued until 1 AM. Then, as telephone circuits in Zebulon were disrupted
and cellular channels became overloaded, Wake County Emergency Management
called in additional Amateur Radio operators to provide communication
between the county emergency operations center and several sites in Zebulon,
including emergency shelters.--Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, Raleigh Amateur Radio
Society; Wake County Amateur Radio Emergency Service

"SPARKS" GIVES WAY TO SATELLITES?

The nostalgic image of the shipboard Sparks getting the message through with
his trusty telegraph key took a reality hit April 5 when the FCC voted to
drop the requirement that vessels equipped with the Global Maritime Distress
and Safety System also carry manual Morse code radiotelegraph gear. The
Commission requested that Congress authorize the change, and it was included
in the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Previously, US-flag cargo vessels of more than 1600 gross tons and US-flag
passenger vessels were required to carry a manual Morse code radiotelegraph
installation when navigating in the open sea or on international voyages.
The radiotelegraph-based vessel safety system, however, is being phased out
internationally and is scheduled to be replaced by the GMDSS on February 1,
1999. Qualifying vessels won't have to carry CW equipment if the US Coast
Guard determines the vessel has GMDSS equipment installed and in good
working condition.

The rule change exempts GMDSS-equipped vessels from the radiotelegraph
requirement, provided that each vessel is inspected by the Commission or its
designee, and is issued a safety certificate or endorsement. The Commission
noted that the US Coast Guard intends to accept the safety certificate or
endorsement as evidence that the GMDSS has been installed and found to be
operating properly. The FCC says the action "will reduce economic burdens
for vessel operators, enhance worldwide competition in the shipping industry
by eliminating a requirement generally applicable to only US vessels and
increase safety at sea by promoting the timely implementation of the
GMDSS."--FCC

SOLAR UPDATE: MORE OF THE SAME

Solar observer Tad Cook, KT7H, reports that solar flux remained low during
mid-April, but the geomagnetic field was quite active, making conditions, in
a word, lousy. There were several more days of no sunspots, but frequent
periods with a K index of 4 and 5 increased absorption of radio waves. When
conditions stabilize, look for 30 and 40 meters to provide the best chance
of worldwide DX. As of this weekend, the K and A indices should be quite low
again, and though there won't be much ionizing radiation from the sun, at
least conditions will be stable.

Look for a return to unstable periods after May 10. Solar flux should stay
around 70 or lower, falling into the high 60s after April 26.

The 199 solar flux figure forecast for August 2000 (and reported earlier),
is a projected average for the month, and it is also a guess based upon
previous solar cycles. We hope that peak levels in the summer and fall of
that year will be higher on some days. Sunspot numbers for April 11 through
17, respectively, were 0, 13, 13, 0, 0, 12 and 14, with a mean of 7.4. The
10.7-cm flux was 68, 68.3, 68.8, 68.7, 68, 68.3 and 69.3, with a mean of
68.5.
__________________________________

In Brief:

* The long-awaited vanity call sign program is still in the works, but the
FCC has not yet announced when the program's various gates will open. As of
press time in late April, the FCC was saying it was still on track for a
mid-year start. According to the Commission, the delays have been a result
of having to deal with a second wave of Petitions for Reconsideration, and
wrapping up their computer-system preparations for the vanity call sign
program.--Bart Jahnke, KB9NM

* The DOVE-OSCAR 17 satellite remains down following problems first
experienced last December when an onboard computer apparently crashed. Jim
White, WD0E, of AMSAT reports that ground controllers have ruled out a few
hardware problems, but have come no closer to identifying the actual cause
of the satellite's onboard computer problems. "Work continues," White said.
"We are continuing to develop further ways to test the hardware." The
satellite is transmitting occasional packets on 145.825 MHz. DO-17 is not
transmitting on S band.--Jim White, WD0E

* Explorer Post 80, sponsored by the Mount Vernon (Virginia) Amateur Radio
Club, will operate from the National Mall in Washington, DC, Saturday, May
11, 1996, as part of the "Scouting on the Mall" activities. KF4CNF will be
in the General phone bands on 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters, as band conditions
dictate. Hours of operation will be 1400-2000 UTC. KF4CNF will accept
traffic from Scouts on the Mall and operate 2-meter FM as well.--Bill
Stewart, KE4BAE

* Reliable sources indicate that the launch date the Amateur Radio SUNSAT
satellite has been set for March 6, 1997. SUNSAT is sponsored by the
University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. One of the more unusual
projects riding on SUNSAT is an experiment to monitor the internal sounds of
the spacecraft during the early part of its mission in space. Sounds from
the spacecraft will be available in real time through a 2-meter FM downlink
transmitter.--AMSAT News Service

===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published by the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main
St, Newington, CT 06111; tel [phone]; fax [phone]. Rodney J.
Stafford, KB6ZV, President; David Sumner, K1ZZ, Executive Vice President.

Electronic edition circulation, Kathy Capodicasa, N1GZO, e-mail
[e-mail].
Editorial, Rick Lindquist, KX4V, e-mail [e-mail].

The purpose of The ARRL Letter is to provide the essential news of interest
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