Ham Radio/Ham Radio CD-ROM (Emerald Software) (1995).ISO/news/al890411/al890411.txt

Text File | 1989-05-29 | 14KB | 256 lines

The ARRL Letter, Volume 8, Number 7, April 11, 1989

  Published by:
       The American Radio Relay League, Inc.
       225 Main St.
       Newington, CT 06111

  Editor:
       Jay Mabey, NU0X

     Material from The ARRL Letter may be reproduced in whole or
in part, in any form, including photoreproduction and electronic
databanks, provided that credit is given to The ARRL Letter and
to the American Radio Relay League, Inc.

ARRL COMMITTEE RELEASES CODE-FREE LICENSE REPORT
   A special committee appointed by ARRL President Larry E. Price,
W4RA, has submitted a report recommending the creation of a class of
Amateur Radio license not requiring a knowledge of Morse code.  The
report was presented to the ARRL Executive Committee, which met on
April 1; the Executive Committee did not take a position on the
substance of the report, but authorized its publication in full in the
May issue of QST and referred it to the full Board of Directors for
consideration during its July 21-22 meeting.  ARRL members, other
licensed radio amateurs, and others interested in Amateur Radio are
invited to review the report and to make their views known to ARRL
Division Directors.
   The mission of the committee was "to explore the implications of a
no-code amateur license."  To carry out this mission, President Price
appointed a distinguished committee consisting of members from the
ARRL Board of Directors, Amateur Radio industry and radio amateurs
at large, as follows:
ARRL Vice President George S. Wilson III,  W4OYI, Chairman; John
Crovelli, W2GD, At Large; Y. E. (Ed) Juge, W5TOO, Industry
Representative; Kenneth G. Kopp, K0PP, At Large; C. Mike Lamb, N7ML,
Industry   Representative; and Rod Stafford, KB6ZV, ARRL Director,
Pacific Division.
   In addition, the following consultants were designated:
Thomas B. J. Atkins, VE3CDM, Canadian Radio Relay League President,
Larry E. Price, W4RA, ARRL President, Leland Smith, W5KL, Quarter
Century Wireless Association President, David Sumner, K1ZZ, ARRL
Executive Vice President
   The committee stressed that its proposal, if adopted, would not
cause any licensee to lose any present privileges.  It proposes a new
class of Amateur Radio license, with a written examination somewhat
more comprehensive than the present Technician exam but with no
requirement for a Morse code examination.  Holders would be permitted
to operate on all frequencies and with all privileges now available to
Technicians above 30 MHz, except that 2-meter operation would be
limited to frequencies between 144.9 and 145.1 MHz and to digital modes
only.  Examinations would be given only by accredited Volunteer
Examiners, and distinctive call signs would be assigned.
   The committee carefully reviewed a wealth of input from interested
individuals and clubs, as well as information it had requested from
IARU member societies in other countries which already have a code-
free class of amateur license.  A large number of alternatives were
considered by the committee in developing its recommendations.
   Executive Vice President Sumner stressed that the committee's
report does not represent League policy at this time.  The Board of
Directors is the policy-making body of the organization, and as such
will determine whether the report, with or without modifications, will
become League policy.  He pointed out that the League is a
representative democracy, with Directors elected to represent the
members of their Divisions.  Accordingly, anyone reading the report
and wishing to have his or her views considered is urged to write the
Director of their Division sometime prior to the July Board Meeting.
   The full text of the committee's report can be found in Data
Library 1, file ARL016.89.

CAROLE PERRY, WB2MGP, TO ATTEND ATLANTIS LAUNCH
     Congratulations to Carole Perry, WB2MGP, on being invited by the
NASA Education Department to attend a 3-day conference for
educators.
     The conference includes seminars with astronauts and NASA
officials, and will culminate with the launch of the space shuttle
Atlantis on April 28.
     The purpose of the mission is to launch the Magellan spacecraft
which will map the outline of Venus.
     Carol feels her invitation was the result of her class's 1985
SSTV contact with Tony England, W0ORE, on the Challenger mission, and
her present class's participation in the 10 meter CQ All Schools Net
which has been in regular contact with Johnson Space Center hams.
Carol was the 1987 ARRL Professional Instructor of the Year.

EGE AND HRO MERGE
     Effective March 1, HRO Inc, (Ham Radio Outlet) purchased EGE Inc.
The former EGE stores in Woodbridge, Virginia and Salem, New
Hampshire will become part of the Ham Radio Outlet chain, now totaling
nine stores nationwide.

AMATEUR AUXILIARY TO FCC'S FOB POSTS STATS
     Here's a summary of Official Observer (OO) activity for 1988.  Of
the 4001 Auxiliary reports forwarded to ARRL HQ during the year, 3374
were directly attributable to the following categories:
   Category                 Reports   %
Frequency instability         75      3
Chirp                        398     12
Spurious                      23      1
Harmonics                      4      1
Hum                          244      8
Key clicks                   176      6
Broad signal                 236      7
Distortion                   112      4
Out of band/band edge        661   17.7
Improper (or no) ID          358     11
Obscenity/profanity          153      5
Causing interference         135      4
Good Guy reports             417     13
Miscellaneous                365     11

     Of the 3374 reports that were directly attributable to a
specific amateur band, the most reports were sent to amateurs
operating on 20 meters (35%), followed by those operating on 40 (22%),
80 (18%), and 2 meters (16%).  (TNX Field Forum)

INTERESTED IN SERVING AMATEUR RADIO?
     The ARRL Interference Reporting System (AIRS) is in need of a
f-e-w more volunteers.
     What's that, you say?  Never heard of the AIRS program before?
Well, we don't doubt that, as there are only 30-40 AIRS volunteers in
the whole country.
     Its purpose?  To detect and report non-Amateur incursions into
the Amateur Radio Service bands, for action by FCC Treaty Branch,
Washington DC.
     Does this mean nabbing invading CB'ers?  In part, but there are
also numerous transmissions (a whopping 620 total reports in January
of 1989!) which involve everything from encrypted F1B transmissions on
14.032 MHz, to perfectly legal/legitimate non-Amateur transmissions on
80 meters.
     Part of ARRL HQ's chore is to determine, in advance, which
potential AIRS people have the capability of determining those
transmissions that are in fact harmful, which ones are contrary to
ITU regulations, and which are simply aggravating, but nevertheless
legal and therefore not reportable.
     The potential AIRS member is provided with much of this material
before being accepted into the program, but some of it is learned "on
the fly", as new transmitters enter our bands.
     If you are qualified and interested in this important activity,
please request an AIRS application package from Luck Hurder, KY1T, at
ARRL HQ.

AMATEUR RADIO IN SPACE AGAIN SOON!
     An amateur radio station is scheduled to fly aboard the Space
Shuttle in March, 1990.  Approval for the inclusion of the Space
Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) on the secondary payload list
of flight STS 35 has been received from the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters.
     Ron Parise, WA4SIR, a payload Specialist for the Astro 1 payload
to be carried on that flight will operate the station in the orbiting
shuttle.
     Representatives of ARRL and SAREX, and the Radio Amateur
Satellite Corporation, AMSAT, stated that they learned of the
approval at a meeting with NASA officials held on March 14 at the
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
     WA4SIR will communicate with amateur operators worldwide using
voice and video communications, as well as  packet radio.  The orbit
of the shuttle will allow amateurs located between approximately 46
degrees North and 46 degrees South latitudes to communicate directly
with the shuttle.  The SAREX transmissions from the space shuttle will
be such that a standard scanner radio can receive them.
     The approval for SAREX operation is contingent on final approval
by Johnson Space Center of the SAREX hardware and operations plan,
as well as prioritization of secondary payloads for the STS 35 flight.
Stay tuned to the ARRL Letter, QST, and W1AW bulletins for further
updates on SAREX.

KA9Q TO RECEIVE SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT DAYTON
     Phil Karn, KA9Q, will receive the "Special Achievement Award" this
year at the annual Dayton Amateur Radio Association banquet on April
29.  DARA is the sponsor for this award as well as the Dayton
Hamvention(R) known worldwide.  This award recognizes an individual who
has made many significant contributions to the Amateur Radio Service.
     Phil has been a long time AMSAT member and has been deeply
involved in the Phase 3 program and the Phase 4 Geosynchronous
Satellite design effort.  Phil also serves on the Board of Directors
of AMSAT-NA and TAPR.
     Most recently Phil has been involved with a new packet radio
protocol known as TCP/IP, which is presently being experimented with
as a means to more efficiently move packets than the existing AX.25
protocol.

DARA SEEKING CAMP COUNSELORS
     In order to expose as many young people as possible to Amateur
Radio, the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) provides
counselors at three summer camps in Ohio each summer.
     DARA is looking for three amateurs, General class or above, to
work as camp counselors in Boy Scout, Girl Scout and YMCA camps in
southwest Ohio this summer.
     In addition to the regular counselor functions, these young
people will demonstrate Amateur Radio and teach a Novice course.
This provides a great opportunity for young people to earn money for
college, have an all-summer camp experience and be provided with
modern ham radio equipment.
     If you are interested call Terry Falknor, N8EEO, at 513-698-5354
or write to him at 5335 Garland Rd., West Milton, OH 45383.

AMSAT TO PUBLISH "AO-13 BEGINNERS GUIDE"
     AMSAT-NA announces the availability of a new publication titled
"AMSAT-NA AO-13 Beginners Guide, authored by Keith Berglund, WB5ZDP.
This guide was written specifically with the first time AO-13 user in
mind, and is designed to answer those questions which all beginners
have.  All aspects of putting a satellite station together are
discussed.
     Keith designed the Guide starting from "antennas down:"
antennas, rotators, preamps, and coax.  He covers equipment currently
available, as well as suggestions for laying out a "typical" station.
     The Guide includes a list of all the AMSAT-NA Regional and Area
Coordinators.  This was included so the beginner will have additional
sources of information, and, if the coordinator lives nearby, can also
see an operational AO-13 station.  The Guide is available to all new
and renewing AMSAT members.

CLE SEMINAR REMINDER
     ARRL Counsel Chris Imlay, N3AKD, would like to remind anyone
attending the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar to be held at
the ARRL National Convention in Dallas/Fort Worth this June 2-4 that
the following information is required from each registrant:  Full name
and address; membership of all state Bar Associations and the
appropriate numbers; daytime phone number.  This information will
expedite notification of each state bar association of those
attorneys deserving of CLE credit.             The Regulatory
Information Department is currently taking advance registrations.  The
cost of the seminar is $50 to anyone wanting the materials, whether
or not the person is an attorney.  This cost will, however, include
the cost of CLE credit notification where applicable.

ARRL NET DIRECTORY AVAILABLE
     The 1989 ARRL Net Directory is hot off the presses!  This
Directory is not just a list of nets.  It explains the National Traffic
System, how to organize and receive messages, how to originate
traffic via packet radio -- in short, everything you ever wanted to
know about traffic handling but were afraid to ask!
     The Directory is available for $1 postpaid from HQ.

GEORGIA HAMS SAVES LIVES
     "This was truly a public service job well done," proclaimed Max
Blood, a Warnings and Preparedness Meteorologist in the Atlanta
National Weather Service Office.  In a letter to ARRL President Larry
Price, W4RA, Blood thanked amateurs for providing critical information
utilized to warn the public of severe weather on the night of March 5.
     The efforts of the Bill Gremillion Radio Club of Coweta County,
Georgia, and specifically the initial report of Steve Hill, KB4THW, of
damages and injuries from the tornado that struck the western part
of Coweta County were praised by Blood in the letter.  He felt these
and other reports were responsible for the relatively low number of
deaths and injuries from the storms.

FCC CHAIRMAN RESIGNS
     Just at press time HQ received word that FCC Chairman Dennis
Patrick had written a letter to President Bush expressing his desire
to leave the government and return to the private sector.  The
departure of Chairman Patrick creates the third opening on the five-
member commission, which has been functioning with only three members
for more than a year.