Ham Radio/Ham Radio CD-ROM (Emerald Software) (1995).ISO/news/inham08/997

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Today's Topics:
                        ARRL Letter 01-Dec-89
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Date: 8 Dec 89 22:08:34 GMT
From: n8emr![e-mail]  (Gary Sanders)
Subject: ARRL Letter 01-Dec-89
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

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| N8EMR's Ham BBS, 614-457-4227 (1200/2400/19.2 telebit,8N1) |
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     ARRL LETTER - December 1, 1989 - Volume 8 Number 24 - Part 1 of 3

              CONGRESS AGREES: NO FEES FOR AMATEUR LICENSES!

The joint House-Senate Conference Committee, reviewing both versions of the
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989, has approved deletion of the
amateur license fees from the legislation.

In its report released on November 21, the Conference Committee stated:
"Both the House bill and the Senate bill include fees on licensees in the
amateur radio service.  The Conference Report strikes all of the fees for
amateur radio licensees. The Conferees recognize that amateur licensees do
not operate for profit and play an important public safety role in times of
disaster or emergency."

In the early morning hours of November 22, both Houses of Congress adopted
the Conference version of the bill sending it to President Bush for
signature.

In the current budgetary environment, avoiding fees altogether is an
enormous accomplishment. ARRL congratulates all who played an active role
in writing to their Senators and Representatives helping in this effort.
Look for an upcoming QST article that will detail how amateurs won this
important battle.

                            SIX METERS IS HOT!

November was the most exciting month in many years for 6-meter operators.
>From the East Coast, the band was open to Europe and Africa most mornings,
and West Coast ops regularly worked into Japan and the Pacific.  Stations
in the Midwest have been able to work into Japan and Europe on many days
as well. In addition, there have been spectacular transcontinental openings
most afternoons. Signal strengths are generally good--often S9 or above for
better-equipped stations--so anyone with a 3- or 10- watt radio and dipole
can join in the fun.  Six meters really heated up on Sunday, November 26: A
few West Coast stations reported working into Europe, and Japanese stations
were worked as far east as northern New England.  Operators in the Midwest
report that the band was packed with JA stations up to 50.400 MHz for
hours.  Conditions should be good at least through December and perhaps
into January. If you've ever thought about getting on 6 meters, now's the
time!

                        FCC ISSUED CALL SIGN UPDATE

The following is a list of most recently issued FCC call signs
(November 1).

DIST    GRP"A"  GRP"B"      GRP"C"  GRP"D"
        Extra   Advanced  Tech/Gen  Novice

0       WX0Y    KF0GC       N0LFA   KB0FJN
1       NZ1P    KC1QW       N1HBP   KA1UQD
2       WU2H    KE2QE       N2KAM   KB2ISS
3       NX3G    KD3PV       N3HPO   KA3VHS
4       AB4RM   KM4ZZ       N4XHB   KC4MZT
5       AA5OQ   KG5ZR       N5PNP   KB5KXU
6       AA6SA   KK6BZ       N6WUU   KC6GQO
7       AA7CF   KF7XY       N7NTQ   KB7IWN
8       WX8A    KF8CE       N8LMP   KB8IIT
9       WM9F    KE9ST       N9JAI   KB9DNF
Guam    KH2K    AH2CF       KH2EG   WH2AMH
Hawaii  ***     AH6KB       NH6VC   WH6CFU
Alaska  ***     AL7LP       NL7SV   WL7BVU
USVI    NP2F    KP2BR       NP2DK   WP2AGZ
P.R.    ***     KP4QJ       WP4WZ   WP4IPE

*** indicates that all 2 x 1 call signs have been assigned in those areas.

The N-prefixed Group C (1X3) call# signs blocks for the fourth and sixth
call districts have nearly all been assigned.  After N4ZZZ and N6ZZZ have
been issued, FCC will begin assigning calls from the Group D (2X3) call
sign block.

1989 BOY SCOUT JAMBOREE A SUCCESS

Ray Moyer, WD8JKV, Jamboree Coordinator of the National Office of the Boy
Scouts of America, recently sent the following letter to ARRL and to others
who had supported the Amateur Radio display at the National Scout Jamboree,
held August 2-8, 1989, at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia:

"On behalf of the K2BSA radio staff and the Boy Scouts of America, I would
like to thank you for the use of your equipment at the 1989 National Boy
Scout Jamboree.

"..K2BSA was located in a 20 by 40 foot tent in a dusty, hot area... We
were able to work 157 countries, our new record, and all 50 states. Over
5000 contacts were logged and several thousand messages were sent via all
amateur modes. We had countless messages coming into the Jamboree site
also.

"One of the most exciting things at the Jamboree was that Amateur Radio was
demonstrated to thousands of youth and adult scouters... I know of very few
events where over 30,000 non- amateurs could have the opportunity to enjoy
that type of equipment. Our staff worked very hard demonstrating Amateur
Radio to our visitors. We had a continuous stream of visitors from sun up
until late evening. Once the Jamboree was asleep the staff continued to
operate.

"...This is to say thank you for your trust and belief in what we did at
the Jamboree. I can say now that our goals and hopes did come true."


     ARRL LETTER - December 1, 1989 - Volume 8 Number 24 - Part 2 of 3

                       MICROSAT LAUNCH DATE ADVANCES

Arianespace officials have informed AMSAT-NA and the University of Surrey
that the launch date of the MICROSATs and the UOSAT D/E satellites has been
advanced. The launch date is now planned for January 9, 1990.  This change
in the launch date is the direct result of the postponement of a previous
mission.

Launch preparations will begin on November 27, when the payload integration
teams from AMSAT and the University of Surrey, along with their satellites,
arrive in Kourou, French Guyana. All of the payloads should be fully
integrated aboard the ARIANE IV rocket by December 23.

OSCAR satellite users should monitor the AMSAT HF/VHF Nets, OSCAR-13
Operations Nets, and watch the AMSAT News Service (ANS) bulletins for any
further details concerning the launch of the MICROSATs and UOSAT D & E.

          RADIO AMATEUR CALLBOOK SOLD TO BPI COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

On October 27, Herb Nelson, President and Publisher of the Radio Amateur
Callbook announced the completion of the sale of all outstanding shares of
Radio Amateur Callbook, Inc. to BPI Communications, Inc.

BPI Communications, Inc. publishes World Radio TV Handbook, a well known
publication for short wave listeners. Glen Heffernan, Vice President and
Publisher for BPI says that The Callbook "..is a natural complement to our
publication..that will benefit both licensed amateurs and short wave
listeners."

The Radio Amateur Callbook, Inc., has published The Callbook, a listing of
all radio amateurs world-wide, since 1920. Located in Lake Bluff, Illinois,
Radio Amateur Callbook, Inc. is the oldest commercial firm serving the
Amateur Radio community.

        FCC SEEKS INPUT/ASSISTANCE IN RESOLUTION OF AMATEUR DISPUTE

On October 11, FCC Special Services Division Chief Robert H.  McNamara
wrote to a number of individual amateurs seeking information and comments
on phone patches, information bulletins and over-the-air telegraphy
practice. The letter requested information and insight that could help
bring a resolution to "the unfortunate continuing over-the-air dispute that
takes place on the amateur 20 meter band..," a dispute ".. which is
jeopardizing international goodwill -- a fundamental principle of the rules
for the amateur service in the United States.." One recipient of Mr.
McNamara's letter was W1AW Trustee John Lindholm, W1XX.

ARRL's response was submitted on November 15, by Counsel Chris Imlay, N3AKD
in behalf of Mr. Lindholm as well as the ARRL. It begins with pertinent
background information --

"Your letter correctly characterizes as unfortunate the over-the-air
disputes that have arisen concerning certain operating practices that have
come to be regarded as controversial.  However, the League knows of no
particular reason to include 'telegraphy practice' in the category of
controversial operating practices. As will be discussed, the code practice
transmissions from station W1AW continue to be widely used and appreciated.

"..communications on behalf of third parties has been a part of Amateur
Radio from its earliest beginnings in the United States. The very basis for
the formation of the League in 1914 was to organize amateurs to relay
messages on one another's behalf in order to overcome the limited range of
the amateur stations of the day.

"It was not until the 1930's that international limitations were placed on
amateur traffic, at the insistence of European governments whose
telecommunications monopoly was a source of considerable revenue. It was
not until 1972 that the FCC specifically prohibited `business
communications'. The imposition of these restrictions was itself quite
controversial because it put amateurs, for the first time, in the position
of having to evaluate the content of the messages they were relaying.

"Other background essential to an understanding of the issues raised
concerns the concept of interference within the Amateur Radio Service and
the extent to which operators are obliged to avoid interfering with one
another. Willful and malicious interference is a violation of the rules,
but interference that is merely a byproduct of normal operating is not. In
the crowded HF amateur bands, avoiding causing unnecessary interference to
others is extremely important to efficient operation; but a tolerance for
interference and a willingness to cope with it as a fact of life is equally
important."
                                             . . . . (continued next part)

     ARRL LETTER - December 1, 1989 - Volume 8 Number 24 - Part 2 of 3

  FCC SEEKS INPUT/ASSISTANCE IN RESOLUTION OF AMATEUR DISPUTE (Continued)

With this as background, the League addressed Mr. McNamara's questions:

FCC: Is there a channel plan for the analog emission segment of each
amateur service HF band?

ARRL: There is no channel plan; nor should there be, except in the very
limited case where the operation of unattended stations may be authorized
by an administration for good cause shown. The degree to which amateur
stations can share the same or adjacent frequencies is dynamic: often,
interference can be reduced to an acceptable level by making a slight
adjustment in operating frequency. This would not be possible in a
channelized scheme.

FCC: What portion of the analog segment of each amateur band is being used
by FCC licensed amateurs for domestic and international third party
telephony communications? What is the general nature of these
communications? How many phone patches are transmitted per day by band?
What effect does the transmissions of such communications have on the
Amateur Service?  Why aren't other communication services being used for
such communications?

ARRL: In general, domestic third party telephony communications are a
relatively small part of the communications being conducted at any given
time. Their effect on other amateur communications is minimal except in the
very limited instances where disputes arise as to the "right" of one
station or group of stations to use a particular frequency. The League
regrets that these disputes arise since no amateur has a mutually exclusive
right to operate on a particular frequency.  Such disputes could often be
avoided if the operators involved were more flexible in their choice of
operating frequency.

There is a greater temptation to use Amateur Radio inappropriately for
international than for domestic third party communications, but abuses can
be addressed adequately through enforcement of existing regulations.

FCC: What portion of the analog segment of each amateur band is being used
by FCC licensed amateurs for information bulletin telephony communications?
How many amateurs listen to these transmissions? How many bulletins are
transmitted per day? What effect do these transmissions have on the amateur
service? Why aren't amateur digital systems used exclusively for such
communications?

ARRL: Station W1AW has transmitted brief information bulletins using
telephony emissions for decades. It has been common practice for other
amateur stations to conduct similar operations, usually on a localized
basis, and usually as a part of a scheduled net or on some other limited,
scheduled basis.  Such bulletins are very important to the dissemination of
timely and accurate information to radio amateurs. In recent years there
has been a trend toward amateurs receiving these bulletins via digital
modes: however, not all amateurs have access to digital modes, and the
telephony bulletins still serve a useful purpose.

FCC: What portion of the analog segment of each amateur band is being used
by FCC licensed amateurs for telegraphy practice communications? In view of
the availability of recorded telegraphy training material, why are amateur
service frequencies still used for this purpose?

ARRL: W1AW transmits Morse code practice in four one-hour segments on
weekdays, and three one-hour segments on weekends.  While higher speeds are
used in Code Proficiency Qualifying Runs, the W1AW transmissions
concentrate on the speeds that are required to pass the examination
elements for FCC amateur licenses. This service is highly valued, and well
accepted in the Amateur Radio community.

Audio cassette tapes and computer programs are useful tools but audio tapes
can be memorized after they are used a few times, giving the user a false
sense of accomplishment; computer programs require expensive equipment.
Neither method provides experience in copying Morse code under actual
on-the-air operating conditions.

FCC: Suggest a statement of practices that you believe should be followed
by amateur stations transmitting third party communications, information
bulletins, and telegraphy practice.

ARRL: At the urging of FCC staff, the League in the mid- 1970's developed
the eleven-point "Phone Patch and Autopatch Guidelines" that appears in The
FCC Rule Book (Eighth Edition) at page 13-15. These guidelines have stood
the test of time, and are generally accepted as a useful supplement to the
Commission's Rules.

The League believes that the definition of the term "information bulletin"
contained in the Commission's Rules should be strictly applied and
enforced. Operators of amateur stations who cannot or do not wish to
conform to these strict limitations may more appropriately seek licenses in
the Broadcasting Service.

    Finally, with regard to telegraphy practice, the only
guidelines needed are to ensure that the purpose of the
transmissions is to provide telegraphy practice and not to engage
in one-way transmissions that otherwise would be illegal:
- The text should not be randomly generated, since such practice material
  is readily available via other media.
- The text should be taken from a published, readily available source to
  facilitate checking accuracy of copy.
- The text should relate in some way to Amateur Radio.
- The text should not be sent repeatedly.

Based on the response from ARRL and others, the FCC will consider its
next steps in this on-going HF "dispute."  Mr. McNamara says that possible
alternatives range from FCC rule making that would ban all third party
traffic on amateur frequencies to rules that would designate certain
frequencies where only third party communications could be conducted.

--
Gary W. Sanders (gws@n8emr or ...!osu-cis!n8emr!gws), 72277,1325
N8EMR @ W8CQK (ip addr) 44.70.0.1 [Ohio AMPR address coordinator]
HAM/SWL/SCANNER BBS (1200/2400/PEP) 614-457-4227
Voice: 614-457-4595 (eves/weekends)

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End of INFO-HAMS Digest V89 Issue #997
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