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:: T H E W 5 Y I R E P O R T ::
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:: D i t s & B i t s ::
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:: Vol 9 #23 --- 12/01/87 ::
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:: Electronic Edition ::
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Up to the minute news from the worlds of amateur radio, personal computing and
emerging electronics. While no guarantee is made, information is from sources
we believe to be reliable. May be reproduced providing credit is given to The
W5YI Report.
This HamNet Electronic Edition is a limited excerpt from the full published
edition of The W5YI Report. Selected and prepared by Scott, W3VS.
Commercial redistribution of this copy is prohibited.
IMPORTANT Note: Some of the material included in The W5YI Report Electronic
Edition may not be suitable for transmission via Amateur Radio.
In this issue:
ARRL Retains Lobby Group on 220-222 MHz Issue
Canadian Interference Case Update
HamNet thanks Fred Maia, W5YI, for permission to excerpt this Electronic
Edition of his W5YI Report.
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
Do you have Amateur Radio news to contribute to The W5YI Report? If so, please
call (817) 461-6443 and leave a message on Fred's recorder!
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
o ARRL Retains Lobby Group on 220-222 MHz Issue
An editorial entitled "Defending 220: The Battle Continues" appears in the
December 1987 issue of QST, the monthly ham journal of the American Radio
Relay League. It mentions that thousands of "well reasoned arguments" have
poured into the Commission protesting the FCC proposal to reallocate the top
two megahertz of the 220-225 MHz band to the Land Mobile Service Docket 87-
14.
The editorial told how the League president, Larry Price W4RA, has visited
each of the FCC Commissioners to underscore the importance of the 220-MHz ham
band to the Amateur Radio Service.
The editorial, written by ARRL's Executive Vice President, Dave Sumner/K1ZZ,
also mentions that the League has been working since last summer with
"specialists in the field of congressional relations to identify and make use
of every likely source of support on Capitol Hill."
The "specialists" that the ARRL refers to is actually a highly skilled
legislative lobbyist organization. We believe this to be the first time that
the League, a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code, has retained polished professionals to persuade members of
Congress.
While QST did not further identify the group, we have learned that the firm
retained is Chwat/Weigand Associates (400 First Street, NW, Suite #100;
Washington, DC 20001). Government rules require that lobbyists representing
the legislative interests of clients register and state their legislative
interest to the Congressional Office of Records and Registration before acting
in their behalf.
According to the October 24th issue of the Congressional Quarterly (Page
2634), Chwat/Weigand initially filed a lobby registration on August 10th,
1987, to represent the American Radio Relay League. Lobby interest was listed
as "General legislative and regulatory interests relating to FCC Docket No.
87-14; 220-222 MHz issue." Further lobby reports must be filed quarterly.
We spoke to John Chwat, a partner in the firm, this past week to determine
exactly how they were going about their job of representing the League in an
effort to defeat Docket 87-14. Chwat, who was most pleasant and personable,
said that he and his people were meeting with Senators and key Congressmen in
an effort to reverse the FCC position.
A package of "information" has been prepared for Congressional use. John
Chwat promised to send us a copy, but (as of press time) it has not been
received. Meetings have been scheduled with the FCC staff. Chwat said he was
working through the League's Washington Coordinator, Perry Williams/W1UED.
According to Chwat, the House Telecommunications Subcommittee has scheduled an
important staff meeting with the FCC staff for November 24th. It is Chwat's
intention that Congress' position on the 220-222 MHz issue will be clearly
made known to the Commission. I asked John when he thought the FCC would be
ruling on Docket 87-14. He said they "...may not get to it until March." In
the meantime, Chwat/Weigand Associates will be making the legislative "rounds"
on behalf of the amateur community.
o Interference to Appliances Update
Jack Ravenscroft, VE3SR, the Canadian amateur who was taken to court and found
to be a "nuisance" is still off-the-air after two years. Ravenscroft's
neighbors, Tim and Dale Houghtby, charged that his ham transmissions
interfered with their appliances...namely their clock and table radio,
television, electronic organ and furnace.
The court did not deal with the question of lack of appliance interference
immunity instead found Ravenscroft guilty of being a public nuisance. He was
fined $2,500 in punitive damages even though the Department of Communications
gave Jack's amateur radio station a clean bill of health.
The verdict was appealed and the fine has been accumulating 13% interest ever
since. The Houghtby's made an attempt to settle, but Ravenscroft refused.
The settlement proposed by the Houghtby's involved an offer to sell their
house and move if Ravenscroft would pay them $30,000.
The status of the case now is that both sides have submitted written arguments
("factum") to the Court of Appeal. The Houghtby's claim Ravenscroft has been
uncooperative and probably has transmitted after being ordered off the air in
1985. They also say they have been given no assurances that interference
suppression to their appliances will be completely successful.
They maintain that the argument that radio communication lies within the
exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Parliament and cannot be affected by
Provincial law was not brought up at the original trial and therefore cannot
be brought up on appeal. No date has been set for the appeal to be heard.
Ralph Cameron, VE3BBM, Chairman of the CARF's (Canadian Amateur Radio
Federation) EMI Committee advises that many US amateurs have contributed to
help Jack meet his legal expenses, to date over $39,000. The Ottawa Amateur
Radio Club loaned the JRSD (Jack Ravenscroft Susceptibility Defense) Fund use
of their PO Box #8873 (Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3J2) to receive donations.
[End this issue]