HAM Toolkit/HAM Toolkit.iso/text/arrl/letter5.12

Text File | 1993-11-17 | 22KB | 878 lines

The ARRL Letter

Vol. 12, No. 9

May 12, 1993


Joint resolution presented to Congress

commends amateurs, urges protections


    Joint Resolution S.J. 90 was introduced in the U.S.

Senate on May 7, 1993, by Sen. Charles Robb of Virginia.

It's a bill that recognizes radio amateurs, supports

amateurs "as national policy," and urges that regulations

"facilitate" Amateur Radio operation as a "public benefit."

    The resolution results not only from the diligent

efforts of the League's Washington team but -- more

importantly -- from the thousands of amateurs who give their

time and energy in public service, in technical

experimentation, in education, and in international good

will.



    Sen. Robb entered the following statement into the

*Congressional Record*:



    "S.J. Res. 90. A joint resolution to recognize the

achievements of radio amteurs and to establish support for

such amateurs as national policy; to the Committee on

Commerce, Science, and Transportation.


    "AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE JOINT RESOLUTION


    "Mr. ROBB. Mr. President, today I am pleased to be

joined by Senators AKAKA, DECONCINI, PRESSLER, and SHELBY to

introduce a joint resolution that will grant well-deserved

recognition to a valuable national resource, the Amateur

Radio Service. For the past 80 years, this group of

dedicated volunteers has been first on the scene for

virtually every communications emergency. When Mother Nature

or a human misstep causes the telephone lines to go down or

radio circuits to be overloaded, the 'ham' operators are

there with their equipment, providing communications until

the regular infrastructure is back to normal.

    "Radio amateurs also demonstrate their expertise in

another way, as technical innovators. Eager to push back

technical frontiers, amateurs probe the upper limits of the

useful radio spectrum, discover much about radio

propagation, and develop practical and affordable

alternatives to complicated expensive new equipment from the

laboratories.

    "Our resolution expresses the Nation's gratitude for

both the technical and disaster communications achievements

of the Amateur Radio Service. But words without deeds, it is

often said, are empty. Keeping that in mind, this resolution

goes beyond commendation to give the amateurs a tool or

persuasion to smoooth their path; it urges adoption of rules

and regulations that encourage the use of new technologies

within the Amateur Radio Service.

    "Finally, without limiting the decision-making

capability of any agency -- local, State or Federal -- the

resolution urges that any regulations which are necessary at

any level of government be crafted in ways that facilitate

and encourage amateur radio operation as a public benefit.

    "We urge its prompt adoption by the Senate."


    Co-sponsoring the joint resolution were Senators

Akaka of Hawaii, DeConcini of Arizona, Pressler of South

Dakota, and Shelby of Alabama.

    Last fall the Congress adjourned without acting on

companion Amateur Radio bills in the House and Senate and

those bills died. The House bill, H.R. 73, was co-sponsored

by more than half -- 219 -- of the 435 House members, while

just over a third, 35, of the Senate's members signed on to

the Senate versiou. S.1372, before the 102nd Congress

adjourned.

    At the time, ARRL President George Wilson III,

W4OYI, said "With half the House and more than a third of

the Senate already co-sponsors, Amateur Radio has a big head

start in working with the 103rd Congress next year."

    The spade work done by ARRL Washington Area

Coordinator Perry Williams, W1UED, and other League

officials, now has resulted in S.J. Res. 90.




    *JOINT RESOLUTION*



    To recognize the achievements of radio amateurs, and

to establish support for such amateurs as national policy.


    Whereas Congress has expressed its determination in

section 1 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151)

to promote safety of life and property through the use of

radio communication;

    Whereas Congress, in section 7 of the Communications

Act of 1934 (U.S.C. 157), established a policy to encourage

the provision of new technologies and services;

    Whereas Congress, in section 3 of the Communications

Act of 1934, defined radio stations to include amateur

stations operated by persons interested in radio technique

without pecuniary interest;

    Whereas the Federal Communications Commission has

created an effective regulatory framework through which the

amateur radio service has been able to achieve the goals of

the service;

    Whereas these regulations, set forth in part 97 of

title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations clarify and

extend the purposes of the amateur radio service as a --



    (1) voluntary noncommercial communication service,

particularly with respect to providing emergency

communications;

    (2) contributing service to the advancement of the

telecommunications infrastructure;

    (3) service which encourages improvement of an

individual's technical and operating skills;

    (4) service providing a national reservoir of

trained operators, technicians and electronics experts; and

    (5) service enhancing international good will.



    Whereas Congress finds that members of the amateur

radio service community have provided invaluable emergency

communications services following such disasters as

Hurricanes Hugo, Andrew, and Iniki, the Mt. St. Helens

eruption, the Loma Prieta earthquake, tornadoes, floods,

wild fires, and industrial accidents in great number and

variety across the Nation; and

    Whereas Congress finds that the amateur radio

service has made a contribution to our Nation's

communications by its crafting, in 1961, of the first Earth

satellite licensed by the Federal Communications Commission,

by its proof-of-concept for search and rescue satellites, by

its continued exploration of the low Earth orbit in

particular pointing the way to commercial use thereof in the

1990s, by its pioneering of communications using reflections

from meteor trails, a technique now used for certain

government and commercial communications, and by its leading

role in development of low-cost, practical data transmission

by radio which increasingly is being put to extensive use

in, for instance, the land mobile service:

    Now, therefore, be it


    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

of the United States of America in Congress assembled,


    SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS OF CONGRESS.


    Congress finds and declares that --


    (1) radio amateurs are hereby commended for their

contributions to technical progress in electronics, and for

their emergency radio communications in times of disaster;

    (2) the Federal Communications Commission is urged

to continue and enhance the development of the amateur radio

service as a public benefit by adopting rules and

regulations which encourage the use of new technologies

within the amateur radio service; and

    (3) reasonable accommodation should be made for the

effective operation of amateur radio from residences,

private vehicles and public areas, and that regulation at

all levels of government should facilitate and encourage

amateur radio operation as a public benefit.



Science teachers get taste of Amateur Radio


    ARRL Educational Activities staffer Bob Inderbitzen,

NQ1R, attended the International Technology Education

Association (ITEA) 55th Annual Conference April 18 to 21 in

Charlotte, North Carolina. Here's his report:

    Educators who attended this year's ITEA Conference

were exposed to "leading edge" technology for use in their

schools.  Hundreds of exhibitors showed off their robots,

computers, modular curricula, and gadgets. In a large corner

of the convention hall, however, NASA and the ARRL displayed

how such technology was being used in everyday life on board

the Space Shuttle and in the homes and classrooms of

thousands of Amateur Radio operators.

    Most of the educators at the conference were

technology teachers. You needed only to begin a sentence

with "communication" to have their undivided attention. Over

two days our ARRL booth drew hundreds of teachers. We brought

back more than 100 names and addresses.

    On Monday afternoon, I visited Discovery Place, a

hands-on science museum in uptown Charlotte. The museum

sports an impressive Amateur Radio station, W4BFB. The

purpose of the station is easily summed up by a sign leading

to it: "Radio Education."

    I was given a tour of the facility by the control

operator that day, David Lewis, KB4YSX. The station is fully

equipped with HF, VHF/UHF, packet, and ATV. There is a

station for students to use, in order to pick up shortwave

signals.

    The station also has an array of ARRL educational

materials and wall paper and is staffed by volunteers from

the Mecklenburg ARS. The current trustee, Bob Southworth,

KI4YV, also provided assistance and expertise at the ARRL

convention exhibit.

    On Tuesday afternoon, I made a presentation to 30

teachers on the Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment and on

using ham radio in the classroom. Twenty nine of them were

technology teachers, and one was a science teacher. The

group was also introduced to *Now You're Talking* and

*Understanding Basic Electronics* as possible classroom

textbooks.

    During Wednesday's exhibit, I was ably assisted by

Patricia Hensley, N4ROS. Patricia is an elementary school

principal from Richburg, S.C. and an ARRL Educational

Advisor. As someone who has participated with her students

in a SAREX contact, Patricia shared much of her excitement

and enthusiasm about Amateur Radio with hundreds of

educators.

    Finally, the ITEA Conference provided a captive

audience filled with prospective hams. I'm looking forward

to our follow-up with each of these educators and their

students.


NOVICE CLASS TESTING

SLATED FOR VEC PROGRAM


    The FCC has decided to place Novice class

examinations under the Volunteer Examiner Coordinator

program. As with other class amateur license exams,

responsibility for both preparation and administration of

Novice exams will lie with the VEC system, "in the interest

of integrity, simplification and efficiency," the FCC said

today.

    The Commission also will allow recovery of out-of-

pocket costs for coordinating and administering the exams.

    The examination elements required for the Novice

license are already being administered in the VEC system

because they are also requirements for other classes of

amateur operator licenses.

    The FCC said that placing Novice examinations under

the VEC system would avoid confusion caused by having two

different systems; result in fewer errors in exam

administration and in paperwork (including allowing

simplification of the FCC Form 610); and improve the

availability of overall data on examinations.

    In making the announcement the FCC noted how Novice

exams are currently administered (unchanged since the 1950s)

and said that since the advent of the code-free Technician

class license in 1991 the number of new Novice licensees had

declined.

    This action, in PR Docket 92-154, was taken May 3.

No effective date for implementation has yet been announced.


THREE MEN FINED $2,000

FOR UNLICENSED OPERATION


    Three Washington state men have been fined $2,000

each by the FCC for unlicensed operation on 2 meters.

    The FCC received a complaint from an amateur on

November 17, 1992, alleging that people aboard fishing

vessels were operating on 144.170 MHz. The FCC agent was

unable to receive adequate signals from the operations and

instead relied on a tape recording from the complainant.

    The FCC conducted its investigation using telephone,

marina, and U.S. Coast Guard records to identify the sources

of the transmissions.

    The FCC said that since all three accused men were

individuals (rather than commercial operations) and because

of the nature of the violations and the fact they were first

offenses, it would set the fines at $2,000 instead of the

$8,000 "base forfeiture" set by its rules.

    Receiving Novices of Apparent Liability for $2,000

were Randy Baxter, Kevin Marilley, and Mark Karuza, all of

Bellingham, Washington.


ONE-YEAR TIMETABLE SET

FOR BAN ON PHONE SCANNERS


    Changes in FCC rules regarding radio scanners

capable of receiving cellular telephone transmissions will

be implemented over the next year. This was not clear in the

story in the last issue of *The ARRL Letter*.

    Effective with the adoption of the new FCC Part 15

rules on April 26, 1993, the Commission will not grant

equipment authorization for receivers that do not comply

with the new provisions of Part 15.121. These new provisions

do not prohibit the sale or use of authorized receivers

manufactured in the U.S., or imported into the U.S., prior

to April 26, 1994.

    In addition, the manufacture or importation of

scanning receivers, and frequency converters designed or

marketed for use with scanning receivers, that do not comply

with the new provisions in Part 15.121, must cease by April

26, 1994.

    More information will appear in June QST.


FCC CLARIFIES POSITION

IN 902-MHZ PROPOSAL


    The FCC has clarified its recent proposal to adopt

rules for automatic vehicle monitoring (AVM) systems, with a

word change of interest to amateurs. In a Notice of Proposed

Rule Making in PR Docket 93-61 last month the FCC proposed

creation of a new location and monitoring service (LMS) in

the 902-928 MHz band, which is currently shared by amateurs

with several government and scientific services as well as

various non-licensed, low-power "Part 15" devices.

    The FCC said that AVMs in the band "could lead to

rapid congestion of available spectrum," and asked for

comments on possible solutions, "such as removing Part 15

users and amateur operations from the band, restricting

where such uses could operate in the band, or placing

stricter limitations on the operation of such users in this

band."

    In its May 6 erratum to the NPRM, the FCC changed

"such as removing" to "*short* of removing."

    The comment date is June 29, 1993; reply comment

date is July 14, 1993.


Lenore Jensen, W6NAZ, SK


    Lenore Jensen, W6NAZ, died May 5, 1993, in Sherman

Oaks, Calif. She was 79 years old, the widow of Robert

Jensen, W6VGQ, and one of Amateur Radio's premier

ambassadors.

    She was first licensed as W9CHD in 1939, in Chicago,

where she was a contract actress for NBC. She became W2NAZ

upon moving to New York City in 1940, and then W6NAZ after

the Second World War, when she and her husband, Joe, W2MSC,

moved to Hollywood.

    Most of her operating involved message handling and

phone patching. She ran 68,000 Army MARS phone patches

during the Vietnam War, according to a profile in *QST* in

December, 1987.

    Lenore Jensen was a founder of the Young Ladies

Radio League, and the 1983 Dayton HamVention Special

Achievement Award winner.  She was especially important to

Amateur Radio public relations, interviewing stars and

celebrities for radio "spots."

    Survivors include two stepchildren, Cindy Wall,

KA7ITT; and Stephen Jensen, W6RHM.

    Funeral arrangements are pending. In lieu of flowers

memorial donations may be made to the ARRL Foundation, the

Los Angeles Recordings for the Blind Assn., or the American

Cancer Society.


BRIEFS


    * A new book, *Ham Radio Horizons: The Book*,

debuted at Dayton. This is a joint publication venture for

*CQ* publications and the ARRL, intended to introduce

Amateur Radio to nonhams. Associate Technical Editor Joel

Kleinman, N1BKE, and *QST* Features Editor Brian Battles,

WS1O, edited the book, which was written by Peter O'Dell,

WB2D. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the book will

go to a fund to be jointly administered by CQ and the ARRL

for ham radio recruiting projects.


    * ARRL Laboratory Supervisor Ed Hare, KA1CV, just

attended a one-day power-line electromagnetic interference

seminar conducted by Northeast Utilities at their Newington

training facility, at the invitation of Dave Faucher,

WA1UQC, who is a technical manager at NU. The seminar

covered the regulatory and technical aspects of power-line

interference.

    "It was quite refreshing to see a utility company

being so responsive to potential problems," Hare said. "We

generally only hear about the utility companies that do NOT

clean up their acts."


    * Repairs to the ARRL HQ shipping room floor begin

May 14. A new concrete floor will be poured in a small area

in the "new" portion of the shipping room, which is on the

second floor of the building and was built in the winter of

1977-78. Those working on the first floor under the affected

area will be forced to bail out temporarily. We'll have

photos next issue.


    * At the Dayton HamVention, DXCC Specialist Bill

Kennamer, K5FUV, checked 139 DXCC applications totaling

7,522 country credits, with the assistance of several DXCC

Field Representatives.


    * On May 1 W1AW inaugurated Saturday afternoon

visitors operating hours of 1 to 4 p.m. (when the evening

code practice and bulletin schedule begins). This was in

direct response to visitor requests, says Chief Op Jeff

Bauer, WA1MBK.

    Bauer also reports that visitors to the station this

year are running somewhat behind 1992, 340 compared to 402,

probably due to worse-than-usual weather.


    * ARRL Public Information Manager Steve Mansfield,

N1MZA, continues to field calls from reporters inquiring

about Amateur Radio's role in the conflict in the former

Yugoslavia. No wonder, since practically every news report

these days attributes information to "ham radio operators."


    * Upcoming ARRL meetings: Membership Services, May

15 in Chicago; Industry Advisory Council, May 22 in Chicago;

Long Range Planning, June 12 in Chicago; and Board of

Directors, July 16-17 in Hartford.


    * A federal appeals court on May 7 blocked the FCC

from enforcing rules against indecent and unlawful

depictions on public access cable television, according to

the Associated Press. Lawyers for public access channels

argued that the rules were overly broad, saying they would

have prevented access channels from carrying some

programming that is allowed on broadcast radio and

television.

    Last month, a D.C. appeals panel put a similar hold

on the rule against indecent programming on *leased* access

channels, which also are available to virtually anyone but

for which the user must pay a fee for time and can sell

commercials, the AP said.

    Plaintiffs in both cases are, according to the AP,

the American Civil Liberties Union, People for the American

Way, The 90s Channel, Alliance for Community Media, and

Alliance for Communications Democracy.


    * Organizers of this year's National Boy Scout

Jamboree are looking for licensed amateurs/Scouts to help

staff the Radio Merit Badge Tent. The event will be August 2

to 9, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. If you're interested,

contact Ray Moyer, WD8JKV, at 214-580-2595.


    * James O. Weldon, AA5ST, died April 19, 1993, in

Williamsburg, Va. He was 88 years old. Weldon, who lived in

Dallas, founded Continental Electronics Corp. there. The

company, according to a Dallas newspaper account, built

transmitters for the Voice of America network as well as

communications equipment for broadcast facilities worldwide.

    According to current Continental president Robert

McDonald, Weldon's high-power RF designs led directly to the

first "super stations," including XERA in Villa Acuma,

Mexico, which ran a half-million watts in 1938.

    Weldon was a lifetime fellow of the Institute of

Radio Engineeers (now the IEEE), and received the Henry

Busignies Award of the Radio Club of America in 1982.

     According to an acquaintance, Edward J. Boh, W5AUY,

Weldon passed his 20 wpm code test to upgrade to Extra Class

at the age of 86.

    He leaves his wife, Nancy Chappelear Weldon, and

many other survivors. Services and burial were April 23 in

Dallas.


    * The only person to die in a tornado that struck

Tulsa, Okla. on April 24 was Bill Moore, KF5DL, killed while

helping two fellow hams repair radios for a fledgling

business. The Tulsa *World* said that Moore, 70, had founded

the Tulsa Amateur Radio School, "where he taught hundreds of

people how to operate ham radios for emergencies and public

service events.

    "Ham radio was his passion, friends and family

said."

    With Moore at the time of his death were Jim

Brassfield, KB5CWP, and Clara Brassfield, N5UBA. Both were

briefly hospitalized with injuries from the storm.

    Moore, a WW 2 veteran, leaves his wife, Dorothy. The

funeral was April 29 in Tulsa.


    * ARRL Advertising Assistant Angela Beebe, KA1SER,

who received her bachelor's degree last winter, has just

finished taking the grueling exams to become a certified

public accountant. Now begins the even more grueling 3-month

wait for the results!