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HAM Radio News 4/90
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NBBS.24 POSTED 4/20/90
NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #24
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URGENT ADVISORY - URGENT ADVISORY - URGENT ADVISORY
NEWSLINE - PLEASE HELP SAVE IT!
Immediate help is needed to keep the Amateur Radio Newsline in
operation. As reported elsewhere, Newsline -- the former
Westlink Radio Network -- must raise about $11,000 to pay off
bills that accrued as the result of its being named as a co-
defendant by the apparently now-defunct 220 MHz Frequency
Coordination Commission of Southern California in its libel /
slander action against the still viable 220 MHz Spectrum Management
Association of Southern California. While the case was eventually
dismissed, Newsline [then Westlink Radio] was forced to hire a law
firm to defend it against the unfounded charges brought by the
220-FCC. Since the dismissal order contained a "without
prejudice" clause, there is no way for Newsline or any of the
other defendants to ever recoup their losses.
Initial funding for Newsline's (Westlink Radio's) defense came
from a bank loan, with additional funding coming from Network
Director Bill Pasternak WA6ITF and a "Westlink Radio Network
Legal Defense Fund" set up by Ham Radio Magazine Associate Editor
Joe Schroeder W9JUV. Between Bill's contribution and that
collected by the defense fund, about $6000 of the origional
$17,000 in legal and clerical expenses has been paid. The
balance owed to the lending institution and the lawyers that
defended Newsline / Westlink Radio is now due. If enough in
funding cannot be obtained by approximately June 15, Newsline
will have no recourse other then to dissolve its network and sell
assets to attempt partial payment of its debt.
Joe Schroeder W9JUV informs us that the Newsline / Westlink
Radio Network Legal Defense Fund will remain open as long as
contributions are forthcoming. He says that some moneys have come
in following the announcement of Newslines plight that was made
in Westlink Report. However the amount donated thus far is no
where near the minimum amount needed to satisfy creditors.
Schroeder has agreed to keep the fund going as long as donations
continue to arrive. Please make donations payable to the Westlink
Radio Network Legal Defense Fund - Newsline, P.O. Box 406,
Glenview Illinois 60025.
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BULLETIN
ARRL TO FCC: DECLARE THIS!
THE FCC HAS ISSUED A PUBLIC NOTICE REQUESTING COMMENTS
ON AN ARRL REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF DECLARATORY RULING, FILED ON
NOVEMBER 13, 1989. THE ARRL REQUESTS THAT THE COMMISSION PRE-
EMPT, ON THE BASIS OF FEDERAL JURISDICTION, CERTAIN STATE
STATUTES AND LOCAL ORDINANCES AFFECTING TRANSCEIVERS USED BY
AMATEURS. THE LEAGUE CITED MANY STATUTES AND LOCAL ORDINANCES
DIRECTED TOWARD RADIO RECEPTION IN AUTOMOBILES, THAT HAVE THE
EFFECT OF PROHIBITING OWNERSHIP OF AMATEUR TRANSCEIVERS CAPABLE
OF RECEPTION ON FREQUENCIES USED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER
PUBLIC SAFETY ACTIVITIES.
THE LEAGUE STATES THAT, TO FACILITATE ADEQUATE RECEPTION OF
THE END FREQUENCIES OF AMATEUR BANDS, THE RECEIVERS OF
COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE TRANSCEIVERS TYPICALLY TUNE PAST THE ENDS
OF THE AMATEUR BANDS. THE ARRL VIEWS THIS ADDITIONAL RECEPTION AS
TECHNICALLY JUSTIFIABLE AND AS MERELY INCIDENTAL TO AUTHORIZED
AMATEUR SERVICE FREQUENCY BAND RECEPTION.
COMMENTS SHOULD BE FILED BY MAY 16, 1990 TO THE FCC IN
WASHINGTON DC. REPLY COMMENTS SHOULD BE FILED BY MAY 31, 1990.
ALL COMMENTS SHOULD REFER TO, ARRL DECLARATORY RULING REQUEST.
TNX ARRL CBBS
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Arctic (Via GB2RS) -The joint Anglo-Soviet Polar 90 Expedition
lead by Dr. Mike Stroud and Sir Randaulph Finnes set off from the
United Kingdom on February 22. As previously reported, the
expedition aim is to reach the North Pole from Siberia
unsupported by mechanical means or aided by animal pulled sleds.
Laurence (GM4DMA) and Morag (GM0MUV) Howell will use the special
callsigns GB4ICE/UA0 and GB4MSS/UA0 from the expedition base
camps and should be on the air by the time this notise reaches
print. Operating frequencies will be known shortly.
Austria (Via GB2RS) - Austrian amateurs may now utilize the 50
Mhz (6 metre) band though they are permitted narrow bandwidth
modes such as CW and SSB only. They can run a maximum power of 25
watts to horizontally polarized antennas and in some parts of the
country their operations are limited to the hours between
midnight and 0900 local time to avoid television broadcasting
hours.
Canada (Via CRRL) - The Department of Communications has
announced that users of the General Radio Service (27 MHZ or CB)
will no longer require a license after April 1. This change is a
part of the Canadian governments deregulatory iniatives.
Canada (via CARF News Service) - The Canadian Department of
Communications (Communications Canada) will no longer be involved
in the approval of antenna supporting structures with respect to
safe navigation of aircraft. It is now the responsibility of the
radio amateur to obtain the necessary approvals that his tower
does not constitute a hazard to air navigation. This approval
will be granted by the nearest Department of Transport (Transport
Canada) Aviation Group Office. While the criteria have not yet
been standardized across Canada, it appears as though the
government will not be interested in a given installation if the
supporting structure is less than 50' within three kilometers of
an airport or under 75' elsewhere.
Canada (Via CARF) - IPARN is on the air! IPARN is the Inter-
Provincial Amateur Radio Network which is building a Canada-wide
real time communications network using terrestrial repeaters tied
together by commercial geostationary satellite. A test in January
tied a repeater network in British Columbia that covers an area
from lower Fraser Valley to Southern Caribou was connected via
satellite to a similar net in Alberta provence. The intertie used
a narrow band FM single carrier per channel format on the Ku-band
Anik C2 satellite. The 7.5 KHz channel was operated push-to-talk
for an entire month. The experiment was closely monitored by
government and commercial interests. Infosat, a Canadian based
company assisted IPARN by providing uplink facilities.
England (Via RSGB) - British hams in need of CW practice can
find it on the air every Sunday. The Evening Study Association in
conjunction with the North Cheshire Radio Club now sends morse
proficiency transmissions on 3.600 MHz on HF and 145.250 MHz in
the two meter band. Speeds range from 30 to 15 words per minute
and proficiency certificates are available. Transmissions using
the callsign G0LEQ and G0BAA are at 1915 local time. For further
information contact G3LEQ directly at his listed Callbook
address.
Lithuania (Via CRRL) - Most Lithuanian amateurs are now using the
LY prefix assigned before World War 2 instead of UP. The suffixes
of Lithuanian callsigns appear to be unchanged. A new Lithuanian
QSL bureau has also been established at Box 1000, Vilnius 232001,
Lithuania USSR.
Luxembourg (Via GB2RS) - It is reported that Luxembourg is the
latest country to release the 50 MHz band to amateurs. LX
stations can run up to 100 watts ERP horizontally polorized
between 50.0 - 50.425 MHz. The RSGB is also checking out rumors
that six meters will be made available to amateurs in East and
West Germany and Austria. Although the German national society,
the DARC, has been negociating for this facility for some time,
it has not yet been granted.
Wales (Via RSGB) - Severe storms packing gale force winds have
raced across the British Isles and slammed into the european
continent. The Radio Society of Great Britain says that Raynet
members were heavily involved in relief work in the flooded areas
of North Wales. Seventy hams from Raynet worked for five days
manning eleven stations for both the Police and for the County
Emergency Planning officers. Raynet is the United Kingdom of our
Races and ARES programs, combined.
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NATIONAL NEWS
1990 DARA AWARDS
ARRL Hudson Division Director Stephen Mendelsohn, WA2DHF has
been named 1990 Radio Amateur of the year by the Dayton Amateur
Radio Association. In announcing their choice, Awards Committee
Chairman Ron Moorefield W8ILC noted that Mendelsohn was singled
out for top honors based on what the committee perceived as a
lifelong dedication to amateur radio that dates back several
decades. Among the points noted by Moorefield were Mendelsohn's
early work in organizing repeater coordination in the northeast
including his efforts to help establish the Tri-State Repeater
Council of New York - New Jersey and Connecticut, his various DX
operations from East-West Summit Meetings, his work in developing
media guidelines relating to amateur radio, his work in public
service including the organization of communications for the New
York City Marathon and the authoring of his "Marathon Handbook" -
- written with advice provided by the FCC to make it the
definitive work describing the level of permissible involvement
in such events by amateur radio communicators. Mendelsohn, 45 is
a broadcast engineer employed by the CBS Inc in New York and is
also a career Navy reserve officer and second term ARRL Director.
He and his wife CeCe live in Dumont New Jersey. He is the first
ranking ARRL official in the memory of DARA officials selected to
receive this award.
Recipient of the 1990 Special Achievement Award has been given
to Paul Thompson PhD, KC0VG, of Blue Springs Missouri for his
work in the creation of Blue Springs Community College and the
introduction of amateur radio as an integral part of the schools
course of study. According to DARA's Moorefield, Thompson wanted
to encourage students to explore amateur radio as a career
awareness opportunity relating to electronics and communications
and was successful in bringing it to the curriculum. The educator
then formed a campus radio club and with community support
installed a college amateur station. Today, thanks to Thompson's
inspiration, Blue Springs is setting an example for other schools
across the nation.
AMSAT's Bob McGwier N4HY of Warren New Jersey is the winner of
the 1990 Technical Achievement award for his work in the creation
of the Microsat series of amateur satellites. Bob served as
Project Manager on the Microsats, wrote their command telemetry
and flight software, designed the Digital Orbiting Voice Encoder
for the DOVE satellite and is currently Assistant Vice President
of Engineering for AMSAT-NA.
The actual awards presentation will be made on Saturday April
28 at the annual DARA Hamvention Banquet in Dayton Ohio. The
scheduled keynote banquet speaker is entertainer Ronnie Milsap
WB4KCG.
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FRED'S VEC TARGETED BY ARRL
Fred Maia W5YI who operates the W5YI-VEC is the target of ARRL
criticism because of a letter sent by Maia to ARRL Volunteer
Examiners. That letter included a request for comments on the
FCC's proposed Communicator license. Maia told Newsline producer
Bill Pasternak that he has received a letter from the League that
complains that the questions he asked are less then objective --
a charge denied by W5YI. The note to Maia also accuses him of
including in his mailing materials that misrepresent the purpose
of all V.E.C.'s and that it gives the impression of ARRL
collaboration in the mailing.
Apparently the way that the ARRL views the VEC program differs
sharply from that of Maia and several others. The mailing by Maia
(and received by Westlink Report) was made in the name of the
National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators -- a
loose-knit coalition of VEC's that meets annually with the FCC to
discuss matters pertaining to amateur radio testing procedures
and policies. Maia serves as Chairman of the Communicator
Recommendations Committee. The committee was established on
February 18 has tasked itself with gathering information from all
VEC's, their team members (VE's) and other interested parties
relative to the establishment of a codeless class of amateur
license. The information gathered will be used to formulate a
report that the Conference would submit to the FCC at or prior to
the June 15 meeting in Gettysburg Pa.
The position of the Conference seems to be that it as a group
has the obligation and the right to file collective comments on
Docket 90-55 before the Commission. ARRL policy would appear to
be that the Conference should steer clear of the political issues
raised and consider only matters directly related to generating
testing materials and examinations for the proposed new license
class. According to several well placed league sources, the hot
"unofficial topic" at the March 10th Executive Committee meeting
was the Maia solicitation. The majority of the Executive
Committee concluded that an exchange of ideas between VEC's is
of major value to all VEC'; but that political use of information
gathered by these exchanges must never be permitted and that
using the national but privately maintained list of VE Teams to
solicit information was a breach of trust.
The ARRL has reportedly given Maia an ultimatum that any
report made by the Communicator Recommendations Committee
include a bold disclaimer that the ARRL has had no involvement
whatever in the committees work. Further, Maia and the National
Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators have been informed
that participation in the June 15th meeting by the ARRL VEC
representative will be strictly limited to the League's
responsibility as a Volunteer Examination Coordinator and nothing
more.
In his telephone conversation with Newsline, W5YI noted that
the work of his committee will continue with or without ARRL
blessing. His feeling is that the Conference has a right to
hold a position on codefree licensing as long as it represents
the majority view of those VEC's involved, and presents a
minority position if one is deemed necessary. Fred says he really
cannot understand why the ARRL has taken such a hard-line
position on the issue of VEC's providing collective comment.
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ARRL: NO BOATS FOR US
The American Radio Relay League -- in the name of the W1AW
Net Manager has informed the FCC that it will not be a part of
further work toward the solution of the 14.313 - 20 meter net-
mess situation -- other then that previously stated b y the ARRL
-- because it is not a part of the problem to begin with. In a
strongly worded letter to Robert H. McNamara, Chief of the FCC's
Special Services Division, the American Radio Relay League says
it has reviewed his letter of December 21, wherein it was
suggested to implement a plan of self regulation in dealing with
the matter of a dispute taking place on the 20 meter band. The
FCC has called for a joint plan to be created by the principals
of a list of certain amateur service organizations, many of whom
appear in one way or another to be involved in the dispute.
According to the ARRL, it has reviewed the complete FCC file
related to this matter, and has concluded that there is no basis
for the operations of its headquarters station, W1AW, to be
included in any further discussion because there is no
controversy surrounding W1AW.
The ARRL response goes on to state that amateur community
clearly holds the W1AW transmissions of code practice and
bulletins in the highest regard and as greatly beneficial to the
objectives of the Amateur Service. It notes that there was no
-dissenting statement to be found in the file and so there is no
point at issue and no purpose to be served by having W1AW
operations included in further discussions of the matter.
The League says that it does not discount the seriousness of
the central issues in the dispute, nor the harm to the Amateur
Service and the public that has resulted from continuing on-the-
air confrontations between amateurs openly bickering with
differing views. However, they insist to the FCC that it should
be abundantly clear from the record that operations of W1AW are
not related to this issue and Had inputs on bulletin and code
practice not been specifically requested in Mc Namara's letter,
it is doubtful that W1AW would even have been mentioned by any of
the respondents. For these reasons the League has now officially
informed the FCC that it does not believe it is appropriate for
the W1AW trustee to be a party to such a process and assumes
there is no obligation to do so.
W1AW was among several non-14.313 operations that the feuding
nets attempted to draw into the controversary they created in the
hope of attracting widespread support for one side or the other
in the isolated fight. Other on-14.313 service nets including the
International Mission Radio Association have also indicated to
Westlink Report that they will not participate in the McNamara
proposed solution. Meanwhile, the situation on 20 meters is
worsening with the intransigence of the 14.313 operators not to
isolate their confrontation to that single frequency. Several
nets that moved off of .313 have now found that those who caused
them problems have followed them to their new frequencies and are
unwilling to cease their now openly declared war. This is quickly
bringing the eyre of non-net 20 meter users who are openly tired
of the fighting that is disrupting normal day-to-day operations.
What was only rumored two months ago is now openly talked about
on the air. Regular 20 meter users appear ready to declare a war
of their own on all maritime related operations -- net and non-
net -- including individual protagonists -- and run all of them
off 20 meters to clear the air.
**********
EXECUTIVE DECISIONS
The ARRL Executive Committee has endorsed in principal the
concept behind PELTS -- the proposed Personal Emergency Locator
System, but not for creation in the 220-222 Mhz band -- which the
league says is still an amateur band -- albeit one in litigation!
The league will file comments that state considering the use of
spectrum in the 220-222 MHz band is premature and that other
methods are available of accomplishing the PELTS objective other
then creating an entirely new radio service. In another 220
related matter, the committee has also directed Counsel
Christopher D. Imlay N3AKD to file comments on the proposed
service in Docket 89-552 that point out that moving ahead with
this proceeding may create a false expectation among land mobile
users since the ARRL appeal of the reallocation of 220-222 MHz
has not yet adjudicated.
The Executive Committee discussed the differences between the
FCC Notice of Proposed Rule Making in PR Docket 90-55 (no-code)
and the ARRL's position as outlines in RM-6955. They requested
that President Price appoint a special five member Working Group
to evaluate Docket 90-55 in regard to its relevance to current
ARRL policy with the objective of developing a strawman ARRL
position based on membership input and other information. In
other words, the ARRL is uncertain if it will endorse the docket
in whole, endorse it in part, oppose it in part or oppose it
totally.
On the international front, Executive Vice President Dave
Sumner K1ZZ reported that ARRL comments had been filed in WARC
'92 FCC Notice of Inquiry, General Docket 89-554 and that he had
been appointed by FCC Chairman Alfred Sykes as a member of the
1992 WARC Advisory Committee. This is good news for American
radio amateurs since Sumner played a key role in WARC '79
preparations and amateur radio participation in the conference
itself. (Ed. Note: Sumner and other key ARRL officials are at a
WARC planning meeting in Spain as we go to press.)
Counsel Imlay reviewed ARRL progress regarding resumption of
club station licenseing noting the leagues willingness to assist
depends to some degree on favorable Commission action regarding
the ARRL's Part 97 Cleanup petition RM-7243. One of the leagues
proposals in that petition is to ensure that only bona fide clubs
are eligible for club station licenses so as to limit the number
of applications requiring processing to a level that ARRL can
help administer.
A 30 day extension in the cutoff of reply comments on RM-7248
will be sought. This is an ARRL petition to establish limited
band segments for automatic control of high frequency digital
communications. ARRL feels the extension is needed to permit
development of the fullest possible record in this proceeding.
Regarding the proposed reallocation of the 80 meter Novice band
the committee noted that PR Docket 90-100 carries a commentary
cutoff date of June 15 and this requires that a league position
be developed prior to the next full board meeting this summer.
Accordingly, the Executive Committee says it will seek input on
the issue and discuss it at its next meeting.
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GLENDALE TOWER WIN
Glendale Arizona hams have won another impressive tower and
antenna zoning victory for amateur radio after the City Council
and mayor voted unanimously to amend the local zoning ordinance
to exempt amateur radio towers from a 30 foot restriction in
residential areas. The action followed the presentation of a City
Staff report that concluded the amateurs claim of a need for a
minimum 75' tower height was a reasonable accommodation based on
propagation on the HF bands and the terms of PRB-1. The report
even acknowledged the failure of the earlier ordinance to meet
the requirements of PRB-1. The report, which took almost a year
to prepare was deemed as being very supportive of the needs of
radio amateurs residing within the Glendale Arizona community.
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EXPENSIVE BOOTLEGGING
The FCC is raising the cost of bootlegging on the ham bands or
anywhere else in the electromagnetic spectrum. On March 5, the
Commission released a Public Notice that says it is raising the
amount of routine administrative monetary forfeitures -- read
that as fines -- from $750 to $1,000 for a first offense!
Further, it says that the routine fine for a first violation for
unauthorized operation in the aviation, marine, public safety and
special emergency radio services is going from $1000 to $1250.
These increases were prompted by a growing number of complaints
of interference from "pirate" radio operations. Under the terms
of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, the Commission
also has the authority to seize equipment, revoke or suspend
licenses and impose criminal penalties on rules violators. The
latter include fines of up to $100,000 and up to a year in jail
on each count of operating an unlicensed station.
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RFI PREEMPTION REAFFIRMED
The FCC has reaffirmed its contention that the federal
government, and only the federal government has authority in
matters of radio frequency interference and states and local
municipalities have none! In a letter to the American Radio Relay
League, the FCC's Robert L. Pettit said that congress has
preempted any concurrent state or local regulation of radio
interference pursuant to the provisions of the communications Act
of 1934 as ammended.
Section 302 (a) (1) of the Act provides that the FCC may,
consistent with public interest, convenience and necessity, make
reasonable regulations governing the interference potential of
devices which in their normal operation are capable of emitting
radio frequency energy to a degree that might cause harm to radio
communications. In rare instances, the Commission has instituted
"quiet hours" in severe RFI cases, but these instances have been
few and far between. Because of this, some state and local
entities have attempted to usurp the FCC in the area of RFI
regulation, and each time these attempts have been thrown out of
court. The latest test case will probably be Pierre South Dakota
which has enacted anti-RFI regulations. According to Pettit,
state and local laws that require amateurs to cease their
operations on the threat of legal penalty as a consequence of
radio frequency television interference are automatically
unconstitutional as they have been entirely preempted by
congressional action.
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PELTED WITH PROBLEMS
PELTS is in trouble. Even tho the concept of a Personal
Emergency Locator Transmitter System has gained tacit endorsement
from the ARRL as long as its not on 220-222 MHz (see related
story on Pg xx) reaction from other quarters has been generally
negative. The major stumbling block to PELTS appears to be the
fear on the part of search and rescue groups that the proposed
system will add to the confusion caused by wilderness enthuiasts
who carry Emergency Locator Transmitters designed specifically
for use in downed aircraft. These ELT's transmit a signal that is
picked up by the SARSAT/COSPAS search and rescue satellite, and
relayed to control centers in the United States and the U.S.S.R.
Unfortunately, because of the misuse of ELT's by hikers and
climbers, these devices now have a greater then 90% false alarm
rate. As a result, some of the comments received by the FCC voice
concern that PELTS could easily become another SARSAT-like mess.
For its part, the FCC thinks that PELTS could offer a legal
alternative to the abuses of the SARSAT/COSPAS ELT-related
system.
The Personal Radio Steering Group headed by Corwin Moore
WB8UPM opposes the voice privileges portion of the PELTS system.
PRSG which represents the political interests of users of the
General Mobile Radio Service and several other commentaries fear
that granting PELTS the use of voice communications would result
in nothing more then a short range CB of the wilderness. The GMRS
group states that only a so-called 'smart radio' based solely on
digital technology can avoid regulatory enforcement that can
result from widespread public use.
Perhaps the biggest blow to the PELTS system has come from the
National Association of Search and Rescue. NASAR is convinced
that adoption of PELTS would not solve the problems with SARSAT,
but would in fact delay further development of the technology of
the SARSAT/COSPAS system. They feel that the problems can be
overcome and in their view, SARSAT appears to offer the best hope
of a reliable false-free land alerting system of global scope.
Supporters of PELTS were fearful that industry pressure to
keep all non-commercial activity out of the reallocated 220-222
MHz band would be the biggest hurdle that they would face. From
the comments received by the FCC so far, it looks as if those who
you might think would benefit the most from PELTS are the ones
most violently opposed to it.
**********
JACKSON NJ TO HAMS: LET THEM USE CB!
A New Jersey politician may soon be the target of an organized
effort by radio amateurs to remove him from office after it was
disclosed that he told a ham to replace his amateur mobile gear
with a CB set! The furor centers around a demand by Jackson New
Jersey Public Safety Director William Mulligan that was published
in a local newspaper. In part, the letter said that allowing any
individual to intercept police department or any other emergency
communications would only cause harm to those agencies. His
letter was in response to one from Emory Brown KD2DN who has been
ordered by Mulligan to remove his ham gear from his car because
it has the capability of possibly intercepting some public
service emergency communications. Mulligan suggested that hams --
and everyone else use "CB radio and cellular telephone instead."
New Jersey has some of the most stringent radio use control
laws in the nation, many of which appear directly aimed at the
right of amateurs to enjoy the terms of their federally granted
licenses, and to provide service to the general public as
outlined in the Part 97 Amateur Service regulations. as a result
of the abuses by politicians in Jackson and elsewhere, ARRL
Hudson Division Director Steve Mendelsohn WA2DHF -- himself a New
Jersey resident -- convinced the ARRL Board of Directors to file
before the FCC for the issuance of total federal pre-emption over
all amateur communications. The Commission has now decided to
accept the ARRL petition for such a Declatrory Ruling, but a
decision on this could be months or, even years away.
Annoyed at the mounting problem, a dissident group New Jersey
amateurs not allied to the ARRL federal pre-emption effort
appears ready to announce the formation of a political action
committee (PAC) aimed at removing from office any state, city or
municipal official who in any way oppose the right of ham
operators to freely exercise the terms of this amateur licenses,
including unimpeded mobile operation throughout the state.
Seemingly modeled in part after the successful work by the Palos
Verdes Amateur Radio Club in California, the group intends to
campaign in favor of candidates supportive of amateur radio.
via AV-Sync (404) 320-6202
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