wheatley@inuxi.UUCP (Steven Wheatley) (11/15/85)
/\ / \ / A \ / \ ===============/ \============== THE / R R \ LETTER VOLUME 4 \ / NUMBER 23 ===============\ /============== \ / \ L / \ / \/ November 11, 1985 The ARRL Letter is published bi-weekly by the Information Services Department of the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main St., Newington, CT, 06111; (203) 666-1541. Larry E. Price, W4RA, President; David Sumner, K1ZZ, Executive Vice President; Dave Newkirk, AK7M, Editor; Debra Chapor, Circulation Manager. Information from The ARRL Letter may be reproduced in whole or part in any form including photoreproduction and electronic databanks, providing credit is given to The ARRL Letter and to the American Radio Relay League. The ARRL Letter is available in printed form from ARRL. Subscriptions, limited to ARRL Members, are $19.50 (U.S. funds) per year for First-Class Mailing to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Overseas air mail subscriptions are available at $31 (U.S. funds) per year. Sample copies are available for an s.a.s.e. In this issue: o Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1985 o QCWA to File Comments o ARRL Speaks on Auxiliary Operation o ...and much more! WE'LL SHARE 1900-2000 kHz WITH RADIOLOCATION: FCC By FCC Report and Order released October 31, non-government radiolocation has been given primary status at 1900-2000 kHz. FCC believes this action in PR Docket 84-874 is a necessary prerequisite to future displacement of radiodetermination now at 1605-1705 kHz, a position ARRL disputes. A future proceeding will address possible expansion of standard broadcasting at 1605- 1705 kHz in the Western Hemisphere. ARRL's fight against this reallocation had been in the works for many months; see Happenings, November 1984 QST. Effective December 9, 1985, amateur stations in the 1900-2000 kHz range must not cause harmful interference to the radiolocation services and are afforded no protection from interference arising from radiolocation operations. Though FCC will not accept applications from 1605-1705 kHz radiodetermination stations for moves to 160 until July 1, 1987, plans are afoot to allow new spread-spectrum radiolocation stations access to 1900-2000 kHz as early as December 9 of this year. FCC claims that amateurs will still have "virtually exclusive non-government use of 1900-2000 kHz until private radiolocation transmitters become operational." ARRL may file for reconsideration; watch the Letter for details. January QST will cover more of the 1900-2000 kHz reallocation and resultant changes to Part 97. WHAT THE LEAGUE HAD TO SAY ON "AUXILIARY OPERATION 'EVERYWHERE'" In the July 18 Letter, we detailed an FCC proposal (in PR Docket 85-215) to allow auxiliary operation on all amateur frequencies with the exception of 431-433 and 435-438 MHz. Auxiliary operation is defined in Part 97.3 of the Rules as "radio communication for remotely controlling other amateur radio stations, for automatically relaying the radio signals of other amateur radio stations in a system of stations, or for interconnecting with other amateur radio stations in a system of amateur radio stations." Currently, auxiliary operation is allowed only on frequencies above 220.5 MHz. Here are the highlights of the League's comments in 85-215. The Quarter Century Wireless Association had petitioned FCC to delete the frequency restriction ("all amateur frequency bands above 220.5 MHz, except 431-435 and 435-438 MHz") from Part 97 because "the technological state of the art has made restrictions on auxiliary operation unnecessary." The League sees that the FCC proposal does not deal with spectrum management issues, however. How has technological development had any effect on the need to limit auxiliary operation to certain VHF and UHF frequencies? How will such expansion permit increased flexibility in auxiliary operations? It appears that the proposal would have the effect of shifting auxiliary operations to lower, more congested frequencies. ARRL comments continue with a discussion of how crowding on the medium- and high-frequency bands makes them unsuitable for auxiliary operation, with the added headache of MF/HF propagation disallowing local frequency coordination of links on those frequencies. Many auxiliary operations, such as remote control of an HF station, require a high duty-cycle, which could only make interference worse in the more crowded bands. Why use long- haul frequencies for short-haul auxiliary links? 2 meters is another bad candidate for auxiliary work; it is fully loaded in many areas of the country. ARRL comments that the Commission is correct in protecting the weak-signal and satellite bands at 431- 433 and 435-438 MHz, but similar segments should be protected on all bands. For these reasons, ARRL has requested that the Commission not permit auxiliary operation on frequencies below 220.5 MHz, that Section 97.86 of the Rules not be modified as proposed, and that the proceeding be terminated without further action. QCWA REQUESTS EXTENSION OF TIME TO FILE COMMENT IN DOCKET 85-215 The Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA), has asked FCC to extend the time in which to file comment in Docket 85-215 (see "What the League Had to Say . . . " above). QCWA said that detailed comment in 85-215 will require time-consuming analysis, and that the Association does not feel it can respond meaningfully within 30 days, and requests an extension of time to file of 60 days. If granted, this would mean a new Reply Comment deadline of December 24, 1985. NEW ORLEANS FCC DISTRICT OFFICE MOVES Effective October 18, the new address for the New Orleans District office is 800 West Commerce, Room 505, New Orleans LA 70123; telephone 504-589-2095. Public inquiries concerning telecommunications matters, complaints of electronic interference and schedules of commercial radio operator examinations should be directed to this address. 1986 CHARGE FOR ARRL/VEC EXAMS FCC announced on October 31 that effective January 1, 1986, the maximum allowable test fee will be $4.29 for a Volunteer- Examiner-administered Amateur Radio examination. The ARRL/VEC will charge $4.25 per candidate for tests taken in 1986 through Volunteer Examiner Teams working directly with the ARRL/VEC. The ARRL/VEC coordinates test sessions in all fifty states plus many locations overseas. Send an s.a.s.e. to Hq. for an updated printout of the test sessions in your area. YOU CAN'T TAKE THE SAME TEST THE NEXT TIME Effective November 8, FCC lifted Rule 97.26(h) requiring a candidate to wait thirty days before being retested on a failed exam element. The Commission now requires that a candidate being retested not take exactly the same test that was failed previously. FCC also directs that the VE Teams have the right not to retest anyone at the same session. Under the ARRL/VEC procedure, a candidate who fails may not be retested at the same test session. Once the candidate fails a written element, his or her participation at a session has ended. Subsequent retesting will occur only when the candidate submits a new Form 6l0 application and an additional test fee. ARRL ON VEC MAINTENANCE OF EXAM QUESTION POOLS If the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in PR Docket 85-196 is adopted as proposed, Volunteer-Examiner Coordinators would be allowed to maintain their own question pools used to create examinations for amateur licenses. This maintenance is presently performed by the FCC, and VECs design written examinations by choosing questions from the FCC-issued pool. ARRL adheres to the principle that the Commission, and not Volunteer-Examiner Coordinators, should retain responsibility for all Amateur Radio examination question pools. " . . . It appears that it was intended by Congress that the Commission should be the entity which is responsible for maintenance of the question pools. It is questionable whether the delegation of authority to maintain question pools -- the most basic level of Commission supervision over examination quality -- is statutorially permitted . . . as recently as July 20, 1984, the Commission specifically clarified the rules to require 'that questions chosen for written examinations must be taken verbatim from FCC- approved lists.' Nothing has changed since then to moot that laudatory objective." The opportunity for Commission review of questions submitted for inclusion in the question pool provides an undeniably beneficial filtering process for the varied type and quality of questions. Since FCC itself has stated that its maintenance of the pools is now mainly a custodial function, it cannot be argued that Commission maintenance of question pools is a significant regulatory burden. Assigning VECs the responsibility for maintaining question pools would be a step away from uniform standards and fairness; it would be a step toward allowing "shopping for the easiest examination." The second proposal contained in the NPRM is the acceleration of the authority for Volunteer Examiners to design individual examinations for each examination element. While the preparation of individual examinations by VECs has worked out well, it is neither necessary nor desirable to permit individual examiners to prepare examinations from the question pools. If VEs are permitted to create the examinations, it would be possible for them to "teach to the test." VEs would not even have to divulge the contents of an upcoming examination -- they would be authorized to create the same. VECs must erect a "Chinese Wall" between trainer and examiner functions. This principle would be impossible to enforce at the local club level. The advantage of the present system is that no one in the field knows the contents of a particular examination until shortly before the test date. There is no unreasonable delay in obtaining examinations; there is an ample number of VECs to create them from the question pool. Paperwork is already time-consuming for Volunteer Examiners. Asking them to prepare examinations on top of this is more of a burden than is advisable. Overall, the League adheres to the principle that VECs, but not VEs, should be authorized to prepare individual examinations from the Commission-maintained question pool. THE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS PRIVACY ACT OF 1985 As of mid-September, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1985 (S. 1667 and H.R. 3378) is pending in Congress. The bill would amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code with respect to unlawful interception of wire and wireless electronic communication, authorizing the recovery of civil damages from and introducing stiff penalties for computer crimes and destructive "hacking." The intent is a broadening of the definitions both of protected communications ("any transmission of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, or photoelectric system that affects foreign or interstate commerce") and prohibited practices. Licensed Amateur Radio and CB transmissions are listed among "unprotected" communications (students of double negatives will appreciate that interception of our transmissions would continue to be "not unlawful"), but the progress and evolution of the Act will bear close watching. 902-928 MHZ ACCESS ASKED FOR LOW-POWER VIDEO LINKS Jerry Iggulden of Valencia, California, has petitioned the FCC for a rulemaking in amendment of Part 15 of the Commission's rules to allow unlicensed operation of low-power video transmitters at 902-928 MHz. "The rules and regulations currently don't allow for the non-licensed, low power transmission in any band suitable for video," Iggulden wrote in his September 11 petition. " . . . The proposed rule changes would allow for a video transmitter and receiver/converter operating at 902 to 928 MHz. It is the perception that these devices would serve the public interest by offering the benefit of broadcasting a video signal from the home video cassette recorder (VCR) to a TV in a remote location(s) (i.e., another room). It is virtually certain that the cost to the consumer for this benefit would be significantly less than a second VCR." Iggulden, whose interest in the proposed rules changes is in "potential involvement with a company whose business would be to market the proposed devices," notes that the field strength presently allowed by the applicable subpart of Part 15 would be more than adequate for transmission over a short range or within a single-family dwelling. "In fact," he continues, "the Commission may wish to impose a lower field strength limit on the proposed devices in order to prevent interference problems. What might this mean to amateur operations at 902 MHz? Iggulden's petition, designated as RM-5193 by FCC, appears to have been written without knowledge of the then-impending occupancy of 902-928 MHz by the Amateur Radio Service. Though our amateur allocation at 902 MHz is secondary, we're not secondary to the unlicensed emissions of devices operating under Part 15 -- so any such video links would have to suffer our interference and would be proscribed from interfering with us. And if you think that some of those second-harmonic cordless phone conversations polluting the low end of 80 meters are spicy, what of some of the video we might run into if low-power video links opened up at 902? WA8AJN LICENSE SUSPENDED; REVOCATION PROCEEDING INITIATED An Order to Show Cause and Suspension Order has been issued to J. Fred Riley, WA8AJN, of Kenova, West Virginia. Riley, an Extra Class licensee, is charged with violating Section 97.125 of the Amateur Rules -- the rule prohibiting "malicious interference," or jamming of radio communications of others. Also alleged were violations of Sections 97.84 and 97.123, which are station identification rules. The Commission's September 23 Order requires Riley to show cause why his amateur station license should not be revoked and suspends his amateur operator license, based on these rule violations. Riley had 30 days to request a hearing or a written statement concerning the matter. His request for an extension of the reply period to October 31 was granted; no further news was available to press time. YOUNG ASTRONAUT COUNCIL VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT The Young Astronaut Council and ARRL are looking for radio amateur volunteers to provide space communications experiences for young people in YAC chapters around the nation. Think you're ready? Requirements for amateur volunteers are a willingness to devote a substantial amount of time to working with local chapters on a long term basis, and the ability to provide space communications activities such as OSCAR, earth-moon-earth and ham-in-space activities, including monitoring shuttle audio transmissions. Volunteers will be listed as resources in the Young Astronauts Program Chapter Leaders' handbook, and would be contacted directly by local chapter leaders seeking space communications activities. What say? Leave your phone number with the Development Office, ARRL Hq. MARCE IN SPACE NEXT MONTH The Marshall Amateur Radio Club Experiment (MARCE) will fly on space shuttle Mission STS-61C, scheduled for launch on December 18. The experiment will transmit telemetry in synthesized speech directly on 435.003 MHz FM and via AMSAT-OSCAR 10 relay on 145.972 MHz FM. Though the experiment may be audible mainly in the southern hemisphere, amateurs in the southern portion of the U.S. may have a shot at taking part in taping MARCE's telemetry. For more details, contact the Development Office, ARRL Hq. INTERFERENCE FROM ULTRASONIC PEST CONTROL DEVICES Ultrasonic pest control devices are advertised to repel pests (i.e., mice, rats, roaches, etc.) through the emission of acoustic noise that cannot be heard by people. These devices have been found to cause electromagnetic interference to televi sions, as well as other types of equipment. Frequencies at which interference has been reported range from 20 to 470 MHz. Though pest control devices are not normally subject to FCC controls, ultrasonic devices of this type are subject to the technical and noninterference requirements of Part 18 of the FCC Rules. FCC staff have determined that a minor technical change to ultrasonic pest control devices would substantially reduce their electromagnetic emissions, hence reducing their RF interference potential. Additional information about this matter may be obtained by contacting Joe Husnay at (301) 725-1585 at the FCC Laboratory. JOB OPENING IN DXCC The DX Century Club Branch has an opening for an Assistant DXCC Manager. Primary responsibility is checking QSL cards and making proper DXCC record entries. The Assistant Manager is responsible for managing the DXCC Desk in the absence of the Manager. Applicants for this position should have a General Class (or higher) Amateur Radio license. A high degree of neatness and accuracy in record keeping is essential. Some interest in DXing and DX call signs helpful. Anyone interested in this position should contact Don Search, W3AZD, DXCC Branch Manager, ARRL Hq. ARRL'S NEW REPEATER DIRECTORY EDITOR: BART J. JAHNKE, KB9NM Bart comes to the Hq. staff from the Great State of Wisconsin. [He's also writing this -- Editor] He was born and raised near the city of Wausau (the other Insurance City) where his family still operates a 280-acre dairy farm. First licensed as KA9DLH in early 1979, rapid upgrades followed, and he now operates as Extra Class KB9NM [KB9 "Nature Man"]. Back in Wisconsin, Bart operated the VHF/UHF bands exclusively -- mainly on 144 MHz SSB and CW via tropo, meteor scatter, aurora, sporadic-E and EME, with those EME exploits having all been "on the horizon" with fixed-elevation long Yagis. Bart is also a VUCC Awards Manager. These days, Bart can be found below the horizon -- behind the stacks of CD-240 repeater registration cards and computer printouts in Membership Communications Services. [Editor's query: wouldn't EME from a dairy farm be earth-moo-earth?] *eof