rjr@mgweed.UUCP (Bob Roehrig) (07/31/85)
qst de k9eui hr arrl bulletin nr 59 from arrl headquarters newington ct july 27, 1985 to all radio amateurs bt what follows is a summary of the major actions taken at the 1985 second meeting of the board of directors of the arrl, which was held in hartford, ct on july 25 and 26. with regard to the repeater coordination proposal in fcc docket 85 22, the board directed counsel to file in support of preferred status for coordinated repeaters, that frequency coordination be urged but not mandated, that coordination be on a local or regional level, and that coordination include auxiliary operation. consistent with this action the board ordered that a study be made of the costs of maintaining a national repeater data base. the board went on record in favor of fcc retaining responsibility for all amateur exam question pools with vecs responsible for creating actual tests therefrom. the league will petition fcc to require two or more general class operators to administer a novice test. the executive committee will study the need for a revision to fcc rules covering morse code testing. counsel is to amend arrl petition on enhanced novice license, rm 5038, to maintain present power limits in novice bands below 28 mhz. persons designated by special service clubs will be able to certify awards for was, 5bwas, and vucc. the arrl qso party contest will be discontinued. the ecac was charged with reviewing the current limit of one hour for races test and drill periods. the board created an ad hoc committee on spread spectrum standards. the board adopted a reduced arrl membership rate of 6 dollars and 25 cents per year for youths under 13 years of age, and a rate of 12 dollars and 50 cents per year for under 18 years of age. staff was encouraged to cooperate with and supply information about amateur radio to youth groups. there is also to be a program designed to integrate amateur radio into the curricula of the electronics and communications schools of the nations armed services. the arrl executive vp is to submit to fcc a preliminary proposal to provide it assistance in assigning amateur callsigns. ways of strengthening the arrl field technical information service are to be studied. recommendations pertaining to strengthening of crrl were approved. the 220 to 225 mhz band plan is changed to show repeater channel spacing of 20 khz rather than 40 khz. there is to be a study of the band plan for 420 to 450 mhz regarding repeater input output relationships, but 25 khz channel spacing is endorsed now. the 23 cm band plan regarding fm repeater offsets presently set at 12 mhz is to be reevaluated. the board also adopted a bandplan for the 24 mhz band as follows, 24.890 to 24.920 mhz cw only, 24.920 to 24.930 mhz cw and digital, and 24.930 to 24.990 mhz cw, phone and sstv ar