April 8, 2008 by kb3ljm.

The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are co-sponsoring the annual Military/Amateur Radio communications tests in celebration of the 58th anniversary of Armed Forces Day (AFD). Although the actual Armed Forces Day is celebrated on May 17, the AFD Military/Amateur Crossband Communications Test will be conducted on May 10 to prevent conflict with the Dayton Hamvention, scheduled for May 16-18.
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March 21, 2008 by kb3ljm.

On July 1, the State of California will have new laws on the books to deal with the use of wireless telephones while driving. There has been some confusion as to whether California amateurs who operate in their car will be affected by the new law. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicle’s Web site http://www.dmv.ca.gov/cellularphonelaws/dl208_03cell_phone.pdf, “the use of dedicated two-way radios such as walkie-talkies or Citizen Band (CB) radios is not affected by the new law” for drivers 18 or older.

Source: The ARRL Letter Vol. 27, No. 10 March 14, 2008

http://www.eham.net/articles/18893

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March 6, 2008 by kb3ljm.

The FCC, ARRL representatives and agents of the various US Air Force units working on developing a plan to mitigate alleged interference from 70 cm ham radio repeaters to PAVE PAWS radar systems on both coasts met February 20 via conference call. The purpose of the conference was to review the status of the mitigation plans at both sites: the Massachusetts Military Reservation on Cape Cod and Beale AFB, north of Sacramento, California.
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February 19, 2008 by kb3ljm.

As of February 14, 2008, U.S. Bank has replaced Mellon Bank as the lockbox bank for all FCC programs (with the exception of auction-related payments). Applicants who manually file FCC paper applications via mail — usually for new vanity call signs or for renewal of vanity call signs — will need to send payments to U.S. Bank. Amateurs filing paper applications for a new Vanity Call Sign Applications need to submit FCC Payment Form 159 and the FCC Regulatory Fee < http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/vanityfee.html>, along with the FCC Form605 and FCC Form 605 Schedule D. After completing all required forms, mail them along with the payment to the address of the Commission’s new lockbox bank: Federal Communications Commission, PO Box 979097, St Louis, MO 63197-9000. When submitting fees, payments or applications to the lockbox bank, filers should specifically reference the Government Lockbox number - 979097 — on the 159 payment form. U.S. Bank will accept hand-delivered filings or courier deliveries at their office located at U.S. Bank, attn: FCC Government Lockbox Number 979097, SL-MO-C2-GL, 1005 Convention Plaza, St Louis, MO 63101. According to ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, “The FCC has also established a 45-day transition period that began on February 14 to mitigate the transition’s impact and to provide time to resolve any reconciliation and change-over discrepancies.” The FCC strongly encourages the use of their electronic filing and payment options. Electronic payments can be submitted through their secure Web site <http://www.fcc.gov/fees/feefiler.html>. Electronic payments allow for faster processing of applications. Further info can be found on FCC Web Site <http://www.fcc.gov/fees/lockbox.html>.

http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/08/0215/

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November 14, 2007 by kb3ljm.

ARRL DXCC Manager Bill Moore, keeps a DXCC Blog on the ARRL Web site http://www.arrl.org/blog/DXCC%20Dialog. In it, he posts news and updates to the ARRL DXCC program. Moore notes that there is a link on the DXCC Web page to a text version of the DXCC list. “To help facilitate those who design programs and databases to track and report DXCC, I have added a new field to this list designated ‘Entity Code.’ This is the 3-digit code currently used in the computer system to
assist in designating entities,” he said. To find out more about the ARRL DXCC program, please see the DXCC Web page http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/. If you have any questions concerning DXCC or any other ARRL award program, e-mail the DXCC Desk DXCC@arrl.org.

http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/07/1109/

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November 14, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Amateur Radio and the ARRL received a significant public relations boost from the AARP this week. Promoting life-long learning for their members, Susan Ayers Walker wrote “Finding Your Hobby Online” for the AARP Web site. What’s the first and most prominent activity listed to keep the mind active and functional? Amateur Radio! Here’s what the article had to say: “Long before the internet was created, the Amateur Radio network was the way people from all over the world could connect. Amateur, or ham, Radio operators created vast social networks by talking long distances to other radio enthusiasts, making distant friends and exchanging calling cards. It is this linkage of radio enthusiasts that is ready to help communication flow in case of a disaster or weather emergency. The ARRL, the National Association for Amateur Radio, has an informative website with lots of news and information, plus info on getting started or finding a chapter in your area.” You can read more at
<http://www.aarp.org/learntech/computers/life_online/finding_your_hobby_online.html>.

http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/07/1109/

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November 9, 2007 by kb3ljm.

With 60 scholarships awarded in 2007, the ARRL Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of two new scholarships for 2008. The scholarship application period runs from October 1, 2007 to February 1, 2008. Applicants for any ARRL Foundation scholarship must arrange for current transcripts to be provided as a part of the application process.

The David W. Misek, N8NPX, Memorial Scholarship, endowed through thegenerosity of Nancy Makley, administrator of the David W. Misek Estate, honors Misek, a resident of Xenia, Ohio and long-time ARRL Life Member. Misek was a strong advocate of Amateur Radio education as highlighted by his many years of teaching licensing classes, mentoring new hams and actively participating in public service activities. His lifelong dedication to Amateur Radio was dedicated to building awareness of Amateur Radio and introducing the magic to new hams. Beginning in 2008, the Misek Scholarship will award a $1500 scholarship to a current resident of Greene, Montgomery, Champaign, Darke, Preble, Miami, Clark, Butler or Warren County in Ohio.

The Scholarship of the Morris Radio Club of New Jersey is endowed by a $31,671 gift from the Morris Radio Club. Starting in 2008, a $1000 award will be made to a qualified candidate without regard to geographic area or course of study. Led by the efforts of Trustee Ron Levy, K2CD, the Morris Radio Club presented the gift to the ARRL Foundation at the Sussex Hamfest in New Jersey. Attending the presentation were ARRL Hudson Division Director and Foundation Trustee Frank Fallon, N2FF; Vice Director Joyce Birmingham, KA2ANF, and ARRL Chief Development Officer and Foundation Secretary Mary Hobart, K1MMH.

Information for each of the ARRL Foundation scholarships, including application instructions and forms, may be found on the ARRL FoundationWeb site <http://www.arrl.org/arrlf/scholgen>.

http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/07/1102/

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October 15, 2007 by kb3ljm.

This week, ARRL Letter readers are in luck! The ARRL’s very own Doctor, author of the popular QST column “The Doctor Is IN,” answers a question from his mailbag:

Question – Ray Fritts, KA8SYX, of Jacksonville, Florida, asks: If a piece of coaxial cable has a specified loss figure in dB per 100 feet at a given frequency, does that mean that the loss in a different length of the same cable that is a fraction of 100 feet long is the same fraction of loss?
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August 29, 2007 by kb3ljm.

On August 23, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau released new Amateur Radio enforcement actions. Norman Ball, KE6VWN, of Sunland, California, and Richard Martin, KE6RJI, of Maywood, California, both received Warning Notices informing them that the FCC had received written complaints concerning the K6GE repeater and cited their “failure to follow rules set forth by the licensee/control operators of the repeater system for its users.” They were told that they had been told to refrain from using this repeater system, “but have apparently ignored both verbal and written requests” to do so. Both Ball and Martin were informed by the FCC that if they use the repeater again after receiving their letters from the FCC, “[the FCC] will initiate enforcement action against your license, which may include revocation, monetary forfeiture (fine) or a modification proceeding to restrict the frequencies on which you may operate.” The FCC warned Ball and Martin that fines “normally range from $7500 to $10,000.”
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July 30, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The Technical Institute of Radio, the IARU member-society in Syria, will celebrate 60 years of Amateur Radio in that country from October 15-November 15. In honor of this important milestone, TIR members will be using special prefix 6C60 on all HF bands during the month.

http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/07/0727/

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