May 9, 2008 by kb3ljm.

The FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order (NPRM) on May 8 seeking to raise fees for Amateur Radio vanity call signs. Currently, a vanity call sign costs $11.70 and is good for 10 years; the new fee, if the FCC plan goes through, will go up to $12.30 for 10 years, an increase of $.60. The FCC is authorized by the Communications Act of 1934 (as amended) to collect vanity call sign fees to recover the costs associated with that program. The vanity call sign regulatory fee is payable not only when applying for a new vanity call sign, but also upon renewing a vanity call sign for a new term. Instructions on how to comment on this NPRM are available on the FCC Web site.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/05/08/10089/?nc=1

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May 8, 2008 by kb3ljm.

In two separate decisions released today, the Federal Communications Commission denied two Petitions for Rulemaking (PRM) having to do with Amateur Radio. These two PRMs, one filed by Mark Miller, N5RFX, of Arlington, Texas, concerning digital spectrum issues, and the other filed jointly by Ken Chafin, W6CPA, of La Crescenta, California, and Leon Brown, KC6JAR, of Los Angeles, California, concerning additional spectrum for more repeaters, including digital systems. Miller’s PRM was assigned RM-11392, while the Chafin and Brown petition was not afforded an RM number by the FCC. According to ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, the ARRL filed no comments on either petition in accordance with the League’s standard policy on bare petitions for rule making that do not deal with spectrum allocations.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/05/07/10087/?nc=1

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May 8, 2008 by kb3ljm.

The Dallas Morning News has reported that “an ambitious plan for using power lines to deliver fast Internet service to 2 million Dallas-area homes collapsed Thursday.” Current Group, LLC has announced plans to sell its Dallas BPL network to Oncor, a regulated electric distribution and transmission business, for $90 million. Oncor reportedly has no plans to offer Internet service but will use the network to detect distribution network issues. While Current originally touted the network as a way to offer Internet service to consumers and had entered into a marketing arrangement with DirecTV, the Houston Chronicle quotes Oncor spokesman Chris Schein as confirming that Oncor will use the network only for monitoring the power grid: “Our business is delivering electricity, not being an Internet provider or a television provider.”

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/05/02/10078/?nc=1

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April 25, 2008 by kb3ljm.

Show off your ham radio pride with ARRL’s new line of HAM apparel. The new shirt, sweatshirt and ball cap feature the very popular oval Euro design with “HAM” emblazoned in the center and the ARRL Web site address centered underneath it. The T shirt is a pre-shrunk black Hanes beefy-T with white contrast stitching. The HAM oval is screenprinted on the left chest. This trendy T shirt comes in unisex sizes from small to 3X for only $12.95 each. The heavyweight black sweatshirt features a quarter-zip neckline with a brass metal zipper and leather pull. The HAM oval is embroidered on the left chest. This sweatshirt is perfect for the still chilly nights of spring and comes in unisex sizes from small to 3X for only $34.95 each. The black ballcap features the HAM oval embroidered in the center of the cap. With an adjustable Velcro tab closure, this cap is sure to fit just about anyone. Get yours for only $12.95. Receive a free HAM Euro sticker (a $2 value) when you order one of these three HAM items before May 31, 2008.

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=8150

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April 9, 2008 by kb3ljm.

Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the 27th annual ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC), Friday-Sunday, September 26-28, in Chicago, Illinois. Papers will also be published in the Conference Proceedings. Authors do not need to attend the conference to have their papers included in the Proceedings. The submission deadline is July 31. The ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference is an international forum for technically minded radio amateurs to meet and present new ideas and techniques. Paper/presentation topic areas include — but are not limited to – software defined radio (SDR), digital voice, digital satellite communication, digital signal processing (DSP), HF digital modes, adapting IEEE 802.11 systems for Amateur Radio, Global Positioning System (GPS), Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS), Linux in Amateur Radio, AX.25 updates and Internet operability with Amateur Radio networks. Submit papers to Maty Weinberg, KB1EIB, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111 or via e-mail. Papers will be published exactly as submitted, and authors will retain all rights. ARRL will provide additional information on the 2008 DCC as it becomes available.

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=8133

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April 9, 2008 by kb3ljm.

In a personal essay published in the April 2008 issue of The National Review, the late William F. Buckley Jr described a fascinating story involving himself, Senator Barry Goldwater, K7UGA (SK), and of course ham radio. It seems that Mr Buckley was part of a 12 man trip to a very remote outpost at the South Pole. In addition to his son, his old pal Barry Goldwater and Barry Jr were also members of this expedition. Buckley described being in a crowded Soviet igloo, entertained with “trays of caviar and tumblers of vodka.” After toasting his Russian host, he was suddenly taken aside by Barry Jr. “Dad wants to see you” he said, pointing to the door. Buckley was taken to another igloo, apparently the radio shack. “Thought you might like to talk to your wife,” the senior Goldwater said. Buckley describes the prideful look on Goldwater’s face, having maneuvered the Soviet radio to contact his wife back home in Arizona! Although he was a man famous for his complete control of the English language, Bill Buckley said he was “speechless” as he heard the telephone ringing and his wife answering the telephone! He said, “It’s me darling” and his wife responded, “It’s three o’clock in the morning!” Buckley exclaimed, “I’m calling from the South Pole!” This story reminded me of the many nights back in the late 1970s when I gladly helped with phone patches from the US Navy base at McMurdo, Antarctica. Just as Senator Goldwater did, I awakened many people in the wee hours of the morning with a phone call from their loved ones on the bottom of the world! — Bruce Jackson, KA5ELC, Cordova, Tennessee

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=8132

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April 8, 2008 by kb3ljm.

With more than 20,000 listings for VHF/UHF repeaters across the US and Canada, The ARRL Repeater Directory 2008-2009 is a must have. Once again, the ARRL is offering two sizes of the Repeater Directory — pocket size and desktop. This year, not only is the pocket-sized Repeater Directory a half-inch larger than previous editions, it boasts a larger font size, making for easier reading. For the first time ever, this year’s editions feature handy indexing tabs on the cover, easier to read listings and a “Key to Repeater Notes” located right up front in the Directory. Along with these new features, both editions have the features you know and enjoy from prior years: Repeater operating practices, repeater lingo and hints for newly licensed hams; Frequency Coordinator contact information; listings for D-Star and APCO 25 repeaters; a guide to using CTCSS tones and Digital Coded Squelch (DCS); VHF/UHF band plans and a 2 meter channel-spacing map; IRLP (Internet linked) nodes; tips for handling interference; listings for IRLP, WIRES-II and EchoLink (Internet linked) nodes; emergency message handling procedures, and a transceiver memory log. Order your copy of The ARRL Repeater Directory 2008-2009 today at the ARRL Online Store.

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=8118

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April 8, 2008 by kb3ljm.

ARRL DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, reports that DXCC has completed processing applications for 2007. As such, St Barthelemy (FJ) has been added to the DXCC computer system and Logbook of The World (LoTW). With the addition, this moves the #1 Honor Roll position to 338 current entities; operators now need 329 entities to qualify for Honor Roll. “While DXCC has completed applications for 2007, there are a number of application returns still being mailed, so it may be another 2-3 weeks before applicants receive their 2007 return,” Moore said. “LoTW is now accepting certificate requests for St Barthelemy; once those logs are submitted, the matches should occur and applicants can claim DXCC credit.” For programmers who use the DXCC entity numbering system, the entity code for St Barthelemy is 516.

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=8122

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April 8, 2008 by kb3ljm.

The ARRL VEC leads the way when it comes to licensing amateurs, thanks to the excellent work of thousands of volunteer examiners who give so generously of their time, energy and skill. Whether you have ever thought about becoming a Volunteer Examiner or you are a seasoned VE, the ARRL VEC Volunteer Examiner Manual is the complete guide to the ARRL Volunteer Examiner program. Packed with everything new and experienced ARRL VEs need to know, this book is loaded with information, including chapters on becoming a Volunteer Examiner, the Volunteer Examiner Team, preparing for the test session, Form 605; conducting the test session, session report and returning documents, FCC Part 97 Rules and more. Order your copy today.

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=8128

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March 28, 2008 by kb3ljm.

On Friday, March 21, the FCC released a Forfeiture Order in the amount of $7000 to CB Shop and More in Loveland, Colorado for “willful and repeated violations of Section 302(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Act), and Section 2.803(a)(1) of the Commission’s Rules.” According to the FCC, CB Shop and More was selling a “non-certified Citizens Band (’CB’) transceiver.”

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/03/26/10025/?nc=1

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