At its July meeting, the ARRL Board of Directors resolved that “at the appropriate time” ARRL will oppose a proposal by France to include 144 – 146 MHz among spectrum to study for non-safety Aeronautical Mobile Service applications with an eye toward sharing the spectrum with the Amateur Services. The action came as the Board met July 19 – 20 in Windsor, Connecticut for its second meeting of 2019. The Board pointed out that 144 – 146 MHz is allocated globally to the Amateur Service on a primary basis and enjoys widespread use for emergency communication. It also pointed to the investment by radio amateurs of money and effort to build repeaters, beacons, space infrastructure, and propagation research systems that have global reach. The AMSAT and ARISS communities would be severely affected as many spacecraft use 2 meters to facilitate communication, the Board noted.
ARRL International Affairs Vice President Jay Bellows, K0QB, recommended continuing to monitor the proposal. If it is added as an agenda item for study for WRC 2023, the Board should consider action, he advised.
Digital Communication Issues
The Board instructed Washington Counsel David Siddall, K3ZJ, to take appropriate steps to obtain FCC approval for several changes to the Part 97 Amateur Radio Service rules. The requested changes stemmed from discussions regarding the interference potential of automatically controlled digital stations (ACDS); the prohibition of Amateur Radio message traffic that’s encoded to obscure its meaning, and false assertions that ARRL — despite its record of steadfast opposition — supports or encourages encrypted transmissions. The Board directed that the FCC be asked to make rule changes that would:
♦ Remove the current 300 baud rate limitation, subject to the conditions requested by the ARRL.
♦ Authorize all automatically controlled digital (data) stations (ACDS) below 30 MHz, regardless of occupied bandwidth, to operate only within the ACDS bands designated in §97.221(b) of the Amateur Service rules.
♦ Require all digital mode stations operating with a bandwidth greater than 500 Hz to operate within the ACDS bands, whether or not these stations are automatically controlled.
♦ Limit the maximum bandwidth of digital mode signals below 29 MHz to 2.8 kHz.
♦ Reiterate to the FCC that ARRL’s position is unchanged from that expressed in ARRL’s 2013 comments on a Petition for Rulemaking (RM-11699) filed by Don Rolph, AB1PH. Those comments specifically addressed encryption of messages and made clear that such messages generally are prohibited in Amateur communications by §97.113 of the FCC rules and by Article 25, §2 of the International Radio Regulations and should remain prohibited.
The Board also wants to request that the FCC remind radio amateurs “by whatever appropriate means available” of the current prohibition in §97.113(a)(4) and Article 25, §2 of the International Radio Regulations against transmitting “messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning.”
ARRL-initiated mediation efforts for rival parties to reach consensus on all or some of the issues they raised in the so-called “Symbol Rate” proceeding ended a few days prior to the July Board meeting with useful discussion but no agreement among those parties on recommendations to the FCC.
Other Actions
The Board tasked its Administration and Finance (A&F) Committee to assess the feasibility of a Research Working Group (RWG) and, if warranted, to establish one. The group would help the Board and ARRL management to better gauge trends, collect more accurate membership information, and more closely track the progress of programs. The Board suggested that the RWG be led by a statistical coordinator appointed by the President. ARRL CEO Howard Michel, WB2ITX, would chair the RWG. The A&F Committee will report back to the full Board at its January 2020 meeting.
Upon the recommendation of the Programs and Services Committee, the Board directed that the rules for all ARRL contests be revised to require that each claimed contact include contemporaneous direct initiation by the operator on both sides of the contact. Contact initiation may be local or remote. The Board further voted to amend the DXCC rules to establish the same requirement for that program.
The Board voted to add a QRP Single Operator subcategory for the ARRL RTTY Roundup.
Reports
In his report to the Board, CEO Michel expressed concern that the number of new amateur licenses was down, and, if the trend continues, it could pose a potential risk to ARRL. Michel told the Board that Headquarters staff will move forward with a new On The Air magazine aimed toward new licensees. “Keeping new amateurs engaged with a publication geared toward the newcomer is a primary goal,” Michel explained. He added that the new podcast So Now What? is off to a good start with encouraging response.
Treasurer Rick Niswander, K7GM, told the Board that ARRL’s investment portfolio returns were in line with approximated market returns in the equity and credit markets, but he remains concerned that the markets are richly priced in an underlying economic environment that is starting to show some signs of strain.
Chief Financial Officer Diane Middleton, K2DLM, reported that the League continues to have a financially strong balance sheet and generated a larger-than-expected gain from operations through June 30. Total revenues were greater than forecast, while expenses were lower than forecast. Cash flow also continued to be healthy.
Censure Rescinded
The Board acted to rescind its public censure of ARRL Southwestern Division Director Richard Norton, N6AA. The censure action, taken at a special Board meeting in November 2017, was based on Norton’s alleged violation of the ARRL Policy on Board Governance and Conduct of Members of the Board of Directors and Vice Directors, adopted in January of that year and itself since rescinded.
Minutes of the July ARRL Board of Directors meeting are available on the ARRL website at http://www.arrl.org/files/file/201920of%20Directors/Final20July%202019.pdf.
Source:ARRL
Recent Posts
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: We saw one day during the February 25 – March 3 reporting week — Monday, March 1 — with no sunspots, so the average... Read more
New Firmware Icom Updates for the IC-705, IC-7300, IC-9700 to include Smoother FT8 Mode Operation
Icom will be releasing new firmware for our IC-705, IC-7300 and IC-9700 transceivers. The updates are planned to improve the user experience and incor... Read more
Quantum Receiver Can Detect Huge Swath of the RF Spectrum
US Army researchers have built a so-called “quantum sensor,” which can analyze the full RF spectrum and real-world signals, a report on Physics.org sa... Read more
Location, maps and awards
I talk about the various location standards are used in amateur radio. I show several maps and awards. Read more
Approaches to Tackle Noise Problems Vary, Remedies Elusive
RF noise is a frequent discussion topic among radio amateurs. A proliferation of electronics has cluttered and complicated the noise environment; it’s... Read more
ARISS, NASA, and ESA Continue to Probe Amateur Radio Problems on ISS
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, reports that the ARISS team has been working closely... Read more
Yaesu FT-DX10 HF Transceiver – Is it Right for You?
We take a look at one of the most recent HF transceivers to come onto the ham radio market. Could this be the new FT-101E that was one of the best sel... Read more
What is the Base Holding Up My Hexbeam?
William Noble asks about the base used to hold up my MFJ-1846 Hex Beam antenna. The actual base that allows for a fold-over mast was designed by frien... Read more
Warrantless Search Of Ham Radio Operators? No Fourth Amendment Rights?
Responding to comments and recent videos here on Youtube. Is there a big threat to amatuer radio operators fourth amendment rights? Are we opening out... Read more
ARISS APRS Testing
ARISS APRS TestingThe ARISS team has been working very closely with NASA and ESA to identify potential ARISS radio anomaly causes and resolve the radi... Read more
Baofeng UV-9R TP 18-watt Power Testing | UV9R Plus HT
Baofeng UV-9R TP 18-watt HT Ham Radio Unboxing and power testing – let’s see if this 18-watt HT does what it is advertised to do! Read more
Moldova Peace Corps to Sponsor March 3 Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact between youngsters and youth in Moldova and an International Space Station (ISS) c... Read more
John Portune, W6NBC, Wins the February 2021 QST Cover Plaque Award
The winning article for the February 2021 QST Cover Plaque award is “Create Your Own 1:1 Coax Choke Balun,” by John Portune, W6NBC. The... Read more
$760 Ham Radio Shack From Aliexpress?
$760 Ham Radio Shack From Aliexpress? Read more
ACOM – Manufacturers Showcase
ACOM team to discuss the latest amplifier technology. Tune in and ask the team questions. Read more
ARRL Interview Explains Background of Ham Radio in Space Film Short
Josh Tanner, the Australian filmmaker who produced the thriller Decommissioned by Perception Pictures, has explained how he came up with the idea to... Read more
Amateur Radio Helping to Fill Earthquake Report “Donut Holes”
An article describing how radio amateurs can help fill the information “donut hole” by providing post-earthquake “did you feel it” (DYFI) reports via ... Read more
Mystery Box! ARRL Expo At Home Surprise Pack
The ARRL offered surprise boxes as part of their ‘Expo at Home’ for the 2021 Orlando Hamcation. I ordered a mystery apparel pack and a mys... Read more
Another Difficult Antenna Situation
Tim, W4FTP, asks how he can use some tall but skinny trees along the back of his property as part of his antenna system. We take a look, and your comm... Read more
“Whirlwind Boom” Emergency Communications Exercise Set in Northern Florida
The amateur radio communications team of the Florida Baptist Disaster Relief has created a multi-site radio communications exercise dubbed “Whirlwind... Read more
ARES and Red Cross Cooperate to Assist Storm-Affected Residents in Texas
ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) and American Red Cross volunteers joined forces in Texas under the ARRL/Red Cross memorandum of understan... Read more
ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, to Keynote QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo
ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, will keynote the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo March 13 – 14 weekend. Minster’s talk — part of an 80+ speak... Read more
23cm band in the spotlight with regulators
During the week 15 – 19 February, the preparatory work for WRC-23 agenda item 9.1b continued in ITU‑R Working Party 4C (WP4C)... Read more
How to Connect a Modern Radio to a Legacy Tube Amp
How to Connect a Modern Radio to a Legacy Tube Amp Read more
Ham Radio experiment – End fed half wave antenna sloper vs flat horizontal orientation
https://youtu.be/BgEtQOS8mY0 Read more
Recent Posts
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: We saw one day during the February 25 – March 3 reporting week — Monday, March 1 — with no sunspots, so the average... Read more
New Firmware Icom Updates for the IC-705, IC-7300, IC-9700 to include Smoother FT8 Mode Operation
Icom will be releasing new firmware for our IC-705, IC-7300 and IC-9700 transceivers. The updates are planned to improve the user experience and incor... Read more
Quantum Receiver Can Detect Huge Swath of the RF Spectrum
US Army researchers have built a so-called “quantum sensor,” which can analyze the full RF spectrum and real-world signals, a report on Physics.org sa... Read more
Location, maps and awards
I talk about the various location standards are used in amateur radio. I show several maps and awards. Read more
Approaches to Tackle Noise Problems Vary, Remedies Elusive
RF noise is a frequent discussion topic among radio amateurs. A proliferation of electronics has cluttered and complicated the noise environment; it’s... Read more
ARISS, NASA, and ESA Continue to Probe Amateur Radio Problems on ISS
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, reports that the ARISS team has been working closely... Read more
Yaesu FT-DX10 HF Transceiver – Is it Right for You?
We take a look at one of the most recent HF transceivers to come onto the ham radio market. Could this be the new FT-101E that was one of the best sel... Read more
What is the Base Holding Up My Hexbeam?
William Noble asks about the base used to hold up my MFJ-1846 Hex Beam antenna. The actual base that allows for a fold-over mast was designed by frien... Read more
Warrantless Search Of Ham Radio Operators? No Fourth Amendment Rights?
Responding to comments and recent videos here on Youtube. Is there a big threat to amatuer radio operators fourth amendment rights? Are we opening out... Read more
ARISS APRS Testing
ARISS APRS TestingThe ARISS team has been working very closely with NASA and ESA to identify potential ARISS radio anomaly causes and resolve the radi... Read more
Baofeng UV-9R TP 18-watt Power Testing | UV9R Plus HT
Baofeng UV-9R TP 18-watt HT Ham Radio Unboxing and power testing – let’s see if this 18-watt HT does what it is advertised to do! Read more
Moldova Peace Corps to Sponsor March 3 Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact between youngsters and youth in Moldova and an International Space Station (ISS) c... Read more
John Portune, W6NBC, Wins the February 2021 QST Cover Plaque Award
The winning article for the February 2021 QST Cover Plaque award is “Create Your Own 1:1 Coax Choke Balun,” by John Portune, W6NBC. The... Read more
$760 Ham Radio Shack From Aliexpress?
$760 Ham Radio Shack From Aliexpress? Read more
ACOM – Manufacturers Showcase
ACOM team to discuss the latest amplifier technology. Tune in and ask the team questions. Read more
ARRL Interview Explains Background of Ham Radio in Space Film Short
Josh Tanner, the Australian filmmaker who produced the thriller Decommissioned by Perception Pictures, has explained how he came up with the idea to... Read more
Amateur Radio Helping to Fill Earthquake Report “Donut Holes”
An article describing how radio amateurs can help fill the information “donut hole” by providing post-earthquake “did you feel it” (DYFI) reports via ... Read more
Mystery Box! ARRL Expo At Home Surprise Pack
The ARRL offered surprise boxes as part of their ‘Expo at Home’ for the 2021 Orlando Hamcation. I ordered a mystery apparel pack and a mys... Read more
Another Difficult Antenna Situation
Tim, W4FTP, asks how he can use some tall but skinny trees along the back of his property as part of his antenna system. We take a look, and your comm... Read more
“Whirlwind Boom” Emergency Communications Exercise Set in Northern Florida
The amateur radio communications team of the Florida Baptist Disaster Relief has created a multi-site radio communications exercise dubbed “Whirlwind... Read more
ARES and Red Cross Cooperate to Assist Storm-Affected Residents in Texas
ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) and American Red Cross volunteers joined forces in Texas under the ARRL/Red Cross memorandum of understan... Read more
ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, to Keynote QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo
ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, will keynote the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo March 13 – 14 weekend. Minster’s talk — part of an 80+ speak... Read more
23cm band in the spotlight with regulators
During the week 15 – 19 February, the preparatory work for WRC-23 agenda item 9.1b continued in ITU‑R Working Party 4C (WP4C)... Read more
How to Connect a Modern Radio to a Legacy Tube Amp
How to Connect a Modern Radio to a Legacy Tube Amp Read more
Ham Radio experiment – End fed half wave antenna sloper vs flat horizontal orientation
https://youtu.be/BgEtQOS8mY0 Read more