April 2004 - arrl-odv - reflector.arrl.org

[ARRL-ODV:10472] Re: FCC News
by Bill Edgar 17 Apr '04

17 Apr '04

Rick, Was not an executive summary...was an email sent through ODV on Thursday at 3:30pm as follows: Bill Cross alerted Rick Lindquist that the long-awaited omnibus NPRM is out. This is from today's Daily Digest. 73, Mark K1RO _____ AMENDMENT OF PART 97 OF THE COMMISSION'S RULES GOVERNING THE AMATEUR RADIO SERVICES, ET AL. Proposed to revise operating privileges for amateur radio service licensees as well as to eliminate obsolete and duplicative rules in the Amateur Radio Service. (Dkt No. 04-140). Action by: the Commission. Comments Due: 06/15/2004. Reply Comments Due: 06/30/2004. Adopted: 03/31/2004 by NPRM. (FCC No. 04-79). WTB FCC-04-79A1.doc <http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-04-79A1.doc> FCC-04-79A1.pdf <http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-04-79A1.pdf> FCC-04-79A1.txt <http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-04-79A1.txt> > -----Original Message----- > From: K5ur(a)aol.com [mailto:K5ur@aol.com] > Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2004 3:39 PM > To: arrl-odv > Subject: [ARRL-ODV:10471] Re: FCC News > > In a message dated 4/17/04 2:26:56 PM Central Daylight Time, > wedgar(a)verizon.net writes: > > << We got the "heads-up" prior to the web posting. >> > > Bill: > I don't recall getting anything here. > What was the heads up? > Was it an executive summary? That's what I'm talking about, and not just > the > text. > 73, > Rick - K5UR

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[ARRL-ODV:10471] Re: FCC News
by K5ur＠aol.com 17 Apr '04

17 Apr '04

In a message dated 4/17/04 2:26:56 PM Central Daylight Time, wedgar(a)verizon.net writes: << We got the "heads-up" prior to the web posting. >> Bill: I don't recall getting anything here. What was the heads up? Was it an executive summary? That's what I'm talking about, and not just the text. 73, Rick - K5UR

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[ARRL-ODV:10470] Re: FCC News
by Bill Edgar 17 Apr '04

17 Apr '04

We got the "heads-up" prior to the web posting. I saw it via email, talked to Mark about it on the phone. It was posted sometime after my conversation with Mark. - Bill N3LLR > -----Original Message----- > From: Kay Craigie [mailto:wt3p@comcast.net] > Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2004 10:23 AM > To: arrl-odv > Subject: [ARRL-ODV:10469] Re: FCC News > > We got a heads-up from Mark in ODV:10462, which contained a link to the > text of the NPRM. That message was posted on April 15, the same day the > web site story went up. I *think* we got Mark's message before the story > appeared on the web, but I'm not sure because I was about to go to a > club meeting to speak and had to speed-read the NPRM before leaving the > house. > > (The weak-signal guys I was speaking to made a sour face when I > mentioned SS at 222-225 MHz and made a worse sour face when I mentioned > that the FCC is thinking about authorizing SS on 2m and 6m as well.) > > Personally, I don't have any gripes with the notice given to the Board > about this NRPM. However, in other cases it seems like FCC actions have > been communicated to the membership on the web page without a heads-up > going to the Board. I can't cite any specific examples -- which isn't > helpful, is it? > > I wonder how much lead time we can reasonably expect staff to give us > before releasing stories on the web during their own work day, given 3 > time zones and Board people's various opportunities to check their > e-mail during the business day and take time out to read something > ham-related. I don't know. > > 73 - Kay N3KN

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[ARRL-ODV:10469] Re: FCC News
by Kay Craigie 17 Apr '04

17 Apr '04

We got a heads-up from Mark in ODV:10462, which contained a link to the text of the NPRM. That message was posted on April 15, the same day the web site story went up. I *think* we got Mark's message before the story appeared on the web, but I'm not sure because I was about to go to a club meeting to speak and had to speed-read the NPRM before leaving the house. (The weak-signal guys I was speaking to made a sour face when I mentioned SS at 222-225 MHz and made a worse sour face when I mentioned that the FCC is thinking about authorizing SS on 2m and 6m as well.) Personally, I don't have any gripes with the notice given to the Board about this NRPM. However, in other cases it seems like FCC actions have been communicated to the membership on the web page without a heads-up going to the Board. I can't cite any specific examples -- which isn't helpful, is it? I wonder how much lead time we can reasonably expect staff to give us before releasing stories on the web during their own work day, given 3 time zones and Board people's various opportunities to check their e-mail during the business day and take time out to read something ham-related. I don't know. 73 - Kay N3KN

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[ARRL-ODV:10468] Re: FCC News
by n5ok.ok＠att.net 17 Apr '04

17 Apr '04

Rick, My favorite antagonist, Bill, W5USM gave me a heads up on it just minutes after it hit the web site. He summarized it for me with some very pointed questions. I would be glad to loan him to you permanently. Coy -- ARRL West Gulf Division Director Coy Day, N5OK 20685 SW 29th St Union City, OK 73090-9726 n5ok(a)arrl.org 405-483-5632 > Hi All: > > It sure would have been nice to have had someone at HQ tell the Board about > this before it hit the ARRL Web Page. > > http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/04/15/102/?nc=1 > > I learned about by an announcement on a VHF Propagation web site. > > Someone at HQ needs to give the Board an "Executive Summary" with high > points, etc. > > 73, > Rick - K5UR > >

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[ARRL-ODV:10467] FCC News
by K5ur＠aol.com 17 Apr '04

17 Apr '04

Hi All: It sure would have been nice to have had someone at HQ tell the Board about this before it hit the ARRL Web Page. http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/04/15/102/?nc=1 I learned about by an announcement on a VHF Propagation web site. Someone at HQ needs to give the Board an "Executive Summary" with high points, etc. 73, Rick - K5UR

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[ARRL-ODV:10466] BPL Extension of Time Request: DOA
by W3KD＠aol.com 16 Apr '04

16 Apr '04

On this, the eve of my departure for the dreaded NAB convention in Las Vegas, I called Bruce Franca at OET, FCC to ask whether any decision had been made concerning our extension of time request in the BPL NPRM proceeding. Bruce told me that they had asked the Chairman's office about it, and the Chairman "wants to get BPL going" and so they were planning to deny our request. Bruce said that he has most recently heard that the NTIA study on BPL would be released "next week" but that he had heard NTIA make stupid predictions before. He said that comments on the NTIA study could be submitted during the reply period, and that if NTIA delays much longer, they would take a look at "opening it up", presumably meaning that they would consider extending the reply comment date. Welcome to the Powell railroad. 73, Chris W3KD

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[ARRL-ODV:10465] Re: Two New York Times Articles
by Art Goddard 16 Apr '04

16 Apr '04

Sorry, Frank, nothing at all sarcastic about me suggestion of Rich. Except for his unnecessary dig at ARRL membership, I thought he did a good job in his letter to WSJ. Even though you misread my intent, it's a privilege to have provided you an opportunity to unload all that baggage! 73, Art ----- Original Message ----- From: "Frank Fallon - N2FF" <n2ff(a)optonline.net> To: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv(a)reflector.arrl.org> Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2004 1:34 PM Subject: [ARRL-ODV:10463] Re: Two New York Times Articles > Hey, he might be a good candidate for the job. Art, I am assuming that you > comment is sarcastic. Hence the following comments. They are directed at > the group and not you, Art. > > Except for one sentence in his response to the recent WSJ article Rich did a > great job of smacking down BPL. This group was all over him like flies. > Boy, are we overly sensitive! If we are that sensitive, Rich may well have > a point there about being out of touch for we very quickly seemed to have > lost sight of the fact that the guy was supporting our position. BTW: He > nearly always does. He is not Wayne Green. > > I happen to be of the opinion that Rich wrote a fine response against the > BPL menace for which we should have thanked him. He may be more help to us > simply because he does not blindly follow a party line and is not on our > payroll. Did anyone at HQ call him up and thank him? > > I also happen to be of the opinion that we should not necessarily > immediately assume that "CQ" is the enemy or an adversary. I wonder how > many read his recent article about restructuring in which he supported the > ARRL filing and shot down a number of arguments that we have all read or > heard from our own members in recent months. He said a number of things > that none of us can say in public and hope to live very long, but which need > saying. Please take a look at the editorial. I believe it's the April > issue. > > A few years back Rich wrote a great defense of Dave Sumner's filing and our > position on Kenwood's "Sky Command" exemption filing. I do not think that > anyone at HQ thanked him for that. But they should have. > > Note: I do not feel this way simply because Rich was an SM in my division or > because "CQ" is almost within walking distance of my house. I feel this way > because about 99% of the time Rich and "CQ" are supportive of ARRL and our > positions. Whenever I see Rich or talk to him on a local repeater I thank > him for his support. > > Frank Fallon........ N2FF > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Art Goddard" <w6xd(a)comcast.net> > To: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv(a)reflector.arrl.org> > Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2004 4:51 PM > Subject: [ARRL-ODV:10460] Re: Two New York Times Articles > > > > Rich Moseson? > > > > > Hands up, who wants to write a letter to the Times on this one? > > > > > > Frank Fallon........ N2FF > > > > > > > > >

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[ARRL-ODV:10464] IN-News
by Kustosik, Lisa, KA1UFZ 16 Apr '04

16 Apr '04

IN-Newsletter Vol. 27, No.15 April 14, 2004 Upcoming Meeting April 24th in Newington, CT at 8:30am A & F Committee Meeting Development The W1AW Endowment has grown to more than $190,000 in cash and pledges from more than 1,550 donors. This total includes 13 multi-year pledges totaling $52,400. The thank you gifts to this campaign appear to be more popular than gifts of other campaigns. Only 51% of donors have declined a gift, as opposed to 75% for donors to Defense and Education. We have received one lump sum contribution of more than $10,000 and one multi-year pledge of $30,000. Consistent with other campaigns, the lion's share of the contributions and donations come from full and life members who have contributed to other campaigns and who hold Advanced, Extra and General licenses. The Spectrum Defense spillover from 2003 has reached $67,521 from 926 donors. Starting May 1, all receipts will be credited to the spring 2004 campaign which will mail at the end of this week to all active members. The Legacy Circle Letter introducing the ARRL Endowment is in production. Extra copies will be printed for Dayton. The copy will be adjusted for the web. Development is working with other staff to refine the CNCS budget expectations for the second half of the grant year. A request will be made for budget adjustments to allow ARRL to train more hams in ARECC course Levels I, II and III by the August 31 close of the second year of this grant. Debra Johnson has started work on the details of a contact database for Development to track activity with major donors and prospects. The final major donor listing for the Annual Report has been submitted. Final details for the May 13 Donor Recognition Reception in Dayton are underway. Media Relations Jennifer sent in a letter to the editor in response to a BPL story in The Washington Times. No word on if the letter might be published. A ham radio article is appeared in The New York Times on April 15. The reporter interviewed Rick Lindquist about the "@ sign" being added to the code, and Herb Sweet, K2GBH, of Hyde Park, New York, reports that a photographer visited his shack. The Public Relations Committee is making progress on the Speakers Bureau Project. Jen sent a status report to Programs & Services Committee Chairman Wade Walstrom. More on the PRC will be reported next week, after the April 13 conference call. Jennifer was interviewed by a reporter with The Oregonian regarding ARRL's restructuring proposal. He was particularly interested in the continuing use of Morse code among ham radio enthusiasts, and how the code fits into ARRL's proposal. Sari Krieger, a writer for the Manassas (VA) Journal Messenger and the Potomac News contacted ARRL after she was asked to do an interview about BPL for a radio station talk show in Madison, Wisconsin. She wanted to make sure that she talked about ham radio, and Jennifer provided her with several resources with the latest information on the issue. Ed Hare also offered assistance, as did Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, who is working with Progress Energy in North Carolina. Sari reports that her interview with WTDY AM - a CNN Radio Network affiliate - went well, and she's sending Jen a copy of the program. The March clip reports have been mailed to Directors and members of the PR Committee. Production/Editorial Rick Lindquist reports The ARRL Letter, Vol 23, No. 15, distributed to 66,801 members on April 8. Among other items and announcements, Rick prepared stories on ARISS school group contacts in France and Arizona; the ARRL's comments in the FCC's "interference temperature" proceeding; Bill Fisher, W4AN, SK; FCC changes re Form 605; Mississippi hams assist after train derailment and the K7RA Solar Update. With voiceover assistance from Jennifer Hagy, Rick voiced, edited and produced ARRL Audio News for April 9. To date, 155 repeater systems in the US and abroad have reported that they are airing our Webcast. Dave Hassler edited three features for the Web site and worked with Mary Hobart to produce the monthly CNCS Web report. Sales & Marketing The latest edition of the ARRL Publications catalog was largely produced this week. It leaves for press on Monday, April 12. This edition includes 15 new products and a listing of all the online courses offered through the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Program. ARRL is pleased to add the following new RSGB products to our offerings. The items will be available in May: * RSGB IOTA Directory, 40th Anniversary Edition, ARRL Order No. 9314 $19.95 * Radio Propagation--Principles & Practice, by Ian Poole, G3YWX, ARRL Order No. 9328 $29.95 A batch of video CDs (VCDs) has been produced as the newest additions to the ARRL Video Series. These four VCDs were produced by Bob Doherty, K1VV and Don Tanguay, N1DT, members of the Marconi Amateur Radio Club, W1AA. The items are available via the online catalog: * ARRL Headquarters Tour http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=9275 * Library Video Series: SET -- Amateur Radio Simulated Emergency Test http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=9307 * International Lighthouse / Lightship Weekend http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=9298 * Fox Hunting http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=9286 Diane has designed an attractive cover for the upcoming publication, New Ham Express. The booklet will mail regularly to all new licensees. The Advertising Team is currently working on June QST. The Sales and Marketing team produced and mailed a follow-up mailing for advertising in the New Ham Express, a 16-page advertising booklet that will accompany new ham mailings. In addition, a Dealer Newsline was completed, highlighting all new "in-stock" and "coming soon" titles. Since we have experienced extremely good results (12-15%) using the ARRL Operating Manual as a premium for newly licensed hams, we have just sent a test mailing to 4,600 nonmembers licensed between August and December 2003. Although they had received promotional literature from us previously, they did not receive the Operating Manual offer. Deb Jahnke provided the group with membership breakdown detail reports, including the status of our current membership mailings in circulation. Membership Services Awards Branch WAS Certs. (450 QSLs F/C) 9 WAS Certs. (100 QSLs ES/C) 2 5BWAS Certs. (750 QSLs F/C) 3 WAC Certs (6 QSLs ES/C) 1 A-1 Op. Noms. 10 VUCC Initial Apps. 6 Grids 594 VUCC End. Apps. 2 Grids 62 Awards Mailed 96 Also, compiled the latest list of VUCC award recipients for June QST. Processing Status: Current or up to four weeks. For the coming week-(Foreign) WAC, A-1 Operator and VUCC awards, mail out all awards processed this week, and enter the latest batch of LTMAs into the members' Siebel records. Contest Branch Data entry for 2004 DX CW logs continued. Material for the 2003 SS Phone article was received from the author and is being processed for QST and the Web. Checked scores for the 2003 160-Meter contest were received, formatted and tables sent to the author. Information for the 2003 160-Meter article was received from the author, along with requests for information that were handled and returned to the author. Photos were selected for possible use for the Field Day QST cover, at the request of the managing editor. DXCC Branch For the week of: April 11, 2004 Beginning Cards 70,363 Cards Received 265 Cards Processed 12,270 Ending Cards 58,358 Applications Pending 438 Processing Time 2.7 Weeks Year-to-date (2004) Cards Received 109,950 Cards Returned 194,707 DXCC is currently mailing applications received on March 23, 2004. DXCC is currently entering cards received on March 25, 2004. QSL Bureau There is a delay of 7 days. This past week (4 days): 109 pounds of cards were received from members. Approximately 150 pounds of cards are waiting to be processed. Cards mailed as of 04/11/04: 308,175. No cards were mailed this week. Field & Educational Services ARISS had a successful QSO with the St Mard school in France. Rosalie assisted the ARISS-international PR Committee with several items. She is training Gail to handle new club affiliation paperwork and new Special Service Club applications. Gail Iannone sent 5 hamfest approval letters and 1 convention approval letter to the sponsoring committees confirming the Division Director's approval of the events as ARRL-sanctioned, processed 19 material orders for upcoming hamfests and conventions, 4 label requests, and sent 3 handout packages for upcoming conventions. She coordinated travel for Steve Ewald to be the HQ rep at the Louisiana State Convention on April 30-May 1. Hamfest and convention handout packages will no longer be compiled by Gail, and will be shipped with door prizes. Instead, Gail will handle the new Club Affiliation and new Special Service Club process, and has sent 1 club application to the Director for approval, and has started working with one SSC application. Reminder: If you haven't sent in your Dayton Marriott room reservation forms, please contact Gail immediately. Linda Mullally updated 27 records for clubs with 3 reactivations. She registered 5 Instructors. She checked membership rosters for 4 clubs. She handled 2 SSC renewals, 1 Label request and 2 Club Vanity email requests. She completed the F&ES Monthly Inventory and Revenue Reports, as well as the EAD Video Inventory. March revenue was $1,763. Amateur Radio Education & Technology Program Mark Spencer reports that 18,000 science teachers attended the NSTA conference; it's our best opportunity for exhibiting to our target audience, and teacher feedback validated our project goals and objectives. Mark went to a local high school to present a lecture using the activity board, and determined the lesson content and board are on target. A Project school in Idaho has dropped out of our program due to budget issues; Mark has suggested alternatives such as after school programs. Notre Dame University became a Project school; they requested the TV Remote Decoder board and curriculum for use in their electronics curriculum. CCE Jean Wolfgang is making the arrangements to open two hybrid EmComm Level I classes. She printed out 68 stipend letters for sending to mentors with their checks. She graduated a total of 46 EmComm students this week. On Monday she will open registration for Level II classes. Classes for the RFI course and the Antenna Design course will begin on Tuesday. Emcomm Grants Dan Miller spent the week at the National Hurricane Conference, doing a forum and setting up an exhibit. Field Organization/Public Service Team With the help of ARRL Monitoring Stations, Chuck Skolaut has investigated an intruder report on 17 meters. The monitors compared the signals to an audio file from the IARU Region 1 Web site, and say it sounds like the intruder on 15 meters from an over-the-horizon radar. Chuck received and forwarded a report to the FCC about 10-meter radios that are allegedly sold at a truck stop alongside CB radios. Leona Adams forwarded the monthly Field Organization Appointment reports to SMs via e-mail, and this has initiated several record changes and encouraged some SMs to send in new appointments. John Thomason, WB5SYT, Oklahoma SM, was nominated for a second term. Petitions for SM terms beginning October 1, 2004, are due by June 4. Steve Ewald is working on the Public Service column article for June QST and reviewed potential articles for future columns. ARRL Field Organization Leaders and NTS Leaders are studying the recently e-mailed package from the Ad-Hoc Committee on ARES communications. Steve will collect feedback on behalf of the Committee. A representative of Citizen Corps invited Steve, as designated ARRL HQ point of contact to take part in new monthly teleconferences of Citizen Corps Affiliates. Regulatory Information John Hennessee has been receiving more inquiries from current amateurs who have been inactive for some time, but who are encouraged to become active again because of the ARRL restructuring proposal. John updated several regulatory Web pages. He assisted an amateur with a local government zoning problem in Spokane, WA (KD7IKZ); and with a covenant restriction in Plano, TX (K5MLG). Staff should remember that the FCC will no longer accept FCC Forms 605 with a date earlier than December 2003. 73, Sincerely, Mark Wilson, K1RO Chief Operating Officer MW:lk Staff Absentee List Dave Sumner 4/12-4/21 IARU Reg.1 EC Meeting, & Vacation `` 4/27-5/6 Geneva, ITU working party 6E Meeting `` 5/12-5/16 Vacation Lisa Kustosik 4/19 Vacation Jennifer Hagy 4/23 Vacation `` 5/13-5/16 Dayton Hamvention `` 5/17 Vacation `` 5/18 Training Seminar Dennis Motschenbacher 4/22 Sales meeting GA `` 4/23-4/24 SVHFC Technical & Banquet Speaker `` 4/26-4/28 Sales meeting PNW `` 5/13-5/17 Vacation `` 6/4-6/5 Georgia Section Convention Deb Jahnke 4/20-4/21 Vacation `` 4/23 Vacation Kathy Capodicasa 5/13-5/16 Dayton Hamvention 5/24-5/28 Vacation Danny Sayad 4/15-4/19 Vacation `` 5/13-5/16 Dayton Hamvention Dan Miller 4/29-5/2 SJV Section Convention Steve Ford 4/19-4/23 Vacation Dean Straw 4/23-4/25 International DX Convention/Visalia Dave Hassler 4/15-4/16 Vacation Judy Miller 4/27 Vacation Wayne Mills 4/22-4/26 Visalia Convention `` 4/30 Lebanon MO Convention Dan Henderson 4/30 Greenville SC Convention Robert Inderbitzen 5/13-5/16 Dayton Hamvention Roseanne Lawrence 5/13-5/16 Vacation Fatima Lorusso 5/17-5/19 Vacation Steve Ewald 4/30-5/1 Louisiana State Convention

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[ARRL-ODV:10463] Re: Two New York Times Articles
by Frank Fallon - N2FF 15 Apr '04

15 Apr '04

Hey, he might be a good candidate for the job. Art, I am assuming that you comment is sarcastic. Hence the following comments. They are directed at the group and not you, Art. Except for one sentence in his response to the recent WSJ article Rich did a great job of smacking down BPL. This group was all over him like flies. Boy, are we overly sensitive! If we are that sensitive, Rich may well have a point there about being out of touch for we very quickly seemed to have lost sight of the fact that the guy was supporting our position. BTW: He nearly always does. He is not Wayne Green. I happen to be of the opinion that Rich wrote a fine response against the BPL menace for which we should have thanked him. He may be more help to us simply because he does not blindly follow a party line and is not on our payroll. Did anyone at HQ call him up and thank him? I also happen to be of the opinion that we should not necessarily immediately assume that "CQ" is the enemy or an adversary. I wonder how many read his recent article about restructuring in which he supported the ARRL filing and shot down a number of arguments that we have all read or heard from our own members in recent months. He said a number of things that none of us can say in public and hope to live very long, but which need saying. Please take a look at the editorial. I believe it's the April issue. A few years back Rich wrote a great defense of Dave Sumner's filing and our position on Kenwood's "Sky Command" exemption filing. I do not think that anyone at HQ thanked him for that. But they should have. Note: I do not feel this way simply because Rich was an SM in my division or because "CQ" is almost within walking distance of my house. I feel this way because about 99% of the time Rich and "CQ" are supportive of ARRL and our positions. Whenever I see Rich or talk to him on a local repeater I thank him for his support. Frank Fallon........ N2FF ----- Original Message ----- From: "Art Goddard" <w6xd(a)comcast.net> To: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv(a)reflector.arrl.org> Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2004 4:51 PM Subject: [ARRL-ODV:10460] Re: Two New York Times Articles > Rich Moseson? > > > Hands up, who wants to write a letter to the Times on this one? > > > > Frank Fallon........ N2FF > > > >

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