August 2004 - arrl-odv - reflector.arrl.org

[ARRL-ODV:11092] WT Docket 04-140 NPRM is in Federal Register
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 17 Aug '04

17 Aug '04

The FCC released the "omnibus" Part 97 Notice of Proposed Rule Making, WT Docket No. 04-140, back in April and set a comment deadline of June 15. Unfortunately, the proceeding didn't make it into the Federal Register, so the comment deadline was illegal. The NPRM is in today's Federal Register. The comment deadline is September 15, and reply comment deadline October 1. We don't have to do anything with regard to our already-filed comments unless we want to amend them, but I don't know of any reason we would want to do so. However, we may have to take another shot at reply comments after September 15. Dave K1ZZ http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.go…

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[ARRL-ODV:11091] Fwd: A Texan's Race Could Lead to the F.C.C.
by Tom Frenaye 17 Aug '04

17 Aug '04

>The article below is from NYTimes.com > > >A Texan's Race Could Lead to the F.C.C. > >August 17, 2004 > By STEPHEN LABATON > > >WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 - Becky Armendariz Klein is widely >expected to lose her bid for Congress in Texas. But that >has not stopped executives and lawyers from the nation's >largest telephone and energy companies from pouring money >into her campaign. > >Indeed, some of her strongest supporters expect her to fail. > >Running as a Republican in a heavily Democratic district in >Texas against a five-term incumbent, Ms. Klein, 39, has >received more in donations and fund-raising help from the >telecommunications and power industries than any other >rookie candidate in the nation. > >Why is Ms. Klein such a draw? Because administration >officials have said that in the event of a second Bush >administration she would be considered by the president, >whom she served as a senior policy adviser when he was >governor of Texas, as a candidate to be the next head of >the Federal Communications Commission. And even if that >does not work out, she is expected to receive a seat on the >Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, should a vacancy >occur. Her husband is a senior official at the Pentagon. > >Ms. Klein, who stepped down in January as chairwoman of the >Texas Public Utility Commission, is challenging Lloyd >Doggett, a Democratic member of Congress since 1995 in a >newly created Congressional district, the 25th, which >snakes 350 miles from the southern end of Austin to the >Texas-Mexico border town of McAllen. As of June 30, the >latest filing by the campaign with the Federal Election >Commission, Ms. Klein had raised about $450,000, less than >half of the more than $1.1 million raised by Mr. Doggett. > >But much of her money has come from a highly motivated >group of executives from companies - many of them ones she >once regulated as head of the utility commission - that are >investing not so much in her current Congressional campaign >as in the right to be considered Friends of Becky. > >"Washington is all about relationships and her >relationships are far, wide and deep," said a senior >executive at a large telephone company who is a supporter >and spoke only if not identified. "Washington is also about >getting in early - that's the way the game is played." > >"She's not going to win the race," the executive added. > > >Other supporters said that contributing to her campaign was >a no-lose proposition; if she beats the odds to win, they >would also be happy, if surprised. But they acknowledged >that as a first-term member of Congress, Ms. Klein would >have less power to affect their interests than if she was >appointed to a top regulatory job as they expected. > >Gene Kimmelman, a former Democratic Senate aide who is now >a senior director at Consumers Union, put the matter more >succinctly: "Clearly, the companies are investing in the >future. This is an interesting story about how Washington >works." > >According to Federal Election Commission filings, donations >have come from executives, lawyers, Washington lobbyists >and political action committees of the biggest >telecommunications and utility companies. They have come >from Democrats, like Kevin Joseph, a consultant and former >top aide to Senator Ernest F. Hollings of South Carolina; >Republicans, including Richard E. Wiley, a former F.C.C. >chairman and now a top telecommunications lawyer; and >people at the F.C.C., like Kathleen Q. Abernathy, a >Republican commissioner, and Christopher Libertelli, a >senior legal adviser to the current head of the commission. > > >Six lawyers and telecommunications executives who have >contributed to her campaign or helped raise money said that >they did not expect her to beat Mr. Doggett. But they said >they were supporting her both because they liked her and >because they believed that she was likely to become a top >regulator in a second Bush administration. > >Ms. Klein, who says she expects to win the Congressional >race, dismisses any suggestions that the donations are >coming in to curry favor with her should she be appointed >to a top regulatory job. > >"It's pure speculation," she said. "I don't think that's >the reason at all." She said that she was receiving >significant contributions from executives at a number of >companies she once regulated because they had come to know >her and found her to be honest and fair. Some of the money >has come from executives and political action committees of >the companies she ruled against. > >Among the executives and lawyers who have donated to her >campaign are those from Verizon, BellSouth, Qwest >Communications, Time Warner, AT&T, Allegiance Telecom, >Covad, Qualcomm, IntelSat, American Electric Power, >Centerpoint Energy, Exelon, TXU and Teco Energy. > >"The reason they've told me that they support me is that >they appreciated that I had integrity," Ms. Klein said. >"Even though we disagreed, it was harmonious." > >Ms. Klein has been trying to overcome the fact that the >district is heavily Democratic by emphasizing her Hispanic >heritage - the district is 70 percent Hispanic. Last month, >she was quoted in The San Antonio Express-News as saying, >"There's a good portion of this district which has never >voted for a gringo monolingual congressman before." The >campaign later apologized for the comment. > >But political experts said she would have a hard time, and >as proof, pointed to the fact that Mr. Doggett received >over 60 percent of the vote against a Hispanic candidate in >the Democratic primary this year. > >"She's clearly the underdog, and Doggett is clearly the >favorite," said Amy Walter, an editor who follows House >races for The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan magazine >that tracks campaigns. > >Ms. Klein has highlighted her regulatory background in >public appearances and she appeared to be laying the >groundwork for her candidacy from the Public Utility >Commission. > >After she announced her resignation from the commission, >she used the agency's e-mail system to solicit at least one >company for assistance in her campaign. "Here's the latest >with what I'm doing, as of last Friday!" she wrote to an >executive of one company a few days after stepping down >last January in an e-mail message with a Public Utility >Commission return address. A document announcing her >candidacy was attached. She asked in the e-mail message >whether the company "can throw a fundraiser :-)" . > >Ms. Klein said in an interview last week that she never >used the e-mail system to seek fund-raising help. "I never >sent any such thing," she said. A few days later, Scott >Stripling, her campaign manager, called to clarify by >saying she had "no recollection" of sending any such e-mail >message. But a copy of the message was provided by a >Washington telecommunications lawyer not connected with any >political campaign on the condition that the message's >recipient not be identified. (According to election >records, the recipient had not contributed to the campaign >as of June 30.) > >As head of the Public Utility Commission, Ms. Klein was >viewed as a pragmatist and a moderate and her decisions >often infuriated some of the same executives who are now >leading her fund-raising efforts. She particularly troubled >the regional Bells by refusing to endorse positions that >were favorable to their business, including SBC >Communications, one of the most important political players >in its home state of Texas. > >Yet executives at SBC Communications have been among her >strongest financial supporters and the company's political >action committees have contributed $10,000, the maximum >amount allowable. Two weeks ago, one of SBC's top state >lobbyists, John Montford, was a host at a fund-raiser for >her at the San Antonio Country Club. > >"We know her well,'' said Dave Pacholczyk, a spokesman at >SBC. "In our past dealings we found her to be credible and >hard working. We respect her." > >As of June 30, Edward E. Whitacre Jr., the company's >chairman and chief executive, had contributed $500 to the >Klein campaign. > >But the company had different views of Ms. Klein two years >ago, when it announced disappointing earnings. Mr. >Whitacre, for instance, blamed Ms. Klein's policy decisions >for causing 11,000 company layoffs. > >Mr. Whitacre complained that Texas and other states had >been setting wholesale phone rates, which rivals pay to SBC >to use its networks, at prices that were artificially low >to foster competition. > >"Under this pricing scheme, a century of regulatory policy >has been turned on its head," Mr. Whitacre complained at >the time, according to a Sept. 27, 2002, article in The >Dallas Morning News. "Instead of subsidizing prices for >average consumers, we now subsidize competitors who, in >turn, siphon revenues out of the market." > >Ms. Klein responded that the layoffs had been caused by >other business factors and not by regulatory decisions. > >That dispute was only one of several between SBC and Ms. >Klein. The company went around the regulators to the state >legislature to change a rule Ms. Klein supported that >imposed a 30-day waiting period on SBC before it could try >to win back customers that took their business to smaller >phone rivals. > >"I can tell you any number of issues where she's went >against us," said James Ellis, general counsel of SBC, and >a $1,000 contributor to Ms. Klein's campaign. "What stands >out about her is that she's a hard worker and she takes the >time to understand the issues. She really tried to do what >she thought was in the public interest." > >Mr. Ellis said that he had heard speculation that Ms. Klein >could lead the commission, but that did not matter. > >"This is a person who excels at whatever she does," he >said. "I'd be very happy with Becky at the F.C.C." > >http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/17/business/17texas.html?ex=1093744173&ei=1&… > > >Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company ===== e-mail: k1ki(a)arrl.org ARRL New England Division Director http://www.arrl.org/ Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444

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[ARRL-ODV:11090] FW: [PR-COM:2538] Date of Amateur Radio Awareness Day
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 16 Aug '04

16 Aug '04

I just sent the following message to the PR Committee. We'll make the necessary changes to our online material. Dave K1ZZ -----Original Message----- From: Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 6:05 PM To: pr-com Subject: [PR-COM:2538] Date of Amateur Radio Awareness Day The date for this year's Amateur Radio Awareness Day previously was announced as Saturday, September 11. We are changing it to Saturday, September 18. A little background: Amateur Radio Awareness Day originally was established in 1990 as a Saturday in September that was clear of other activities. Later it was intsitutionalized as the third Saturday in September. Then we discovered that on occasion this conflicted with something, such as a religious holiday, in which case it was shifted to the second Saturday. This year there was no particular reason to pick the second rather than the third Saturday, and the second Saturday corresponds with September 11 -- a day that will be commemorated for an overarching reason. While amateur radio played a part in our nation's response to the September 11 attacks, concern has been expressed that by designating September 11 as Amateur Radio Awareness Day we may be perceived as trying to ride the coattails of a national tragedy. At the very least we may be perceived as insensitive. While we regret and apologize for any confusion that may result, we believe the best course of action at this time is to designate September 18 as Amateur Radio Awareness Day. Please modify any material you may have accordingly. David Sumner, K1ZZ Chief Executive Officer, ARRL

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[ARRL-ODV:11089] Re: Recall: Spectrum Defense 2005 Boxboro
by Hobart, Mary K1MMH 16 Aug '04

16 Aug '04

Hobart, Mary K1MMH would like to recall the message, "Spectrum Defense 2005 re: Boxboro".

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[ARRL-ODV:11088] Re: Spectrum Defense 2005 Boxboro
by Hobart, Mary K1MMH 16 Aug '04

16 Aug '04

Hi Dave, I know you are tied up for a few days, but I hope we can meet again to finalize the Spectrum Defense copy at the end of this week or earl next week. I will be designing the QST ad and our copy will drive that process. To those ends, I thought of a new "tag line"...Spectrum Defense 2005 = YOUR wake up call. I also want to share some thoughts related to the BPL discussion I heard in Boxboro on Sat.. Can we share a general comment or two that ARRL does have an active on-going strategy to address issues related to BPL, and that ARRL staff and Leadership attend meetings on this issue to continue the strongest possible expression of our position on harmful interferenc? Can we highlight the grassroots campaign that has been launched and call on hams to participate by contacting their representatives in Washington and locall? Can we strengthen the paragraph I wrote on the steps (and progress) we've made so far on this issue? Can we mention our participation with International radio societies and the IEEE to develop single standards for BPL? should we mention the utility companies at all and the potential economic impact? Just thoughts that could drive a stronger aregument. What do you think? 73, Mary K1MMH -----Original Message----- From: Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 2:27 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [ARRL-ODV:11087] Re: FCC policy on Emergency Communications Declarations What prompted this was that the FCC was being asked to issue Emergency Communications Declarations in advance of there being a communications emergency. This put amateur radio in a bad light because it implied that we weren't able even to prepare for an upcoming emergency without getting protection from casual QRM. We knew there was something in the works to address this although I was not privy to the detailed policy statement. Despite what the policy says, I believe that if the need arose the FCC would issue an ECD for one or more HF frequencies other than in the 60 meter band. We also have the option of publicizing the use of particular frequencies ourselves, with a reminder to amateurs about 97.101(c). Dave K1ZZ -----Original Message----- From: Frenaye, Tom (Dir, NE) Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 1:49 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [ARRL-ODV:11086] Re: FCC policy on Emergency Communications Declarations At 12:49 PM 8/13/2004, K1ZZ wrote: >Just in time for Hurricane Charley, the FCC has issued a clarification of its policy on Emergency Communications Declarations in the Amateur Radio Service. See attached. We're distributing the policy to SMs and posting a story about it on the Web. Was there any consultation between the FCC and ARRL on this new policy? I'm not impressed with the results. -- Tom ===== e-mail: k1ki(a)arrl.org ARRL New England Division Director http://www.arrl.org/ Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444

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[ARRL-ODV:11087] Re: FCC policy on Emergency Communications Declarations
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 16 Aug '04

16 Aug '04

What prompted this was that the FCC was being asked to issue Emergency Communications Declarations in advance of there being a communications emergency. This put amateur radio in a bad light because it implied that we weren't able even to prepare for an upcoming emergency without getting protection from casual QRM. We knew there was something in the works to address this although I was not privy to the detailed policy statement. Despite what the policy says, I believe that if the need arose the FCC would issue an ECD for one or more HF frequencies other than in the 60 meter band. We also have the option of publicizing the use of particular frequencies ourselves, with a reminder to amateurs about 97.101(c). Dave K1ZZ -----Original Message----- From: Frenaye, Tom (Dir, NE) Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 1:49 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [ARRL-ODV:11086] Re: FCC policy on Emergency Communications Declarations At 12:49 PM 8/13/2004, K1ZZ wrote: >Just in time for Hurricane Charley, the FCC has issued a clarification of its policy on Emergency Communications Declarations in the Amateur Radio Service. See attached. We're distributing the policy to SMs and posting a story about it on the Web. Was there any consultation between the FCC and ARRL on this new policy? I'm not impressed with the results. -- Tom ===== e-mail: k1ki(a)arrl.org ARRL New England Division Director http://www.arrl.org/ Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444

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[ARRL-ODV:11086] Re: FCC policy on Emergency Communications Declarations
by Tom Frenaye 16 Aug '04

16 Aug '04

At 12:49 PM 8/13/2004, K1ZZ wrote: >Just in time for Hurricane Charley, the FCC has issued a clarification of its policy on Emergency Communications Declarations in the Amateur Radio Service. See attached. We're distributing the policy to SMs and posting a story about it on the Web. Was there any consultation between the FCC and ARRL on this new policy? I'm not impressed with the results. -- Tom ===== e-mail: k1ki(a)arrl.org ARRL New England Division Director http://www.arrl.org/ Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444

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[ARRL-ODV:11085] Re: 220 MHz on the Move Again?
by W3KD＠aol.com 16 Aug '04

16 Aug '04

In a message dated 8/13/2004 9:34:56 PM Eastern Standard Time, w6xd(a)comcast.net writes: > http://220.mrtmag.com/ar/radio_bizcom_usa_mhz/index.htm Sure have been a lot of false starts for narrowband LMR at 220-222 MHz; not much interest there, with one or two exceptions. MOBEX was focused on that band for some time, but I haven't heard much from them in a few years. Chris

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[ARRL-ODV:11084] Re: 220 MHz on the Move Again?
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 15 Aug '04

15 Aug '04

This is about the third time this 2-1/2 year old story has recirculated. There's nothing new on it since February 2002 to the best of my knowledge. Dave K1ZZ -----Original Message----- From: Goddard, Art (Dir, SW) Sent: Sat 8/14/2004 2:34 AM To: arrl-odv Cc: Subject: [ARRL-ODV:11083] 220 MHz on the Move Again? http://220.mrtmag.com/ar/radio_bizcom_usa_mhz/index.htm

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[ARRL-ODV:11083] 220 MHz on the Move Again?
by Art Goddard 14 Aug '04

14 Aug '04

http://220.mrtmag.com/ar/radio_bizcom_usa_mhz/index.htm

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