February 2010 - arrl-odv - reflector.arrl.org

[arrl-odv:18591] Web Site Status
by Kramer, Harold, WJ1B 23 Feb '10

23 Feb '10

We are once again postponing the Web launch until March 24th. We are now confident that we have the majority of the content loaded into the site. In fact, as our Beta testers, many of you have been viewing the new site and commenting on it during the past few weeks. We appreciate all of your help with this effort as the site continues to improve daily. The current delay is necessary to assure that we have all of the data connections correct. These include data feeds such as hamfests, classes, special events, the new e-store, etc. We also have not tested the member sign up and member transaction portion of the site. These are obviously critical functions and both Fathom and our team will be working on this during the next few weeks. After two years of work, this delay feels like an eternity to me and the rest of the launch team. Believe me, we all feel terrible about missing yet another deadline. However, this is a large and complex Web site. It is used not only by our members, but also by people around the world who have an interest in Amateur Radio. We want to make sure that we have everything working right when we launch the site. Along with the Board, staff and SMs, we will be communicating this news to our membership as well. We will put up a news story tomorrow on our current Web site about this delay. 73, Harold Harold Kramer, WJ1B Chief Operating Officer ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio(tm) 225 Main Street Newington, CT 06111 Telephone: 860 594 0220 email: hkramer(a)arrl.org <mailto:hkramer@arrl.org> web: www.arrl.org/ <http://www.arrl.org/>

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[arrl-odv:18590] FCC Order re: ReconRobotics
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 23 Feb '10

23 Feb '10

In early 2008 a company called ReconRobotics submitted a request to the FCC for a waiver of Part 90 of the Commission's Rules with respect to the Recon Scout, a remote-controlled, maneuverable surveillance robot designed for use in areas that may be too hazardous for human entry. This device can be thrown, dropped or launched into hazardous areas and can provide an operator located a safe distance away with video and audio, along with infrared, biological, chemical, heat, radiation or other data. ReconRobotics sought the waiver to permit equipment authorization of the Recon Scout, and its use by state and local law enforcement and firefighting agencies and by security personnel in critical infrastructure industries. The ARRL filed the attached comments opposing the waiver request, as reported in our Web story at http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/05/29/10130/. Today the FCC released an Order, also attached, granting the waiver but with conditions. The General Counsel and staff are reviewing the Order and will provide a recommendation to the Executive Committee with regard to a possible petition for reconsideration. While we are of course disappointed that the Commission has departed from sound spectrum allocation principles in granting the waiver, we must be careful that anything we say not be perceived as being insensitive to the personal safety of law enforcement and other public safety personnel. In that regard please see the attached ex parte filing by Mitchell Lazarus. 73, Dave Sumner, K1ZZ <<Recon Robotics Order.pdf>> <<ReconroboticsComments05-27-08.pdf>> <<ReconRobotics ex parte.pdf>>

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[arrl-odv:18589] Re:RE: New letterhead
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 23 Feb '10

23 Feb '10

Since others in addition to Greg may have the same problem, here’s a .doc file of the new letterhead. Dave From: G.P. Widin [mailto:gpwidin@comcast.net] Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 1:57 PM To: arrl-odv Cc: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:18588] Re: New letterhead Dave, I've only got Word 2003, and it doesn't understand the 2007 template. Can you do a "Save As" into 2003 format? -- 73, Greg, KØGW Director, Dakota Division ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Sumner, K1ZZ" <dsumner(a)arrl.org> To: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv(a)reflector.arrl.org> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 9:22:47 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central Subject: [arrl-odv:18586] New letterhead Here is the new letterhead as a Word 2007 template. If this doesn’t work for you, let me know and I’ll try something else. Dave K1ZZ <<2010 NEW 4-COLOR LETTERHEAD.dotx>>

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[arrl-odv:18588] Re: New letterhead
by G.P. Widin 23 Feb '10

23 Feb '10

Dave, I've only got Word 2003, and it doesn't understand the 2007 template. Can you do a "Save As" into 2003 format? -- 73, Greg, KØGW Director, Dakota Division ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Sumner, K1ZZ" <dsumner(a)arrl.org> To: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv(a)reflector.arrl.org> Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 9:22:47 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central Subject: [arrl-odv:18586] New letterhead New letterhead Here is the new letterhead as a Word 2007 template. If this doesn ’ t work for you, let me know and I ’ ll try something else. Dave K1ZZ <<2010 NEW 4-COLOR LETTERHEAD.dotx>>

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RE: [arrl-odv:18586] New letterhead
by K8JE 23 Feb '10

23 Feb '10

FWIW, I find the new letterhead to be more fitting than the older one. Jim Jim Weaver, K8JE, Director ARRL Great Lakes Division 5065 Bethany Rd. Mason, OH 45040 E-mail: k8je(a)arrl.org, Tel.: 513-459-1661 ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio(TM) _____ From: Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ [mailto:dsumner@arrl.org] Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:23 AM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:18586] New letterhead Here is the new letterhead as a Word 2007 template. If this doesn't work for you, let me know and I'll try something else. Dave K1ZZ <<2010 NEW 4-COLOR LETTERHEAD.dotx>>

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[arrl-odv:18586] New letterhead
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 23 Feb '10

23 Feb '10

Here is the new letterhead as a Word 2007 template. If this doesn't work for you, let me know and I'll try something else. Dave K1ZZ <<2010 NEW 4-COLOR LETTERHEAD.dotx>>

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RE: [arrl-odv:18576] Re: American Hospital Association waiver request
by James F. Boehner MD 23 Feb '10

23 Feb '10

'73 de JIM N2ZZ ARRL Vice Director Roanoke Division ARRL, the national association for Amateur RadioT -----Original Message----- From: Brian Mileshosky [mailto:n5zgt@swcp.com] Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 2:25 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:18576] Re: American Hospital Association waiver request The League-proposed language may meet their needs, but one has to wonder about their motivation for making such a disingenuous argument in the first place. Hopefully this isn't an example of, in the words of either Chris or Dan at the last board meeting, "once the genie is out of the bottle..." 73, Brian N5ZGT On Mon, 22 Feb 2010, Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ wrote: > The attached waiver request was shared with us this morning. > > The language we are proposing for 97.113(a)(3) would seem to meet their > needs. That said, it seems disingenuous of AHA to argue that > participating in a drill that is required in order to maintain your > employer's accreditation is not "on behalf of" the employer. > > Dave K1ZZ > > <<Am Hospital Assoc_Request for Blanket Waiver Sec 97 > 113(a)_DATA-STAMP_2-17-2010.pdf>> > ARRL Director, Rocky Mountain Division On the web at www.RockyMountainDivision.org

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American Hospital Association waiver request
by James F. Boehner MD 23 Feb '10

23 Feb '10

I have sent a few former posts on 97.113 and hospitals. As a physician, this issue has received my direct attention. My short version of this post is that the board's proposed change to 97.113 will easily handle the concerns of hospitals in regards to TJC (The Joint Commission-their new designation) accreditation. Second, in regards to the "Grates" concern, I am certain that the AHA is representing not only the hospitals, but the hams that are employed by the hospitals and volunteers. The South Carolina Hospital Association has the same idea, but going at it a different way, by working though elected officials to bring awareness to the FCC about hospital emergency preparedness concerns. I am certain that both feel that an organization such as the AHA or SCHA would have more political clout with the FCC than an independent group of amateurs operating within their organizations. I have heard over and over about first using commercial frequencies for backup. MY hospital alone has SEVEN commercial frequencies WITH TWO commercial repeaters for backup, with over EIGHTY portable HT's. THOSE WILL BE USED FIRST for backup communications, after telephone, fax, cell, etc. The hospital employees, including hams, will use those frequencies first. "When all else fails", ESPECIALLY hospital to hospital communications, Amateur radio will need to be used. This was the basis and rationale for the SCHEART system. When disaster strikes, volunteer hams may not be available. Resources are thin. They may evacuate, participate with RACES or other organizations, or may not be able to get through roadblocks. Hospital employed hams MAY BE THE ONLY OPTION. Foremost, the hospital hams MUST HAVE PROPER TRAINING! The board's proposed change of 97.113 will NOT let the "Genie out of the bottle", but will allow emergency based organizations, including hospitals, conduct training necessary to affect proper amateur radio operations during an emergency situation. The following seems to be self-serving, but it is certainly not meant to be: I am the Chair of the Board of Governors of my Medical Center. We have just been surveyed by The Joint Commission. Our Emergency Preparedness Director is a ham, an ASM that I previously appointed during my Tenure as SM The comments by TJC surveyors was that our Emergency Preparedness Plan (and subsequent drills) was second to none they have seen in the country and considered as a "best practice". Our Amateur Radio initiative is an integral part of our Emergency Plan, and was received VERY favorably by the surveyors. Who benefits? The Public! Keep on Target! '73 de JIM N2ZZ ARRL Vice Director Roanoke Division ARRL, the national association for Amateur RadioT From: Chris Imlay [mailto:w3kd@aol.com] Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 5:51 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:18580] Re: American Hospital Association waiver request Yes, here is the insider trading on this: When Dave and I met with Charles Mathias in Commissioner Baker's office, we were advised by Charles to speak with Bryan Tramont, a former big honcho staffer on the 8th floor at FCC some time ago, who we know and have had a lot of interaction with. Very competent guy. He landed at the Wilkinson, Barker, Knauer firm (as I was once invited to do at the time that W3PS died in 1981; I turned them down, but it is a good solid law firm, though too large and bureaucratic for me). Bryan now represents the American Hospital Association, and they filed the letter. Bryan sent it around to the Commissioners' offices and to PSHSB. It seems to me that the letter is more than a bit conceptually in error, and overbroad; I have not yet called Bryan, and perhaps there is not a reason to do so, other than to persuade him that ARRL's Board policy would accommodate the AHA. They are asking for short term relief though, and the real question is what our position is with respect to this waiver. I would like some guidance on this. It grates somewhat to have a non-Amateur Radio group attempting to determine policy for the Amateur Service. We reacted quite agressively many years ago when the NAB attempted to open the business communications rules to permit amateurs to provide certain types of electronic news gathering communications. They have their own broadcast auxiliary spectrum for that; just as hospitals have Part 90 radios for their internal communications, even internal emergency preparedness exercises. There is no reason their ham employees can't use those radios for that purpose. 73, Chris W3KD Christopher D. Imlay Booth, Freret, Imlay & Tepper. P.C. 14356 Cape May Road Silver Spring, Maryland 20904-6011 (301) 384-5525 telephone (301) 384-6384 facsimile W3KD(a)ARRL.ORG -----Original Message----- From: Brian Mileshosky <n5zgt(a)swcp.com> To: arrl-odv <arrl-odv(a)reflector.arrl.org> Sent: Mon, Feb 22, 2010 2:24 pm Subject: [arrl-odv:18576] Re: American Hospital Association waiver request The League-proposed language may meet their needs, but one has to wonder about their motivation for making such a disingenuous argument in the first place. Hopefully this isn't an example of, in the words of either Chris or Dan at the last board meeting, "once the genie is out of the bottle..." 73, Brian N5ZGT On Mon, 22 Feb 2010, Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ wrote: > The attached waiver request was shared with us this morning. > > The language we are proposing for 97.113(a)(3) would seem to meet their > needs. That said, it seems disingenuous of AHA to argue that > participating in a drill that is required in order to maintain your > employer's accreditation is not "on behalf of" the employer. > > Dave K1ZZ > > <<Am Hospital Assoc_Request for Blanket Waiver Sec 97 > 113(a)_DATA-STAMP_2-17-2010.pdf>> > ARRL Director, Rocky Mountain Division On the web at www.RockyMountainDivision.org <http://www.rockymountaindivision.org/>

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[arrl-odv:18583] RE: [arrl-odv:18582] New Stationary
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 23 Feb '10

23 Feb '10

Bill, it hasn't been posted because we're putting all of our Web resources into the new site -- tomorrow I'll see about distributing it via ODV. Dave ________________________________ From: Bill Edgar [mailto:wedgar@verizon.net] Sent: Mon 2/22/2010 11:26 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:18582] New Stationary The new ARRL stationary looks very sharp and very clean. Kudos on it! Is this available on the website? I can find the stationary listing Joel as President. Thanks! - Bill

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[arrl-odv:18582] New Stationary
by Bill Edgar 22 Feb '10

22 Feb '10

The new ARRL stationary looks very sharp and very clean. Kudos on it! Is this available on the website? I can find the stationary listing Joel as President. Thanks! - Bill

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