July 2014 - arrl-odv - reflector.arrl.org

[arrl-odv:22954] Co-sponsor HR.4969, the "Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014"
by Kay Craigie 05 Jul '14

05 Jul '14

The purpose of introducing this legislation is to get enough co-sponsors as quickly as possible so that Rep. Greg Walden can contact the FCC and credibly say "Do it!" This strategy was given to us by Mr. Walden. This is why the push is for getting lots of co-sponsors, not asking Congressmen to vote for the legislation. Dave, Chris, Dan Henderson, and I met by conference call with Frank McCarthy and Matt Keelen of TKG on Thursday. Chris and TKG reported that meetings thus far with Congressional office staffs of Representatives from various parts of the country have been encouraging. This includes the meetings Mike Lisenco had with Representatives from his Division. TKG confirms that Mike Lisenco's practice of sending follow-up "thank you" e-mails to the staffers with whom we meet is important to do. We need constituent letters to members of Congress asking them to co-sponsor the bill. Mike's template is excellent, and Dan Henderson is developing others so that not all letters will be worded just alike. We do not plan a mass paper form-letter campaign along the lines of what was done in the past. Doug asked how to get the numbers of licensees in a Congressional district. I know Dan Henderson gets that information. I have asked him to let me know how we do that and will pass the information to you. Mike commented about outreach to non-members. He's right, but we have to be very careful about it because of our 501(c)(3) status. However, he noted some work-arounds such as communicating via clubs. The legislation is mentioned in the latest edition of Amateur Radio Newsline. Phone calls to Congressmen's offices are effective if members can speak naturally, not sound stiff like they are robots reading from a script. E-mails are also effective. Paper letters sent from members' homes are less effective because it takes forever to get them through security screening. At the National Convention we will have a booth dedicated to the legislation, where members will be able to generate communications to their Congressmen. Any paper letters produced at this booth will be hand-carried by TKG staff to Congressional offices. We will have a computer and printer at this booth and also the ability to generate electronic messages to Congressmen on the spot. If you would like to help at this booth for a while during the convention, please contact Dan Henderson. Also at the National we will have a forum devoted to the legislation on Saturday at 3 pm. TKG will be involved along with Directors, Vice Directors, and Officers who wish to participate. We will have a short video urging members to action. This video or a version of it will be on the web site and added to electronic QST. The main ARRL forum will also push the call for action. There will be a story in The ARRL Letter and an edition of the Legislative Action e-mail newsletter shortly. A web page about the legislation is in process. We will have a permanent link on the main web page to information about the bill so it won't get lost in the push-down stack. Directors, Vice Directors, and Officers have several options for meeting with our Congressmen. If you are willing to come to Washington to meet with Congressmen from your state (not just your own Representative), TKG will set up appointments and accompany you. This can be done in late July before Congress breaks for the summer or in September. We will find the money to cover your expenses. If that travel is not possible for you, you can meet with your own Congressman and any others in reasonable travel distance in their home district offices during the break in August. TKG will help you set up an appointment with a local office if you would like their assistance in doing it. Now as for the petition that somebody has started . we can't control what individuals do. The word "reasonable" is in the message, and that's all to the good. However, it's hard to know what any individual takes that to mean. If members ask us about this petition, I suggest telling them that it is not a substitute for communicating directly with their Representatives. Members of Congress want to know that this legislation is important to their own constituents and why it is important to them. They will not be tremendously impressed by a petition signed by people who can't vote for them. TKG's advice is that the more personal a communication can be, the better. We should definitely and proactively guide people away from unrealistic expectations. The title of the bill includes the word "parity" ("the quality or state of being equal or equivalent"). We are asking for a level playing field with respect to the provisions of PRB-1, not a blank check to go hog wild on your condo balcony. Finally, Representative Courtney from Connecticut, who became the Democratic original co-sponsor we needed to get the bill introduced plans to be at the National Convention. We don't exactly have his schedule information nailed down, but we will make a big to-do about him to thank him for his assistance. 73 - Kay N3KN

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[arrl-odv:22944] Fwd: Co-sponsor HR.4969, the “Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014”
by JRS 05 Jul '14

05 Jul '14

FYI 73 *-----------------------------------------------------* ** John Robert Stratton N5AUS West Gulf Division Vice Director West Gulf Division Legislative Action Chair Office telephone: 512-445-6262 Cell: 512-426-2028 PO Box 2232 Austin, Texas 78768-2232 *-----------------------------------------------------* -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Co-sponsor HR.4969, the “Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014” Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2014 04:36:24 +0000 From: ABR Industries <info(a)abrind.com> Reply-To: ABR Information <info(a)abrind.com> To: n5aus(a)hamradio.us.com Co-sponsor HR.4969, the “Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014” Display problems? View this newsletter in your browser. <http://abrind.com/?email_id=19&user_id=1601&urlpassed=W3ZpZXdfaW5fYnJvd3Nlc…> --- HR.4969 would require the FCC, within 120 days of the Bill’s passage, to amend the Part 97 Amateur Service rules to apply PRB-1 <http://abrind.com/?email_id=19&user_id=1601&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5hcnJsL…>coverage to include homeowners’ association regulations and deed restrictions, often referred to as “covenants, conditions, and restrictions” (CC&Rs). PRB-1 states that local governments cannot preclude Amateur Radio communications; they must “reasonably accommodate” amateur operations, and the state and local regulations must be the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish a legitimate governmental interest. Presently, PRB-1 only applies to state and local zoning laws and ordinances. Since PRB-1 was enacted, the FCC has said several times that it would prefer to have some guidance from Congress before extending the policy to private land-use regulations. HR.4969 will provide that guidance, and give PRB-1 the force of Federal law. Radio amateurs, while providing a valuable and necessary service to their communities, are frequently and increasingly precluded from installing necessary equipment (antennas, coax, etc) by unreasonable private land-use restrictions, including restrictive CC&R covenants. The net effect of HR.4969 passage will be to suppress those unreasonable restrictions and allow licensed amateurs to install reasonable equipment for practicing our hobby and having the means to serve our communities. Sign Petition <http://abrind.com/?email_id=19&user_id=1601&urlpassed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2hhb…> Facebook <http://abrind.com/?email_id=19&user_id=1601&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5mYWNlY…> Twitter <http://abrind.com/?email_id=19&user_id=1601&urlpassed=aHR0cDovL3d3dy50d2l0d…> Google <http://abrind.com/?email_id=19&user_id=1601&urlpassed=aHR0cHM6Ly9wbHVzLmdvb…> --- Unsubscribe <http://abrind.com/?email_id=19&user_id=1601&urlpassed=W3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlX2xpb…> - Edit your subscription <http://abrind.com/?email_id=19&user_id=1601&urlpassed=W3N1YnNjcmlwdGlvbnNfb…> www.abrind.com ABR Industries 8561 A Rayson Rd Houston, TX 77080

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[arrl-odv:22933] Bill Moore Status
by Kramer, Harold, WJ1B 05 Jul '14

05 Jul '14

Here is a report that I just received from Dave Patton on the status of Bill Moore, our DXCC Manager: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sharon Taratula just checked-in. She has been talking with Bill's wife and did some errands for her. On his way back from New Britain [yesterday] Bill was pulled over and ticketed for improper lane usage. After resuming his trip back to Newington, he slid sideways into a guard rail, spun around and smashed the other side against the rail. It sounds like it was a single vehicle wreck. Sharon saw the car -- it is totalled, but did not flip over. Bill is still in ICU. He is stable. He still cannot feel anything below his chest. No other news. Dave ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I have no information beyond this. 73, Harold

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[arrl-odv:22932] Injured HQ Member
by Doug Rehman 04 Jul '14

04 Jul '14

I understand that an HQ staff member was seriously injured in a crash yesterday. Who is the member and how are they doing? Can we as the Board Family send flowers? Thanks, Doug K4AC

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[arrl-odv:22900] Report to America Status
by Doug Rehman 04 Jul '14

04 Jul '14

One of my Assistant Directors serves on the PRC. In a conversation this morning we talked about the status of the Board’s direction to the PRC to produce a draft Report to America (RTA). The Motion calls for a draft to be ready for our July meeting, but it doesn’t sound like it’s close to being ready. There’s a couple of potential issues. The PRC may not fully grasp the intended audience for RTA—federal, state, and local elected officials along with other government officials for the broad purpose of lobbying. My sense is that they are viewing RTA as a general document to inform the non-amateur community. Lacking the specific focus of lobbying is causing their work to be slowed. A second issue comes from the recent HQ push to downplay emergency communications in favor of public service communications. While the percentage of real emergency communications is extremely small, their value to elected officials is very high. RTA needs to play up emergency communications, not gloss over them. On a positive note, the committee is including economic impact information in RTA. There’s not a lot of data for them to work with, but they have come up with enough to make some educated assumptions. Given the pressing need for RTA in efforts for HR.4969, it might be a good idea for the Board to give the PRC a friendly reminder of the intended audience/purpose and the pressing need for its completion. Doug K4AC

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[arrl-odv:22929] Retirement from the BoD
by James F. Boehner MD 04 Jul '14

04 Jul '14

The message below was directed to Directors, but I assume that it meant to include the entire board family. Jim, it has been a pleasure and an honor to serve with you as part of the board family. I especially enjoyed your guidance during my first PSC meeting as a member. You will be missed. As I once heard from a Section Manager, the best way to keep an SM off the air is to keep him/her busy being an SM! I think the same could be said for any elected position within the ARRL. May you have the time and energy to enjoy, and pursue further, our chosen avocation of Amateur Radio! '73 de JIM N2ZZ ARRL Vice Director Roanoke Division From: arrl-odv [mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org] On Behalf Of Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2014 2:37 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:22928] FW: Retirement from the BoD All Directors: While it does not take effect until Monday noon, Director Weaver has given me the go-ahead to share this with you now. I know you all join me in expressing to Jim our heartfelt appreciation for all he has done for the ARRL and Amateur Radio over the past 12 years, and for many years prior to his becoming Director for that matter. Some years ago and early in my ARRL career Jim wrote a ham radio column in the Cincinnati newspaper. It was always a treat to receive the clipping and see what Jim had to say, long before we ever had the opportunity to meet in person. 73, Dave Sumner, K1ZZ From: Weaver, James K8JE (Dir, GL) Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2014 2:21 PM To: Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ Cc: Craigie, Kay, N3KN; Williams, Dale (Vice Dir, GL) Subject: Retirement from the BoD TO: David Sumner, K1ZZ Secretary of the Board of Directors, ARRL FM: James E. Weaver, K8JE Director, Great Lakes Division ARRL Dear Dave, RETIREMENT FROM THE ARRL BOARD OF DIRECTORS By this E-mail, I formally submit my retirement from the ARRL Board of Directors. This retirement becomes effective at 12:01 PM July 7, 2014. It has been both an honor and a privilege to serve on the Board. I have found my nearly 12-years in this service to be highly gratifying, informative and beneficial, as well as being quite humbling. I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to work with many of the finest radio amateurs/people there are. I hope, in turn, that I may have made a minor contribution or two to the cause of Amateur Radio and amateur operators, as well as to the public whom we amateurs often serve.I leave the Great Lakes Division Director chair in the capable hands of now-Vice Director Dale Williams, WA8EFK. Dale has the experience, knowledge and personal characteristics that are needed to provide great service to the radio amateur community. He and I have also discussed a nominee for the Vice Director position who I believe he will submit to you for action. Finally, I want you to know that I am willing to consider supporting ARRL in any task that you, the Officers or the Board may consider appropriate for me. I do not know what such an endeavor might be and I do not anticipate will be identified, but I want you to know I remain supportive of ARRL and its goals, and am willing to become involved in activities that may benefit Amateur Radio and the ARRL. Thank you for the courtesies you have often extended to me during my years on the Board. I wish you, the Board, its officers and the staff a highly successful Centennial Convention and remainder of the Centennial Celebration. 73, James E. Weaver 3 July 2014 Jim Weaver, K8JE Director, Great Lakes Division 5065 Bethany Rd. Mason, OH 45040 Tel. 513-459-1661; e-mail K8JE(a)arrl.org ARRL: The reason Amateur Radio Is Members: The reason ARRL is

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[arrl-odv:22927] Director's Motion: Technician Digital Privileges
by Doug Rehman 03 Jul '14

03 Jul '14

(Note: This is the last of the motions for July that I have been working on.) A member presented an idea for both attracting younger people to amateur radio and encouraging existing Technicians to learn and upgrade involving giving Digital privileges on HF bands to Technicians (they already have full digital privileges on 10m). From his idea, I created the below motion. The idea is similar to the Novice bands of years ago: provide a place where Technicians can experience digital communications in a limited manner and form the desire to have access to more privileges, therefore upgrading and expanding their knowledge and abilities. If the change involved giving access to centers of existing digital communications there would be no reason to upgrade, thus unique subbands are created. Just as the Novices and Technicians of years past listened to all of the great DX lurking just out of reach of their license privileges, the Technicians or today and the future would see the multitude of DX and special event stations in the General and higher bands. Their equipment would already be capable of operating in the General and Extra subbands as soon as they upgrade their license. On 6/25 I sent an email out to my Division asking for members to vote yes or no on “Create a 10 KHz Technician Digital Subband with a limit of 200 watts in the 80m, 40m, and 15m bands. Digital modes would be limited to RTTY and PSK. The subbands would be 3.600-3.610 KHz (moving the bottom of the Extra phone band to 3.610 KHz), 7.115-7.125 KHz, and 21.190-21.200 KHz. “ I have received 388 (65%) YES votes and 209 (35%) NO votes. (Note: 20 of the yes votes were sent to the “no” address and were generally in favor, but took exception to the 80m portion and/or the power limit.) Most of the No votes that contained comments were along the lines don’t give anybody anything; make them work for it—possibly missing that the proposal is aimed at encouraging growth of the hobby. The 10 KHz subband size was chosen as all of the transmissions will be limited bandwidth and vast bandwidth is available by simply upgrading to General. The idea is to create a place where the ember can be ignited, not merely turn existing Technicians loose on the HF digital modes. The idea is also to impact existing operations as minimally as possible. Limiting the modes to RTTY and PSK was done as those are arguably the most common modes. Again the idea is to expose Technicians to digital operation, not give them full privileges. The 200 watt power limit mirrors the existing CW power limit for Novices and Technicians (and 10m Technician digital/phone limit). Since few radios put out 200w, it could be reduced to 100w. Some commenters suggested 25w, 50w, or 75w as 25w or less is the typical power used by PSK operators. Carving 10KHz out of the 80m Extra phone allocation was chosen as the FCC significantly narrowed the cw/digital subband to 3500-3600 some years ago. The 3600-3610 segment is not heavily used and there is a substantial amount of spectrum reserved for Extra/Advanced phone in that band (3600-3800), whereas there is a limited amount of cw/digital space. Doug K4AC Motion WHEREAS digital communications modes are a significant part of both amateur and non-amateur communications; and WHEREAS Technician class licensees already enjoy digital privileges on ten meters and above; and WHEREAS ten meter propagation is highly variable and will diminish as the sunspot cycle fades; and WHEREAS communicating via text messages is a preferred medium by today’s youth and there is great similarity with amateur digital communications; and WHEREAS allowing limited HF digital operations to encourage both existing and future Technician class licensees to expand their knowledge and skills, eventually leading to their upgrading to higher class licensees with greater knowledge and skills, is desirable for the amateur radio service; THEREFORE the ARRL Board of Directors directs staff to prepare and submit a petition to the FCC requesting the following rule changes: Create a 10 KHz Technician Digital Subband with a limit of 200 watts in the 80m, 40m, and 15m bands. Digital modes would be limited to RTTY and PSK. The subbands would be 3.600-3.610 KHz (moving the bottom of the Extra phone band to 3.610 KHz), 7.115-7.125 KHz, and 21.190-21.200 KHz.

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[arrl-odv:22926] FEMA/ARRL MOA
by Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ 03 Jul '14

03 Jul '14

ARRL Board: Taking advantage of the presence of FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ, at the Centennial National Convention, one of the planned events is the signing of an updated Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between FEMA and the ARRL. Our relationship with FEMA dates back to 1984 when our first MOU was signed. In June 2003 then-President Haynie signed the Statement of Affiliation that is currently on our website at http://www.arrl.org/served-agencies-and-partners. The new MOA, which grew out of our meeting with Craig Fugate and his staff in March 2013, is attached. It goes into somewhat more detail as to the nature of the cooperation between the two entities but does not commit ARRL resources beyond what are available. General Counsel Imlay has reviewed the MOA and is satisfied with it, and President Craigie is prepared to sign it in Hartford. The MOA refers to Emergency Support Functions #6 and #15 without much explanation, so a bit of background may be helpful. Emergency Support Function (ESF) #6 - Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human Services coordinates the delivery of Federal mass care, emergency assistance, housing, and human services when local, tribal, and State response and recovery needs exceed their capabilities. ESF #6 includes communications in support of these services. The ARRL has long been listed as a resource under ESF #6 as follows: American Radio Relay League (ARRL) - Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES): Provides volunteer radio communications services to Federal, State, county, and local governments, as well as to voluntary agencies. ESF #15 is described as follows: Emergency Support Function (ESF) #15 - External Affairs ensures that sufficient Federal assets are deployed to the field during incidents requiring a coordinated Federal response to provide accurate, coordinated, timely, and accessible information to affected audiences, including governments, media, the private sector, and the local populace, including the special needs population. 73, Dave Sumner, K1ZZ

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[arrl-odv:22925] Transportation to Centennial/BOD Meeting
by Kustosik, Lisa, KA1UFZ 03 Jul '14

03 Jul '14

Just an FYI I have secured a van as usual for the Centennial/Board Meeting. By filling out the accommodation form that was attached to Dave's letter to the Board, it gives me all the info that I will need to have a sked made up of when the van will need to be at the airport and then after the Board Meeting when the van needs to get you back to the airport. I have attached it again for your convenience. Any questions please feel free to contact me. I will be sending out the info to you next week some time. Along with the dinner choices for the BOD Meeting. Happy 4th! Sincerely, Lisa Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ Assistant to the CEO / Meeting Planner ARRL--The National Association for Amateur Radio 225 Main Street Newington, CT 06111 Tel: 860-594-0245 --- Fax: 860-594-0259 email: lkustosik(a)arrl.org

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[arrl-odv:22920] Motion with regard to Logbook of the World
by G Widin 03 Jul '14

03 Jul '14

On behalf of the Logbook of the World Study Committee (LSC), I intend to introduce the following motion as a result of the committee's recent work. The text of the motion will also appear as Appendix 1 of the LSC's July 2014 report to the Board of Directors. 73, Greg Widin, K0GW 2014 LSC Chair

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