eHam.net News

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ARRL Complains to FCC: Illegal Marketing of Electronic Lighting Ballasts:

Posted: 29 Dec 2015 06:57 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35867


The ARRL has again complained to the FCC to allege illegal marketing
of electronic RF lighting ballasts, operating under Part 18 of the
Commission's rules, on the part of two major retailers. Letters went
out this week to the FCC Enforcement Bureau and its Office of
Engineering and Technology claiming Part 18 marketing regulations
violations by Lowe's and by Walmart stores. At issue is the sale of
non-consumer RF lighting ballasts to consumers who, in several
instances, were told by store personnel that it was okay to install
these in a residential setting. In addition, non-consumer and
residential-class ballasts are intermixed in store displays with
inadequate signage to direct consumers to the correct choice. Both
letters asked the FCC to investigate and commence enforcement
proceedings with respect to the two stores' marketing and retail
sale of RF lighting devices in the US.


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Special Day On the Airwaves:

Posted: 28 Dec 2015 05:08 PM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35866


Christmas Day was extra-special for one Leigh-on-Sea family, who used radio
signals to connect four generations together. Amateur Radio is a hobby that
dates back over 100 years, and each radio experimenter has a
unique "callsign". World-renowned radio amateur Gordon "Dicky" Bird was
responsible for the design and development of a number of radio antennas
from the 1950s onwards, and was a keen radio amateur sending signals around
the world for many decades. Dick passed away in 2005, aged 86, but by way
of commemoration, his old radio callsign of 'G4ZU' was revived with the
permission of his family and the Government's radio regulator Ofcom.