Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1719 - July 23 2010

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1719 with a release date of
Friday, July 23, 2010 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. Europe gets set to host a major ham radio
emergency communications meeting, more on the FCC action to permit hams
to take part in emergency training drills sponsored by their employers,
the ARRL says amateur radio is growing in the United States, an $8000
do it yourself ham radio satellite is detailed in the MAKE Magazine
blog and ham radio honors one of the early pioneers of manned space
flight. Find out more on Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number
1719 coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)

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RESCUE RADIO: EUROPEAN EMCOMM CONFERENCE SEPT 25 TO 26

Europe will be hosting a ham radio emergency communications conference
this fall. RSGB newsman Jeremy Boot, G4NJH has the details:

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A European Emergency Radio Conference is being organised in the German town
of Gross-Gerau for the weekend of 24th to 26th September.

Known as EuREC-DL, the conference aims to bring together radio amateurs and
emergency services to show how the two groups can work together to increase
the resilience of their communications.

I'm Jeramy Boot, G4NJH and you are listening to the Amateur Radio Newsline.

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The conference is supported by the German Red Cross. More information can
be found at www.EUREC-DL.de. (GB2RS)

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RESCUE RADIO LAW: FCC SAYS PUBLIC GOOD OUTWEIGHS CONCERNS OF HAM COMMUNITY
IN THE AREA OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

More this week regarding the Federal Communications Commission report and
order changing the amateur radio service rules to allow hams to transmit
messages in certain circumstances during disaster drills. This, regardless
of whether the ham is an employee of the organizations participating in the
drill. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, is here with some
background on the decision and the view taken by the FCC in making it:

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In issuing its Report and Order on Docket RM 10-124, the FCC acknowledged
the role that amateurs can play before and during emergencies. It noted
that many governments and safety organizations make hams a part of their
emergency planning. As such, the commission agreed that Part 97 rules, as
written and codified, had in essence prohibited communications in which an
operator has a pecuniary interest. This included communications on behalf
of an employer, even when that employer was serving the needs and welfare
of the American public.

Until about a year ago, the FCC had unofficially turned its back when hams
employed by cities, townships, emergency response groups, hospitals and the
like provided services during drills and other training exercises. But
that changed when one ham who had provided such a noble service posted
about his work on an Internet website. In turn, other hams who oppose ham
radio involvement in anything that might even remotely be construed as
business related reported the posting to Laura Smith at the FCC. This lead
to the FCC contacting the ham about the matter. This was followed by what
many construed as a warning from the FCC issued by its rules man Bill
Cross, W3TN, at the 2009 Dayton Hamvention:

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Bill Cross, W3TN: "No communications on behalf of an employer means just
that. There's no exception for the 15 minutes you are on a break. There's
no exception for -gee it's the weekend. Or, there's no exception
because
you want to do it. If its your employer, you cannot transmit
communications on their behalf. That is a commercial communications."

--

In the real world, this edict meant that hams who work for public safety
agencies and hospitals could not participate in tests and exercises even
though these same operators would be expected to be ready in time of a real
life emergency situation. This satisfied those hams opposed to any
business communications and other groups who are anti ham radio being
involved in emergency communications. It also brought with it an out-cry
from those hams who have devoted their lives to emergency preparedness as
well as from a number of emergency communications groups and responders
that have traditionally utilized the services of ham radio volunteers.

A few months later, the FCC bowed to public pressure and agreed to issue
waivers on a case by case basis to permit ham radio operators to
participate in training exercises and drills sponsored by government
agencies and those that a government entity might appoint to oversee a
practice session. In the meantime, several petitions were filed to change
97.113 to in effect codify into the Amateur Service rules what hams have
been doing for almost a century.

Public safety agencies and other first responders generally supported such
a rule change. Several ham groups also argued the change would help
improve the skills of employees who might have to act during
disasters. Others felt it could increase the usefulness of programs such
as ARES, RACES and even MARS.

Those who opposed the change felt that it would erode the not for profit
amateur status of the service They called the proposal an essential change
for the worse in the characteristic of United States Amateur Radio service.