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On Mon, 12 Jul 2004, Steve Robeson K4CAP wrote:
Subject: WX Receivers and Repeaters retransmitting non-weather alerts. From: "D. Stussy" Date: 7/12/2004 1:47 AM Central Standard Time Message-id: On Sat, 10 Jul 2004, Steve Robeson K4CAP wrote: Subject: WX Receivers and Repeaters retransmitting non-weather alerts. From: "D. Stussy" Date: 7/10/2004 3:18 AM Central Standard Time Message-id: On Fri, 9 Jul 2004, Phil Kane wrote: On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 05:07:37 GMT, D. Stussy wrote: If the content of the warning is to reach the greatest number of people in the shortest period of time, even a "verbatim retransmission" by an amateur station NOT using the NWS audio of information heard from there could be an unjustified delay that costs a life. Comments? Why not petition to change the rules to allow such retransmission? Because I believe that [simultaneous and automatic] retransmission is ALREADY PROVIDED FOR in the existing rules and should not be considered a violation. The "simultaneous and automatic retransmission" you refer to is for AMATEUR communications... The FCC has repeatedly and unwaveringly stated that is it ILLEGAL for Amateurs to rebroadcast non-Amateur traffic. Period. Wrong. Look at the recent modification to .113 for WX stations. Also, retransmission of NASA Shuttle communications has been in the rules for more than a decade (granted, the initial retransmitter is supposed to get permission from NASA, but the fact that it is allowed in ANY FORM defeats your absolute statement). If all you are looking to do is "defeat( ) (my) absolute statement", then congratulations. However the NASA example is a specific waiver from the FCC, and NASA hardly has hundreds of remote transmitters in every state to share the shuttle traffic, now do they? And if you bothered to look at the current .113, there is also a "waiver" for retransmitting NOAA/NWS weather transmissions - with the limitation that it is NOT done on a continuous basis (communications emergency or failure notwithstanding for which the rules in .400 ff. take priority anyway). There are NOAA receivers available for less than $20. Non-Amateurs who want to listen to it can do so without having to buy a $200+ Amateur device and modify it in order to do so. The NOAA channels are available options in CB's, FRS and Marine radios already. Receivers less than $20.00 don't have SAME or special actions that they take when hearing an EAS broadcast. You've missed the point here..... No I haven't. Neither my $150 2 meter rig nor my $350 V/UHF rig have SAME function in them either. What would be the point of having those alert tones squawking on 2M or 70CM...?!?! Because those alert tones are part of "EAS," while the normal weather status transmission isn't. Emergency communications that may affect life or property are always ALLOWED - and the concept of the FCC enacting the new EAS to replace EAB was to have it reach as many [people] as possible as soon as possible. Yet, we have the FCC's Mr. Cross now saying that this is forbidden. If so, then I think he's insane - a rules violation is clearly less significant than saving someone's life. So...We bump the $20 up to $40...I can find at least a half dozen radios in that price range that DO have SAME in them. So what then? Personally, I'd rather keep the radio seperate so I could monitor NOAA while keeping my 2M rig for 2-way purposes. Well, no one said that YOU (or anyone else) HAD TO interface your local repeater to a SAME-activated weatherradio. However, now that the rules do permit it, why is there this "strange" interpretation of that rule? The places where NOAA transmissions can NOT be heard are extremely few. I am sure there is some remote butte in Montanna or some valley in West Virginia that has poor or no coverage...But certainly not enough for the FCC to reverese it's policy...Espeically in light of NOAA's expenditures to spread the net. In my "neighborhood" alone I can hear transmissions on 3 of the seven channels on an HT...I can imagine what I might hear with a dedicated receiver and appropriate antenna. Those Amateurs who want to hear it are usually already involved in SKYWARN and already know the frequencies to tune to. They don't have to cling to a local repeater hoping that someone else will "rebroadcast" NOAA audio. Then explain why the rules were changed a couple of years ago to permit it.... Explain to me where it's permitted 24/7, Dieter... Explain to me where it's allowed to be AUTOMATICALLY retransmitted. Follow along: 97.113(e) No station shall retransmit programs or signals emanating from any type of radio station other than an amateur station, except propagation and weather forecast information intended for use by the general public and originated from United States Government stations and communications, including incidental music, originating on United States Government frequencies between a space shuttle and its associated Earth stations. Prior approval for shuttle retransmissions must be obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Such retransmissions must be for the exclusive use of amateur operators. Propagation, weather forecasts, and shuttle retransmissions may not be conducted on a regular basis, but only occasionally, as an incident of normal amateur radio communications. Re-read that LAST LINE over and over, Dieter. I have. That does not forbid automatic retransmission. It does forbid scheduled, regular, and/or continuous retransmission. It permits occasional retransmission. [Emergencies are also not "regular" in nature.] As for automatic, the issue arose with regard to a device that would be interfaced to an amateur repeater, and repeaters MAY BE AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED, so that's where the "automatic" aspect comes in. Propagation, weather forecasts, and shuttle retransmissions may not be conducted on a regular basis, but only occasionally, as an incident of normal amateur radio communications. Propagation, weather forecasts, and shuttle retransmissions may not be conducted on a regular basis, but only occasionally, as an incident of normal amateur radio communications. Propagation, weather forecasts, and shuttle retransmissions may not be conducted on a regular basis, but only occasionally, as an incident of normal amateur radio communications. (Just thought I'd help you along a little bit.) Allow me to make further emphasis of part of that regulation: Such retransmissions must be for the exclusive use of amateur operators. Such retransmissions must be for the exclusive use of amateur operators. Such retransmissions must be for the exclusive use of amateur operators. So what would be your point? There's no way you can make those rebroadcasts and NOT be assured that the broadcast was NOT being used by non-Amateurs. Not any more so than under circumstances where no shuttle or weather transmissions are occuring. Amateur frequencies are often included in scanners - devices which don't require an FCC license to operate. The only thing I gather from your statements is that you believe that ANY retransmission of non-amateur communications is a rules violation. That also is not what .113 says - it is permitting SOME types of non-amateur originated communications to be [re]transmitted on an OCCASIONAL basis. Lastly, for someone who keeps whining about another Amateur posting Amateur Radio related news items in an Amateur Radio forum, I find it really funny that you want to play junior disc jockey on Amateur Radio with NON Amateur weather broadcasts. This topic is clearly about the rules and FCC policy (and its interpretation fo the rules). There are many things in AR Newsline that have nothing to do with the rules or operating practice and therefore don't belong here on ".policy" (but may be appropriate to one of the other amateur radio newsgroups). And I can pick almost any thread in any other of the other NG's and find discussions going on there about topics OTHER than wha the charter for those NG's may have "allowed". How come I don't find Dieter Stussy in any of those NG's howling about the inappropriateness of those posts...?!?! 1) I don't read every newsgroup. 2) Spam happens. You expect me to "explain the entire universe" to you? 3) There is quite alot of "****" posts that happen here. 4) What is the point of complaining about someone else's off-topic post if nothing can or will be done about it? Here, there is someone to whom I can complain about to get it stopped. 5) For the most part, people RESPECT the purpose of the group and usually stay on topic. Amateur radio seems to attract anarchists by its nature - and it is clear what we have here is anarchy. Lastly, I didn't imply that this wasn't about the rules...It certainly is...I just said I find it ironic that you want to play junior disc jockey with NOAA weather broadcasts. WHERE in LA County can you go and NOT hear an NOAA broadcast, Dieter? If their transmitters fail, ANYWHERE! :-) Remember that Mr. Cross's comment was the same when the issue of a communications emergency was brought up. However, is your question even relevant? It doesn't matter that I can hear up to 5 NWS transmitters where I may be. The issue was with regard to the retransmission rule. To retransmit, it first must be heard (obviously). I've been in Mojave, up to Bishop and down in Imperial County and was never out of earshot of an NOAA weather station...and THAT was in the late 80's and early 90's. I used to sit in the Marine Expeditionary Airfield shelters with my HT and copy NOAA. And having BEEN in SoCal, I am intimately aware at how congested most of the 2meter band is...All we need is for Uncle Same to "green light" the rebroadcasts you suggest to have a whole band full of junior weathermen...What next? Health reports on Ashley and Mary-Kate? The Olsen Twins are not in the rules. NWS weather transmissions are. I leave it to you to get the rules amended to add them if that's what you really want. |