RV Service Net International

QST de W1AW

ARRL Bulletin 11  ARLB011, From ARRL Headquarters, Newington CT  May 17, 2012

To all radio amateurs

On May 15, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a bill into law granting

comprehensive rights to Amateur Radio operators in that state.

Several key players in the successful effort to enact a “PRB-1″ law

in Ohio were present for the signing, including Section Manager

Frank J. Piper, KI8GW; Rick Swain, KK8O; Bill Carpenter, AA8EY;

Steve Katz, N8WL, and Constance Barsky, WD8ODC. ARRL Great Lakes

Division Director James Weaver, K8JE, was also at the signing.

Ohio SM Frank Piper provided some background:

“In the past three years, we have had four versions of this bill in

the Ohio Statehouse. In the last State Assembly, these bills died in

Committee. In this current Assembly, everything lined up for us, and

House Bill 158 made the entire journey from Introduction to the

Governor Kasich’s signature.

“We had to make a few revisions to HB 158 during its travels through

committee hearings, but in the end we finished with an Act that

places the full language of CFR 47, Part 97.15 into the Ohio Revised

Code. In addition, language at the end of the law states: ‘Any

legislative authority that denies an application for approval of an

amateur station antenna structure shall state the reasons for the

denial and shall, on appeal, bear the burden of proving that the

authority’s actions are consistent with this section.’ This language

removes the burden of proof from the Amateur Radio operator and

places it on the legislative authority.

“State Government Liaison Nick Pittner, K8NAP, did a tremendous job

over the past several years, staying on top of the status of bills

that were running their course on both sides of the Statehouse. Nick

knew when to call in key people to testify to Committees, and was

instrumental in the process of negotiating the required revisions

when requested.

“My thanks go out to all the Amateur Radio operators in the Ohio

Section who called, wrote and e-mailed their State Representatives

and Senators to support this legislation. Without their grass roots

work, this victory would not have been possible.”

[Thanks to ARRL website for ARRL Bulletin 11  ARLB011, repeated here in its entirety]

We added the May 2012 edition of the newsletter, The Bulletin, today.  This is available only to dues paid members and life members.   If you don’t have a password for the member-only pages, please let us know and we’ll get you set up.

It’s pretty cool because almost all the pictures are in color and the page graphics are nice colors.  File size is less than a megabyte, you can download it to your computer and read it anytime.  You can print the member roster pages for your reference while listening to the nets.  Or just look at the nets schedule or roster pages on your screen and save paper.

We welcome any comments — let us know.

Happy New Year!  Welcome to our new members.  Twenty-two new members have joined our club in the past six months, and we’re glad to have them  join the friendliest group of nets in the continent.  You can check the current member list by clicking on the menu choice for Member List at right of this screen or by clicking here and using your member-only access code to open the page.

If you are a member in good standing and don’t have (or cannot find) your access code, click here to email Jim n5rtg.  He’ll send you the access code promptly and you’ll be on your way again.

This article reproduced verbatim from ARRL NEWS.  Thanks to ARRL for its use.

11/21/2011

On November 18, the FCC released a Report and Order (R&O), defining new rules for the 60 meter (5 MHz) band. These rules are in response to a Petition for Rulemaking (PRM) filed by the ARRL more than five years ago and a June 2010 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). In the R&O, the FCC replaced one of the channels in the band, increased the maximum authorized power amateur stations may transmit in this band and authorized amateur stations to transmit three additional emission designators in the five channels in the 5330.6-5406.4 kHz band (60 meters).

The Amateur Radio Service in the United States has a secondary allocation on 60 meters. Only those amateurs who hold General, Advanced or Amateur Extra class licenses may operate on this band. Amateur stations must not cause harmful interference to — and must accept interference from — stations authorized by any administration in the fixed service, as well as mobile (except aeronautical mobile) stations authorized by the administrations of other countries.

Here is a summary of the changes. Please note that these changes have not yet taken effect. These new rules will take effect 30 days after they are published in the Federal Register. The ARRL will announce on its website when the rules are published.

• The frequency 5368.0 kHz (carrier frequency 5366.5 kHz) is withdrawn and a new frequency of 5358.5 kHz (carrier frequency 5357.0 kHz) is authorized.
• The effective radiated power limit in the 60 meter band is raised by 3 dB, from 50 W PEP to 100 W PEP, relative to a half-wave dipole. If another type of antenna is used, the station licensee must maintain a record of either the antenna manufacturer’s data on the antenna gain or calculations of the antenna gain.
• Three additional emission types are authorized. Data (emission designator 2K80J2D, for example, PACTOR-III), RTTY (emission designator 60H0J2B, for example, PSK31) and CW (150HA1A, i.e. Morse telegraphy by means of on-off keying). For CW, the carrier frequency must be set to the center frequency. For data and RTTY the requirement to transmit “only on the five center frequencies specified” may be met by using the same practice as on USB, i.e. by setting the suppressed carrier frequency of the USB transmitter used to generate the J2D or J2B emission to the carrier frequency that is 1.5 kHz below the center frequency.

Automatic control on data and RTTY is not permitted; a control operator must be in a position to exercise either local or remote control over the transmitter. The FCC noted that “amateur operators must exercise care to limit the length of transmissions so as to avoid causing harmful interference to Federal stations.” This is a very important caveat: If a Federal station requires amateurs to cease using a frequency, the amateur station must be able to do so without delay.

A reasonable person might wonder what the difference is between data and RTTY. According to former ARRL Chief Technology Officer Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, there used to be a difference, but there’s not much of one today. “Years ago, a B designator (telegraphy for automatic reception [i.e. narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy emissions]) meant decoding and display on a teletypewriter (TTY) or other mechanical machine,” he explained. “A D designator signified transmission of data, telemetry or telecommand intended for data processing or just storage for possible future use. When computers or computer-like devices were introduced to emulate RTTY transmission and/or reception, the line between telegraphy and data transmission blurred to the point of little or no practical distinction.”

PACTOR-III and PSK31 are cited in the new rules as examples of data and RTTY emissions, respectively, that will be authorized; however, in paragraph 28 of the R&O, the Commission states that amateur stations will be permitted to use “any unspecified digital code, subject to the requirements of Section 97.309(b).” Therefore, as a practical matter it appears that any J2D data emission is to be permitted up to a bandwidth of 2.8 kHz, provided that care is exercised to limit the length of transmissions.

Amateur Radio and the 60 Meter Band

The 60 meter band is part of the larger 5.060-5.450 MHz band, which is a federal/non-federal shared band that is allocated to the fixed service on a primary basis and to the mobile (except aeronautical mobile service) on a secondary basis. The 5.060-5.450 MHz band is primarily used by federal agencies for ship-to-shore and fixed point-to-point communications. Non-federal use of the 5060-5450 kHz band includes state government licensees and licensees in the Industrial/Business Pool that operate standby and/or backup communication circuits for use during emergency and/or disaster situations, entities prospecting for petroleum and natural gas or distributing electric power, coast stations and aeronautical fixed stations.

The Commission added the Amateur Radio Service as a secondary allocation after determining that such frequencies could be useful to the Amateur Radio community for completing disaster communications links at times when existing frequencies in the 3.500-4.000 MHz (80 and 75 meter) and 7.000-7.300 MHz (40 meter) bands are not available due to ionospheric conditions. It concluded that such an allocation represented the best compromise available to give the amateur service access to new spectrum while assuring the federal government agencies that their use is protected.

At the request of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Commission restricted amateur stations operating on the five channels in the 60 meter band to upper sideband (USB) voice transmissions (phone emission 2K80J3E), and to a maximum effective radiated power (ERP) of 50 W peak envelope power (PEP). The Commission adopted these operating restrictions to decrease the interference potential between amateur stations and federal stations.

In October 2006, the ARRL filed a Petition for Rulemaking with the FCC, requesting that the Commission amend Parts 2 and 97 of its Rules to replace one of the allocated center frequencies (5368 kHz) with a less encumbered frequency (5358.5 kHz), to increase the maximum ERP from 50 to 100 W PEP and to authorize the use of additional emissions types, limited to emission designators 150HA1A, 60H0J2B and 2K80J2D. In its Petition, the ARRL pointed out that its proposals were designed to facilitate more efficient and effective use of the secondary Amateur Radio Service allocation in the 60 meter band. As part of its petition, the ARRL attached a letter from NTIA, indicating that it would “look favorably” on the ARRL’s proposed modifications.

Members and Friends,

Our club offers  two benefits to members who have paid their dues through at least June 30 2012:  first look at and download of the online PDF copy of past and current copies of THE BULLETIN, and view of the club’s member roster on line.

THE BULLETIN, the newsletter from and about our club, is now available on line to members only at the club’s web site MENU choice,
BULLETIN – Members Only —–>

We sent the new copy to the printer yesterday for printing and mail distribution within the next two weeks.  Distribution of printed copies is to members paid at least through June 30 2011.  If your mail label shows this June 30 2011 date then this month’s BULLETIN will be your last one (unless you renew your dues soon.)

Any questions, concerns, or suggestions please email n5rtg Jim

We’ve updated the member roster to reflect dues-paid members as of October 24 2011.  We’ve included both a page you can view on-line and a printable PDF version you can download from the link.  You’ll only be able to see these rosters if your dues are paid through at least June 30 2012.

Links to the member-only pages are at the right of your screen —->

If you aren’t able to open the member-only pages, please email the webmaster for the new access code.  You deserve it IF  your dues are current! Your dues are needed so, if you haven’t yet paid them, it’s NOT too late.  We’ll update the dues-paid members list as appropriate when we receive dues.

[NOTE:  dues expire each year on June 30]

Questions, concerns, or suggestions, please email to n5rtg Jim

We’ve updated the member roster to reflect dues-paid members as of 8/1/2011.  We’ve included both a page you can view on-line and a printable PDF version you can download from the link.  You’ll only be able to see these rosters if your dues are paid through at least June 30 2012.

Links to the member-only pages are at the right of your screen —->

If you aren’t able to open the member-only pages, please email the webmaster for the new access code.  You deserve it for paying your dues!

[NOTE:  dues expire each year on June 30]

Floyd L. Rinehart, W4LNK, passed away quickly this morning in Summerdale, Alabama, while his close friend Gene Beaver, W4PVI, was calling our net.  Floyd had just checked in with Gene a few minutes before, then stepped outside to a regular Saturday morning neighborhood “outdoor bagels and coffee” breakfast.  His Rainbow Plantation neighbors who were there say that he sat down and right away trembled, then immediately passed on.

He was 92 years old and still very active.  Many of you saw him at the Orlando HamCation/Ham-a-Rally where he impressed us with his vitality.  A couple of years back he became an author, writing the book Hearing Aids and Political Distortion.

In a terrible accident that reminds us all of the danger involved in climbing atop our RVs, our good friend, club member and net controller Russ VanZanten, WB8CHE, lost his life this past week.  He will be missed so much by all of us who knew him.

Russ had brought his motor coach out of storage to his home in Westland, Michigan, to load it for a planned trip to the upper peninsula with his dear Mary Ann and his daughter Barb Stockman and her husband and the grand kids.  There was a hailstorm that did some damage on the roof of the RV and Russ went up the ladder to the roof and covered the damage to keep it from leaking.  It was raining as he prepared to climb on the ladder to go down.  He slipped and fell onto the concrete below.  He was knocked unconscious immediately.  The accident was witnessed by neighbors so he was quickly transported to a hospital where doctors discovered massive injuries to his head and various broken bones.  He never regained consciousness and passed away in the hospital on Saturday, July 23.

Russ was the one who did the planning for the informal rally of club members each year at Tall Timbers KOA in the Dayton area during the Dayton Havention.  He was also the net control for the 40 Meter Eastern Early Net on Sunday mornings.  He celebrated his 82nd birthday in May.

A final 73 to dear friend Russ.

obituary for Russ at this web site: http://deathnotices.michigan.com/view-single.php?id=273446

We’re off to a good start.  The club has new officers and members are renewing their dues for the new fiscal year (started 01 Jul). The annual meeting in Du Quoin was very well attended, membership elected a full slate of officers and the ex officio members are in place for the next year.  Now we have to take care of business so we can continue operating.

WBCCI Amateur Radio Club is a membership organization, supported by ham radio operator members in the United States and Canada.  Without members the club would have neither purpose nor funds for operation.  Without members the club would have no officers, no newsletter, no website, no member roster.  The roster, website and Bulletin make our club and nets more interesting and enjoyable for many hams and many of you support the club with your dues each year.

Dues for members expire every year on Jun 30 unless you pay for multiple years.  Are your dues up to date?  What year do your dues expire?  You can check the mailing label on your copy of The Bulletin.  The address label top line has your dues expiry date.  We hope you will continue to support the club, the nets, this website, and The Bulletin with your annual dues.

The two members-only pages, Member Roster and on-line (and in COLOR) Bulletin, are accessible only with the current password.  If your dues aren’t paid up, you’ll want to mail the dues in before asking for the passwords, okay?  You can mail your dues (or your new membership application and first-time dues) to:

Jim Cocke n5rtg
1005 Betty St
Kannapolis, NC 28083

or mail to Jim Cocke at the Livingston TX address as posted on the membership application form – either one works but this summer Kannapolis is more direct and so is quicker.

If you have paid your dues through at least Jun 30 2012, we’ll happily provide you the new password.  Just send Jim n5rtg an email asking for password and he’ll answer you PRONTO.

Any questions, please email Jim n5rtg.

See you down the log!

Jim