[ETS/PARC List] FCC'S HOLLINGSWORTH SET TO RETIRE IN JULY

[Drew Moore]

==> FCC'S HOLLINGSWORTH SET TO RETIRE IN JULY 

Special Counsel in the FCC Spectrum Enforcement Division Riley
Hollingsworth has announced plans to retire from the FCC later this
year. "My intention," Hollingsworth told the ARRL, "is to head out in
July, assuming the results of the second round of the PAVE PAWS/440
repeater monitoring in California present no complications. It has been
a privilege to work with and for the Amateur Radio licensees and the
land mobile frequency coordinators. I am extremely fortunate to work for
two wonderful groups of people: Those at headquarters in the Enforcement
Bureau, and for the Amateur Radio operators." Hollingsworth had planned
to retire earlier this year, but changed his mind, saying, "There [were]
several issues on the table that I want[ed] to continue to work through
with the amateur community."

While his successor has not been named, he was quick to point out that
the FCC's Amateur Radio enforcement program will continue.

Hollingsworth said he considered it an honor to have given something
back to "the incredible enjoyment and benefits that Amateur Radio has
given me since age 13. And to every one of the thousands of you that
thanked us for our work, many of whom waited for long periods after a
forum or radio meeting just to come up and express appreciation for what
the FCC was doing in enforcement, you have no idea how much that was
appreciated every single time. It sure wasn't a 9 to 5 job, but it was a
gift and a daily joy to work for the best group of people on earth. The
only bad day in nearly 10 years was September 21, 2001, when we lost
Steve Linn, N4CAK. We still miss him." Linn, deputy chief of the
Licensing and Technical Analysis Branch for private wireless within the
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and his wife Lesley were killed in a
car accident on their way to the Virginia Beach hamfest.

Hollingsworth told the ARRL he was "so very impressed" with the young
people who are involved with Amateur Radio: "To the very young Amateur
Radio operators I met at Dayton, who have dreams of being scientists and
astronauts and communications engineers, we will be pulling for you; I
have a strong feeling we won't be disappointed."

"The Amateur Radio Service is part of the American heritage, and I am
going to stay as actively involved in it as I possibly can,"
Hollingsworth explained. "Thank you all for working tirelessly to
provide the only fail safe communications system on Earth and for
helping this country keep its lead in science and technology. What an
incredible gift it has been to work with you every day, and how
fortunate we are to love the magic of radio!"