[South Florida DX Association] The ARRL Letter, Vol 24, No 11

Sun Mar 20 16:40:34 EST 2005

***************
> The ARRL Letter
> Vol. 24, No. 11
> March 18, 2005
> ***************
>
> IN THIS EDITION:
>
> * +Martin to replace Powell as FCC chair
> * +Amateur Radio gets high praise at grantees conference
> * +Science-oriented questions dominate QSO with ISS commander
> * +ARRL charges Ambient, FCC with failure to deal with BPL complaints
> * +League asks FCC to shut down Texas BPL pilot
> * +Next step could be a fine, FCC tells Vermont licensee
> * +Hiram Maxim Percy Award nomination deadline looms
> *  Solar Update
> *  IN BRIEF:
>      This weekend on the radio
>      ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
>      Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course registration
>     +"Oppositions" to BPL petitions for reconsideration due by March 23
>     +ARRL seeks information on 60-meter experiences
>      Anthony Monteiro, AA2TX, wins February QST Cover Plaque Award
>      DXCC Honor Roll list deadline just ahead
>
> +Available on ARRL Audio News
>
> ===========================================================
> NOTE: Because ARRL Headquarters is closed Friday, March 25, next week's
> editions of The ARRL Letter and ARRL Audio News will distribute to
> subscribers one day early. There will be no W1AW bulletin or code practice
> transmissions on March 25. ARRL Headquarters will reopen Monday, March 28,
> at 8 AM Eastern Time.
>
> ==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
> letter-dlvy at arrl.org
> ==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl at arrl.org
> ===========================================================
>
> ==>PRESIDENT TAPS COMMISSIONER KEVIN J. MARTIN TO HEAD FCC
>
> President George W. Bush this week announced his intention to designate
> Commissioner Kevin J. Martin to chair the FCC. He'll replace Michael K.
> Powell, who stepped down this month. Martin, 38, a North Carolina attorney
> with close White House ties, has served on the FCC since 2001. In
> congratulating Martin on his appointment, ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ,
also
> took the opportunity to refresh Martin's memory regarding Amateur Radio's
> stake in the broadband over power line (BPL) issue. Last July, Sumner and
> ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, met with Martin and aide Sam Feder
> to discuss their fears about radio interference from BPL systems. When the
> FCC unanimously adopted new BPL rules last October, Martin acknowledged
> Amateur Radio's concerns, said he would take them seriously, and expressed
> confidence that the Commission would take the necessary steps to address
> interference.
>
> "Unfortunately, I must advise you that the Commission's record of
addressing
> BPL interference has proved to be woefully inadequate," Sumner continued,
> citing continued BPL interference complaints. "To date the Commission has
> not ordered a single BPL system to be shut down, despite the failure of
BPL
> system operators to resolve interference," Sumner pointed out.
>
> This week, the League renewed its complaint of ongoing BPL interference in
> Briarcliff Manor, New York, and filed a complaint with the Enforcement
> Bureau and the Office of Engineering and Technology outlining an ongoing
BPL
> interference case in Irving, Texas (see below).
>
> "The ARRL and the nation's radio amateurs are anxious for a sign that we
can
> expect this sorry situation to be corrected under your leadership," Sumner
> concluded. Since he already sits on the FCC, Martin's appointment will not
> require US Senate confirmation.
>
> Considered the front-runner for the job, Martin said he was "deeply
honored"
> to be tapped as the next FCC chairman. While Martin and Powell reportedly
> clashed over telephone deregulation and media ownership issues, they
> essentially were on the same page regarding the promotion of BPL. News
> accounts say that Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy, a Republican and a
BPL
> booster, is also planning to leave the FCC. Abernathy's now-notorious
> "broadband Nirvana" remarks about BPL drew sharp opposition from the
amateur
> community.
>
> BPL manufacturer Ambient Corporation promptly issued a news release
hailing
> the appointment of Martin as "a vocal proponent" of BPL systems and citing
> segments of Martin's laudatory comments about the technology following the
> FCC's October 14, 2004, adoption of new BPL rules.
>
> Sumner pointed out to Ambient, however, that its news release ignored some
> of Martin's other comments in his statement last fall, in which the
> commissioner acknowledged Amateur Radio operators' and broadcasters'
> interference worries and concluded, "I am confident that the Commission
will
> continue to monitor these concerns and will take steps, where needed, to
> address interference problems going forward."
>
> Sumner reminded Ambient that the League "already has called on
Commissioner
> Martin to do exactly that."
>
> Attending his 90th FCC meeting and his last as chairman, Powell said
> good-bye to his Commission colleagues March 10. "I've loved it! Every
single
> day of it," he proclaimed, his voice beginning to crack. "It will be the
> greatest memory of my life."
>
> ==>AMATEUR RADIO IS "POSTER CHILD" OF HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTEES GATHERING
>
> Amateur Radio earned high marks and frequent praise this month during a
> gathering of Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) homeland
> security grant recipients. ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart,
> K1MMH, and Field and Educational Services Manager Rosalie White, K1STO,
> represented the League at the series of meetings March 2-5 in Washington.
> ARRL--a special volunteer program--received a 2002 CNCS grant to subsidize
> Amateur Radio emergency communications courses, now available on three
> levels. The League was among 29 CNCS homeland security grantees attending.
>
> "I wish that every ham--whether or not public service is their primary
> interest--could have been at these meetings to celebrate this grant and
the
> reputation ham radio enjoys among these volunteer service organizations,"
> Hobart said. "It really validated Amateur Radio's contribution. There is
new
> and rekindled appreciation for the sustained public service that Amateur
> Radio operators are able to provide nationwide."
>
> Indeed, at the opening session, USA Freedom Corps Director Desiree T.
Sayle
> used Amateur Radio and the success of the League's CNCS training grant as
a
> prime example of a successful program. White says she was amazed to hear
> Sayle recite the exact number of ARRL emergency communications course
> graduates and talk about their continuing work in disaster preparation and
> response.
>
> Noting that the CNCS grant tuition subsidies--now in their third and final
> year--will expire in June, Hobart strongly urged anyone considering taking
> the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications courses to sign up now. In
> that vein, White noted the comments of CNCS Executive Director David
Eisner,
> who told the CNCS grantees: "Jump aboard a moving rain, rather than find
> fuel for a new train that hasn't left yet."
>
> Hobart and White said that during the various conference sessions, it was
> not unusual to see attendees nodding in assent whenever the discussion
> turned to Amateur Radio's positive role in their communities. As White
> recounted, "it was roundly acknowledged that Amateur Radio operators are
> always needed--for assisting in the wake of blackouts, floods,
earthquakes,
> fires and other emergencies."
>
> Hobart said that in every session were representatives of volunteer
> organizations who are working with Amateur Radio and recognize it an
> integral component of what they do.
>
> White says there are several steps hams can take to keep the momentum
going.
> "If you are a Section Manager, Section Emergency Coordinator or District
> Emergency Coordinator, make sure your state and local emergency management
> teams know who you are," she said. "If you are a club president or ARES
team
> leader, please encourage your members to enroll in the grant-funded
> emergency communications course before it's too late." To date, more than
> 4000 radio amateurs have taken advantage of the grant-subsidized ARRL
> emergency communications courses.
>
> Hobart also noted that two of the volunteer programs represented at the
CNCS
> meeting expressed interest in the ARRL Education and Technology Program.
> "The reception Amateur Radio received at this meeting was like a welcome
for
> a good friend," she summed up.
>
> The gratitude and goodwill cut both ways. The ARRL delegation expressed
the
> League's thanks to Eisner and CNCS for "taking a chance on a
non-traditional
> organization" in awarding the 2002 training grant. Hobart and White
assured
> Eisner that radio amateurs are proud of the program's success and "have
> voiced the renewed commitment of Amateur Radio to provide emergency
> communication whenever and wherever needed."
>
> ==>STUDENTS' SPACE QUESTIONS VIA HAM RADIO SHOW STRONG SCIENCE SLANT
>
> A group of Texas high school students emphasized science in posing their
> questions via ham radio to International Space Station Expedition 10
> Commander Leroy Chiao, KE5BRW. The March 8 contact between Rains High
School
> in Emory and NA1SS was arranged by the Amateur Radio on the International
> Space Station (ARISS) program. One student quizzed Chiao on how he
adjusted
> to Newton's Third Law of Motion aboard the space station.
>
> "Well, yes, Newton's Third Law definitely comes into play in space, and it
> becomes very obvious that if you push on something, you're going to react
in
> the opposite direction," Chiao observed. "That's something you get used to
> very quickly, and you quickly learn that all you need is a fingertip to
push
> yourself to the other side of the module."
>
> Students also raised the subject of exposure to radiation in space. Chiao
> noted that the crew has both active and passive devices available to
> determine their radiation exposure.
>
> "Radiation is very important to monitor in space, because we're getting
> exposed to it obviously," Chiao explained. "We have instruments on board
> that record the radiation history that we're receiving on the station. We
> also wear personal dosimeters that are analyzed after we get back down to
> the ground--they also measure the exposure we've received." The crew also
> relies on satellite data, he added. Responding to another question, Chiao
> conceded that radiation exposure could be a limiting factor for
> long-duration human space ventures.
>
> In reply to another physics-related query, Chiao told one student that a
Hot
> Wheels car could run indefinitely on a track aboard the space station were
> it not for friction, which eventually would slow it down and stop it. A
fish
> could not swim for long in a blob of water floating in microgravity, Chiao
> explained fielding another question, because its motion likely would soon
> break up the globule, leaving the fish literally high and dry.
>
> Handling Earth-station duties for the contact was Nancy Rocheleau, WH6PN,
at
> Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu. MCI donated a teleconference circuit to
> provide two-way audio between Texas and Hawaii. Mentoring the contact was
> Howard Ziserman, WA3GOV.
>
> Marring portions of the Rains contact were deep signal fades and apparent
> Doppler shift. ISS Ham Radio Project Engineer Kenneth Ransom, N5VHO, at
> Johnson Space Center reports that subsequent discussions with an attitude
> control specialist revealed that the ISS was in a free-drift mode that
> resulted in some signal blockage for the single ARISS Phase 2 station
> antenna.
>
> "As fate would have it, the Amateur Radio antenna was not in the optimum
> position as the ISS passed over Hawaii but instead was pointing
spaceward,"
> Ransom explained."
>
> Fifteen Rains High School students, under the direction of science teacher
> Deena Harper, participated in the ARISS event, which attracted some media
> coverage. ARISS <http://www.rac.ca/ariss> is an international educational
> outreach program with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.
>
> ==>AMBIENT, FCC FAILING TO ADDRESS NEW YORK BPL COMPLAINTS, ARRL CHARGES
>
> The ARRL has charged BPL equipment maker Ambient Corporation and the FCC
> with being unwilling or unable to effectively deal with harmful
interference
> stemming from a New York BPL pilot project. The League this week asked the
> Commission for the third time to shut down Ambient's Briarcliff Manor
> "non-compliant system without further delay" until Ambient addresses
> interference complaints. Ambient operates the system under its WD2XEQ Part
5
> Experimental license. The League's latest salvo in the Briarcliff Manor
BPL
> battle was in response to a February 10 letter from Bruce Franca, deputy
> chief of the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology (OET). Franca's
letter
> concluded that FCC measurements in response to Amateur Radio complaints of
> harmful interference showed that no changes were required to the BPL
system.
>
> "The Commission's failure to conduct a thorough investigation of this
> matter, and the tenor of your February 10, 2005, letter, lead to
speculation
> that the Commission is really not interested in finding the interference
> that exists at Briarcliff Manor or at other BPL test sites or in enforcing
> the Part 15 rules," the ARRL responded. "Ambient's apparent tactic of
making
> changes in the system after receiving interference complaints and then
> denying that the interference problems complained of ever existed is not
> helpful." Nor did it help, the League's filing continued, that Ambient's
> engineer refused last December to participate with ARRL in a demonstration
> of the interference. The League said it's no longer possible for the
> Commission or Ambient "to deny the ongoing, serious interference problems
at
> Briarcliff Manor."
>
> The League pointed out that a member of the FCC Enforcement Bureau's staff
> personally witnessed the interference from the Briarcliff Manor system at
> two locations that were the focus of complaints last December. At that
time,
> ARRL Laboratory staff members took measurements at various points in the
> system to document problems.
>
> While subsequent ARRL measurements did turn up a reduction of BPL
emissions
> in some areas, emissions that would "substantially preclude Amateur
> communications" remain, the ARRL said, and along Dalmeny Road,
interference
> is still at levels essentially unchanged from those measured last December
> and appear throughout the 20-meter band.
>
> ARRL Laboratory staff members most recently visited Briarcliff Manor on
> March 11, and the League's filing to the FCC and Ambient this week
included
> a summary of their measurements and observations. At one point, RF
emission
> levels from the BPL system exceeded the FCC's Part 15 permitted levels by
up
> to 20 dB, the League said.
>
> The ARRL further faulted the FCC for not contacting the complainant,
> Westchester County ARES Emergency Coordinator Alan Crosswell, N2YGK, who
> routinely travels the roads in question and has experienced interference.
> Crosswell, who's also Westchester County RACES Officer, has documented BPL
> interference, complaints and related information on his "BPL in Briarcliff
> Manor" Web site <http://www.columbia.edu/~alan/bpl/>.
>
> The League said the FCC's continued refusal to shut down the Ambient
> Corporation's BPL system in Briarcliff Manor "highlights the completely
> arbitrary and baseless findings in the Commission's Report and Order in
> Docket 04-37, adopted last October 14.
>
> ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, shared a copy of the ARRL's latest complaint
to
> the FCC and Ambient with the New York State Emergency Research &
Development
> Authority (NYSERDA), which has provided public funding to the Briarcliff
> Manor BPL project. Sumner reminded NYSERDA Director Gunnar Walmet of
> Walmet's statement last summer that the project would require Con Edison
to
> "continually monitor possible radio interference" from the BPL
> demonstration.
>
> "I respectfully submit that Con Ed has failed to meet your requirement,"
> Sumner told Walmet. "It has been almost nine months since I first brought
> this situation to your attention. What is NYSERDA's response that I can
> share with our 152,000 members?"
>
> The League's latest filing is on the ARRL Web site
>
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/files/BPL-BCM-Reply2Franca031705.pdf>
> .
>
> ==>LEAGUE SEEKS TEXAS BPL PILOT PROJECT SHUTDOWN, FINES
>
> The ARRL has requested that the FCC immediately shut down an Irving,
Texas,
> BPL pilot project and fine its operator for causing extensive harmful
> interference to Amateur Radio communications. The League's March 15 filing
> to the FCC's Enforcement Bureau, the FCC Office of Engineering and
> Technology and the system's operator comes in the wake of--and supports--a
> complaint from ARRL member Jory McIntosh, KJ5RM, of Hastlet, Texas, who
> regularly commutes through the BPL test zone in the Dallas-Fort Worth
area.
> The FCC has yet to respond to a formal complaint he filed last fall.
>
> "The results of tests conducted by ARRL Laboratory Manager Ed Hare are
that
> this facility, which has been the subject of an unresolved interference
> complaint dating back to November, 2004, is still regularly causing
harmful
> interference to Amateur Radio stations and must be required to cease
> operation immediately," said the League's complaint, signed by ARRL
General
> Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD. Hare visited the Texas site last October.
>
> The ARRL said the levels of interfering BPL signals Hare measured and
> documented "are sufficient to obscure virtually all Amateur Radio received
> signals and preclude Amateur Radio communications in the areas and on the
> bands identified in the report."
>
> McIntosh personally documented some two dozen instances of harmful
> interference from the BPL test stand on 11 days between July and October
> 2004, the ARRL complaint noted. He logged serious interference on 40, 20,
> 17, 15, 10 and 6 meters. McIntosh says he's experienced interference "so
bad
> that even with full filtering and digital signal processing engaged, I am
> unable to continue my communications until I am one mile away from the
> system."
>
> This week's ARRL filing, which included a summary of Hare's measurements,
> recounted McIntosh's complaints last summer to utility TXU and BPL
equipment
> provider Amperion. TXU and Amperion representatives accompanied McIntosh
on
> interference demonstrations and made some unspecified adjustments. But,
the
> League notes in its complaint, "Nothing has changed since the complaint
was
> first lodged." As of March 9, 2005, the ARRL said, the system was
producing
> the same amounts of interference within and outside the amateur bands that
> McIntosh already had reported.
>
> Test results attached to the complaint "are sufficient to demonstrate that
> this BPL test site should be shut down immediately," the League said. The
> ARRL also called on the FCC to impose monetary forfeitures on Amperion.
>
> The ARRL's test report points out that the interference is not confined to
> Amateur Radio spectrum but covers a wide swath of HF as well as low-VHF
and
> "various aeronautical, commercial and government spectrum." The report
noted
> that many of the bands the FCC's new BPL will require to be notched are
not
> now protected.
>
> A copy of the League's filing is on the ARRL Web site
>
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/files/BPL-IrvingComplaintAsFiled0305.
> pdf>.
>
> ==>FCC TELLS VERMONT HAM THAT FINE IS NEXT STEP
>
> The FCC has warned David J. Tolassi, WA1BHV (ex-KB1EVE), of Barre,
Vermont,
> that he's risking a substantial fine if he continues to violate the
> conditions of his 2004 license renewal. After a series of "enforcement
> issues" relating to the operation of KB1EVE, the FCC renewed Tolassi's
> General class ticket in January 2004 on the condition that he refrain from
> 20-meter voice operation for three years. Following up on allegations that
> Tolassi had violated the prohibition, FCC Special Counsel Riley
> Hollingsworth wrote the licensee February 23.
>
> "Information before the Commission indicates that you have violated the
> condition of your license by operating voice on the 20-meter amateur
band,"
> Hollingsworth said. "Please be advised that if the condition is violated
> again, you will be issued a monetary forfeiture (fine)." Hollingsworth
noted
> that fines for such unauthorized operation typically range from $4000 to
> $7000.
>
> In late 2003, the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) referred
> Tolassi's renewal application to the Enforcement Bureau for review as a
> result of the "enforcement issues," which, Hollingsworth says, involved
> inappropriate on-the-air behavior. To resolve the situation, Tolassi
agreed
> to stay off 20-meter phone until February 1, 2007, in exchange for having
> the FCC renew his license.
>
> In 1999, Tolassi, formerly KC1ZQ, failed to pass the Advanced class
> examination after being summoned by the FCC for retesting, and his license
> class was downgraded to General. The FCC issued KB1EVE, a call sign
> appropriate for a General class licensee in March 2000. Tolassi obtained
> WA1BHV last May through the vanity call sign program.
>
> ==>DEADLINE NEARS FOR 2004 HPM AWARD NOMINATIONS
>
> Nominations for the 2004 ARRL Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award are due by
> Thursday, March 31. The League's top youth honor, the HPM Award goes
> annually to a radio amateur under the age of 21 whose accomplishments and
> contributions to both the community of Amateur Radio and the local
community
> are exemplary.
>
> An ideal nominee may be involved in recruiting new hams through
> demonstrations as well as by example to his or her peers; on the air
and/or
> public service activities; employing technical ingenuity to further
Amateur
> Radio; public relations activities; and organizations on a local, state or
> national level.
>
> The HPM Award winner receives an engraved plaque and a check for $1500.
> Those nominating HPM Award candidates should include contact information
and
> forward the form to their ARRL Section Manager
> <http://www.arrl.org/sections/>. Section managers also may nominate young
> hams for this award.
>
> All supplementary information must be received at ARRL on or before April
> 15. There is no limit to the number of nominations an individual or club
may
> submit to the ARRL Section Manager.
>
> Details are on the ARRL Web site
> <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/awards/hpm.html>. For additional
> information, contact Mark Spencer, WA8SME <mspencer at arrl.org>;
860-594-0396.
>
> ==>SOLAR UPDATE
>
> Propagation prognosticator Tad "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" Cook,
K7RA,
> Seattle, Washington, reports: During this reporting week, sunspot counts
> were higher, while geomagnetic indices were lower--a nice combination for
HF
> operators. Average daily sunspot counts rose nearly 25 points to 60.7, and
> average daily solar flux increased nearly 22 points to 107.8.
>
> The outlook for the very near term is for sunspots and solar flux to
decline
> very gradually from current values until March 26-29, then rise back to
> current activity around April 6-11. Geomagnetic conditions should be
> slightly unsettled for March 18-19, but otherwise quiet after that.
>
> Sunspot numbers for March 10 through 16 were 70, 59, 67, 77, 49, 58 and 45
> with, a mean of 60.7. The 10.7 cm flux was 101.6, 104.9, 110.1, 113.8,
> 111.5, 108.2 and 104.6, with a mean of 107.8. Estimated planetary A
indices
> were 13, 6, 4, 6, 21, 4 and 6, with a mean of 8.6. Estimated mid-latitude
A
> indices were 10, 3, 2, 4, 12, 3 and 4, with a mean of 5.4.
>
> __________________________________
>
> ==>IN BRIEF:
>
> * This weekend on the radio: The 10-10 International Mobile Contest, the
> BARTG HF RTTY Contest, the SARL VHF/UHF Contest, the Russian DX Contest,
the
> CLARA and Family HF Contest, the Virginia QSO Party, the UBA Spring
Contest
> (6 meters) and the 9K Contest Club 15-Meter Contest are the weekend of
March
> 19-20. The RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (SSB) is March 24. JUST AHEAD:
> the CQ WW WPX Contest (SSB), the UBA Spring Contest (2 meters), the Spring
> QRP Homebrewer Sprint, the Low Power Spring Sprint are the weekend of
March
> 26-27. The Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society (ARLHS) Annual Spring Lites
QSO
> Party runs from March 26 to Apr 3. See the ARRL Contest Branch page
> <http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
> <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.
>
> * ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
> Registration for the ARRL Antenna Modeling (EC-004) and Radio Propagation
> (EC-011) on-line courses remains open through Sunday, March 20. Classes
> begin Friday, April 1. The Antenna Modeling course is an excellent way to
> learn the ins and outs of antenna modeling. Expert and noted author L.B.
> Cebik, W4RNL, has combined the expertise of his long career as a college
> professor with his love and antennas and antenna modeling to offer a
> comprehensive, yet practical, course of study. Propagation students will
> study the science of RF propagation, including the properties of
> electromagnetic waves, the atmosphere and the ionosphere, the sun and
> sunspots, ground waves and sky waves, and various propagation
> modes--including aurora and meteor scatter. To learn more, visit the ARRL
> Certification and Continuing Education Web page <http://www.arrl.org/cce/>
> or e-mail the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Program
Department
> <cce at arrl.org>.
>
> * Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course registration: Registration
> for the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level III on-line
course
> (EC-003) opens Monday, March 21, at 1201 AM EST and will remain open until
> all available seats have been filled or through the March 26-27
> weekend--whichever comes first. Class begins Friday, April 8. Thanks to
our
> grant sponsors--the Corporation for National and Community Service and the
> United Technologies Corporation--the $45 registration fee paid upon
> enrollment will be reimbursed after successful completion of the course.
ACT
> NOW! THESE ARE THE FINAL MONTHS OF THE GRANT-SUBSIDIZED CLASSES! Radio
> amateurs age 55 and older are strongly encouraged to participate. During
> this registration period, seats are being offered to ARRL members on a
> first-come, first-served basis. To learn more, visit the ARRL
Certification
> and Continuing Education Web page <http://www.arrl.org/cce>. For more
> information, contact Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller,
> K3UFG, <cce at arrl.org>; 860-594-0340.
>
> * "Oppositions" to BPL petitions for reconsideration due by March 23:
> Opposition comments ("oppositions") to the various petitions for
> reconsideration of the FCC's October 14, 2004, Report and Order (R&O)
> adopting new Part 15 rules governing BPL must be filed by Wednesday, March
> 23, in the two BPL-related proceedings--ET Docket 03-104 and ET Docket
> 04-37. A 10-day period to file replies to oppositions will follow.
Petitions
> for reconsideration have been filed by BPL industry groups and proponents
as
> well as by the ARRL and other organizations and individuals concerned
about
> BPL's interference potential. All petitions for reconsideration are
> available for viewing via the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System
(ECFS)
> <http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/>. Those wishing to file oppositions to
> specific petitions may use the ECFS to do so, but comments supporting one
> petition or another are not welcome, ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay,
W3KD,
> has pointed out. He says radio amateurs may file oppositions on any
petition
> with which they have specific issues, but commenters should support their
> points with facts and statements. "All statements should be specific to
one
> or more arguments in a reconsideration petition with which the person
filing
> an opposition disagrees," Imlay explained. "They should not simply say, 'I
> oppose this petition.'"
>
> * ARRL seeks information on 60-meter experiences: The ARRL is gathering
> information regarding Amateur Radio operating experience on the 60-meter
> band authorized in 2003. The League specifically is looking for responses
to
> these questions: 1) Did you have any problem getting your
> transmitter/transceiver properly set up on one or more of the 60-meter
> center-frequency channels--5332, 5348, 5368, 5373 and 5405 kHz? 2) How
much
> or how often have you used these frequencies? 3) What type of traffic have
> you transmitted? In particular, have you handled any emergency traffic? 4)
> Have you found 60 meters to be better than 80 or 40 meters for certain
times
> or distances? 5) Have you encountered any interference to or from
government
> stations that are assigned these channels on a primary basis? If so, how
was
> it resolved? Respondents are invited to share additional information that
> might help the ARRL to assess operation on 60 meters to date as well as
its
> use in the future. Please reply by Monday, March 29, to ARRL Chief
> Technology Officer, Paul Rinaldo, W4RI <w4ri at arrl.org>.
>
> * Anthony Monteiro, AA2TX, wins February QST Cover Plaque Award: The
winner
> of the QST Cover Plaque Award for February is Anthony Monteiro, AA2TX, for
> his article "A Panel-Reflector Antenna for 70 cm." Congratulations,
Anthony!
> The winner of the QST Cover Plaque award--given to the author or authors
of
> the best article in each issue--is determined by a vote of ARRL members on
> the QST Cover Plaque Poll Web page
> <http://www.arrl.org/members-only/QSTvote.html>. Cast a ballot for your
> favorite article in the March issue by Thursday, March 31.
>
> * DXCC Honor Roll list deadline just ahead: The submission deadline to
> appear in the next DXCC Honor Roll list is March 31. Submissions must be
> postmarked by that date for your submission to qualify for this listing.
The
> DXCC Honor Roll list will appear in the August QST. There are 335 entities
> on the DXCC list, and you must be within the numerical top 10 DXCC
entities
> to qualify for Honor Roll. The current minimum requirement for Honor Roll
is
> 326 current entities.
>
> ===========================================================
> The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
> Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur Radio--225 Main
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> Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
> <http://www.arrl.org>. Jim Haynie, W5JBP, President.
>
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