[TCARC-NTX] Fw: The ARRL Letter, Vol 22, No 06

[David Johnson]

David Johnson
Just Call David Computer Services
(817)444-6163
david@justcalldavid.com
http://www.justcalldavid.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "ARRL Letter Mailing List" <letter-dlvy@arrl.org>
To: <kb5ylg@yahoo.com>
Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 3:49 PM
Subject: The ARRL Letter, Vol 22, No 06


> ***************
> The ARRL Letter
> Vol. 22, No. 06
> February 7, 2003
> ***************
>
> IN THIS EDITION:
>
> * +Amateur community mourns lost shuttle crew
> * +Hams assist in Columbia debris search
> * +Loss of shuttle having impact on ham radio in space
> * +ARRL Pacific Division Director Jim Maxwell, W6CF, SK
> * +ARRL Field Day gets a new entry class
> * +Six-year old qualifies for her General
> * +Indiana gives antenna bill another try
> *  Solar Update
> *  IN BRIEF:
>      This weekend on the radio
>     +School Club Roundup 2003 is February 10-14
>      ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
>      DXCC Honor Roll deadline looms
>      Viewing and commenting on petitions the FCC puts on public notice
>     +Yugoslavia becomes Serbia and Montenegro
>
> +Available on ARRL Audio News
>
> ===========================================================
>
> ==>AMATEUR RADIO COMMUNITY MOURNS LOSS OF COLUMBIA ASTRONAUTS
>
> The flags of the United States, the ARRL and the International Amateur
> Radio Union (IARU) are flying at half staff at ARRL Headquarters as the
> Amateur Radio community has joined the rest of the world in mourning the
> loss of the seven shuttle Columbia astronauts. Through the Space Amateur
> Radio EXperiment (SAREX) and, more recently, the Amateur Radio on the
> International Space Station (ARISS) programs, amateurs have enjoyed a
> special relationship with the astronaut corps, many of whom are licensees.
> Three of the Columbia astronauts were Amateur Radio operators, and the
> ARISS program is a joint effort of ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.
>
> "The ultimate in public service was just given by these astronauts," said
> ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP. "It's a sad thing that's occurred, and
> our thoughts are with the families of the astronauts who died doing what
> they loved. They were part of us."
>
> Haynie, who was in Florida last weekend for the Miami Tropical Hamboree,
> said the news of the Columbia incident cast a pall over the festivities.
> "You could feel it in the crowd," he said. Haynie led those attending the
> ARRL forum in a moment of silence in remembrance of the lost crew members.
>
> The STS-107 crew, headed by Commander Rick Husband, included Pilot Willie
> McCool, Mission Specialists Kalpana "KC" Chawla, KD5ESI; David Brown,
> KC5ZTC; Laurel Clark, KC5ZSU, Michael Anderson, and Payload Specialist
> Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut.
>
> "The world has lost seven great heroes," said ARISS International Chairman
> Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, a NASA employee, in extending condolences to the
> families and friends of the STS-107 crew. Bauer said the Columbia
> catastrophe "clearly demonstrated the challenging and sometimes sobering
> aspects" of human spaceflight.
>
> "Our quest for space must continue despite these tragic losses," he said.
>
> ARRL and the ARISS Team received condolences from all over the globe.
> AMSAT-NA President Robin Haighton, VE3FRH--one of two Canadian ARISS
> representatives--expressed his great sadness at learning of the Columbia
> disaster. "AMSAT has always been a strong supporter of the shuttle program
> and of ARISS," he said "Their understanding of the risks taken on this and
> other missions did not prevent them from performing at the highest level
> and, unfortunately, paying the ultimate price," he said of the lost crew.
>
> Ken Pulfer, VE3PU, the other Canadian delegate to the ARISS International
> Team, said he was overwhelmed by the tragedy, both in sympathy for his US
> friends and because he had met so many of the astronauts himself. It was
> Pulfer who convinced the Canadian government to establish an astronaut
> corps of its own. "My condolences go out to all Americans at this time."
> he said, calling February 1 "a sad, sad day indeed."
>
> ARISS International Secretary Rosalie White, K1STO, recalled meeting "KC"
> Chawla at an ARISS meeting at Johnson Space Center. "Kalpana was
> intelligent, quiet--a professional scientist with a genuine smile," she
> said. She also noted that Laurel Clark had done some "terrestrial SAREX
> QSOs" from W5RRR at Johnson Space Center with students in Kansas and New
> Mexico. The "terrestrial" SAREX QSOs took place at a time when the demand
> from schools for radio contacts with astronauts was high but the number of
> scheduled shuttle flights was very low.
>
> Built in 1981, Columbia was the oldest shuttle in NASA's fleet and was the
> first to carry Amateur Radio. Retired astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL,
> became the first ham to operate from space in November 1983. Thousands
> heard W5LFL, and hundreds had direct QSOs with him on 2 meters.
> Refurbished in 1999, Columbia was on its 28th space mission. Columbia
> carried no Amateur Radio gear on its last mission into space, however.
>
> ==>HAMS ASSIST IN SEARCH FOR COLUMBIA DEBRIS
>
> In Texas this week, Amateur Radio Emergency Service and SKYWARN volunteers
> have been assisting federal, state and local officials and relief
> organizations in their search for shuttle Columbia debris and remains of
> the crew members.
>
> "Ham radio has proven to be the only reliable communications options
> during the recovery effort," said Public Information Officer Tim Lewallen,
> KD5ING, of the Nacogdoches Amateur Radio Club. "The communications systems
> used by other federal and state organizations cannot penetrate 'The Pine
> Curtain' as we know it in East Texas," he said. He said even local
> authorities were having problems with their radio gear.
>
> Lewallen says federal authorities have requested that every survey team
> have at least one Amateur Radio operator along to help keep the recovery
> efforts coordinated and organized.
>
> Lewallen also cited the reliability of EchoLink connections among the
> various groups as key to getting the operation up and running and keeping
> it running smoothly. He suggested that prospective volunteers visit the
> North Texas Section Web site <http://www.arrl.org/sections/?sect=NTX> for
> additional information.
>
> Alan Hayes, NE5AH, in the ARRL South Texas Section said February 6 that
> hams were urgently needed to assist in the search and recovery effort in
> the San Augustine County area east of Lufkin, site of the debris search
> command center at the Department of Public Safety. Hayes said a
> substantial amount of the debris recovery yet to be done--he estimates 50
> percent--is in San Augustine County, which has few active hams. Debris
> from the Columbia has been recovered in more than three dozen Texas
> counties, and the search now has moved into parts of Arizona and
> California.
>
> "We currently have the infrastructure and portable repeaters in place,
> thanks to all of the volunteer efforts from outside of our area," Hayes
> said. Volunteers have been making use of a portable repeater donated by
> the Garland Amateur Radio Club and set up at in San Augustine.
>
> "To date, Amateur Radio has proven to be the only reliable communications
> in this area of operations, and approximately 25 operators per day have
> been needed," Hayes concluded. "Thus far, alternative communications from
> sources other than Amateur Radio have not been successful."
>
> Hayes says that two dozen or more operators are needed each day, and he
> expects that need to continue for the next three weeks. Prospective
> volunteers may get in touch with South Texas Section Emergency Coordinator
> Bob Ehrhardt, W5ZX <w5zx@yahoo.com>.
>
> Other agencies involved in the effort include the Texas Department of
> Public Safety, Texas Department of Transportation, the FBI, local law
> enforcement and fire departments and National Guard units from Texas and
> elsewhere. Relief organizations include the American Red Cross, The
> Salvation Army and the Texas Baptist Men's Kitchen. The Salvation Army
> also has been using Amateur Radio for its communication needs.
>
> Hams also assisted students and staffers from the Humanities Undergraduate
> Environmental Sciences (HUES) Geographic Information Systems and Forestry
> Resources Institute labs at Stephen F. Austin State University.
>
> Several amateurs in Texas reported hearing a reverberating, rumbling sound
> as the Columbia broke up above them and debris began to rain down on the
> landscape. "Very scary," said Ralston Gober, W5ZNN, of Corsicana, Texas.
> "It shook the heck out of my house and shack!"
>
> ==>SHUTTLE LOSS IMPACTING AMATEUR RADIO IN SPACE
>
> The future of Amateur Radio in space--at least in the near term--could
> depend on how fast NASA pins down the cause of the February 1 shuttle
> Columbia disaster and fixes the problem. With the shuttle fleet grounded
> until it does--and further International Space Station construction on
> hold as a result--attention is turning to the well-being of the all-ham
> ISS Expedition 6 crew of Commander Ken Bowersox, KD5JBP, Don Pettit,
> KD5MDT, and Nikolai Budarin, RV3FB. Three of the Columbia astronauts also
> were Amateur Radio operators.
>
> Under normal circumstances, a shuttle mission next month would have
> brought a fresh crew to the ISS and returned Bowersox and his crewmates to
> Earth. With a Progress 10 cargo rocket delivery February 4, the Expedition
> 6 team now has sufficient supplies to sustain the crew until late June or
> early July if necessary, NASA said this week.
>
> What happens beyond that remains up in the air, although NASA has said it
> would not mothball the ISS and leave the spacecraft without a crew. The
> extended stay could have an unintended consequence for Amateur Radio,
> however, since the temporarily stranded crew would be likely to have more
> spare time on its hands.
>
> NA1SS onboard the ISS represents the first permanent Amateur Radio station
> in space. The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
> International Team recently announced plans to expand NA1SS to include,
> among other things, separate stations for 2 meters and 70 cm and SSTV
> capabilities. ARISS is an international program with participation by
> ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.
>
> An ARISS contact set for February 6 with students at a high school in
> Germany was postponed, although the ARISS contact schedule is expected to
> resume later this month. "The German school QSO was postponed because of
> the Columbia accident and the re-planning taking place for ISS," said
> ARISS International Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO. Bauer said the crew's
> having to unload a ton of equipment from the Progress rocket also was a
> factor. He said he's expecting further clarification from NASA regarding
> future ARISS school QSOs.
>
> NASA reports that Bowersox, Budarin and Pettit paid a private tribute
> February 4 to Columbia's astronauts. NASA ISS flight controllers radioed
> the crew an audio feed from the memorial ceremony at the Johnson Space
> Center in Houston.
>
> Additional information on the crew's activities aboard the ISS is
> available on NASA's Human Spaceflight Web site
> <http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/>.
>
> The crippling of the US shuttle fleet has shifted formerly unanticipated
> demands on Russia and its meagerly funded space program, since Russian
> supplies the Soyuz capsules that now serve as emergency escape vehicles
> for the ISS crew.
>
> "If we have the money, we can build new [Soyuz] capsules," Russian space
> official and former cosmonaut Valery Ryumin assured this week. But, more
> money or no, Soyuz vehicles cannot carry cargo or experiments. The
> Russians also have temporarily scrapped their "space tourist" program,
> which they had been promoting to raise much-needed additional funds.
> Businessmen Dennis Tito, KG6FZX, and Mark Shuttleworth each paid an
> estimated $20 million to fill the third Soyuz seat and spend a week aboard
> the ISS. 'N Sync pop singer Lance Bass, KG4UYY, had been considered a
> possible candidate for an April Soyuz taxi flight.
>
> Now, the Soyuz could become the principal crew transport vehicle for the
> ISS, although no decision has been made on whether the April taxi flight
> now will be used to carry out the crew change.
>
> ==>ARRL PACIFIC DIVISION DIRECTOR JIM MAXWELL, W6CF, SK
>
> ARRL Pacific Division Director Jim Maxwell, W6CF, died February 6 at his
> home in Redwood Estates, California. He was 69 years old.
>
> Maxwell joined the ARRL Board of Directors in 1994 after being elected
> Pacific Division Vice Director; he became Director in January 2000.
> Pacific Division Vice Director Bob Vallio, W6RGG, takes over immediately
> as Director; ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, will appoint a new Vice
> Director. Maxwell, a Life Member of the League, also previously served as
> Section Manager for the Santa Clara Valley section.
>
> "Jim Maxwell was a gentle giant of a man," Haynie said. "He was one of the
> best assets Amateur Radio could have in a leadership position."
>
> ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, said, "Jim Maxwell was
> one of the most brilliant people I have ever had the privilege to know. He
> was also one of the most unselfish and one of the most modest. Putting
> them all together, he was truly in a class by himself. To say he will be
> missed is a gross understatement."
>
> Maxwell was an avid DXer--belonging to many DX and contest clubs and
> organizations, including the Northern California Contest Club--and he was
> also an accredited ARRL Volunteer Examiner. Maxwell served as an ARRL
> Emergency Coordinator from 1991 to 1999 and he was on the DX Advisory
> Committee from April 1988 through 1993. Maxwell previously held the call
> W6CUF.
>
> His interest in radio and electronics history was well known, with Maxwell
> and his wife Trudy, KC6NAX, both helping to spearhead archiving efforts at
> ARRL Headquarters.
>
> Professionally, Maxwell held doctoral degrees in aeronautical engineering
> and biomechanics. He retired from Lockheed as a Technical Consultant in
> 1992 and from Scitor Corp. in 1998.
>
> Information on memorial services was unavailable at press time.
>
> ==>FIELD DAY GETS A NEW ENTRY CLASS FOR 2003
>
> Field Day will gain another entry class for the 2003 running of this
> highly popular operating event June 28-29. "Class F" stations will operate
> at emergency operations centers--or EOCs. The change renews the emphasis
> of Field Day's 1933 origins as an emergency preparedness exercise as
> opposed to a routine contest--what former ARRL Communications Manager F.
> E. Handy, W1BDI, called "a test of the emergency availability of portable
> stations and equipment." In Handy's view, Field Day would focus attention
> "on the subject of 'preparedness' for communications emergencies."
>
> ARRL Contest Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, says the League last year
> received a record 2110 Field Day entries from groups and individuals. That
> represented a total of almost 35,000 participants who joined in what
> Henderson called "a great tradition."
>
> Given the increased emphasis on emergency communications since September
> 11, 2001, Henderson says, the ARRL Board's Membership Services Committee
> asked that the Contest Branch come up with a way to accommodate stations
> wanting to operate from the local EOC. The new Class F station, operating
> from an EOC, is the result.
>
> "This is a major change," Henderson said. "Class F has been established to
> encourage groups to test and further their working relationships with
> established emergency operations centers." The updated rules and a list of
> frequently asked questions in the new 2003 Field Day Packet
> <http://www.arrl.org/contests/forms> spell out the details.
>
> A Class F entry station must set up at an "established EOC" activated by a
> club or non-club group. An EOC is defined as a facility established by a
> federal, state, county, city or other civil governmental agency or
> administrative entity or by a chapter of a national or international
> served agency. The latter could include the American Red Cross or The
> Salvation Army, with which the Field Day group "has an established
> operating arrangement." Class F EOC operation must take place in
> cooperation with the EOC staff. Class F stations are eligible for the same
> bonus points as Class A stations.
>
> There's also been what Henderson called "some tweaking" in the rules for
> Field Day 2003. Among the highlights, the rules reduce from 400 to 100 the
> number of QSOs that the "Get On The Air" (GOTA) station needs to make to
> claim a 100-point bonus. "GOTA stations still may work up to a maximum of
> 400 QSOs to go towards the main station's score," Henderson said.
>
> In addition, the 2003 rules enhance the bonus for having an invited
> official visit the Field Day site. There are now two separate bonus
> categories--100 points for the elected official and another 100 points for
> a visit by a representative of a served agency.
>
> Henderson reminds Field Day participants that stations do not get
> additional bonus points for contacting stations through additional
> satellites. As of the 2002 event, Field Day opened up to stations
> throughout the Americas, not just in the US and Canada.
>
> Henderson encourages participants to post their Field Day experiences and
> photographs to the Field Day Online soapbox
> <http://www.arrl.org/contests/soapbox/>.
>
> ==>SIX-YEAR-OLD OREGON GIRL GETS GENERAL TICKET
>
> A six-year-old girl from Roseburg, Oregon, has upgraded from Technician to
> General. Mattie Clauson, KD7TYN--a fourth-generation Amateur Radio
> operator in her family--could be the youngest General-class operator in
> the US. Her new ticket was granted January 13.
>
> Mattie allowed that the Element 3 test "was pretty hard" and she had to
> study for a long time before passing it on her third attempt. "The Element
> 3 test was a lot harder than the Tech test," she said. She was ambivalent
> about the 5 WPM Element 1 Morse code exam, characterizing it as "not too
> hard, just a little, but kind of easy too."
>
> Her parents, Tim and Charlotte Clauson, AC7SP and KD7QZB, say Mattie
> became interested in Amateur Radio when she was five. The Clausons
> discovered "a kid-friendly study book," Ride the Airwaves with Alpha and
> Zulu by John Abbott, K6YPB (no longer in print--Ed). The Clausons say
> Mattie, who already knew how to read, dove into it right away. Her mom and
> dad helped her to study, explained the "hard questions" and encouraged her
> to take practice tests at various Web sites. She obtained her Technician
> license last July and became KD7SDF.
>
> The Clausons said Mattie learned Morse code using several different
> computer programs, and they helped her practice by tapping out
> letters--and later words--for her. In the end, she passed her code exam on
> the very first try. For the time being, Mattie says, she's sticking with
> phone operation but plans to give CW a try in the future. Mattie says she
> prefers HF over VHF "because I can talk to people in other countries."
>
> Homeschooled with her sisters, Mattie loves to read, and that may
> contribute to her precocity. Among her favorites books are those by
> Cynthia Wall, KA7ITT, Encyclopedia Brown, and Nancy Drew. Her parents say
> ham radio has been a very useful tool in homeschooling--in terms of letter
> recognition, spelling, science, geography and other subjects.
>
> The Clausons say Mattie doesn't consider herself "someone special" since
> passing her General test, and neither do they. "We do not feel that Mattie
> has any abilities above any other child," Charlotte Clauson said.
>
> For her part, Mattie says she hopes that she can be an inspiration to
> other youngsters her age to get involved with Amateur Radio. "I think that
> since I got my license, whether Tech or higher, other kids can do it
> also," she said. Mattie's late great grandfather, S.A. "Sam" Sullivan, was
> W6WXU; his daughter, Joan Brady--Mattie's grandmother--now holds his
> former call sign.
>
> "The ham community has also been very supportive, especially in the
> Roseburg area," said Charlotte Clauson. "Their enthusiasm has made
> Mattie's experience with ham radio very positive." A article on Mattie
> Clauson appeared February 3 in the Statesman Journal of Salem, Oregon
> <http://news.statesmanjournal.com/article.cfm?i=56021>.
>
> Tim, Charlotte and Mattie Clauson all are ARRL members. Mattie and her mom
> now are working on their Amateur Extra tickets.
>
> ==>INDIANA MAKING ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO ENACT AMATEUR ANTENNA BILL
>
> An Amateur Radio antenna bill has been introduced in the Indiana State
> Senate. State Sen Rose Ann Antich is the sponsor of Senate Bill 109,
> "Regulation of Amateur Radio Antennas." The bill parallels PRB-1 but also
> specifies a minimum regulatory height of 75 feet for amateur antennas.
>
> "I believe this legislation deserves the support of all Indiana amateurs,"
> said Indiana ARRL Section Manager James Sellers, K9ZBM, who urged everyone
> in the section to contact their state lawmakers and get behind the bill.
> "We need to get this bill passed by both the Indiana Senate and House and
> onto the governor's desk!" Sellers said. "Do it today!" A 2001 effort to
> get a similar Amateur Radio antenna bill through the Indiana General
> Assembly failed.
>
> SB 109 declares that if a municipality or county adopts an ordinance,
> resolution or order involving the placement, screening or height of an
> Amateur Radio antenna that's based on health, safety or aesthetics, the
> measure must "reasonably accommodate Amateur Radio communications" and
> "represent the minimal regulation practicable to accomplish the
> municipality's or county's legitimate purpose."
>
> Such a local ordinance, resolution or order also could not restrict the
> height of an Amateur Radio antenna to less than 75 feet above ground
> level. The bill would not prohibit a municipality or county from taking
> action to protect or preserve historical or architectural districts
> established under state or federal law.
>
> The legislation got its first reading January 7 and has been referred to
> the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and Interstate Cooperation.
> No hearings have been scheduled.
>
> A copy of the proposed legislation is available on the Indiana General
> Assembly Web site
> <http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2003/IN/IN0109.1.html>. If approved
> by both houses of the Indiana General Assembly, the measure would become
> effective July 1. Information on contacting state legislators can be found
> on the Indiana General Assembly Web site
> <http://www.in.gov/legislative/legislators/>.
>
> ==>SOLAR UPDATE
>
> Solar swami Tad "Let the Sunshine In" Cook, K7VVV, Seattle, Washington,
> reports:
>
> __________________________________
>
> ==>IN BRIEF:
>
> * This weekend on the radio: The North American Sprint (CW), the Six Club
> Winter Contest, the CQ/RJ WW RTTY WPX Contest, the Asia-Pacific Sprint
> (CW), the Dutch PACC Contest, the YL-OM Contest (CW), the FISTS Winter
> Sprint, the OMISS QSO Party, the RSGB 1.8 MHz Contest (CW) and the QRP
> ARCI Winter Fireside SSB Sprint are the weekend of February 8-9. The ARRL
> School Club Roundup is the week of February 10-15. JUST AHEAD: The ARRL
> International DX Contest (CW) and the YL-OM Contest (SSB) are the weekend
> of February 15-16. 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.
>
> * School Club Roundup 2003 is February 10-14: School Club Roundup (SCR)
> 2003 takes place February 10-14. The event is sponsored by the Council for
> the Advancement of Amateur Radio in the New York City Schools, the ARRL
> and its Hudson Division Education Task Force. The idea of SCR is to foster
> contacts with and among school radio clubs, and the annual operating event
> is a great way for new or inexperienced operators to get on the air in a
> low-pressure contest environment. Operators are encouraged to take some
> time to chat beyond the contest exchange. Award certificates will be
> issued for separate Elementary, Middle/Intermediate/Junior High School,
> High School and College/University levels for USA and DX entries. SCR
> rules are available on the ARRL Web site
> <http://www.arrl.org/contests/announcements/scr.html>.
>
> * ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
> Registration for the ARRL Level II Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
> (EC-002) and Antenna Modeling (EC-004) courses opens Monday, February 10,
> 12:01 AM Eastern Standard Time (0501 UTC). Registration will remain open
> through Sunday, February 16. Classes begin Monday, February 17. A new
> service now allows those interested in taking an ARRL Certification and
> Continuing Education (C-CE) course in the future to be advised via e-mail
> in advance of registration opportunities. To be included, send an e-mail
> to prereg@arrl.org. On the subject line, include the course name or number
> (eg, EC-00#) you'd like to take. In the message body, provide your name
> and call sign and the month you want to start the course. To learn more,
> visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Web page
> <http://www.arrl.org/cce> and the C-CE links found there. For more
> information, contact Certification and Continuing Education Program
> Coordinator Howard Robins, W1HSR, hrobins@arrl.org.
>
> * DXCC Honor Roll deadline looms: The deadline for the next DXCC Honor
> Roll list is rapidly approaching. DXCC Honor Roll applications must be
> postmarked by March 31, 2003, for operators to appear in the next list,
> which will appear in August QST. The DXCC Honor Roll list includes only
> current entities; deleted entities do not count toward Honor Roll. With
> the addition of Ducie Island in 2002, the minimum number of entities
> required for Honor Roll is 326. For Number One Honor Roll, the total is
> 335 current entities. Plaques remain available for anyone currently or
> previously on the Honor Roll. Order forms are available on the DXCC Web
> site <http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/>. On a related note, the DXCC Desk
> has finished entering September DXCC applications, and all but a handful
> (ones requiring special attention) are on their way back to members. "With
> the 75,000 cards postmarked September 30 out of the way, we expect to make
> a significant reduction in the processing time in the weeks ahead," said
> ARRL Membership Services Department Manager Wayne Mills, N7NG.
>
> * Viewing and commenting on petitions the FCC puts on public notice:
> Members of the amateur community (and the general public) may comment via
> the Web or e-mail on any Petition for Rulemaking that the FCC has put on
> public notice and assigned a rulemaking (RM) number. Visit the FCC's
> Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) page
> <http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/>, which includes detailed instructions. To
> view a petition and/or any comments filed, click on "Search for Filed
> Comments" on the right-hand side of the page and enter the RM number in
> the "Proceeding" field. You must enter "RM" in upper-case letters and
> include the hyphen followed by the appropriate five digits. To file
> comments, click on "Submit a Filing" on the right-hand side of the ECFS
> page or see the instructions on how to file comments via e-mail. A typical
> comment period runs 30 days from the date the FCC puts a petition on
> public notice.
>
> * Yugoslavia becomes Serbia-Montenegro: Yugoslavia's parliament has voted
> to formally abolish that nation and replace it with a new country called
> Serbia-Montenegro, which were the two remaining Yugoslav republics. In
> accordance with a deal arranged by the European Union and aimed at keeping
> the two republics together, Serbia and Montenegro will continue to share a
> capital--Belgrade--and a joint administration for defense and foreign
> affairs. The new arrangement will have little immediate impact on Amateur
> Radio. For DXCC purposes, Serbia and Montenegro will be considered a
> single entity--at least for the time being--and amateurs there are
> expected to continue using YU/YT prefixes. The situation could change in
> three years when residents of the two republics would be allowed to vote
> to stick together or go their separate ways. Yugoslavia was established in
> 1918 as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. DXCC criteria are
> available on the ARRL Web site
> <http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/rules.html#sii>.
>
> ===========================================================
> The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
> Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur Radio--225 Main
> St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
> <http://www.arrl.org>. Jim Haynie, W5JBP, President.
>
> The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential news of
> interest to active amateurs. The ARRL Letter strives to be timely,
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>
> Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or
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>
> ==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
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> ==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org
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