[TCARC-NTX] ARRL Letter
David Johnson
[email protected]
Sat, 18 Oct 2003 08:23:39 -0500
***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 22, No. 41
October 17, 2003
***************
IN THIS EDITION:
* +President Haynie says letters are key to legislation
* +Ham yields license following alleged police radio interference
* +New, two-ham crew ready to take over ISS reins
* +Brazil will host next WRTC
* +More details released on 3C0V team's ouster from Annobon
* +First statewide SET in Florida deemed a success
* Solar Update
* IN BRIEF:
This weekend on the radio
ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications course registration
ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
JOTA! JOTA! JOTA!
Papua New Guinea latest to drop Morse requirement
Hams honored at Montana forest fire volunteers appreciation picnic
DCC Proceedings available from ARRL
Ham radio news is as close as your cell phone
+Available on ARRL Audio News
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=3D=3D>HAYNIE: LETTERS=3DVOTERS=3DSUPPORT ON AMATEUR RADIO LEGISLATION
ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, says the good news is that the number
of House cosponsors for the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act, HR
713, has topped 50. The Senate version of the legislation, S 537, now
has eight cosponsors. The downside, Haynie says, is that the Spectrum
Protection Bill as well as the Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
Consistency Act, HR 1478, will need many more cosponsors if either is to
succeed.
"I'm frustrated," Haynie said this week. "Neither one of these bills is
ever going to see the light of day unless we get more cosponsors." While
thanking those who already have done so, Haynie again encouraged ARRL
members to not only urge their senators and representatives to cosponsor
the bills but to write and ask them to actively support them.
"It's going to take 10,000 letters, it's going to take 50,000 letters or
contacts," Haynie said. "To me, this is a no-brainer. This is something
that's important to the future of Amateur Radio."
Sponsored in the House by Rep Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) and in the Senate
by Sen Michael Crapo (R-ID), the Spectrum Protection Act would require
the FCC to provide "equivalent replacement spectrum" to Amateur Radio if
the FCC reallocates primary amateur frequencies, reduces any secondary
amateur allocations, or makes additional allocations within such bands
that would substantially reduce their utility to amateurs.
The latest House members to sign aboard HR 713 include representatives
Jo Bonner (R-AL); John Peterson (R-PA); Albert Wynn (D-MD); George
Nethercutt (R-WA); Jim Ramstad (R-MN); Barney Frank (D-MA); Todd Tiahrt
(R-KS); and Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-CA). The latest Senate members to
sign aboard S 537 are Carl Levin (D-MI) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT).
HR 713 has been referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and
the Internet. In June, Haynie testified before that panel, telling
lawmakers that that hams have lost more than 100 MHz of VHF and UHF
spectrum over the past 15 years and that another nearly 360 MHz of VHF
and UHF spectrum "has been substantially compromised." S 537 has been
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act, HR
1478--known informally as "the CC&R bill"--would require private
land-use regulators such as homeowners' associations to "reasonably
accommodate" Amateur Radio antennas consistent with the PRB-1 limited
federal preemption. PRB-1 now applies only to states and municipalities.
Introduced by Rep Steve Israel (D-NY), the bill has been referred to the
House Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet and
now has 29 cosponsors.
Among the latest to get onboard HR 1478 are JD Hayworth (R-AZ); David
Price (D-NC); Rep Mike McIntyre (NC); Anna G. Eshoo (CA-14); and Mark
Udall (D-CO). No equivalent bill yet exists in the Senate.
Haynie says that if ARRL members value Amateur Radio and want these
proposals to succeed, they'll make the time to write letters or send
e-mails pushing for support of the three measures. "Peoples' own words
and their own expressions are what's going to count, not some canned
letter from Newington," Haynie said, while conceding that a form letter
"is better than nothing." Haynie said a personally crafted letter or
e-mail "adds a lot of weight."
Sample letters on the ARRL Web site for the Amateur Radio Spectrum
Protection Act of 2003
<http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/arspa.html#sample> and for the Amateur
Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act
<http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/hr1478/sample-letter.html> cite
Amateur Radio's role in public safety and emergency communication.
"We'll do our part to get more organizations to support these bills,"
Haynie said. The League has been contacting other organizations involved
in public safety that have firsthand knowledge of the value of ham radio
to the public and advocating their support. But, Haynie said, letters
from individual voters get the most attention.
Cosponsorship is important while a bill is in committee, and Haynie
suggests that a representative or senator who gets 40 or 50 letters from
on a topic is going want to sign on to that bill.
"I can't emphasize enough the importance of that contact to the member
of Congress from the constituents out there in the district," Haynie
concluded, "because that's the ticket."
For guidance on the best methods of contacting your members of Congress,
see "Communicating with Congress," by Derek Riker, KB3JLF, on the ARRL
Web site <http://www.arrl.org/news/bandthreat/0304046.pdf> or in the
April 2003 issue of QST (p 46).
Additional information--including the bills' texts and information on
how to write your congressperson or senators--is on the ARRL's "The
Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2003" Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/arspa.html> and on the "HR 1478, The
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act of 2003" Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/hr1478/>.
Those writing their lawmakers on behalf of either bill are asked to copy
their correspondence to the League via e-mail: Spectrum Protection Act,
HR 713/S 637 <[email protected]> or Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Consistency Act, HR 1478 <[email protected]>.
=3D=3D>AMATEUR TO TURN IN TICKET IN POLICE RADIO INTERFERENCE CASE
The FCC says an Indiana amateur has agreed to relinquish his Amateur
Radio operator license for two years as a result of allegations that he
interfered with local police department radio transmissions. FCC Special
Counsel Riley Hollingsworth outlined the terms of the agreement in a
September 23 letter to Technician licensee Justin L. Whaley, KC9DCP, of
Columbia City. According to the letter, the FCC notified Whaley last
March that close-proximity direction finding evidence indicated that the
licensee had interfered with the operation of the Columbia City Police
Department radio system early this year.
The agreement--which Whaley had not yet signed as of this week--calls on
him to resolve the enforcement issues he faces by relinquishing his
Amateur Radio operator license for two years. Whaley also must agree not
to maintain an amateur station nor to use anyone else's station.
Hollingsworth said that since Whaley shut down his station last March
28, the agreement would remain in effect until March 28, 2005.
Hollingsworth requested that Whaley sign the letter and return it to the
FCC along with his Amateur Radio license.
The FCC meanwhile is seeking additional information from three other
licensees who allegedly used ham gear to transmit on police or emergency
frequencies.
Hollingsworth wrote General-class licensee Tom L. Christman, KB2NAV, of
Albany, New York, on September 22 regarding a complaint from the Albany
County Sheriff's Department's Office of Professional Standards. The FCC
asked Christman, a sheriff's department maintenance worker, to respond
to allegations that he used his ham radio transceiver to make
transmissions on sheriff's department frequencies last December "without
a legitimate purpose." The sheriff's department has requested that the
FCC suspend or revoke Christman's amateur license.
Hollingsworth also wrote two North Carolina Technician-class
amateurs--Daniel E. Buchanan, KF4LNE, of Montreat, and Joseph S.
"Shannon" Hutchins, KG4SXD, of Swannanoa--concerning complaints from the
Black Mountain Police Department alleging that both had transmitted on
police frequencies last February. The transmissions apparently were made
using a handheld transceiver while Buchanan and Hutchins were in the
same vehicle.
Documents from the Asheville/Buncombe County District Attorney's Office
assert that the Black Mountain police channel had experienced "numerous
transmissions" earlier this year on a police frequency (156.01 MHz)
"including verbal profanity and racial slurs." A police officer who
questioned Buchanan and Hutchins said they admitted transmitting on
police frequencies. They later voluntarily signed statements to that
effect in which each blamed the other for making the racial slur.
The District Attorney's Office statement said that one transmission last
February 8, while police were attempting to respond to an auto accident
involving multiple injuries, "prevented officers from communication with
dispatch or each other." Hollingsworth this month also heard from
amateurs in the Los Angeles area that some repeater owners are shutting
down their machines due to alleged ongoing interference from Jack
Gerritsen, formerly KG6IRO. The FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
set aside Gerritsen's license in 2001 a few days after granting it after
learning that he'd been convicted the previous year on state charges of
interfering with Los Angeles Police Department radio transmissions.
Imprisoned, paroled and imprisoned again after breaking parole for
allegedly having and operating radio equipment without a license,
Gerritsen was released early due to jail overcrowding.
Hollingsworth said the FCC continues to work the case, but he expressed
frustration that Gerritsen was let out of prison again with no
conditions or restrictions "even regarding radio, which is what he was
in there for in the first place."
=3D=3D>NEW TWO-HAM ISS CREW SET TO HEAD INTO SPACE
The International Space Station (ISS) crew is getting ready to have
company and to head back to Earth. Aboard the ISS since April,
Expedition 7 Commander Yuri Malenchenko, RK3DUP, and NASA ISS Science
Officer Ed Lu, KC5WKJ, this week have been preparing for the arrival of
their replacements--the Expedition 8 team of Mike Foale, KB5UAC, and
Alexander Kaleri, U8MIR. This week, the Expedition 7 crew also took time
to extend wishes for good fortune to China's first astronaut, Yang
Liwei.
"That is very good news. It's nice to see this happen," said Lu, during
a conversation with ground controllers in which he also expressed wishes
in Chinese that Yang Liwei "have a safe journey" in space. "From one
spacefaring nation to another, we wish them congratulations." After
sharing space with the ISS for 14 orbits, Yang's Shenzhou V space
capsule landed safely in Mongolia October 16.
Foale, Kaleri and European Space Agency Astronaut Pedro Duque, KC5RGG,
are set to head into space themselves Saturday, October 18, at 0538 UTC
aboard a Russian Soyuz transporter. They'll launch from Baikonur
Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After docking with the ISS on October 20 and a
week of crew-change activity, Malenchenko, Lu and Duque will return to
Earth aboard the Soyuz vehicle that's now attached to the ISS.
While Duque is onboard the ISS, he will attempt Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) <http://www.rac.ca/ariss/> school
group contacts October 23 with Ceip Seixalbo School and October 26 with
the Casa de las Palabrabas museum, both in his native Spain. Duque will
use the special event ED4ISS call sign issued to him by his native
country.
The English-born Foale, 46, will serve as the Expedition 8 commander and
NASA ISS science officer. Kaleri, 47, will be the Soyuz commander and
ISS flight engineer. Both are Mir veterans with long-term spaceflight
experience.
With the NASA shuttle fleet still grounded for another year, two-person
crews will be the rule. The Soyuz, which carries three passengers, will
remain the prime crew transport system. Russian Progress rockets will
transport needed supplies. Foale and Kaleri will spend approximately six
months aboard the ISS.
ARISS Russian delegate Sergej Samburov, RV3DR, completed final Amateur
Radio training with the Expedition 8 crew on September 29 in Russia.
Several US amateurs recently enjoyed casual contacts with NA1SS, as
confirmed by Lu. They included KF4LGA, WB8OTH, N8DZM, and KG4IIE.
=3D=3D>BRAZIL TO HOST NEXT WORLD RADIOSPORT TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
The next World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) will be held in 2006
in Brazil. That announcement came October 11 from the World Radiosport
Team Championship Sanctioning Committee, the Liga de Amadores de Radio
Emiss=E3o
(LABRE) <http://www.labre.org/> and the Araucaria DX Group (GADX)
<http://www.inepar.com.br/araucaria/radio.htm>. Steve Morris, K7LXC,
chairs the WRTC Sanctioning Committee.
Last held in Finland in July 2002, the WRTC is a competition among
two-person teams drawn from among the world's top Amateur Radio contest
operators. This event brings competitors together in a single
geographical area.
The on-the-air portion of the event is held in conjunction with the
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) HF World Championship
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/announcements/rules-iaru.html>, although
WRTC rules differ in some respects from those of the IARU event, and
scoring is done separately.
WRTC stations run 100 W and have comparably modest antenna
systems--typically a dipole for the low bands and a triband Yagi for the
higher bands. The idea is to minimize the variables associated with
radio contesting, thereby emphasizing each team's operating skills.
The WRTC 2006 competition will take place in the vicinity of
Florianopolis, capital of the state of Santa Catarina in southern
Brazil. "This event is open to everyone--competitor and spectator
alike," said Oms Atilano, PY5EG of GDAX. "Everyone is invited to attend
WRTC 2006." Atilano said a WRTC 2006 Web site is in the offing.
The contesting duo of Jeff Steinman, N5TJ, and Dan Street, K1TO, took
home the WRTC gold for the third time in the 2002 event in Finland.
Steinman and Street also topped the field of some 50 teams in WRTC 2000
in Slovenia as well as at WRTC 96 in the San Francisco Bay area of
California. There's no word yet on whether they plan to compete in WRTC
2006.
=3D=3D>3C0V TEAM WAS GIVEN JUST HOURS TO LEAVE
The Daily DX <http://www.dailydx.com> reports this week that the =
Annob=F3n
Island 3C0V DXpedition <http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/ea5yn/>
team was given just a few hours to leave October 4 after the island's
military commander reportedly objected to the Amateur Radio operators'
presence. The 3C0V operation commenced September 26, and--until its
abrupt and unceremonious termination--intended to continue until October
11. Before the shutdown, the four-member group managed to log numerous
contacts on 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters. The Daily DX Editor Bernie
McClenny, W3UR, spoke October 12 with team member Franz Langner, DJ9ZB,
now safely home in Germany.
"Franz says the 3C0V crew first met with the governor of the island and
the head of the military on their arrival there," McClenny reports. "At
that time they had the approval to operate from both of these officials.
Gifts were even presented." McClenny says the group had a "proper
license" and a landing permit good for two years.
"On Saturday [October 4] at 10 AM local they were told they had two to
three hours to take everything down and be ready to leave," McClenny
said, adding that the demand came from the military commander of the
island. A news update on the 3C0V Web site said military authorities
frequently had interrupted the DXpedition.
After dismantling the equipment and antennas and leaving nothing behind,
all four operators boarded a plane to Malabo, the capital of Equatorial
Guinea. A part of Equatorial Guinea, Annob=F3n, is located in the Gulf =
of
Guinea off Africa's west coast. The other 3C0V operators also have since
returned home and are reported to be okay.
The 3C0V logs reportedly are safe and expected to eventually be loaded
onto the 3C0V Web page. The DXCC Desk has not yet approved the 3C0V
DXpedition for DXCC. EA5BYP kept open the possibility of a future
attempt to activate Annob=F3n Island.
=3D=3D>HUGE POWER OUTAGE IS SCENARIO FOR FIRST STATEWIDE FLORIDA SET
For the first time, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) members in
all three Florida ARRL sections participated in a Simulated Emergency
Test
(SET) October 2-4. Appropriately enough--given the August 14 power
outage in the Northeast--the scenario was a three-day statewide
electrical power outage. A QNC ("All net stations copy!") went out to
all Florida amateurs October 2 to advise of the SET. Also sent was a
request from the Florida State Warning Point--which monitors for major
incidents and emergencies--for status information from all Red Cross
chapters in Florida.
"With no advance warning as to the nature of the emergency, amateurs
across the state quickly responded to the requests," reported ARRL West
Central Florida Section Manager Dave Armbrust, AE4MR. "Special nets were
called and scheduled with checkins from stations operating on emergency
power."
Armbrust said he was impressed by the number of stations that had
emergency power capability. "A large number had generators and large
quantities of fuel on hand," he said. "There is no question in my mind
that if we had a statewide power outage, it would not mean that Amateur
Radio would be off the air."
Armbrust said the SET clearly established that many Florida amateurs
consider it essential to continue to be able to communicate when
conventional power fails. "They have, at great expense to themselves,
set up stations that will remain on the air in all but the most extreme
circumstances," he said. "They will be there when we need them the
most."
Armbrust reported "exceptional cooperation" among the three
sections--Northern Florida, Southern Florida and West Central Florida.
"We clearly proved that all ARES and National Traffic System (NTS)
members in the state can work together as a single large team if a
statewide disaster would require us to do so," he concluded.
=3D=3D>SOLAR UPDATE
Sun watcher Tad "Who can make the sun shine, on a cloudy day?" Cook,
K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports: Solar flux and sunspot numbers were
lower this week, but the planetary A index was higher. In general, we
like to see the reverse for favorable HF propagation. The planetary A
index was low for October 9-12, but on October 14 and 15 conditions were
quite stormy. This is because a coronal hole on the sun was spewing a
strong solar wind, and the interplanetary magnetic field pointed south,
leaving Earth vulnerable. Planetary A index was 48 and 42 on October 14
and 15, and Alaska's high-latitude college A index was 65 and 71.
When the sunspot count went to 24 on October 14, this was the lowest
sunspot number since May 10 of this year, when it was 22. We should
expect more days like this as the solar cycle declines.
Over the next few days, sunspot numbers and solar flux should rise, with
solar flux values peaking around October 25 at 130. Solar wind over the
next few days should cause more geomagnetic upset, with the October
17-22 planetary A index pegged at 25, 20, 15, 15, 30 and 25.
Sunspot numbers for October 9 through 15 were 68, 79, 77, 35, 25, 24 and
29, with a mean of 48.1. The 10.7-cm flux was 110.8, 111.8, 105.8, 97.8,
94.4, 92.4 and 95.9, with a mean of 101.3. Estimated planetary A indices
were 8, 5, 5, 6, 13, 48 and 42, with a mean of 18.2.
__________________________________
=3D=3D>IN BRIEF:
* This weekend on the radio: Jamboree On the Air (JOTA--see below), the
JARTS World Wide RTTY Contest, the ARCI Fall QSO Party, the Worked All
Germany Contest, the W/VE Islands QSO Party, the Asia-Pacific Sprint
(CW), the RSGB 21/28 MHz Contest (CW) and the Illinois QSO Party are the
weekend of October 18-19. JUST AHEAD: The CQ Worldwide DX Contest (SSB)
and the 10-10 International Fall Contest (CW) are the weekend of October
25-26. The ARRL November Sweepstakes (CW) is the weekend of November
1-2. 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 Emergency Communications course registration: Registration opens
Monday, October 20, 12:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time (0401 UTC), for the
Level III Emergency Communications on-line course (EC-003). Registration
remains open through the October 25-26 weekend or until all available
seats have been filled--whichever comes first. Class begins Tuesday,
November 4. 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. During this registration period,
approximately 50 seats are being offered to ARRL members on a
first-come, first-served basis. To learn more, visit the ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (C-CE) <http://www.arrl.org/cce/>
Web page and the C-CE Links found there. For more information, contact
Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG,
[email protected], 860-594-0340.
* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration for the HF Digital Communications (EC-005) and
VHF/UHF--Life Beyond the Repeater (EC-008) courses opens Monday, October
20, 12:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time (0401 UTC). Registration remains open
through Sunday, October 26. Classes begin Monday, October 27.
Registration for the ARRL Antenna Modeling (EC-004) course remains open
through Sunday, October 19. Those interested in taking an ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (C-CE) course in the future can
sign up to receive advance notification of registration opportunities.
To take advantage, send an e-mail to [email protected]. On the subject
line, indicate the course name or number (eg, EC-00#) and the month you
want to start the course. In the message body, provide your name, call
sign, and e-mail address. Please do not send inquiries to this mailbox.
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, [email protected].
* JOTA! JOTA! JOTA! The 2003 Jamboree On The Air (JOTA)
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/jota.html> begins Saturday, October 18,
at 0001 local time and ends Sunday, October 19, at 2359 local time. JOTA
gives Amateur Radio operators and clubs a chance to let Boy Scouts and
Girl Scouts (Cub Scouts, Brownies and Girl Guides are welcome) share
experiences over the air with other scouts. It's also an opportunity to
take part in a worldwide scouting tradition that's now in its 46th year.
Maxim Memorial Station W1AW will be on the air for JOTA the afternoon of
October 18. ARRL Educational Programs Coordinator Jean Wolfgang, WB3IOS,
points out that ARRL has revamped the JOTA survey/log form
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/jotalog/>. JOTA participants are
encouraged to complete and submit the form on the Web. Last year, more
than 10,000 Scouts from around the US took part in JOTA. Details are on
page 46 of the September issue of QST. Also see "Jamboree On The Air
2003 is October 18-19" <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/09/21/1/>.
For additional information, contact Jean Wolfgang, WB3IOS,
[email protected].
* Papua New Guinea latest to drop Morse requirement: Rick Warnett,
P29KFS, reports that the Papua New Guinea Telecommunications
Administration
(PANGTEL) has deleted Morse code as a requirement for HF access. The
decision came on October 6 and will be formally announced in the next
few days, said Warnett--the International Amateur Radio Union
representative for the Papua New Guinea Amateur Radio Society. "Some 30
to 40 new 'full calls' will now have access to HF radio and the
international communication possible," Warnett said. In addition,
Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, the UK, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands,
Austria, New Zealand, Australia, Luxembourg and Singapore have moved to
drop their Amateur Radio Morse testing requirements. A recent Radio
Amateurs of Canada survey <http://www.rac.ca/news/mresults.htm>
indicated that two-thirds of the Canadian licensees responding to the
survey want their country to drop the Morse requirement. In the US, the
comment period on another seven separate Morse code-related petitions
for rule making--some of which would altogether eliminate Element 1, the
5 WPM Morse test, from the Amateur Service rules (Part 97)--ends Friday,
November 7. US amateurs may comment on the petitions--RM-10805 through
RM-10811--using the FCC Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS)
<http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/>. See "FCC Invites Comments on Additional
Morse Code-Related Petitions"
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/10/08/1/> for more information.
* Hams honored at Montana forest fire volunteers appreciation picnic:
Amateur Radio's role in Montana's forest fires this past summer got
official recognition this month when the US Forest Service and
Helena-area businesses and organizations hosted an appreciation picnic.
The event honored firefighters, law enforcement officers and community
volunteers--including Amateur Radio operators--who assisted with
firefighting efforts in Lewis and Clark, Powell, Jefferson, and
Broadwater counties this summer. Individual hams recognized included
Rollie Fisher, KC7WBP, and Jim Haslip, W7CK. Fisher set up at Lincoln's
Hooper Park every day during the Lincoln Complex fires, providing
current information to residents and visitors. He and his wife, Eenie
KC7WBO, were among the many families forced to evacuate their homes
because of the fire danger. Haslip has been an aerial fire spotter for
40 summers. Amateur Radio's support of Red Cross and other relief
agencies during the fire emergency also received recognition. Lewis and
Clark County Emergency Coordinator Bob Solomon, K7HLN, accepted a plaque
on behalf of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service and the Capital City
Amateur Radio Club. An estimated 300 people turned out for the event at
the Lewis and Clark Fairgrounds. Dignitaries on hand included Montana
Gov Judy Martz, Montana congressional staffers, county commissioners and
others. Volunteer fire departments, county, state and federal fire and
law enforcement agencies, and supporting agencies were recognized and
awarded plaques that read, "United by Fire. The 2003 Montana fire season
was marked by volatile fire behavior and overwhelming response. We faced
these challenges jointly as community members, volunteers, fire and law
enforcement officials. With our collective and individual sense of
pride, may we commemorate our efforts and remain united."
* DCC Proceedings available from ARRL: So many amateurs contributed
papers to the 2003 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference the
Proceedings--at 248 pages--was among the largest in the history of the
event. Copies of the Proceedings of the 22nd ARRL/TAPR Digital
Communications Conference now are available for $20 plus shipping via
the ARRL on-line catalog <http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=3D9086>.