The ARRL Letter
Vol. 13, No. 12
June 24, 1994

FCC proposes HF digital changes
Would allow some automatic control

	On June 13, 1994, the FCC proposed to amend the amateur 
rules to allow automatic control of  digital stations under 
certain conditions on the HF amateur bands. The Notice of 
Proposed Rule Making in PR Docket 94-59 was released June 23, 
with a comment deadline of October 1, 1994, and a reply comment 
deadline of November 1, 1994. Below is the text of the 
Commission's announcement.

	"The Commission has proposed amending the amateur service 
rules to authorize automatic control of stations transmitting a 
digital emission on the High Frequency (HF) amateur service 
bands.

	"This action was requested in petitions filed by The 
American Radio Relay League, Inc. (ARRL), and the American 
Digital Radio Society, Inc. (ADRS).

	"The propagation characteristics of the HF bands allow 
for long distance communications. Amateur operators take 
advantage of these characteristics to communicate with other 
amateur stations all over the world.  Establishing and 
maintaining a HF communications link, however, presents operating 
demands not encountered on the Very High Frequency (VHF) and 
higher frequency bands.  

	"The variables affecting communication on the HF bands 
are highly complex.  To maintain the communications link and 
avoid causing interference to the communications of other amateur 
stations, the control operator constantly monitors the activity 
on the channel being used and adjusts the station's transmitting 
parameters as needed.  Because the presence of the control 
operator has been necessary for proper operation in these 
systems, automatic control of an amateur station that is 
transmitting on any HF band or on the 160 meter MF (medium 
frequency) band has not been authorized.

	"In 1986 the Commission authorized automatic control of 
amateur stations transmitting digital communications on the VHF 
and higher frequency bands and indicated it was interested in 
authorizing automatic control of stations using the HF bands. 

	"To determine solutions to the problem of avoiding 
interference from automatically controlled HF digital stations 
the ARRL conducted a successful feasibility project under special 
temporary authority the Commission granted to 50 amateur 
stations.  The ARRL's petition is based on the results of that 
study.  The ADRS's petition contained an additional 
recommendation from amateur operators who have been experimenting 
for several decades with digital communications on the HF bands 
(a recommendation the ARRL supported).

	"The Commission said it was gratified by the cooperation 
and dedication of organizations within the amateur service 
community in determining the conditions necessary to allow 
automatic control of stations transmitting data and RTTY (narrow-
band direct printing) emission types on the HF amateur service 
bands.  It agreed with the petitioners that automatic control of 
amateur stations in the HF bands can, with safeguards, make the 
transmission of data and RTTY emission types practical and 
effective.

	"Therefore, the Commission proposed to authorize 
automatic control for stations transmitting data and RTTY 
emission types on one specific subband  of each HF band where 
such emissions are authorized.  It also proposed to authorize 
communications between a locally or remotely controlled station 
and an automatically controlled station on any frequency where 
data and RTTY emission types are otherwise authorized.

	"The Commission said that it firmly believes in the 
principle that government should be responsive to user needs.  It 
noted that the rules it proposed were the result of a successful 
feasibility project planned and carried out within the amateur 
service community and represent the recommendations of two 
organizations dedicated to bringing the benefits to be derived 
from the transmission of digital communications on the amateur 
service HF bands to amateur operators in the United States and 
elsewhere without causing unnecessary interference to other types 
of communications."

Washington legislative update

	Thanks to the hard work of amateurs all over the country 
who wrote to their Congressional representatives, ARRL's 
legislative initiatives continue to gain support in Washington. 
Those cards and letters really do make a difference!

	As we went to press, House Joint Resolution 199, which 
recognizes "the achievements of radio amateurs and establishes 
support for such amateurs as national policy," had 238 co-
sponsors in the House of Representatives, and the Senate version, 
Senate Joint Resolution 90, had 45 co-sponsors. 

	H.J. Res. 199 was introduced by Congressman Mike Kreidler 
of Washington, and S.J.Res. 90 was introduced by Senator Charles 
Robb of Virginia.

	While co-sponsorship indicates that the co-sponsor 
approves of the bill conceptually, it is not the same as a formal 
or binding vote. Every bill must go through the committee process 
and have a hearing on the floor of the House and Senate. As the 
103rd Congress moves toward recess, our sources on Capitol Hill 
tell us H.J. Res. 199 is most likely at this point to be included 
as part of the FCC Authorization Act, and the Senate version 
could follow suit. 

	Both ARRL bills must next pass muster with subcommittees 
of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate 
Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which have 
jurisdiction over radio issues.

	The other ARRL-sponsored bill, H.R. 2623, the Amateur 
Radio Volunteer Service Act of 1993, introduced by Congressman 
Jim Slattery of Kansas, currently has 78 co-sponsors. There is no 
Senate version of the bill. The FCC Authorization Act is also a 
likely spot for H.R. 2623. --  Steve Mansfield, ARRL Manager of 
Legislative & Public Affairs.

Spectrum proposal unfair, League tells FCC

	A proposed reallocation of 35 MHz of spectrum in the 2300 
MHz band goes against the will of Congress, the ARRL has told the 
FCC, and existing and future amateur uses of that spectrum must 
be protected, the League said in comments filed June 15, 1994.

	The comments were in response to an FCC Notice of Inquiry 
(NOI), released May 4, that asks for information from potential 
applicants for use of the spectrum -- at 2300 to 2310 MHz, 2390 
to 2400 MHz, and 2402 to 2417 MHz. Amateurs currently share 2300 
to 2310 MHz and 2390 to 2417  MHz with US government users.

	The NOI is the result of a plan from the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to 
transfer the 50 MHz of government spectrum below 5 Ghz 
immediately, with another 150 MHz to be transferred later. Under 
the NTIA plan, 2300 to 2310 MHz would be part of the later 
transfer.

	At the time of the NTIA proposal, the League said that 
although such a transfer would not necessarily result in the loss 
of the spectrum to the amateur and amateur satellite service, it 
poses more problems than the existing sharing with the military.

	The transfer of spectrum from federal government to 
private sector use is required by the 1993 Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act; but that Act also requires:

	* The avoidance of excessive disruption of amateur 
operation on reallocated Federal Government frequencies;

	* A determination of the extent to which, in general, 
commercial users could share the frequencies to be reallocated 
with Amateur Radio licensees; and

	* Substitution of proposed reallocation frequencies if 
the President determines that reassignment would disrupt the 
existing use of a Federal Government band of frequencies by 
Amateur Radio licensees.

	The League told the FCC that "there is no indication of 
any finding or study, as required by statute" (the Act) "that the 
proposed reallocation of [the  spectrum that amateurs currently 
share] for commercial use will be benign with respect to 
continued amateur occupancy of the band."

	The League said that such an outcome is not "what 
Congress intended" and that the FCC is obligated to conduct a 
study of whether or how amateurs could share the frequencies with 
commercial users as yet not even identified.

	More information was in July 1994 QST, on page 85.


Bio-Effects Committee resigns in dispute

	The members of the ARRL's volunteer Bio-Effects Committee 
have resigned in a disagreement with the Board of Directors over 
the League's position on an FCC proposal to tighten its 
guidelines for evaluating the possible dangers of RF radiation.

	ARRL President George Wilson III, W4OYI, said it seemed 
the committee members "couldn't get along" and called their 
reasons for resignation "insubstantial."

	The committee members were appointed in January 1990, 
with the charge of "revitalizing organized Amateur Radio's 
concern for the limitation of potential bio-effects hazards that 
might arise from Amateur Radio Activities." Since then the 
committee worked, with Headquarters staff, to rewrite information 
on bio-effects appearing in League publications. The Board 
liaison to the committee was ARRL Southwestern Division Vice 
Director Wayne Overbeck, N6NB, who presented the committee 
chairman's reports to the board at each meeting (as summarized in 
the minutes of each meeting). 

	When Overbeck left the position of vice director in 
January 1992 he was appointed a member of the committee.

	In early 1993 the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rule 
Making to change its guidelines for exposure to RF, to reflect 
those adopted in 1992 by the American National Standards 
Institute (ANSI) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic 
Engineers (IEEE). The Commission said that the proposed new 
guidelines would set two "tiers" of exposure level, one for 
"controlled" environments and another, generally more 
restrictive, for "uncontrolled" environments.

	The Commission also said the new guidelines would more 
strictly limit automatic exclusions for low-power devices, such 
as hand-held transceivers and telephones (the earlier guidelines, 
set in 1982, generally excluded hand-helds of 7 watts or less).

	While the proceeding was open for public comment, the 
committee provided no report to the Board as it had done in the 
past. At its October 30, 1993 meeting, the ARRL Executive 
Committee adopted the strategy to be followed in the ARRL 
comments, and instructed the General Counsel to draft comments 
along those lines. On November 9, some thoughts developed by 
several members of the committee were submitted for consideration 
and later were submitted directly to the FCC, independent of the 
ARRL filing, identifying the authors as members of the ARRL 
committee.

	The League in its comments said that the FCC's entire 
proposal to change its exposure guidelines was "premature" and 
should have been introduced as an FCC Notice of Inquiry rather 
than a Notice of Proposed Rule Making.

	"The Commission's handling of this proceeding," the 
League said, "isn't conducive to a fair determination of which RF 
exposure standard, if any, should replace the 1982 ANSI standard" 
(see QST for April 1994, p 91).

	Following the independent filing by members of the 
committee, Wayne Overbeck, who prepared and submitted the filing,  
was dismissed from the committee by ARRL President George Wilson, 
W4OYI, who cited the group's failure to advise the League of its 
intention to file separately (or that it had done so), and of 
their use of their ARRL appointments to bolster the filing. 

	Wilson also noted that the independent comments did not 
differ a great deal from those of the League.

	The remaining members of the Bio-Effects Committee 
resigned on June 1, 1994, saying they "plan to continue to 
contribute to an understanding by amateur radio operators of the 
issues relating to the potential bio-hazards of our activities as 
radio operators."

	Those resigning were Ivan Shulman, MD, WC2S (chairman); 
W. Ross Adey, MD, K6UI; Samuel Milham, MD; David Rodman, MD, 
KN2M; and Thomas Rozzell, ScD, WB4ZTT.


ARRL president responds

	"On behalf of the ARRL Board of Directors, I have 
accepted the resignation of members of the American Radio Relay 
League's Bio-Effects Committee. The resignation letter drafted by 
former Chairman Dr. Ivan Shulman on behalf of the committee 
speaks for itself.

	"As any thoughtful person will understand, far from being 
unresponsive to the issue of RF safety, ARRL's fundamental 
commitment was first demonstrated by the unrestricted charter 
given the committee upon formation. It is further demonstrated by 
our inclusion of chapters on RF safety in our books at the 
earliest evidence of potential risk, even though that evidence 
was ambiguous. 

	"We have published articles by members of the committee 
in QST, pointing out possible risk factors from electromagnetic 
fields, we have championed the inclusion of RF safety-related 
questions in the FCC Amateur Radio examination test pool, and we 
have incorporated much of the thinking of the committee into our 
filings with the FCC on this issue. 

	"These are scarcely the actions of an organization that 
seeks to avoid a difficult issue. 

	"The real question is, why couldn't the committee get 
along?

	"Indeed, the grounds for resignation cited in Dr. 
Shulman's letter seem insubstantial, based on perceived slights 
to status or protocol rather than on differences of opinion over 
RF safety. Sadly, the members' action speaks less to safety than 
it does to a clash of egos and personalities that couldn't adjust 
to an organizational environment.

	"By definition, the members of an association try to 
speak with one voice. While we must never object to individuals 
expressing their own opinions, it is the responsibility of anyone 
who accepts a position on a committee serving that organization 
to advise the organization fully and not to pursue a personal 
agenda. In their attempt to advance the cause of RF safety, we 
hope that the former members of the committee have not 
inadvertently impeded it.

	"We at ARRL will work to ensure that this does not, in 
fact, occur. We are now beginning the process of selecting 
responsible new members with impeccable scientific credentials, a 
commitment to RF safety, and the ability to work productively 
together, to carry on the committee's important work." -- George 
S. Wilson III, W4OYI, President, ARRL.

	
Mobile ham helps thwart suspected thieves

	Amateur Radio helped in the apprehension of a suspected 
auto thief earlier this month in Beaverton, Oregon.

	Scott Diamond, KB7ZHB, and his family were asleep the 
night of Sunday, June 12, when teen-age son Chris observed 
curious activities across the street. A man and woman on a 
motorcycle appeared to be "casing" cars for an unlocked one. The 
woman got off the motorcycle and entered a car, while the man 
drove away on the motorcycle.

	Diamond's girlfriend, Cathy Dicker, asked the woman what 
was going on, then telephoned 911.

	The woman got out of the car and began walking away from 
the scene,  Diamond decided to follow, taking a hand-held along 
with him in his car, joined by Chris. 

	"I'd used my hand-held to call home through the K7WWR 
repeater, to see if the police had stopped by; there was no 
answer so I figured Cathy was talking to the police.  I also 
had 911 programmed into my hand-held so I could call the police 
quickly, if necessary. We slowly  followed the woman, staying 
about a hundred yards back. I wasn't at all sure that she was 
guilty of anything."

	By now the police had determined that someone had indeed 
tried to rip the ignition lock out of the car. The police were 
informed that Diamond was able to be in contact with both his 
home and the police, using the Amateur Radio gear from the car. 
He dialed 911 and the call eventually got routed to the Beaverton 
police. Diamond and Chris were now about eight blocks from home, 
and the Beaverton police were able to put them and their location 
together with the search they had under way near the apparent 
crime scene.

	"At this point it was  really exciting for us in the 
car," Diamond said. "The woman who broke into the car was walking 
down a number of side streets, and throughout our conversation 
with the  Beaverton dispatcher we were relaying our position as 
we turned onto each street. In our  minds we imagined the 
dispatcher relaying our coordinates over the police radio and  
the patrol cars zeroing in on our position."

	Eventually Diamond and the police hooked up. Diamond 
pointed out the woman up ahead, and she was stopped and 
questioned. It turned out that the car the woman had been in had 
been stolen earlier in the day.

	At press time, the woman had been charged with 
unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. 

	
BRIEFS

	* The FCC has proposed to amend its Part 13 rules to 
allow persons who have passed the examinations necessary to 
qualify for a commercial radio operator license, but have not yet 
received the license, to temporarily and conditionally perform 
the functions of a commercial radio operator. Commercial radio 
operator license exams are now administered by nine Commission-
certified Commercial Operator License Examination (COLE) 
Managers.  The FCC does not accept an application for a 
commercial license until the person has passed all the exam 
elements required.

	The Commission said that the total processing time "may 
be as much as eight weeks." (It is running 12 weeks or more for 
Amateur Radio license applications).

	Under the proposal, the FCC would provide "temporary, 
conditional operating authority" when the application is received 
by the Commission, provided the applicant has not previously had 
a commercial radio operator license revoked, suspended, or is the 
subject of an ongoing suspension proceeding


	* If you haven't tried the ARRL 10-GHz Cumulative 
Contest, this is the year to do so. The San Barnardino 
(California) Microwave Society is adding a new twist to the 
contest by offering a first place plaque to the 1994 winner. The 
Society has agreed to do all the work in designing a plaque, 
getting it engraved, and awarding it to the winner.

	Start planning now! The complete rules for the contest 
(held August 20 and 21 and September 17 and 180 are on page 94 of 
June QST. Get all your friends fired up and active, plan a 
winning strategy, map out an itinerary for operating in as many 
six-digit grid squares as you can, and make lots of schedules. Be 
the first-ever winner of the new plaque!


	* The ARRL DX Advisory Committee has voted 15 to 1 
against reinstating Aldabra Island to the DXCC Countries List. 
Aldabra was once on the list and was deleted in the 1970s.

	The DXAC also voted (11 to 2 with 3 abstentions) to 
approve call area "calling guidelines ." The guidelines call on 
DX stations to "operate in a manner perceived to be fair and 
balanced to all areas, and to work portable stations in the 
specific call area listen(ed) for."


	* Bishop Samuel Ruiz, XE3AXS, has been nominated for the 
Nobel Peace Prize, according to Frank Smith,  AH0W. Ruiz, 69, is 
bishop of San Cristobal, Chiapas, Smith said.


	* The FCC has proposed to change its rules for equipment 
authorization procedures that apply to radio frequency (RF) 
devices including radio receivers and transmitters, computers,  
and video cassette recorders. The FCC said the amended rules were 
"intended to remove certain inconsistencies in the existing rules 
and to consolidate in the rules several interpretations issued in 
letters. These inconsistencies have led to confusion for  
industry and may have discouraged or prevented use of some 
otherwise legitimate methods of marketing RF devices pending 
receipt of an authorization from the Commission."

	Currently, FCC rules prohibit the marketing and operation 
of an RF device unless it complies with all FCC standards. 
Exceptions to the marketing rules are already made for 
industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) devices and many digital 
devices.


	* Hap Holly,  KC9RP, founder and producer of the Radio 
Amateur Information Network (RAIN), will speak at the American 
Council of the Blind (ACB) convention, scheduled for July 2 to 9 
at the Palmer House in downtown Chicago.  His talk,  "The 
Evolution of Amateur Information Services," will be given before 
ACB radio amateurs, at 1:30 PM on Thursday, July 7. For more 
information about the ACB convention, call the American Council 
of the Blind at 800-424-8666 (afternoons).


	* The 1994 Proceedings of the ARRL National Educational 
Workshop are now available, the biggest ever (at 231 pages). This 
is a collection of articles by educators on their experiences in 
teaching Amateur Radio, including Scouting and the Shuttle 
Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX). Cost is $12 plus $2 s/h from 
ARRL Headquarters.


10 years ago in The ARRL Letter

	The FCC denies an ARRL request for rule making, made in 
1982, to ban cable TV from using frequencies in the Amateur Radio 
bands. While calling the League's request "excessive," the 
Commission reminds cable operators of their obligation to conduct 
"continuous and vigilant" maintenance of their systems to prevent 
leakage. The FCC also notes that their rules do permit cable 
systems to be shut down in the event of harmful interference to 
safety-of-life communication and said that cable operators must 
prevent or eliminate any harmful interference to communication 
services regardless of the strength of the interfering signal.

	The fledgling Amateur Radio volunteer examination 
"picture is somewhat confused" regarding both scheduling and 
study materials. The League offers free several different Novice 
exams to anyone wanting to administer a Novice test, and new ARRL 
license manuals are being prepared, based on FCC-issued question 
pools (copies of which are available from Headquarters). An ARRL 
volunteer examiner manual is in the works, too. (For more on 
these events, see the article in July 1994 QST on the 10th 
anniversary of the VE program).

	The 1983 ARRL Instructor of the Year is Pete Kemp, KA1KD; 
ARRL conducts a booth at the Armed Forces Communications and 
Electronics Association's convention in Washington; and the cause 
of the 10-week silence from the newly launched Oscar 11 satellite 
is determined by the University of Surrey (England) command team 
to be component failure in the satellite's command decoder. 
"Triple redundancy" saves the day.

	18-year-old Jon  J. Willis, WD0AIT, of Littleton, 
Colorado, wins the 1983 Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award; the 
Amateur Radio News Service sponsors a newsletter contest; and the 
FCC trashes some 400 pounds of radio equipment seized, including 
illegal transmitters and amplifiers used in the Citizens Radio 
Service.

*eof

