The ARRL Letter Vol. 12, No. 19 October 12, 1993 Support grows in Congress Joint Resolution continues to gain momentum 97 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and 15 U.S. senators have become co-sponsors of The Amateur Radio Service Joint Resolution, which was introduced in the Senate on May 7 and in the House on May 20. At its January 1993 meeting the ARRL Board of Directors paved the way for the resolution, with a motion by New England Division Director Bill Burden, WB1BRE, that read: "VOTED that our Washington team is authorized to seek formal recognition by the 103rd Congress of the role played by the Amateur Radio Service as a national resource in preparation for and relief from disasters, and for technical progress in electronics." The task now, as always, is to line up more co- sponsors for both S.J. Res. 90 (the Senate version) and H.J. Res. 199 (the House resolution), as quickly as possible, through a letter-writing campaign. Mail from constituents at home to senators and representatives is especially important to the passage of a joint resolution. U.S. senators and representatives are listed in the U.S. Government section of local telephone directories. Rep. Mike Kreidler (D-WA), an original co-sponsor of the House Resolution, lauded amateurs for their public service communications work, especially in natural disasters, saying in his introductory statement "It is about time for the Congress to recognize these achievements. With about 600,000 licensed amateur radio operators licensed in the United States alone, I'm sure that every Member of the House has had similarly favorable experiences with the amateur community and will support this resolution." Listed below are the joint resolution co-sponsors (as of September 24), by state. For more information on this important resolution see July *QST*, page 73. [Joint Resolution co-sponsors] ALABAMA Sen. Howell Heflin (D) Sen. Richard Shelby (D) Rep. Sonny Callahan (R-1) Rep. Terry Everett (R-2) Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-6) ARIZONA Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D) ARKANSAS Rep. Tim Hutchinson (R-3) CALIFORNIA Rep. John Doolittle (R-4) Rep. George Miller (D-7) Rep. Bill Baker (R-10) Rep. Fortney Pete Stark (D-13) Rep. Norman Mineta (D-15) Rep. Don Edwards (D-16) Rep. Sam Farr (D-17) Rep. Richard Lehman (D-19) Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-23) Rep. Edward Royce (R-39) COLORADO Rep. Dan Schaefer (R-6) CONNECTICUT Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-6) DELAWARE Sen. William Roth (R) FLORIDA Sen. Bob Graham (D) Rep. Pete Peterson (D-2) Rep. Michael Bilirakis (R-9) Rep. Peter Deutsch (D-20) GEORGIA Rep. Buddy Darden (D-7) HAWAII Sen. Daniel Inouye (D) Sen. Daniel Akaka (D) Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-1) Rep. Patsy Mink (D-2) IDAHO Sen. Larry E. Craig (R) ILLINOIS Rep. Jerry Costello (D-12) Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-14) Rep. Thomas Ewing (R-15) Rep. Lane Evans (D-17) Rep. Glenn Poshard (D-19) INDIANA Rep. Frank McCloskey (D-8) IOWA Rep. Jim Leach (R-1) Rep. Fred Grandy (R-5) KANSAS Rep. Pat Roberts (R-1) Rep. Jim Slattery (D-2) Rep. Jan Meyers (R-3) KENTUCKY Rep. Jim Bunning (R-4) LOUISIANA Sen. John Breaux (D) Rep. Jim McCrery (R 5) MICHIGAN Rep. James Barcia (D-5) Rep. David Bonior (D-10) Rep. Joseph Knollenberg (R-11) Rep. Sander Levin (D-12) MINNESOTA Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-3) Rep. Martin Sabo (D-5) Rep. Collin Peterson (D-7) Rep. James Oberstar (D-8) MISSOURI Rep. Ike Skelton (D-4) NEW HAMPSHIRE Sen. Judd Gregg (R) Sen. Robert C. Smith (R) Rep. Dick Swett (D-2) NEW JERSEY Rep. Jim Saxton (R-3) Rep. Herbert Klein (D-8) Rep. Dean Gallo (R-11) NEW MEXICO Rep. Steven Schiff (R-1) NEW YORK Rep. George Hochbrueckner (D-1) Rep. Rick Lazio (R-2) Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-5) Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-14) Rep. Hamilton Fish, Jr. (R-19) Rep. Michael McNulty (D-21) Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-26) Rep. John LaFalce (D-29) NORTH CAROLINA Rep. Howard Coble (R-6) Rep. Bill Hefner (D-8) OHIO Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-5) Rep. James Traficant (D-17) OREGON Rep. Elizabeth Furse (D-1) Rep. Mike Kopetski (D-5) PENNSYLVANIA Rep. Tim Holden (D-6) Rep. Curt Weldon (R-7) Rep. John Murtha (D-12) RHODE ISLAND Rep. Ronald Machtley (R-1) Rep. Jack Reed (D-2) SOUTH CAROLINA Rep. Arthur Ravenel (R-1) Rep. Floyd Spence (R-2) Rep. John Spratt (D-5) SOUTH DAKOTA Sen. Larry Pressler (R) TENNESSEE Sen. Harlan Mathews (D) Rep. James Quillen (R-1) Rep. Jim Cooper (D-4) Rep. Bob Clement (D-5) Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) TEXAS Rep. Charles Wilson (D-2) Rep. John Bryant (D-5) Rep. Joe Barton (R-6) Rep. Jack Fields (R-8) Rep. Bill Sarpalius (D-13) Rep. Ronald Coleman (D-16) Rep. Martin Frost (D-24) UTAH Rep. James Hansen (R-1) VERMONT Sen. James M. Jeffords (R) VIRGINIA Sen. John Warner (R) Sen. Charles Robb (D) Rep. Lewis Payne (D-5) Rep. James Moran (D-8) Rep. Leslie Byrne (D-11) WASHINGTON Rep. Jolene Unsoeld (D-3) Rep. James McDermott (D-7) Rep. Mike Kreidler (D-9) WEST VIRGINIA Rep. Robert Wise (D-2) Rep. Nick Joe Rahall (D-3) WISCONSIN Rep. Steve Gunderson (R-3) Rep. Tom Petri (R-6) Rep. Toby Roth (R-8) WYOMING Rep. Craig Thomas (R-AL) AMERICAN SAMOA Del. Eni Faleomavaega (D) VIRGIN ISLANDS Del. Ron de Lugo D * No co-sponsors yet: Alaska, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico. IARU COUNCIL RECOMMENDS EASED CROSS-BORDER LICENSING The Administrative Council of the International Amateur Radio Union held its annual meeting in Brussels, Belgium, September 26-27, 1993, following the IARU Region 1 conference that had been held in nearby during the previous week (see "Amateur Radio World" in November *QST*). Among other actions, the Council encouraged IARU Regions 1 and 2 to continue their efforts to facilitate operation by amateurs visiting other countries without the need for additional licensing. The Council also adopted resolutions requesting member societies to draw attention to their governmental administrations, where applicable, to the undesirability of imposing type approval and station inspection procedures on the Amateur and Amateur Satellite Service; reviewed and approved plans for Amateur Radio representation at upcoming conferences and meetings of the recently restructured International Telecommunication Union; and encouraged the promotion of the development of Amateur Radio worldwide. The Council agreed to the renomination of incumbents Richard L. Baldwin, W1RU, as IARU president and Michael J. Owen, VK3KI, as vice president. ARRL DIGITAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS RECENT PROGRESS The 12th ARRL Digital Conference (known as the Computer Networking Conference in previous years) was held September 11 in Tampa, with about 50 interested amateurs in attendance. ARRL's Jon Bloom, KE3Z, editor of *QEX*, observes in the upcoming issue that papers presented at the conference "represent what people are working on -- or at least writing about -- in amateur digital communications today. But do they represent what the amateur digital community should be working on? "The answer is yes," Bloom writes, "but only in part. Conspicuous by their absence are substantial developments or applications that don't relate directly to packet radio. Where is the work on digital voice and image communications and/or processing? Where are the advanced techniques for using digital modes under poor propagation conditions? Where, in short, are we going with digital communications in Amateur Radio? "Packet radio as we amateurs practice it is almost 15 years old" (Jon says); "the Vancouver Area Digital Communications Group packet developments on which our developments are based were in 1979! It's time -- past time -- to advance." A Proceedings collection of the papers presented at the Conference is available for $12 (plus $3.50 shippping) from ARRL HQ. WIRE SERVICE REPORTS HAMS IN QUAKE RELIEF An Associated Press story following the recent earthquake in India lauded Amateur Radio operators for providing the only communications in remote areas. Here's how *The New York Times* ran it: "In rural India, where the nearest working phone can be 25 miles away, amateur radio operators have cobbled together a communications network to help earthquake victims. "Twenty-six ham radio operators have set up a network to help coordinate relief efforts for the 120,000 people left homeless by the earthquake on [September 30]. "The first thing we need after any calamity is communications, which are dismal in India," said Sirama Suri [VU2MY -- ed.] of the National Institute of Amateur Radio. "In rural areas, the telephone system is primitive. From Killari, a village of 15,000 people that was leveled, the nearest long-distance phone line is 25 miles away in the town of Latur. "Police radios in the villages have a short range and often do not work. Roads between many villages are just dirt tracks for bullock carts. "Using a makeshift network powered by truck batteries and stretched across several villages, the ham radio operators have been able to relay requests from relief workers and refugee camps to Latur and Umerga, staging areas where thousands of tons of food, clothes and medicines are waiting." MISSISSIPPI HAM/BALLOONIST WINS BIG PRIZE FOR FLIGHT Robert Vardaman, N5KBQ, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, may just be in the market for some shiny new radio equipment. If not, it's certainly not for a lack of ready cash. Vardaman, a skilled hot air balloonist, won the 'key grab' in the 1993 Sky Parade, an aerial exposition held at the Jackson, Mississippi International Airport over the Labor Day weekend. His prize was $50,000. In the competition, pilots attempt to maneuver their balloons into position to grab a key from atop a 30-ft pole. It is a highly complex task involving precise measurement of altitude, wind speed and wind direction. Although the contest is a fixture at balloon events, it is very rarely won because of its difficulty. More often than not, the prize is a new automobile; but at Sky Parade, cash awaited the winner. That likely was just fine with Vardaman, who is sales manager for an automobile dealership. In addition to holding a balloonist certification, Vardaman, 35, is a fixed-wing aircraft pilot and experienced skydiver. [From *The Magnolia Report*, Hank Downey, K5QNE, editor.] STATION LOCATION DROPPED FROM FCC LICENSE FORMS Effective November 15, 1993, the FCC will no longer require that a station location be shown on amateur license applications, nor on applications for reciprocal operating permits. The Commission, in an Order adopted September 24, said that because portable and mobile equipment is now so often used by amateurs, a station's location often changes, sometimes even daily. The FCC also said that deleting the station location requirement would expedite the processing of license applications. They said that since this rule amendment is not likely to be controversial and that it is a "nonsubstantive" change in licensing procedures, no notice and comment period was needed. The amended FCC Rule "Section 97.21 Mailing Address" will be: "Each application for an amateur service license and each application for a reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee must show a mailing address in an area where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC. The mailing address must be one where the licensee can receive mail delivery by the United States Postal Service." 4 AMATEURS RECEIVE FINES FOR MALICIOUS INTERFERENCE Four amateurs have received FCC Notices of Apparent Liability for $2000 for malicious interference on the 2 meter band. In June the four gave responses to FCC Notices of Violation but the FCC was not persuaded by their arguments. Those receiving the NALs are John B. Genovese, WB5LOC, of Slidell, LA; Will T. Blanton Jr., N5ROC, of Carriere, MS; and Joseph F. Richard III, N5JNX, and Vernon A. Paroli, KA5OWW, both of New Orleans. All four had until October 10 to respond to the NALs. 10 years ago in *The ARRL Letter* This is an idea we should have had a year ago; the first issue of *The ARRL Letter* came out in late October, 1982. The *Letter* grew out of a desire to provide ARRL organizational information to members more often and faster than through *QST*. At that time the only vehicle for doing so was the "Director's Letter," which was circulated to many Field Organization volunteers and other League officials, but not offered by subscription. So ... the October 13, 1983 *The ARRL Letter* reported on the second ARRL Board of Directors meeting held in Houston October 5 and 6. At that time board meetings were held in April and October; today they are in January and July. The Board's primary concern at their October 1983 meeting was to determine how the League would participate in the soon-to-be implemented Volunteer Examiner program. Today, in the 10th year of the volunteer examiners, the ARRL-VEC is the statistical leader among VECs. At this point in 1983, before the program even was in place, about a thousand hams had expressed interest in becoming volunteer examiners. The Board also approved early preparation by the League for the next major World Administrative Radio Conference (8 years hence!), and changed the League's by- laws to permit Technician class licensees to sit as Board members as well as hold other elective offices previously restricted to General class or higher licensees. *The ARRL Letter* Vol. 2 No. 21 also had a brief report on the National Convention, held in Houston in conjunction with the Board meeting. And a report on shuttle flight STS-9 (NASA has launched 50 since then) included a tracking map; this was the historic first shuttle flight to carry Amateur Radio, with astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL, to do the operating, using a 2-meter handheld specially prepared by Motorola. The successful flight took place in November. The FCC finalized the extension of amateur license terms from five years to 10, with a renewal grace period of two years. And finally, most of these early *Letters* had a column of DX information, excerpted from that provided by volunteers for the weekly W1AW DX Bulletin. DX information was later dropped from *The ARRL Letter*. Pete O'Dell, KB1N, was editor and Wayne Yoshida, KH6WZ, was associate editor of the *Letter*. BRIEFS * In September the ARRL DXCC Desk received 1,330 applications (95,212 individual QSL cards) for endorsements and new DXCC awards, the largest number of QSLs received in a single month since September 1990. * The Radio Society of Great Britain has picked 15- year-old Tim Munn, G7OTO, as its Young Amateur of the year. Tim has been interested in Amateur Radio since he was 10, the RSGB said. With the help of the Isle of Wight Radio Society and RSGB Senior Novice Instructor Alan Ash, G3PZB, Tim passed his Novice exam in January 1992 and his licensing exam a year later. He then started up a radio club in his school, becoming one of the youngest RSBG Novice instructors. The RSGB said Tim's main interest is packet radio and construction (including an 80-meter receiver and a 50 MHz transmitter/receiver. Runner up for honors was Simon Kahn, G0STU, who passed his licensing exam at age 11. * The countdown for SAREX shuttle STS-58 was postponed as we went to press, with launch still on hold on October 18. Pilot Rick Searfoss is now KC5CKM, joining crewmembers KC5ACR and KC5AXA. Updates following launch can be heard on W1AW bulletins. * Correction: On page one of our last issue a photo caption incorrectly identified two people. John Peters, K1ER, is on the left in the photo and Steve Larson, N3SL, is on the right. And the name of their Colorado town is Franktown, *not* Frankton. .rm80 FCC ISSUED CALL SIGN UPDATE The following is a list of the FCC's most recently issued call signs as of September 1. District Group A Group B Group C Group D Extra Advanced Tech/Gen Novice 0 AA0OR KG0HW N0YJG KB0LLM 1 AA1HG KD1QU N1QBM KB1BDK 2 AA2PI KF2QV N2WEQ KB2QOE 3 AA3FS KE3JR N3QAO KB3AYE 4 AD4JB KR4BL ++ KE4FBE 5 AB5PD KJ5PJ ++ KC5CNE 6 AB6VY KN6QI ++ KE6AOT 7 AA7YG KI7QS ++ KB7YBV 8 AA8MD KG8DQ ++ KB8PKS 9 AA9ID KF9RF N9URQ KB9IUZ Hawaii ++ AH6NC WH6OQ WH6CQV Alaska ++ AL7PF WL7MO WL7CHF Virgin Is. WP2B KP2CC NP2GQ WP2AHU Puerto Rico ++ KP4VQ ++ WP4MJF ++All call signs in this group have been issued in this area. *eof