ARRL LETTER Volume 8 Number 19 HUGO STRIKES CARIBBEAN Hurricane Hugo, showing wind strengths of up to 140 miles per hour, slammed into the Leeward Islands on September 17 and began its march across the Caribbean toward Puerto Rico. Many of the first reports from the affected islands were from Amateur Radio stations. Emergency traffic nets were set up and awaited information from these stations on three main 20 meter frequencies. The ARRL sponsored International Assistance and Traffic Net (IATN) at 14.303 MHz, the Friendly Carribus Connection on 14.283 MHz, and the International Amateur Radio Network provided front line communication as amateur stations in the affected areas reported in with damage assessments and assistance needs. The Hurricane Watch Net on 14.325 MHz kept in touch with the storm's progress. A net on 28.450 MHz was also instrumental in providing damage assessment reports from Puerto Rico. W1AW reverted to an emergency operating schedule on Saturday, September 16. Informational bulletins were sent out and the station monitored on-the-air activity. Field Services Manager Rick Palm, K1CE, headed up HQ operations. Rick contacted the US Office of Foreign Disaster Aid and the National Red Cross in Washington DC to let them know of our availability in preparation for the storm. ANERCOM members Joel Kandel, KI4T, of Miami and Geri Sweeney, N4GHI, of Alexandria, Virginia, were also vital in organizing the first ARRL response. W1AW had the opportunity to check into IATN and the net on 28.450 MHz, which served the needs of Spanish speaking amateurs in Puerto Rico. The HQ staff was assisted by Jose Santiago, a representative of La Casa de Puerto Rico of Hartford, who translated damage reports for the HQ staff. Contact with the net was maintained for several hours after the net controllers asked for assistance from the US mainland. ARRL made telephone contact with Puerto Rico Section Manager Alberto Valldejuli, WP4CSG, on Tuesday afternoon and by Wednesday, an emergency network on 28.450 was announced for messages going into Puerto Rico. Health and Welfare traffic was also being passed on 14.270 MHz for any affected location. At press time, hurricane-related traffic is also being handled on numerous other frequencies and via packet radio. The American National Red Cross asked the Dayton Amateur Radio Association to form a jump team to accompany Red Cross officials to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Ron Moorefield, W8ILC, informed HQ that Dave Morris, N8EEK, and Bob Reckner, W8IQJ, were scheduled to travel with a complete portable station including an electric generator. CONGRESS MOVES AHEAD WITH LICENSE FEE PROPOSAL Discussions in Congress about possible fees for Amateur Radio licenses have alarmed many ARRL members. The ARRL position on license fees was reported at minute 83 of the July ARRL Board meeting and in ARRL Bulletin number 40. Fees were simply under discussion in Congressional Committees and there was no bill before Congress proposing them. On Wednesday, September 20, while many amateurs were using their licenses to provide emergency communications in the wake of hurricane Hugo and others were preparing for it to hit the mainland later this week, a budget bill containing a license fee proposal was introduced into the House as HR 3299. Action is expected in both houses of Congress early in October. ARRL members wanting to express their opposition to the Amateur Radio license fee aspects of HR 3299 will want to contact their Congressional representatives without delay. Senator Carl Levin of Michigan has indicated a desire to work with amateurs to defeat the license fee proposal. FCC RELEASES ERRATA LIST IN PART 97 REWRITE On July 19, ARRL submitted a Request for Issuance of Errata List to the FCC in the Part 97 rewrite proceeding. It was submitted to "change the rules which were, in the League's opinion, unintentionally changed; where typographical errors were made; or where errors of omission appeared." FCC responded with its Errata list released on September 7. After a review of FCC's corrections list, ARRL Executive Vice President David Sumner, K1ZZ, said in a letter to the Directors, "This satisfies some, but not all, of the concerns expressed in our request for the issuance of errata." Rick Palm, K1CE, Editor of the newly rewritten FCC Rule Book, said that the Errata will be included in the appendix of the Rule Book. PETITIONS FILED TO AMEND PART 97 On September 14, FCC issued a Public Notice listing filings from ARRL and eleven other petitioners for amendment of FCC's Part 97 Rules. ARRL along with six other petitioners filed for the creation of a codeless class of amateur license. Two petitioners filed for a change to the code speed requirements. Two others filed to restructure amateur operator licensing requirements and operating privileges and one petitioner filed to eliminate all license classes. The ARRL petition was designated RM-6995. Interested persons have 30 days to file comments opposing or supporting these petitions with the FCC. The full text of these documents are available for viewing and copying in Room 239, 1919 M Street, NW., Washington, DC or may be purchased from the Commissions's copy contractor International Transcription Service (202-857-3800). SCOUTS ON THE AIR OCTOBER 21-22 DURING WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE Here is an opportunity to introduce Amateur Radio to the Scouts in your area during the 32nd Jamboree on the Air (JOTA). Boy and Girl Scouts and Amateur Radio operators the world over will communicate with each other using the amateur bands during the event. Sponsored by the World Scout Bureau, Geneva, Switzerland, JOTA will run from midnight Friday through midnight Sunday (local time) during the the weekend of October 21-22. World Scout calling frequencies are: voice--3.940 7.290 14.290 21.360 28.350 MHz. The frequencies on CW are--3.590 7.030 14.070 21.140 28.190 MHz, plus the RTTY, SSTV, and packet-radio sub-bands. Look for K2BSA, BSA HQ Amateur Radio station in Dallas Texas, K2BSA/6 in Ridgecrest CA, K2BSA/0 in Boulder CO, K2BSA/1 in Boston MA and HB9S, World Scout HQ ham station in Geneva. Amateurs are encouraged to contact their local Girl or Boy Scout councils (see the White Pages) and offer to put on a demonstration. Special Amateur Radio/Scout brochures are available from ARRL HQ to hand out during the Jamboree. For more information contact Rosalie White, WA1STO, at ARRL HQ. ARRL DIRECTOR AND VICE DIRECTOR ELECTIONS The ARRL Election Committee has completed its examination of nominating petitions filed by members in seven Divisions for ARRL Director and Vice Director for two year terms of office beginning January 1, 1990. The following candidates are unopposed and so were declared elected without balloting. PACIFIC DIVISION Director: Rodney J. Stafford, KB6ZV SOUTHEASTERN DIVISION Director: Frank M. Butler, W4RH GREAT LAKES DIVISION Vice Director: George E. Race, WB8BGY PACIFIC DIVISION Vice Director: Charles P. McConnell, W6DPD Ballots were ordered mailed to full members in six Divisions, as follows: ATLANTIC DIVISION For Director: Hugh A. Turnbull, W3ABC Robert B. Weinstock, KN1K For Vice Director: Kay C. Craigie, KC3LM James M. Mozley, W2BCH DAKOTA DIVISION For Director: Richard P. Clem, W0IS George E. Frederickson, KC0T Howard B. Mark, W0OZC DELTA DIVISION For Director: Joel M. Harrison, WB5IGF Arthur P. Kay, W5APX For Vice Director: James A. Amundson, W5TRD Henry R. Leggette, WD4Q John M. Wondergem, K5KR GREAT LAKES DIVISION For Director: Leonard M. Nathanson, W8RC Allan L. Severson, AB8P MIDWEST DIVISION For Director: Paul Grauer, W0FIR Robert S. McCaffrey, K0CY For Vice Director: Lyndell C. Miller, WA0KUH Laurance S. Staples, W0AIB SOUTHEASTERN DIVISION For Vice Director: Evelyn D. Gauzens, W4WYR Alan H. Page, KE4WO There is no candidate for Vice Director in the Dakota Division. In the six divisions where there are contests, ballots are being mailed to Full Members as of September 10. Ballots must be returned by noon, November 20. FEMA OFFERS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE "Millions of Americans Have Experienced Disaster - Are You Prepared?". This is the title of the July 1989 publication offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This 18 page booklet reviews the Civil Defense organizations in the country, how they work in times of natural and man made disasters, and heightens public awareness of the value of such an organization in their communities. At the end of the brochure is a list of additional "Self-Help" publications such as "In Time of Emergency - A Citizen's Handbook," "Planning For Survival" and "Emergency Preparedness Checklist." An order form is included. FEMA is responsible for a wide range of emergency planning and response activities. They work with state and local governments as well as national organizations to help communities plan for emergencies of all types. "...Are you Prepared?" may be obtained at no cost by writing to: FEMA, PO Box 70274, Washington, DC, 20024. PART 97 RULES COVERING INTERNATIONAL RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS The FCC has issued a Public Notice concerning communication with amateurs in foreign countries. Here is a recap. - Permissible countries: Section 97.111 states when the administration of a country objects to its amateurs contacting US hams, it becomes a "banned country." Currently there are no banned countries. - Prohibited transmissions: Section 97.113 says that communications for the purpose of facilitating the business or commercial affairs of any party is prohibited. Use of amateur communications as an alternative to other broadcast, common carrier, maritime, land mobile or other authorized radio services is also prohibited. - Third-party arrangements: Section 97.115 "...authorizes an amateur station licensed by the FCC to transmit messages for a third party to any amateur station within the jurisdiction of a foreign government whose administration has made arrangements with the United States to allow amateur stations to be used for transmitting international communications on behalf of third parties." Countries that have made the necessary arrangements with the US to permit third-party messages are: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Liberia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Christopher and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom (special event stations with call sign prefix GB followed by a number other than 3), Uruguay, and Venezuela. United Nations stations 4U1ITU in Geneva, Switzerland and 4U1VIC in Vienna, Austria, have also made arrangements with the US to permit third-party communications. FCC ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS In conjunction with the San Francisco FCC Field Office, the US Attorney's Office in Fresno, CA, has initiated a second criminal prosecution against Donnie Ray Johnson, doing business as Red Monkey Communications in Fresno, CA for the marketing of illegal Citizens Band (CB) radio equipment. On August 14, 1989 engineers from the FCC San Francisco Office, along with US Marshals, conducted a search and seized $2000 worth of illegal CB linear amplifiers. In 1985, Mr. Johnson was convicted for the same offense and was fined $5000 and placed on 2 years probation. Johnson's prosecution is part of a continuing enforcement program to assure that the FCC ban on manuafacturing and selling CB linear amplifiers and other non-type accepted transmitters is observed. Federal law (47 USC 302 (b)) prohibits the marketing and manufacture of such non-compliant electronic equipment. A second conviction for violation of this law carries a maximum fine of $100,000 and/or two years imprisonment. In another action, US Marshals and investigators from the San Fransisco Office of the FCC seized $3000 worth of illegal CB radio equipment from the residences of John Robinson, Andrew and Mary Lou Calloway, and Ted Green. The seized equipment included two non-type accepted transmitters capable of operating on frequencies not authorized for use in the Citizens Radio Service. Also seized were six CB linear amplifiers. FCC Engineers from the San Francisco Office investigated and identified the locations of the three operators after receiving many complaints of interference to TV and radio reception from their neighbors. Robinson, Calloway and Green repeatedly refused to permit FCC personnel to inspect their CB radio stations. FCC Rules (47 CFR 95.426) require that all CB radio stations be made available for inspection upon request of an authorized FCC official. In total, $3200 in fines were issued to Robinson, Calloway and Green. FCC ISSUED CALL SIGN UPDATE The following is a list of most recently issued FCC call signs (September 1). DIST GRP"A" GRP"B" GRP"C" GRP"D" Extra Advanced Tech/Gen Novice 0 WW0G KF0EV K0KZG KB0FDO 1 NY1M KC1QF N1GXH KA1UJF 2 WS2R KE2PD N2JVZ KB2IND 3 NW3C KD3OS N3HLK KA3VCY 4 AB4QF KM4XI N4WTV KC4MFK 5 AA5NR KG5XY N5PDG KB5KMF 6 AA6QE KJ6ZE N6WET KC6FOP 7 AA7BR KF7WI N7NLL KB7IOC 8 WU8Z KF8BE N8LGA KB8IBG 9 WK9E KE9SB N9IVP KB9DIU Guam KH2K AH2CF KH2ED WH2AMH Hawaii *** AH6JV NH6UK WH6CFB Alaska *** AL7LM NL7SO WL7BVN USVI NP2F KP2BQ NP2DI WP2AGY P.R. *** KP4QH WP4WR WP4INE *** indicates that all 2 x 1 call signs have been assigned in those areas.