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N9PBY > ARRL 31.12.99 16:13l 170 Lines 8054 Bytes #-9636 (0) @ WW
BID : ARLV18N50-1
Read: DL8FA DJ7XU DL9MFI GUEST
Subj: The ARRL Letter V18, N50 (Part 1)
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Sent: 991224/2316z 580@N9PBY.EN63BI.WI.USA.NA
December 24, 1999
__________________________________
IN THIS EDITION:
* +Kenwood seeks FCC ruling on "Sky Command" system
* +Venezuelan hams respond to flood disaster
* +Wisconsin governor thanks hams via 40 meters
* +Hams help solo rower
* Amazon Queen 2000 expedition set to sail
* The Y2K Song
* Solar update
* IN BRIEF:
This weekend on the radio
AMRAD LF beacon heard in Ontario
Cash only for W1, W2 bureaus
Foale back in space
Kid's Day is coming New Year's Day
QST Cover Plaque Award
Santa Claus comes to town
UK to allow Amateur Radio-Internet links
+Available on ARRL Audio News
__________________________________
KENWOOD ASKS FCC TO RULE ON "SKY COMMAND" SYSTEM
Kenwood Communications Corporation has asked the FCC either to declare
that its "Sky Command" system complies with Commission rules or to waive
applicable sections of the rules to make it legal.
The "Sky Command" system, which Kenwood has been marketing for about
two years, lets the user control a fixed HF station via a pair of dual-band
transceivers. Sky Command operates in full duplex, using a 70-cm
frequency to transmit audio and control commands to a dualband transceiver at the
remote station and a 2-meter frequency to transmit received audio via
the remote station's SkyCommand transceiver to the operator's transceiver.
Sky Command's VHF link also includes a Morse code ID.
The ARRL has declined to permit Kenwood to advertise its "Sky Command"
system in QST, maintaining that the system is not legal to use as it's
configured. The League says that Kenwood's use of a 2-meter frequency
would cause amateurs using the system to violate Section 97.201(b), which
limits auxiliary operation to certain frequencies above 222.15 MHz.
The League in the past has opposed lowering the minimum frequency for
auxiliary operation. The Sky Command issue arose during the ARRL
Executive Committee meeting December 4. After some discussion, the EC requested
that Executive Vice President David Sumner, K1ZZ, prepare a paper to explain
the rationale for the present rule and to provide a basis for future
discussion on whether the restriction was still needed.
In its petition for a declaratory ruling or waiver--filed November 4
but not released until December 15--Kenwood claims that the Sky Command VHF
transmission link "should be viewed as merely providing third party
communications" and not as part of an auxiliary link.
"Kenwood is confident that the Sky Command System fully complies with
the remote control, telecommand, and auxiliary station provisions of
Sections 97.109(c), 97.213, and 97.201," the manufacturer told the FCC. Kenwood
wants the FCC to confirm in a declaratory ruling that the Sky Command System
complies with those rules. But, Kenwood said, if the FCC does not
concur, then Kenwood requests a "blanket waiver" of those rules for amateurs
using Sky Command.
Kenwood also asks for either a declaratory ruling or a blanket waiver
with respect to Section 97.111, which covers authorized transmissions.
The manufacturer says the VHF link complies with the rules because it
only carries audio from the HF station receiver, is not involved with
telecommand of the remote station, and is under the supervision of the control
operator.
Comments on the Kenwood petition are due by January 31, 2000. Reply
comments are due by February 14, 2000. Commenters should reference DA 99-2805.
VENEZUELAN HAMS ACTIVATE IN FLOODING DISASTER
Word from Venezuela is that hams activated early on during the flooding
and mud slide disaster that struck that country's Caribbean coast December
16.
"The emergency is by all means the major disaster that ever happened in
Venezuela in modern times, and there is an ongoing need for further
communication support," said Pedro Seidemann, YV5BPG.
Seidemann says Radio Club Venezolano club station YV5AJ and national
emergency net station YV5RNE are on the air on the official emergency
frequency 7090 kHz as well as on local 2-meter repeaters and monitoring
146.580 simplex.
Initial flooding following several days of sustained rainfall was
exacerbated by mud slides resulting from overflowing creeks coming down
from the Avila mountain range. "Mud slides, some high in the mountains, were
the major cause of the disaster in this part of the country," Seidemann
said, noting that the sustained rains are considered "rather unusual" in that
part of the world.
Officials say the death toll in the flooding and subsequent mud slides
could go as high as 20,000. Seidemann said countless people are still
unaccounted for, and--especially in the seacoast area near Caracas--many bodies
have been buried by thick mud.
"Venezuelan Civil Defense organization and Conatel--the national
telecommunication administration--and the Red Cross have asked RCV for
its urgent ongoing support in the seacoast townships near Caracas,"
Seidemann said this week. Hard hit are the Barlovento area east of Caracas and
the Falcon State in northwestern Venezuela. "There, local radio
communications have collapsed, and highways are cut. Large areas are without
electricity."
Seidemann said the power outages also are affecting telephone service.
Seidemann says RCV is focusing its communications support toward these
two disaster areas, where flood survivors remain in isolated regions.
Just before the disaster, RCV had tested its facilities on HF and VHF
to check for Y2K compliance. As a result, Seidemann says, RCV already was
in a state of readiness when the disaster struck. RCV has acknowledged the
cooperation on 40 meters of foreign stations in avoiding the Venezuelan
Emergency Net frequency.
Seidemann indicated a need for additional Amateur Radio gear in
Venezuela.
Elsewhere, the Salvation Army's SATERN has set up a health-and-welfare
network accessible via http://go.to/satern . Salvation Army volunteer
Quent Nelson, WA4BZY, in the Atlanta area has been coordinating the H&W
operation. Nelson has established direct contact with Mike Anson, YV5/VE7AMV, who
is within two blocks of the catastrophe in Caracas, Venezuela.
WISCONSIN GOVERNOR ADDRESSES STATE'S HAMS
Wisconsin Gov Tommy Thompson took to the Amateur Radio airwaves
December 16 to express his appreciation to the Badger State's ham community--and
especially to those volunteering to remain on alert during the Y2K
changeover.
"I want to take this opportunity to thank all the ham radio operators
out there who are volunteering their time on December 31 and January 1 to
make sure that we do not have any problems," Thompson said. The governor
made his remarks from the Wisconsin Emergency Management emergency operations
center radio room in Madison during a pre-arranged contact with Wisconsin
Section Emergency Coordinator Stan Kaplan, WB9RQR. The contact was carried out
on 40 meters. Dane County EC Sam Rowe, KG9NG, served as control operator.
Thompson and his cabinet were visiting the Wisconsin Division of
Emergency Government headquarters to review Y2K preparedness.
During the contact, Kaplan told the governor that about 1000 of
Wisconsin's 12,000 amateurs are regularly involved in emergency communication.
Because of Y2K, many hams not normally active in emergency communication would
be standing by on New Year's Eve, Kaplan added. Hams across the state have
been recruited by public safety agencies, utilities, hospitals and local
government to stand by during the Y2K transition.
Calling amateurs "valuable citizens of the State of Wisconsin," the
governor said it was comforting to know that they were willing to spend their
own time "to make sure that other citizens are taken care of."
Thompson also took the opportunity to wish happy holidays to everyone
who had tuned in for the occasion. The scheduled contact had received some
advance publicity. After the scheduled contact, Thompson stayed around
to greet other amateurs who checked in.
"As each ham announced his town or county, it was obvious that the
governor understood--and was delighted--that the circuit he had just used had
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