Hono Amateur Radio Club

Volume 7, Issue 7 An ARRL Affiliated Radio Club September 1, 2003

SEPTEMBER IS A HARC MEETING MONTH!
Mark your calendar - PLEASE ATTEND!
Saturday September 20, 2003
0900-1100
ZIPPY'S on Vineyard Blvd
Corner of Vineyard and Mauna Kea Streets
Entrance on Maunakea Street

Inside This Issue
1 President's Message de K1ER
2 ARRL Dicision Director - Next Issue
3 Meeting plans, Repeater, Beacon KH6WO/R & B
4 FCC Amateur Radio Enforcement Log
5 Calendar of EventsFCC News

President's Message

Here we go again

John D. Peters K1ER

President HARC


MORE CHANGES IN 2003

Peter Demmer KH6CTQ, my next door neighbor has moved away and is enjoying seeing the USA in his RV. I did that for several years, and it IS a great way to live. Pete and Pat will have fun. I have a new ham next door, actually several of them. DXers at that. AH7C and KH6BK will be joining the fun on DX or RF hill. I'll get them to our meetings.
Peter Demmer is no longer a Director of HARC and is replaced by Tom Seale KH6JCY.

Have you noticed the improved delivery of QST? I don't know why, but perhaps Bob Vallejo W6RGG our PACIFIC DIVISION DIRECTOR is taking care of us.

The power outage in August which created confusion and blacked out most of the Northeast USA is a warning to every ham. If YOU do not have a generator large enough to carry the loads in your home including your radio station, YOU SHOULD. I recommend a 5 kW unit with electric start. I used to routinely, every year, lose power for at least a week in Virginia. REA power in the middle of winter is unreliable. But a power outage from failed transmission line, or tower, or serious storm is a real consideration in Hawaii. You can get a quiet, reliable generator from many dealers such as Home Depot, SAM'S, COSTCO, Kilgos, et al. The price is right and the selection is good while the weather is nice and the demand is low. Do not wait until you need it to shop.

If you are not active and on the air because you think the Sun Spots are down and there is nothing to work, you're making a big mistake. The bands are open all the time to some DX you need. You must work harder and longer because the openings are sometimes short, but the chase is the fun. A ham in the Soloman Islands, H44MD, who graduated in the first radio school class supported by HARC is frequently on the air every day. He is a youngster and a good operator. Look for him in the early evening around 14.195. Two stations in TEMOTU H40 have been on the air for the last week. Dozens of stations are on the air in IRAQ, YI. Omar YK1AO is regularly on from Syria. Europe, Africa, N&S America, Asia are there for you to work every day from 80 to 10 meters.

If you prefer working locals, 7088 at 4 pm local finds a gaggle of KH6 talking about the local weather.

The BMARC on the MISSOURI worked over 600 stations on the Museum Ship Weekend, exceeded only by the NEW JERSEY Club which doesn't have to work over 2500 miles of water to W & K.

The point is, don't let the declining subspots keep you off the air. And don't fail to heed the warning provided by the power outage in the Northeast states.

We can discuss SAFELY using emergency power at a future HARC Meeting.

73 John K1ER

Meeting plans, Repeater, Beacon KH6WO/R & B

The September meeting has no scheduled speaker. The November meeting has a speaker on the topic SAFE CLIMBING of your tower, and antenna maintenance. Plan to attend both and join the discussions and good fellowship at the meetings.

The club repeater KH6WO/R on 146.18/78 is the club repeater. Try it. The club beacon station is receiving SWL reports from all around the world. KH6WO (beacon) is part of the NCDXF world wide system and you can read all about it on the internet. http://www.ncdxc.org and click on beacons. Want to know which bands are open to any area, this is one way to find out. I have requested permission from the FCC to change the KH6WO (beacon) to include the 12, 17 and 30 meter bands. This aid to the study of HF propagation has been a boon to radio operators world wide. Only the KH6WO repeater has not had permission to operate on the WARC bands and I expect FCC permission. The station license for KH6WO has been renewed for another ten years.

73 John HAVE FUN! GET ON THE AIR!

TREASURER'S REPORT

A few members have paid their dues for 2004 and you may do so anytime.

Balance on July 17 (latest statement) $4,108.54
Includes a deposit of three dues $45.00 and a bank fee of 35c for the "privilege" of holding our money.
The cost of printing and mailing the September HARC Newsletter will appear in the next report.

 

FCC Amateur Radio Enforcement Log
August 9, 2003


A representative listing of recent reports on Amateur Radio enforcement-related actions from the files of the FCC Enforcement Bureau:

NOTE: Issuance by the FCC of a Warning Notice indicates that the FCC has what it believes to be reliable evidence of possible rules infractions and not necessarily that the recipient has violated FCC rules. The FCC has the authority, pursuant to §97.519(d)(2) of the rules to readminister any examination element previously administered by a volunteer examiner. This Enforcement Log is representative of recent Warning Notices, Notices of Violation, calls for retesting, and other FCC communications to licensees involving possible serious rules violations. This log is compiled monthly. It is not a comprehensive listing of FCC Amateur enforcement actions.

====

July 16, 2003
Mayor Al Netto
PO Box 430
Gouverneur, NY 13642
Dear Mayor Netto:
The Federal Communications Commission has received complaints that equipment operated by the Village of Gouverneur may be causing harmful radio interference to an operator in the Amateur Radio Service. The complainant is:

Mr. Morton Howard, W2ATO
182 W. Barney Street
Gouverneur, NY 13642

The FCC has the responsibility to require that municipalities rectify such problems within a reasonable time if the interference is caused by faulty power utility equipment. Under FCC rules, most power-line and related equipment is classified as an "incidental radiator." This term is used to describe equipment that does not intentionally generate any radio-frequency energy, but that may create such energy as an incidental part of its intended operation.

To help you better understand your responsibilities under FCC rules, here are the most important rules relating to radio and television interference from incidental radiators:

Title 47, CFR Section 15.5 General conditions of operation.
(b) Operation of an intentional, unintentional, or incidental radiator is subject to the conditions that no harmful interference is caused and that interference must be accepted that may be caused by the operation of an authorized radio station, by another intentional or unintentional radiator, by industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) equipment, or by an incidental radiator.
(c) The operator of the radio frequency device shall be required to cease operating the device upon notification by a Commission representative that the device is causing harmful interference. Operation shall not resume until the condition causing the harmful interference has been corrected.

Title 47, CFR Section 15.13 Incidental radiators.
Manufacturers of these devices shall employ good engineering practices to minimize the risk of harmful interference.

Title 47, CFR Section 15.15 General technical requirements.
(c) Parties responsible for equipment compliance should note that the limits specified in this part will not prevent harmful interference under all circumstances. Since the operators of Part 15 devices are required to cease operation should harmful interference occur to authorized users of the radio frequency spectrum, the parties responsible for equipment compliance are encouraged to employ the minimum field strength necessary for communications, to provide greater attenuation of unwanted emissions than required by these regulations, and to advise the user as to how to resolve harmful interference problems (for example, see Sec. 15.105(b)).

The complainant has attempted unsuccessfully to work through your usual complaint resolution process and as a result the matter has been referred to our office. The FCC prefers that those responsible for the proper operation of power lines assume their responsibilities fairly. This means that your utility company should locate the source of any interference caused by its equipment and make necessary corrections within a reasonable time.

While the FCC has confidence that most utility companies are able to resolve these issues voluntarily, the FCC wants to make your office aware that this unresolved problem may be a violation of FCC rules and could result in a monetary forfeiture for each occurrence. At this stage, the FCC encourages the parties to resolve this problem without FCC intervention, but if necessary to facilitate resolution, the FCC may investigate possible rules violations and address appropriate remedies.
The American Radio Relay League, a national organization of Amateur Radio operators, may be able to offer help and guidance about radio interference that involves Amateur Radio operators.

American Radio Relay League
Radio Frequency Interference Desk
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111
860-594-0200
E-mail: rfi@arrl.org

Please advise the complainant what steps your utility company is taking to correct this reported interference problem. The FCC expects that most cases can be resolved within 60 days of the time they are first reported to the utility company. If you are unable to resolve this within 60 days, please advise this office about the nature of the problem, the steps you are taking to resolve it and the estimated time in which those steps can be accomplished.
If you have any questions about this matter, please contact:
W. Riley Hollingsworth
Special Counsel
Enforcement Bureau, FCC
E-mail rholling@fcc.gov

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,
Sharon Bowers, Deputy Chief
Consumer Inquiries & Complaint Division


2003 Member Application Form

New or renewal, same form. The best way to learn what your new license can mean is to chat with the old timers who've been there. Mail a check to HARC. Mail a check to HARC.

Name __________
Callsign __________
Address __________
City __________
StateZIPCODE __________

ARRL Member? (Yes) (Life) (No)

Dues for 2003 are due and remain $15
Mail to:

John D. Peters K1ER
98-1547 Akaaka Street
Aiea, HI 96701-3051

 

HARC WANTS YOUR INPUT!

What do YOU want HARC to do?

What would YOU like to do in HARC?

I need material for this Newsletter. Do you want me to copy material from the Pacific Division ARRL Newsletter? ARRL Bulletins? Why don't YOU write something and send it?

W5YI VE Session at HARC Meetings

The W5YI VE team is headed by Lee Wical KH6BZ.

The VE Session will follow the HARC Meeting. If you have any question, contact Lee. The fee is set by the FCC. You need your current license and a copy of it, plus a photo ID, if you plan to upgrade.

HARC, John D. Peters K1ER
98-1547 Akaaka Street
Aiea, HI 96701-3051
USA