Mar 10, 2010 12:00PM

Administrative Law Judge Says Washington State Licensee Can Keep Ham License

In January 2007, the FCC issued an Order to Show Cause to David L. Titus, KB7ILD, of Seattle, Washington, to justify why his General class Amateur Radio license should not be revoked and initiated a hearing process to determine whether Titus “is qualified to remain a Commission licensee” in light of a 1993 felony conviction at the age of 18 for “communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.” According to the FCC order, Titus received a 25-month prison sentence for this act, and the Seattle Police Department has identified him as a registered sex offender. On March 9, Administrative Law Judge Richard L. Sippel issued his Initial Decision -- saying that Titus “has been a law-abiding member of his community for many years” and ordered that Titus’ license should not be revoked based on the evidence presented by the defendant and witnesses on his behalf, as well as the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau failure to meet the burden of proof necessary for revocation. The FCC has said that The Communications Act of 1934, as amended provides that the Commission may revoke any license if conditions come to its attention that would warrant a denial of the licensee’s original application. In the past, the Commission has said that felony convictions, “especially those involving sexual offenses involving children,” raise questions regarding a licensee’s character qualifications. Sippel’s Initial Decision shall become effective and this proceeding shall be terminated 50 days after its release if exceptions are not filed within 30 days thereafter, unless the Commission elects to review the case on its own motion.

Mar 10, 2010 09:35AM

ARRL Requests Support for Senate Bill 1755

Senate Bill 1755 -- The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 introduced in October 2009 by Senators Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) -- has unanimously passed the US Senate and has been sent to the US House of Representatives for consideration and now sits in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The ARRL is asking its membership to contact the leadership of the Energy and Commerce committee, requesting support and action on moving S 1755 through the committee. S 1755 accomplishes the same things as HR 2160; HR 2160 was introduced in April 2009 by Rep Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18). Since S 1755 has already been approved by the Senate, moving it forward in the House will simplify the process.

Mar 10, 2010 07:37AM

FCC Amateur Radio Enforcement Correspondence Posted

The FCC has posted new Amateur Radio enforcement correspondence on its "Amateur Radio Service Enforcement Actions" Web page. Laura Smith, Special Counsel in the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, sent a letters to the Sacramento (California) Municipal Utility District and to Northwestern Energy of Helena, Montana; Northwestern Energy also received letters voicing these same concerns in March and September 2009. These letters concerned complaints that equipment operated by these utilities may be causing harmful radio interference to Amateur Radio operators. Direct all questions concerning the Amateur Radio Service Enforcement Actions Web postings via e-mail only to the FCC Enforcement Bureau.

Mar 10, 2010 10:28AM

ARRL Requests Support for Senate Bill 1755

Senate Bill 1755 -- The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 introduced in October 2009 by Senators Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) -- has unanimously passed the US Senate and has been sent to the US House of Representatives for consideration and now sits in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The ARRL is asking its membership to contact the leadership of the Energy and Commerce committee, requesting support and action on moving S 1755 through the committee. S 1755 accomplishes the same things as HR 2160; HR 2160 was introduced in April 2009 by Rep Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18). Since S 1755 has already been approved by the Senate, moving it forward in the House will simplify the process.

Read this story and much more on the Louisiana Section web site www.laarrl.org

Mar 10, 2010 08:55AM

Tokelou, Kiribati and Other Rare Phoenix IS. on DXpedition List

Read about this new DXpedition to the South Pacific and much more contest and DX news on the LA Section Web site www.laarrl.org

Mar 04, 2010 04:40PM

Delta Division Update now online

Read the latest update from Delta Division Director Mickey Cox on the LA Section Web site www.laarrl.org

Mar 04, 2010 11:27AM

IARU Region 1 admonishes top band contesters

Read this and much more on the Contest and DX page of the Louisiana Section Web Site www.laarrl.org

Mar 04, 2010 11:24AM

FCC Asked for Waiver by AHA

The American Hospital Assoc. has requested a waiver for hospital employees where emergency preparedness drills are concerned. Read all the details of this story and many others on the LA Section Web Site www.laarrl.org

Mar 09, 2010 05:41PM

R. Henry Rice, KC9JXX (SK):

R. Henry Rice, age 58, of Cambridge City, passed away on Saturday, March 6, 2010, at Reid Hospital in Richmond, Ind. He was born on March 29, 1951, in Hamilton, Ohio, to Raymond and Vernie Johnson Rice. Henry lived to assist his parents in the antique business. He was a Wayne County ham radio operator. His call letters were KC9JXX. He also loved airplanes often volunteering at Richmond Municipal Airport. He was a member of sky warning in Richmond.

Mar 08, 2010 05:29PM

Stillwater Students Rock the Radio Airwaves:

When is a retired Stillwater teacher not a retired Stillwater teacher? When the principal asks him to come back and work with the students doing Radio Roundup. Stillwater Elementary is one of a very few elementary schools nationwide that has an amateur radio program, which puts students on the air in real time. It's an activity that offers a unique learning experience which Stillwater students look forward to every year \& even if the teacher is retired! This year one hundred and thirty-two students were given the opportunity to make a radio contact with someone, somewhere in the world. Third, fourth and fifth grade students made radio contacts in 24 states as well as Canada and Tokyo, Japan.

Mar 07, 2010 05:30PM

Tape Measure Beam Optimized for Radio Direction Finding:

This antenna evolved during my search for a beam with a really great front-to-back ratio to use in hidden transmitter hunts. This design exhibits a very clean pattern and is perfect for RDF use. It trades a bit of forward gain in exchange for a very deep notch in the pattern toward the rear. (You could optimize the design for more forward gain, but at the expense of a really good notch in the pattern toward the rear.) It is a design that can be constructed using only simple hand tools (no machine shop needed) and still perform well. It has been duplicated several dozen times by other local hams and has been successfully used as a club construction project. When I designed this antenna I had one basic idea in mind. It had to be easy to get in and out of the car when hunting for a hidden transmitter. This would be accomplished by the use of steel "tape measure" elements. These elements could fold easily when fitting the antenna into my car and yet still be self supporting. I decided to use three elements to keep the boom from getting too long.

Jan 05, 2010 12:48PM

The New Photonic Communications

by Raymond ?Woody? Woodward K3VSA North Carolina ARRL Public Information Officer A directed beam of light from a 3 Watt red Luxeon LED at a distance of almost fifteen miles, easily stands out against the lights of Salt Lake City, Utah.   (Credit Photo: Clint Turner KA7OEI, copyright, used with permission)   Since the beginning of wireless, Amateur Radio operators [...]

Jan 04, 2010 07:19AM

A new satellite for Radio Amateurs

Hope-1 was developed by CANSAT and includes both a linear (SSB) transponder as well as a strong and sensitive FM repeater. This repeater can be used for regular voice contacts as well as digital communication.

Nov 02, 2009 09:03AM

ANDE-2 Experiments and Amateur Radio

by Henk Hamoen, PA3GUO, The Netherlands   Very often I find it difficult to explain to ‘outsiders’ what “HAM” radio is all about. Therefore I have released a short video on YouTube about the recent ANDE-2 experiments and how Radio Amateurs world-wide contributed to this mission;   When I was a young kid I watched the first Space Shuttle [...]