BRATS The Milliwatt ARRL
The award-winning monthly publication of
The Baltimore Radio Amateur Television Society
P.O.Box 5915 Baltimore, MD 21282-5915

March, 2005

Come to the next BRATS meeting, March 8th! ... We'd love to see you!

ARRL Tells FCC to "Reconsider, Rescind and Restudy" BPL Order

The ARRL has petitioned the FCC to take its broadband over power line (BPL) Report and Order (R&O) back to the drawing board. In a Petition for Reconsideration filed today, the League called on the Commission to "reconsider, rescind and restudy" its October 14, 2004, adoption of new Part 15 rules spelling out how BPL providers may deploy the technology on HF and low-VHF frequencies. Asserting that the R&O fails to adequately take into account the technology's potential to interfere with Amateur Radio and other licensed services, the League called the FCC's action to permit BPL "a gross policy mistake." The R&O, the ARRL said, "represents a classic case of prejudgment" by an FCC that knew better but ignored evidence already at its disposal. [ARRL Web Extra]

Industry Canada reports "overwhelming agreement" to drop Morse requirement (Jan 20, 2005)

Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) reports that an Industry Canada (IC) analysis has found "overwhelming agreement" that Canada should move away from retaining a Morse code requirement as "the sole means of gaining access" to the HF amateur bands. IC has posted a summary of comments from the amateur community to RAC's Recommendations from Radio Amateurs of Canada to Industry Canada concerning Morse Code and Related Matters. Said RAC, "Amateurs should note that while the responses heavily favored deletion of the Morse Qualification as a requirement for access to the HF bands, Industry Canada still has to make and announce a decision on Morse retention or deletion." IC said there were 123 comments in favor of relaxed code requirements and only 19 "clearly opposed." Another six comments were inconclusive. The regulatory agency also has attempted to gauge the level of support for each of RAC's 12 license restructuring recommendations and said it would formulate a plan to implement changes emerging from the consultation process. RAC notes that until IC announces a decision to delete Morse, Canadian amateurs not holding the Morse Qualification may not operate on the HF bands.

RADIO AMATEUR KILLED IN LOS ANGELES RAIL CRASH

A ham was among 11 people killed in a collision of two Los Angeles commuter trains on Wednesday, January 26th. This, after one struck an automobile left on the tracks in what authorities have called an aborted suicide attempt by a deranged man. The accident happened at dawn in the suburb of Glendale. The impact sent passengers flying through the trains and landing on top of one another. At least 200 people were injured. Among those who did not survive was Scott McKeown, KE6EMI. According to Dino Darling, K6RIX, McKeown was a former employee of the City of Glendale. More recently had taken a position with the communications group of the City of Pasadena. KE6EMI was also an ongoing communications volunteer with the Angeles Crest 100-Mile Endurance Run for which Darling is Communications Race Director. McKeown worked positions at Mt Hillyer and was the leader at Chilao in 2004. Scott McKeown, KE6EMI is survived by his wife and two young children. Funeral arrangements are pending. (K6RIX) [AR Newsline]

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