January, 2007

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Broadcasters Join ARRL in BPL Appeal
Two major broadcasters' groups have lined up with the ARRL in its appeal to federal court of parts of the FCC's decision on Broadband over Power Lines, or BPL. The National Association of Broadcasters and the Association for Maximum Service Television (a major digital TV group) filed a joint motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, seeking permission to "intervene" in support of the ARRL's position. Since both organizations filed comments in the original FCC proceedings, they are entitled by right to intervene, according to the ARRL Letter, so court approval was expected. Several BPL proponents were seeking to intervene on the FCC's side.

ARRL Seeks FCC, ITU Action on 60 Meters
The ARRL is working on two fronts to get hams greater access to, and more flexibility on, the 60-meter band. Currently, FCC rules stipulate five distinct channels and permit SSB only, at a maximum power of 50 watts effective radiated power (ERP). In addition, there is no international allocation for amateur radio at 5 MHz. The ARRL Letter reports that the League has filed a petition for rulemaking with the FCC, seeking higher power (100 w. ERP), the ability to operate CW and other digital modes in addition to SSB, and a replacement channel at 5358.5 kHz instead of the current one at 5368.0, which is often busy with government traffic (amateur radio is secondary on the band). In addition, the ARRL is asking the FCC to support a proposal before the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to create a worldwide secondary amateur allocation at 5260-5410 kHz. The proposal could be considered at the next World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC), which will be held later this year.

CANADA'S 7.335 MHZ CHU TIME SIGNAL COULD GO SILENT, SHIFT FREQUENCY
Changes in international frequency allocations could force Canada's CHU time-standard signal on 7.335 MHz to go off the air, change frequency or get another license by next spring. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has reallocated the 7300-7350 kHz band from "fixed service" to "broadcasting," effective April 2007. CHU now operates there as a fixed service facility. CHU's other frequencies -- 3.330 and 14.670 MHz -- are not affected. The station has been including messages in English and French in its 7.335 MHz transmissions to solicit information from CHU listeners and to help shape recommendations regarding which direction to go. "On April 1, 2007, CHU needs to stop operating, change frequencies, or re-license. Contact radio.chu@nrc.gc.ca or mail CHU Canada K1A 0R6," the English version says.

FCC Cites Possible Ham License Hijacking in Initiating Hearing Proceeding
The FCC has begun a hearing proceeding in the case of an Amateur Radio applicant who, the Commission says, may have attempted earlier to hijack the General class ticket of a Delaware man with a similar name. The FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) issued a Hearing Designation Order (HDO) to Joseph W. Hartmann Jr, last known to be living in Lansing, Michigan, on December 11. The FCC put Hartmann's January 2006 application for an Amateur Radio license on hold while it looked into why Hartmann in 2005 filed a half-dozen administrative updates seeking to change the name and address of Joseph V. Hartman Sr, K3GUX, of Oceanview, Delaware, to his own name and address.

Moroccan QSL Bureau closes
The Moroccan QSL Bureau has recently closed. If any members have cards for CN, please ensure that they are sent either to a "via" in a country whose national society has a QSL bureau, or alternatively send them direct. For reference, the IARU maintains a list of national societies that have QSL bureaus. The IARU list can be found at www.iaru.org/iaruqsl.html.

January, 2007

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