| June, 2007 |  |
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Attention All Amateurs ...
FCC Poised to Cut Vanity Call Sign Fee by More Than 40 Percent
The FCC has proposed reducing the regulatory fee to obtain or retain an Amateur Radio vanity call sign by more than 40 percent starting later this year. In a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) released April 18, "Assessment and Collection of Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2007," in MD Docket 07-81, the Commission is proposing to cut the fee from its current $20.80 to $11.70. If ultimately adopted, that would mark the lowest fee in the history of the current vanity call sign program.
ARRL Withdraws "Regulation by Bandwidth" Petition, Plans to Refile
The ARRL has announced it's withdrawing its controversial November 2005 Petition for Rule Making (RM-11306) calling on the FCC to establish a regulatory regime to segment bands by necessary bandwidth rather than by emission mode. The League cited "widespread misconceptions" surrounding the petition as a primary reason for deciding to remove it from FCC consideration. The ARRL left open the option of refiling the same or a similar petition in the future, however.
FCC Terminates Hearing, Denies Application in “Ham License Hijacking” Case
The FCC has terminated with prejudice a hearing proceeding
involving a case of apparent ham radio identity theft. The FCC has said
its evidence suggests that Joseph W. Hartmann Jr of Lansing, Michigan,
“intentionally submitted fraudulent administrative updates” to obtain
the privileges associated with the General class license of a Delaware
radio amateur with a very similar name. In a Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O)
released March 23, the FCC further ruled to dismiss with prejudice
Hartmann’s pending new Amateur Radio license application, which he
filed after the FCC questioned his attempts to change the Delaware
ham’s record in the Universal Licensing System (ULS). After several apparently unsuccessful attempts to deliver a Hearing Designation Order (HDO)
to Hartmann and even affording him more time to file a written
appearance, Hartmann sent Presiding Administrative Law Judge Arthur I.
Steinberg three identical e-mail messages.
FCC petitioned to restore Morse tests
The American communications regulator, the FCC, has received petitions to reverse its recent decision to drop the Morse requirement from amateur radio licences. Petitioner Anthony R. Gordon, KG6EQM, of West Covina, California, contends that significant national security implications require that the FCC take another look at the issue. [RSGB]
ARRL Finds Welcome News in FCC "Smart Radio" Order
In a recent Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O)
on cognitive or “smart radio” systems, the FCC has affirmed its
favorable policy toward the regulation of amateur software defined
radios (SDRs). A cognitive radio system is an SDR that can adapt its
operating parameters by interacting with its RF environment. The FCC’s
April 20 MO&O was in response to petitions seeking clarification of the Commission’s March 2005 Report and Order (R&O)
in ET Docket 03-108. In that proceeding the agency declined to adopt
any new regulations for cognitive Amateur Radio transceivers or for
digital-to-analog (D/A) converters. ARRL Chief Technology Officer Paul
Rinaldo, W4RI, says the April MO&O indicates that the FCC intends to treat Amateur Radio SDRs the same as any other Amateur Radio equipment.
| June, 2007 | |
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