In Brief

June 29, 1999

ULS wants your numbers; Oregon antenna bill goes to governor for signature; FCC proposes Part 15 rules changes for 2.4 GHz; Special Event Station W9C; ARRL W9 Incoming QSL Bureau address change; KDKA-TV seeks historical artifacts; Ham radio class via shortwave; First ARISS gear to launch on STS-101; Four hams make Eagle Scout; John Glenn, astronauts, get Spanish award; Special Canadian prefix; New Zealand Y2K prefix

ULS wants your numbers: Once the FCC implements the Universal Licensing System for the Amateur Service--sometime in August--the FCC will require both your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN--typically your Social Security Number) and your telephone number (the current paper FCC Form 610 already requests a daytime telephone number). These requirements hold for all FCC licensees, not just amateurs. The FCC says it will not make TIN/SSN information public, but telephone numbers provided apparently will be available in the public ULS records. Registration in the ULS is required. Individuals eligible to hold a Social Security Number must provide this number to the FCC in order to be registered in the ULS.

Oregon antenna bill goes to governor for signature: Oregon's Amateur Radio antenna legislation dealing with FCC opinion and order PRB-1 has cleared the state legislature and now goes to Gov John Kitzhaber for his signature. Support for the bill--known as Senate Bill 879--was strong. The measure passed the state Senate 26-0 and the House of Representatives on a 53-3 vote. Unlike similar state statutes, the Oregon bill does not specifically reference PRB-1, the limited federal preemption. Instead, the informs state and local planners and government officials that Amateur Radio antennas and/or support structures are essentially outside their oversight if the structure is 70 feet or less. The Valley Radio Club of Eugene/Springfield, Bob Shelby, W7FPY, and several ARRL Northwestern Division and Oregon Section team leaders have been involved in moving the legislation through the legislature.--Marshall Johnson, KK7CW

FCC proposes Part 15 rules changes for 2.4 GHz: The Commission proposed to amend the Part 15 rules regarding the operation of non-licensed spread spectrum systems. Specifically, to revise the rules for frequency hopping systems operating in the 2.4 GHz band (2400-2483.5 MHz) to allow for wider operational bandwidths. Amateur Radio has a shared allocation at 2390-2450 MHz. The proposal is Docket ET 99-231. The FCC issued the NPRM on June 21.--FCC

Special Event Station W9C: Special event station W9C will operate July 7-10 from The Great Circus Parade showgrounds, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Expected hours of operation are 1800-0300 UTC, SSB and CW, 40-10 meters (7040, 7240, 14040, 14240, 21040, 21340, 28040 and 28140 kHz). Some 75/80-meter operation is possible. A commemorative certificate or card will go to confirmed contacts upon receipt of a QSL card. QSL to the West Allis Radio Amateur Club, PO Box 1072, Milwaukee, WI 53201. W9C will complement the activities of special event station W9R aboard The Great Circus Train (see July QST, p 89).--Les, W9YCV

ARRL W9 Incoming QSL Bureau address change: Effective immediately, the new address for the W9 Incoming QSL Bureau is: Northern Illinois DX Assn, W9 Incoming QSL Bureau, PO Box 273, Glenview, IL 60025-0273. For more information, contact Bill Russin, N9BR, n9br@arrl.net.

KDKA-TV seeks historical artifacts: KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh, is celebrating 50 years on the air and needs the help of former employees who have pictures, promos, commercials, programs, segments, stories, etc to share! Contact Paul Funk, funk@kdka.com or 412-575-2243, or Jan Getz, getz@kdka.com or 412-575-3216 by July 15.--ShopTalk

Ham radio class via shortwave: Ham Radio 101 is an on-the-air ham radio theory course broadcast over shortwave station WGTG, McCaysville, Georgia, with the idea of bringing additional people into the hobby. The host is Bill Lauterbach, WA8MEA. An amateur radio operator for 30 years, Lauterbach owns DWM Communications, a small shortwave/amateur accessories manufacturer and mail order retailer. The program also includes beginner Morse code tutoring, hosted by station owner, Dave Frantz, WA4SZE. For times and frequencies, visit http://www.erols.com/imageinn/dwm and click the "Ham Radio 101" icon.--Bill Lauterbach, WA8MEA

First ARISS gear to launch on STS-101: The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station team remains busy with the development and qualification of hardware for the International Space Station. The ARISS team plans to deliver the initial Amateur Radio hardware for the ISS this July for launch aboard STS-101 in December. This hardware is being built and qualified by a multinational team with members from Russia, Italy, Germany and the US. The first Amateur Radio operation from the ISS is expected to take place as early as this December, with continuous operation of the equipment expected in March 2000.--AMSAT News Service

Four hams make Eagle Scout: Four young hams have attained the rank of Eagle Scout. They are Christopher T. Sharp, KC7PCX; Charles W. Sharp, KC7OVX; David L. Haveman, KC7TYG; and Nicholas J. Rayes, KC7SKK, all of Phoenix, Arizona. The four were elevated to Scouting's highest rank in a May 21 Eagle Scout Court of Honor.--Tom Sharp, WA9OXY

John Glenn, astronauts, get Spanish award: Astronaut John Glenn and three astronauts from other countries received Spain's prestigious Prince of Asturias International Cooperation Price June 16. Glenn shares the award with Japan's Chiaki Mukai, Russia's Valery Polyakov, and Spain's Pedro Duque, who holds the US call sign KC5RGG. They were chosen by a jury of 18 Spanish intellectuals and academics The prize includes a cash award of $31,000, and a Joan Miro sculpture.--press reports

Special Canadian prefix: At the request of the Calgary Amateur Radio Association, Industry Canada has authorized the use of the special prefix CY6 in place of VE6 for amateurs in Calgary, Alberta, July 1-14, to promote the Calgary Stampede.--RAC

New Zealand Y2K prefix: The New Zealand Ministry of Commerce says hams in that country may use the ZM prefix instead of the ZL prefix from October 1, 1999-March 31, 2000, to mark the arrival of the new millennium.--IARU Region 3 Newsletter

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