FCC Chairman Michael Powell (left) chats with ARRL President Haynie as ARRL First Vice President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, looks on.
FCC Chairman Michael Powell (left) chats with ARRL President Haynie as ARRL First Vice President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, looks on. |
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 21, 2001--The ARRL this week took Amateur Radio's message directly to FCC Headquarters in Washington, DC. ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, said the idea behind the ARRL's "Amateur Radio Demo and Education Day" September 18 was to foster a positive view of the Amateur Service--especially with three new commissioners on board who may not be familiar with ham radio and the issues it faces.
"The FCC is bombarded with paper every day in the form of filings, briefings, backgrounders and other print materials," said Haynie, who masterminded the demonstration. "So our purpose was to let the commissioners and their staff get out of the 'paper chase' for awhile and see Amateur Radio up close."
The "demo" part of the event included a fully operational HF Amateur Radio station, which was used to make several contacts, a selection of low-profile antennas, a PSK31 setup, and a software-defined radio designed and built by Bob Larkin, W7PUA--and featured in QST. The "education" facet comprised various informational posters throughout the room.
 ARRL Technical Relations Manager Paul Rinaldo, W4RI (right), demonstrates the HF station to an FCC staff member. |
Haynie was able to spend most of the day-long session chatting about Amateur Radio issues with FCC Chairman Michael Powell, commissioners Kathleen Abernathy, Michael Copps, and Kevin Martin, and key FCC staffers. "The Chairman came in at 11 with all of his support staff and spent about 20 minutes asking questions about our various displays," said Haynie.
Equally enthusiastic was ARRL First Vice President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, who also represented ARRL at the event. "We wanted to show the continuing--and maybe even growing--importance of Amateur Radio to the nation's telecommunications infrastructure, and to demonstrate our role in technological development and emergency communication," Harrison said.
 ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Jon Siverling, WB3ERA (second from left), shows FCC Chairman Michael Powell a low-power PSK31 transceiver by Small Wonder Labs. Looking on (left to right) are ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, and ARRL First Vice President Joel Harrison, W5ZN. |
And that latter aspect did raise a somber note, as the Amateur Radio demonstration took place only days after the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. Powell had asked the FCC to "go on with the show," because of his commitment to keeping the FCC running on a business-as-usual basis during the national crisis, to ensure both continuity of communication and the spirit of the employees. News of the tragic situation still pouring in underscored Amateur Radio's value in providing emergency assistance.
In Haynie's view, the highlight of the event was the interest and involvement of Chairman Powell and his staff as well as the opportunity personally to meet the other three new commissioners. Haynie expressed special gratitude for how smoothly the demonstration was coordinated within the FCC by Powell's senior legal advisor Peter Tenhula, and Mike Marcus of the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology.
Displayed around the room were professionally produced posters depicting Amateur Radio disaster communication, the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program, and the home of a Florida ham couple whose antennas have been carefully integrated into the landscape and invisible to neighbors. Others highlighted microwave technology, kids having fun hamming, and deed covenants, conditions and restrictions--or CC&Rs--as they affect the ability of amateurs subjected to private land-use regulations to erect suitable antennas. One surprisingly popular poster featured a description of radio wave propagation. A videotape loop on Kid's Day ran all day long.
 ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP (right), shows a compact "loop" antenna system manufactured by MFJ to FCC Commissioner Kevin Martin. |
Haynie said that some commissioners seemed particularly interested in information on Amateur Radio antenna installations that had been erected under the "reasonable accommodation" provision of PRB-1, as well as the equipment displays. Also available were books, information kits and--of course--food and beverages.
Haynie said he was especially pleased that all the commissioners and nearly every FCC department head turned out with their staff members--nearly 100 visitors in all. Chairman Powell spent considerable time examining every display and asked for a personal demonstration of the PSK31 equipment. He was also interested in Amateur Radio involvement in rescue efforts at the World Trade Center and Pentagon disaster sites and how the Amateur Radio Emergency Service operates.
 ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD (right), chats with Bruce A. Franca, acting chief of the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology |
ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay said he was pleased to see that people did not just "cruise through" but stayed to discuss issues and topics raised by the various displays, and many of the FCC staffers asked excellent questions.
"The FCC people wanted to talk about all kinds of things," said Imlay, "and we got the chance to get together with the right people about the right issues, often with the right equipment to show what we were talking about."
Imlay said the demonstrations set the stage for productive future discussions with the FCC on a number of important Amateur Radio issues and could lead to follow-up meetings on such tough topics as CC&Rs. Imlay said he got the impression that some points were made by the demonstration "particularly when it comes to showing how hams and homeowners associations can easily coexist," he said.
On behalf of the ARRL contingent, Haynie deemed the day a huge success. "This was the first time we have ever had such an opportunity, and in our collective opinions it was very successful!" he said.--Steve Mansfield, N1MZA
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