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IN THIS EDITION:
That’s a good question! When can you use copyrighted audio or video and how much of it? I once “thought” the rule is 4 bars or measures, or maybe it was 20 seconds of audio, but that’s not true. I got that idea before 1991.
But things have changed.
Some excellent answers to a very complicated question are at: http://www.pdinfo.com/fairuse.php
A lot more complicated answer is at http://www.royaltyfreemusic.com/public-domain/basic-rules-fair-use.html
Before 1991, sampling in certain genres of music was an accepted practice and such copyright considerations as these were viewed as largely irrelevant. But then the strict decision against rapper Biz Markie's appropriation of a Gilbert O'Sullivan song in the case Grand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Bros. Records, Inc. changed opportunities overnight. Even short samples now had to be licensed, as long as they rose "to a level of legally cognizable appropriation." De minimis sampling was still considered fair and free because "the law does not care about trifles," but then the Sixth Circuit Court decision in the appeal to Bridgeport Music reversed this standing, eliminating the de minimis defense for samples of recorded music, but stating that the decision did not apply to “fair use”.
Confused? That’s OK! Many commentators agree that the laws are intentionally being left in a confused state with no clear guidelines as this chaotic situation is better for music and video companies than what may possibly come in a clear, negotiated (and hard to ever change) law.
What does this mean for you as a PIO? Be VERY careful if you ever incorporate someone else’s audio or video into your work. It’s probably illegal, and even if you think it is “fair use,” don’t bet that a lawyer can’t and won’t be ready to argue against you. Your best bet is just don’t do it.
Here’s a short letter that you can modify and use locally in editorials
Geeks are in. Once upon a time it was enough to simply look “cool” and have the latest toys or biggest muscles. But now the culture leaders are people who not only have the toys, but know what makes them work and can make them do more and more. Muscles are nice, but just so much red meat. Today, gray matter matters. It’s not enough today to simply be a consumer of technology; you need to understand technology to really be “cool.”
So what’s a guy to do? We’re not all Nobel Prize winners in physics and we can’t reprogram our iPod into a nuclear bomb like James Bond. How are we ever to look “smart,” or are we doomed to a life of beige?
The good news is that you don’t need to be Einstein level smart, just need an edge over the next kid on the block. Here’s where ham radio is a great idea. Becoming a ham makes you look smart.
Have you ever noticed that condescending smile on ham radio people? They know something that most of us don’t. Talk about ham radio and mention that your grandfather was a ham or that it’s “old fashioned” radio and you get that Buddha smile – the look that says they are hiding secret knowledge from you.
Actually, ham radio isn’t old fashioned radio any more than car collectors all have model T’s. There are all kinds of hams and most have pretty new and sophisticated gear stashed away. But that’s not why the smile. Nor is it that they can do things with the internet even when there isn’t internet in the area. It’s not even that they talk to satellites and space shuttles and Kazakhstan (wherever that is!). There’s something more in that holier-than-thou ham smile that makes them look smart – they understand. We mere mortals are doomed.
But the good news is that most of these hams are willing to share their secret wisdom of the poly-dimensional, electromagnetic universe with young padawans like us. The key to becoming at least a level-1 player in the game is getting and FCC Amateur Radio Technician class license. This is easier to do than finding the old cheat sheets for Doom II. Thankfully the FCC dropped the Morse code requirement last year. Even us average guys can study, pass their test and have a Technician class license in a week or so. Check out Hello-Radio.org to see how.
It takes longer to practice “the smile,” but you’ll get it – and understand why they smile.
Did you know there are actually job descriptions for the role of PIO and PIC? It’s surprising how many PIOs don’t know about these documents. They were drafted by the F&ES eleven years ago. They should be updated. But first we want to hear from YOU about the changes you would like to see in them. After all, you are the ones who are doing the job!
Here’s your chance to impact the future of ham radio PR. Take a look at them and send your comments to APitts@arrl.org with the subject line “job description.”
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/pic.html
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/pio.html
We receive about one inquiry a week from folks who are planning a special event and want to either get publicity for it or have it listed on the ARRL website. If your group or community has a special event coming up in the next several months, you will want to bookmark:
-How to get your special event listed on the ARRL website page- http://www.arrl.org/contests/spevform.html
There’s also a VERY good section on planning and promoting a special event in the Swiss Army Knife.
Sometimes you can see things coming. In September a new website called http://www.Spinspotter.com was launched and this is one that I believe will soon become a major player in the news and with the news. It is only in its beta trial stage right now, but it has definite possibilities.
So what is it? It’s a downloadable toolbar program that uses algorithms that I cannot understand and selected triggers chosen by the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics to spot and highlight patterns in news reporting that show media bias.
While 2/3 of the public believe that news reports are often deliberately slanted andnot balanced, this is a tool which allows anyone to actually see and document it! If it proves out, this can alter reporting as we have known it lately. It can also impact PR work in many ways. Keep an eye on this one!
Here’s another item to keep in mind as you think about and plan for 2009.
The International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) will be a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture, highlighted by the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei. The aim of the Year is to stimulate worldwide interest, especially among young people, in astronomy and science under the central theme "The Universe, Yours to Discover". IYA2009 events and activities will promote a greater appreciation of the inspirational aspects of astronomy that embody an invaluable shared resource for all nations.
Back in about 1995 or so, I had a website at members.aol.com . It wasn’t bad, but with dial-up connections it was slow. Then cable came into our area and I dropped dialup AOL to go with Comcast – a lot faster! But what about that website? I tried several times to either delete it or change it, but there was no way. I wrote letters, called and emailed, but the old website stayed just as it was for many years even though I was no longer paying AOL a nickel. The info on it became out of date and incorrect – but it was still there with my name attached to it. Apparently it was cheaper for AOL to just leave it up there than to take it away.
Finally, in October 2008, AOL took it down – along with thousands of others.
A similar problem was reported in RAC’s recent magazine. The Kingston ARES group in Canada has changed websites and could not get the old one to go away either. Their editorial letter started me thinking (and looking) at ham websites – many of them have not been touched in a very long time! Too often the contact info on them is incorrect, “news” is months or even years old and you can’t even find who to call to get things right.
If we want people to be able to find us, become interested in ham radio and our clubs to prosper, then we MUST keep up our appearances on the web! More and more, that’s where people will go first when they look for you!
Start by going to http://www.arrl.org/findaclub . That’s where I am pointing people who want to become hams. Is your information there correct and up to date? If not, get it fixed! (Contact NFusaro@arrl.org about being an affiliated club and proper contact info.) Then look at any website your group may have. What is it saying about you?
Old, outdated info is not just a web server problem, it is a major PR problem. Fix it!
Those of you on the ARRL’s PR email reflector were invited to try in impromptu contest last month. The question was asked of us here, “What is the estimated asset value and cost of maintaining ham radio communications systems and equipment? What is the estimated cost of training staff and undertaking exercises / drills to use ham radio infrastructure and equipment?”
That’s quite a question! I invited the PIOs to take a guess at the numbers too and see who could come up with figures closest to what we found here at HQ. After a lot of discussion the best answer that ARRL staff could figure out was:
No scientific study has ever been conducted to determine this information. This certainly would be an ideal project if funding was available to conduct such research on this area and one that we would be interested in undertaking.
Our numbers are based on discussion with ARRL HQ staff and some selected personnel in the field. We figure the average Ham will have approximately $1,000 worth of equipment dedicated to some type of emergency service communications. This could either be ARES®, RACES, Skywarn™ or some other activity. There are approximately 657,000 licensed amateur radio operators in the United States. It is likely that at least 1 in 10 of those performs some form of emergency communications or public service mission each year. 65,700 x $1000 = $65,700,000 in equipment value applied to amateur radio emergency communications.
Costs for training are again only based upon Staff discussions. Using the same 65,700 Hams that perform some activity that take at least one training course per year costing them $20, the training cost estimate is $1,314,000. We realize that active public service Hams are likely to be engaged in much more training and exercising. Many courses are free or the costs are incurred by the organization utilizing the volunteers. So we consider this amount to be a minimum.”
James Johnson, KI4TAT, came up with best guess about ARES costs and won a copy of “PR for Dummies” as a reward for his efforts. His numbers are a lot higher, but include an hourly rate for the time of volunteers.
Here’s how he figured it...
“An interesting pair of questions was posed to the Public Information Officers recently by Allen Pitts, W1AGP – ARRL, Media and Public Relations Manager. Specifically, what is the estimated value and cost of maintaining ARES ham radio communications systems and equipment, 2) what is the estimated cost of training staff and undertaking drills/exercises to be prepared to use this equipment in times of emergency?
In response to these questions, I took a pass at the value of our ham radio club to the community not including disaster response. MOCARS has 65 dues paying members of which 15 are actually active. Based on a reasonable value of $20/hr which includes meals, transportation, etc. and my estimates of equipment and maintenance costs:
Equipment asset value per active ham @ $1,000.00 $ 15,000.00
Equipment upgrades per active ham @ $ 300.00/yr 4,500.00
Maintenance cost/yr/active ham @ $200.00/hr 3,000.00
Involvement - 15 hams, 11 meetings/yr @ $20.00/hr 9,900.00
Continuing training costs – 2 sessions per year, 2 hrs preparation and
3 hrs instruction, 15 students @$20.00/hr 1,880.00
Participation in club activities:
Uwharrie Mountain Run - 1 day, 12 hrs, 8 members 1,920.00
Dressage - 3 days, 8 hrs, 6 people 2,880.00
Badin Bomber – 1 day, 8 hrs, 2 people 320.00
Field Day – 1 day, 24 hrs, 6 people 2,880.00
Marathon – 1 day, 6 hrs, 6 people 720.00
Triathlon – 1 day, 6 hrs, 6 people 720.00
Uwharrie mountain festival – 1 day, 2 people, 8 hrs
License training - 2 courses per year, 2 hrs preparation and
3 hrs session, 6 sessions @$20.00/hr 1,200.00
VEC sessions – 4 sessions, 4 VECs, 4 hr/session,
4 hr recording/session @ $20.00/hr 1,600.00
Total $ 43,320.00
This could be considered as a charitable contribution from MOCARS to our local community.
To carry this a step further to a national basis:
Our club has 65 members of which 15 are active. There are 156,000 ARRL members nationally and 2072 clubs listed in the ARRL database.
Based on the $43,320.00 per year for our club, the national value for preparedness could be 2072 clubs x $43,320 = $89,760.000
If staffing for disaster response is considered:
Major disasters – 12/yr, 60 people, 10hrs/shift, 5 days, @ $20.00/hr = $720,000/yr
Minor disasters – 100/yr, 6 people, 10hrs/shift, 1 day, @ $20.00/hr = 120,000/yr
Time involvement/cost of hams for licensing/upgrades:
Technician – 27,000 new Technician licenses were issued in 2007. 27,000/yr, 18 class hrs, 36 study hrs, 4hrs test, $40materials = $32,400,000
General upgrade – 20,000 General licenses were issued in 2007. 20,000/yr, 18 class hrs, 36 study hrs, 4hrs test, $40materials = $24,000,000
Extra upgrade – 7000 Extra licenses were issued in 2007. 7,000/yr, 18 class hrs, 36 study hrs, 4hrs test, $40materials = $8,400,000
Total training costs (personal investment) per year:
Technician – $32,400,000
General upgrade - 24,000,000
Extra upgrade - 8,400,000
total $ 64,800,000
The costs for VE examiners are included above under annual club costs.
Annual club preparedness, nationally $ 89,760,000.00
Disaster response
Major 720,000.00
Minor 120,000.00
personal training 64,800,000.00 total $ 155,400,000.00
The bottom line is that amateur radio (ham) operators give a considerable amount of time and ultimately dollars to their local communities. Granted, a substantial portion is for their own personal benefit but in times of disaster or emergency this training can and is put to use to the benefit of the total community.”
One of the more popular social media sites on the Internet is FACEBOOK.
Social Media sites such as FACEBOOK, Twitter, MySpace, Wordpress, and a host of other "Web 2.0" sites have shown explosive growth in recent months.
Lloyd Colston, KC5FM, wrote asking about Facebook and wanted to know if there’s anyone home? Where is everybody?
http://www.facebook.com/pages/ARRL-the-National-Association-for-Amateur-Radio/20069212407?ref=nf
is a link to what many members are using as a base on FACEBOOK. A free Facebook account is all that's needed to access it.
When you receive your December 2008 QST in the mail, you will find on page 100 a story by Paul Rios, KC6QLS, about the Library Display in San Diego Ca.
Paul writes:
“My team of researchers and I spent four days looking up data for the display. I spent many hours on line looking for TV shows movies and clips that have Amateur Radio in them. Then spent time looking at them to verify that the scene was really in the movie and/or show. On the web were a lot of unverified titles of shows. After many hours going over the data for the display I decided to put the information for all to use in one place.
This leads me to asking for your help. If you would visit www.arprsd.org and click on the link Amateur Radio Display & Amateur Radio Movies, and if you know of any shows and/or Movies that have an Amateur Radio scene in it please, let me know. Or if you can send me a screen shot of one of the movies that are still unverified, this would help me very much.
You will find pdf documents to aid you in your own display at your local library or other place of interest. This part of the site is open to all to help get the word out about Amateur Radio. The San Diego Display was so well received that it is now on the road and being booked for 2009.
Paul Rios, KC6QLS
KC6QLS@cox.net
This was initially sent out on the PR email reflector Nov 12th, but here it is again if anyone still is missing it.
Allen Pitts, W1AGP
Media and Public Relations Manager
ARRL
(860) 594-0328
apitts@arrl.org
The Eyes of the Storm – Skywarn!
Newington, CT November 12, 2008 -- Skywarn Recognition Day. When you are unsure about the weather you look to the TV to get a National Weather Service report. When the National Weather Service is unsure of the weather, they look to Skywarn - hundreds of volunteers who are trained to report ground level conditions that radar cannot detect. For 364 days of the year, volunteer Amateur Radio operators, often called "hams," affiliated with the NWS' Skywarn program provide the National Weather Service with critical, visual confirmation of major weather events. But one day a year, ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, and the NWS join together in recognizing all the Skywarn volunteers and light up the radio waves just for the fun of it.
The annual Skywarn Recognition Day begins on December 6 and will last 24 hours. Hams will be contacting the National Weather Service stations throughout America. But instead of passing tornado, snow and ice warnings, this time the hams will be exchanging reception reports and greetings. Last year, contacts were made in all 50 states and 40 countries during the 24 hour event.
While you do not have to be an FCC licensed Amateur Radio operator to take part in Skywarn, many of the volunteers are hams and they are most appreciated. Amateur Radio messages are able to get through to NWS offices quickly even if the phones and internet are out due to the weather. When minutes count, especially in a tornado, radio is the fastest and most certain way to get emergency messages in to the NWS offices.
The value of these reports is considerable. Skywarn volunteers are trained by NWS staff to spot and report conditions that the weather service needs to know. Because weather radar pulses go in a straight line and cannot follow the curve of the earth, conditions from hundreds of feet above down to the ground may be missed as it is "under the radar." Like the stagehands behind the curtain, the NWS and Skywarn hams quietly do the work that makes many local TV forecasters look good.
###
Further details can be found at
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/10/30/10417/
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/hamradio/index.php
Or by email to:
Matthew.Mehle@noaa.gov.
APitts@arrl.org
Things are still being added even as this is written,
but here’s what’s in store for 2009 so far...
January 12/31-1/1 Straight Key Night
3 - 4 ARRL RTTY Round-Up Rules
3 Kids Day
17 - 19 ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes Rules
17-18 ARRL Board of Directors meet
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February 9-13 School Club Roundup
21 - 22 ARRL International DX Contest (CW)
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March 7 - 8 ARRL International DX Contest (Phone)
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April 18 World Amateur Radio Day
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May 15-17 Dayton
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June 13 - 14 ARRL June VHF QSO Party
20 Kids Day
27 - 28 ARRL Field Day
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July 11 - 12 IARU HF World Championships
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August 1 - 2 ARRL UHF Contest
15 - 16 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest
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September 12 - 13 ARRL September VHF QSO Party
19 - 20 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest
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October 17 JOTA
19-23 School Club Roundup
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November 7 - 8 ARRL November Sweepstakes (CW)
21 - 22 ARRL November Sweepstakes (Phone)
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December 4 - 6 ARRL 160 Meter Contest
12 - 13 ARRL 10 Meter Contest
Dave Finley, N1IRZ writes:
A while back, I wrote a history of ham radio in Socorro. It now
has been added to the Web page of the New Mexico State Historian:
http://www.newmexicohistory.org/filedetails_docs.php?fileID=22285
Many communities are collecting their histories from local sources electronically. Check to see if your location is going this and, if they are, why not add your group’s history? It makes good relationships with municipal and county agencies.
The recent IARU meeting in Friedrichafen, Germany highlighted the emergency side of Amateur Radio. I thought you would like to see how “When All Else Fails” looks in Europe.
In a strange way, I enjoyed the chaos surrounding the question about the national costs and value of ARES in a year. Possible ways to approach the problem, equations, considerations and drafts flowed freely. I am not saying that we have it right, or that KI4TAT has it right – or anyone really knows. Don’t bother to email me with your own theory now, the contest is over and I have piles of theories and drafts from people. It doesn’t really matter anyway – the answer is A LOT. It’s into the millions.
I also recently learned there have been well over 18,000 course completions of the ARES level 1,2 or 3 ARECC classes. Now some folks took only level one and some took all three, but any way you look at it that is also A LOT of people doing things for their community!
I remember when the EmComm Level 1 classes first started. They began as an experiment held here in Connecticut while I was SEC. Some folks took to the idea immediately. Others thumped their chest, proclaimed they had been a ham for X number of years and didn’t need any classes. Most decided to try it and found they learned interesting things in the process. SM Betsey Doane was a major help to me in that trial.
At the end of the year, I noted a profound change in the quality and organization of ARES here. Members were finally using the same terms in the same way. They were planning and standardizing things. There was semi-professionalism about them. I loved it! From that beginning the ARECC classes took off nationally and continue to be a major aid today.
I’ve often thought of doing something similar for PIOs.
Let’s have some fun. Here’s a little (very unscientific) survey for you to try.
http://tinyurl.com/5wa4fp
I’ll leave it up until December 19 and we’ll look at the results in January together.
- w1agp