KØND

News Letter -- MAY 2006

Volume 24, Number 5

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

The answer to last month's Trivia question, "What is one way to notify the FCC if your mailing address changes" is that you will need to fill out an FCC Form 605 using your new address, attach a copy of your license, and mail it to the FCC office in Gettysburg, PA.

Our April meeting on "Skywarn Training" was well attended and John Paul Martin from the National Weather Service did an excellent job of educating and entertaining the members of TRARC. With all the severe weather across the United States this spring, this training could not have been presented at a better time. John Paul Martin is a warning coordination meteorologist and works with hams throughout North Dakota.

It is time to be thinking about "Ham of the Year Nominations". This has to be completed by the end of June, so will need the nominations turned in by our June 5^th meeting.

Remember, Field Day is scheduled for June 24^th and 25^th. Coordinator, Joe Callahan, NØQAU and I will need all the help we can get in setting up and running the radio's that weekend. Hopefully, the shelving on our cargo trailer will be finished in time for Field Day.

On April 14th Stanley, WDØDAJ and Betty, KBØNVT - Kittelson arrived back in Dickinson, ND from Arizona so we know SPRING has finally arrived. Stanley, WDØDAJ will be covering various "Testing Techniques" at our regular meetings which will make for some interesting discussion.

The Trivia question for the month is:

"What does standing-wave ratio mean"? This will be answered in next month's newsletter. Remember, smile and be happy, SPRING has arrived!

73    Dick KCØHXG

Theodore Roosevelt Amateur Radio Club

April 3, 2006

No formal meeting this month due to it being a SKYWARN meeting.

CHECK YOUR CALENDAR

May 1 ........................... TRARC Meeting @ LEC 7 PM

June 10 .......................   Exercise - Muiti County

TEST SESSIONS

If you are in need of a test session, contact either Bill Bosch, KØUB or Emil Wieglenda,
NØDK. Bill is associated with ARRL VEC and Emil is W5YI. They will let you know when

the next test session will be held.

Bill 701-483-3869               Emil 701-483-4953

Margaret's Corner

     Our skywarn meeting went well. John Paul did a good job on the presentation and the little "funnies" were cute. We had a fair representation of non-hams. I've also noted a number of ads during the local weather report on TV for the different places that were holding weather awareness training sessions.

     One sure sign of spring is the appearance of robins and rain but around here it's the return of the "snowbirds". Sue got back on April 6th and I had fun tracking Stan and Betty's return on findu.com. They got back on the 15th. The nice weather also marked the beginning of North Dakota's second season - construction. There's plenty going on in the Dickinson area. They got a little setback on the 18th due to rain and slushy conditions. I don't think anyone is complaining because we need the moisture, whatever form it takes.

     Thoughts of camping abound and before we know it activites will begin in earnest. Our nice weather sure made the time go fast. Enjoy spring and don't forget that pictures will be taken at the May meeting and new ID cards will be made.

73, Margaret KB7ITR

How to use "Autopatch

1. Key and hold mic in : while keying press * and your seven digit phone number

2. You will hear a series of matching tones, followed by the ringing of the number you dialed

3. Key the mic to talk to the other party

4. When finished, key the mic and hit the # key

5. You will hear "call complete"

Joe, NØQAU

Birthdays for May

Arlon Nelson WØTUP
5 - 11

Carol Strum ABØKS
5 - 15

Connie Williams KBØRXG
5 - 26

Sandy Fischer ? ? ? ? When Sandy
5 - 28

April Redetzke KCØKBN
5 - 30

FCC CLARIFIES VANITY CALL SIGN RENEWAL PROCEDURES

With the renewal window about to open for the first Amateur Radio Licenses assigned vanity call signs in 1996, the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) has clarified filing procedures. The WTB says vanity call sign holders whose licenses expire on or after June 4, 2006, must file electronically via the Universal Licensing System (ULS), wireless.fcc.gov/uls, or on paper to renew their licenses. Amateur Radio renewal applications may only be filed within 90 days of the license expiration date.

"Licensees of stations assigned vanity call signs have the option of keeping the vanity call sign or requesting that it be changed to a sequentially assigned call sign," the WTB points out. Those opting to keep their vanity call signs for the new 10-year license term must pay the current regulatory fee, now $21.90, when renewing. The vanity call sign regulatory fee may change in August or September. If the licensee no longer wants to keep a vanity call sign, no fee is required, and the applicant should request a sequentially assigned call sign instead.

Amateur Radio licensees holding vanity call signs granted prior to 1996 do not have to pay a regulatory fee when renewing. This is because Congress did not begin requiring the FCC to annually recover its regulatory costs until 1993. Additionally, such licensees are not specifically tagged as vanity call sign holders in the ULS.

To renew electronically via the ULS, licensees should log into ULS license Manager Online Filing (click on "Log In") using their FCC registration Number (FRN) and Commission Registration System (CORES) password. Anyone doing business with the FCC must supply an FRN on any application.

To keep a vanity call sign, licensees should select "Renew" under the "Work on this License" option. Fees for electronically filed aplications may be paid online or mailed to Federal Communications Commission, Regulatory Fees, PO Box 358835, Pittsburgh, PA 15251-5835.

Online filers choosing not to renew a vanity call sign should select the "Systematic Call Sign Change" option from the "Work on this License" list. To obtain a new call sign, licensees should answer "No" to the question "Your license is eligible for renewal. Renew call sign (vanity call sign)?" Doing this well result in the issuance of a renewed license bearing a sequentially assigned call sign.

Licensees filing on paper must use FCC Form 605 (main form), and -- if a fee is required -- Form 159 (remittance advice). Licensees wishing to keep their vanity call signs should enter "Renew" under "Purpose" on Form 605 and enter the present call sign item 5. Manual filers choosing not to renew their vanity call signs must file Form 605 (main form) Schedule D in order to obtain a new systematic call sign. The "Purpose" on the main form must be "Renewal/Modification," and the "Systematic Call Sign Change" questiion on Schedule D must be answered "Yes."

If no FRN is provided on the main form, and FCC Form 160 (registration) is also required for manual filing. All forms are available via the FCC Forms page, www.fcc.gov/formpage.html. For more information on how to renew an Amateur Radiio vanity call sign, visit the FCC Help & Support page, support.fcc.gov/index.htm, or call the ULS Customer Support Hotline, 877-480-3201 (TTY 717-338-2824).

The ARRL handles routine non-vanity renewals for members free of charge, and plans were in the works as of press time to add vanity renewal capability.

Taken from QST, May 2006

Vol 90, No 5, Page 76