News Letter -- October 2003

Hope this letter finds you wrapping up all your summer projects. The club has had a few projects going on and it seems that they are coming to a close. Thanks to many of the club members for all the time and effort that you have put into these projects this summer.

The repeater in Dickinson is up and running. If all goes as planned the club will be getting a backup repeater to replace the one in the emergency trailer. This repeater will also be capable of taking the place of the other three in case of a breakdown. We are looking forward to having this capability for emergency purposes.

All is going well here in Dickinson. All we need now is some more HAMS. It's that time again to start thinking about upgrading or even becoming a amateur radio operaator. If we have enough interest, I'm sure we would hold a class again this fall. If you knkow of anyone that would be interested please let me know.

Have a great October and hope that the fall goes as well as this summer!

CHECK YOUR CALENDAR

Oct 6 .....................TRARC Meeting @ LEC 7 PM

Oct 18 ....................Deadline for News Letter

Nov 1 .....................Show and Tell @ Prairie Hills Mall

Nov 2 .....................Totten Trail Ham Fest

Nov 3 .....................TRARC Meeting @ LEC 7 PM

Nov 29 ...................Xmas Party @ Elks, Dickinson ND

Editor's Note

There is only one more news letter for this year. I would

like to thank all who have contributed to the news letter.

Suggestions and ideas are always welcome.

January is the month for new elections of club officers.

Consider running for one of the offices or nominating

someone for one of the offices that are all open.

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

Theodore Roosevelt Amateur Radio Club

Meeting Minutes

September 8, 2003

Minutes submitted by KCØEAK, Brandon Wehner, Secretary/Treasurer.

Jim Fahy, NØSJ, called the meeting to order at 6:59 PM.

Introductions of members and guests followed.

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved on a motion byaccepted on a motion by Emil, KØDK, and seconded by Art, KBØVSE. Motion carried.

Old Business:

A. Repeaters: Almost all repeaters are up and running. 442 is down. 64 has a problem with the superlink controller. Williston almost has their superlink up and running and tied into Killdeer. A suggestion was made to have a designated repeater controller and a backup for it on disk so anyone is able to reprogram the repeater controller.

B. Extension Cable: Stan is still working on the extension cord for the generator. If anyone knows how to put a 6 gauge wire into a 10 gauge wire plug, contact Stan, WDØDAJ.

C. Picnic: It was a fun time. Thank you to the Dickinson Fire Department for the use of their grill.

New Business

A. Backup repeater - Stan talked to Burghardt's about prices on a repeater.

VR-5000 (used) $799

VR-7000 (used) $995

VR-7000 (new) 1430

Controllers - Between $700 - $800

Motion to purchase the VR-5000 and RLS-2 controller by Jim, NØSJ. Seconded by Bill, KØUB. Motion carried.

B. 2m/Dual Band radio for the trailer - Stan also got quotes on radios. A suggestion was also made to possibly purchase both a 2m and a dual band radio.

TM-261 (2m) - $150

TM-461 ( UHF) - $439

FT-1500M (2m) - $160

This issue was tabled until the next meeting.

C. Donation - Tony, K7TNY donated $100 towards the purchase of a 10x20 ft.canopy that costs $98. A 12x20 costs $179. The enclosure kit is $70. Motiion to purchase 3 canopies and sides for two of them (1 canopy is the donated one) by Irene, WDØDAW. Seconded by Laurie, KCØNHW. Motion carried.

D. Show & Tell - Show & Tell is November 1, 2003. We still have 1 meeting in between.

E. Anone who received sheets from ARRL should fill them out and send them in.

Motion to adjourn by Art, KBØVSE. Seconded by Emil, NØDK. Motion passed.

Adjourned aat 8:16 PM.

BIRTHDAYS FOR SEPTEMBER

Duane Splichal KBØIXX
10 -04

Margaret Wieglenda KB7ITR
10 -06

Erin Jilek KBØNCC
10 -12

Randy Jilek N7EEE
10 -12

Paula Scheeler KCØFKL
10 -14

Dean Williams KIØLL
10 -14

Curtis Kittleson KCØHSR
10 -16

Mark Tollefson WØZCM
10 -17

Barbara Adams-Bleth KBØKFT
10 -24

Vonne Tarnavsky NØHYQ
10 -27

Close to 1000 Amateur Radio enforcement cases have crossed his desk since Riley Holingsworth was tapped five years ago to resurrect the FCC's "Amateur Radio enforcement efforts. That doesn't include countless ham radio "situations" he's resolved through informal counseling on the telephone or through an exchange of e-mails. At the time he took the job in the fall of 1998, Hollingsworth--whose official title is Special Counsel for Enforcement-- called it "a new day for Amateur Radio" after years of amateur enforcement neglect on the Commission's part. As he sees things today, rules compliance and on-air behavior have improved since the new sheriff rode into town, but there's still lots to do.

"I'm fairly satisfied with the progress that we've made in five years," Hollingsworth said in modest acknowledgment of the milestone, "but I think we need at least five more years of this type--of this level--of enforcement, because the bands have quite a long way to go. It's no time to rest."

Five years ago, Hollingsworth began with a "top-10" list of alleged high-profile Amateur Radio offenders. By and large, he's slowly--and most would say successfully--worked his way to the point that many of today's cases appear comparatively mundane. But they get the same level of attention.

"The biggest problem we have now, I think, stems from conduct-type problems--lack of courtesy, taking serious offense and reacting to what is perceived as deliberate interference," Hollingsworth said this week.
"Ninety percent of the interference that's reported to me is not deliberate." As he regards all enforcement cases, the remaining 10 percent are "serious."

"I think a lot of the 'radio rage' has subsided, but I wish that people would be a little more aware of just how valuable Amateur Radio is and how they sound on the air," said Hollingsworth. That's a message he's repeated often on the hamfest circuit.

"Maintenance mode" is a goal he'd like to see enforcement achieve. Hollingsworth explained that's when the number of enforcement cases is perceived to be in balance with the number of licensees. "I don't think we're there yet in the Amateur Service, but I think that we can get there," he said. Hollingsworth credits the amateur community's desire for strong, even stern, enforcement for his program's success.

"Probably 99 percent of the reason it's worked is everybody wants it," he
said. "In this service they plead for enforcement. In every other service, they don't want to see you coming." This attitude, he believes, stems from a sincere desire by licensees to keep Amateur Radio a self-policing service. He counts keeping the support of the amateur community among his major accomplishments.

Looking out on the Amateur Radio enforcement horizon, Hollingsworth said he'll "keep pedaling" and chipping away at the enforcement workload. He'll also continue to look to the assistance and cooperation of his fellow radio amateurs, whom he called "just good people."

Amateurs "have got to stick together and cooperate and stay away from the infighting because they've got some very serious external threats," Hollingsworth said, citing BPL as just one example. "To the extent that they're not rowing together, it makes those threats more dangerous."

In his many public appearances--including several at Hamvention--Hollingsworth has stayed "on message" over the five years of his amateur enforcement tenure. "I just want everyone to realize what they have," he said. "We have incredible frequencies, power, modes, and so forth." He said a realization of the value of Amateur Radio itself is a deterrent to potential rule breakers, but he said Amateur Radio enforcement is "permanently ensconced" at the FCC.

While he's had some very interesting assignments and enjoyed nearly every day of his tenure with the FCC, he says the past five years have been the highlight of his 30-year FCC career.

"My greatest satisfaction is thinking that I may have paid back a debt," said Hollingsworth, who's been licensed since age 13. "It's the most rewarding thing I've ever done with the Commission."

HAYNIE URGES MORE LETTERS TO POTENTIAL SPECTRUM BILL COSPONSORS

ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, wants to see more letters urging members of Congress to sign on as cosponsors of the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act bills in the US House and Senate. The indentical measures, an ARRL initiative, are on their third try in Congress. Noting that cosponsor counts have changed little over the past month and that some lawmakers he's contacted had not yet heard from constituents, Haynie encouraged more League members to take the effort to write, call or e-mail their representatives and senators to explain the bills' importance. "Those letters are everything to a congressperson or a senator," Haynie said. "Without letters from constituents, we're just spinning our wheels." Conceding that Broadband over Power Line (BPL) has been taking the limelight in recent days, Haynie said passge of the Spectrum Protection Act remains important to the overall future of Amateur Radio.

The Spectrum Protection Act would require the FCC to provide "equivalent replacement spectrum" to Amateur Radio if the FCC reallocates primary amateur fequencies, reduces any secondary amateur allocations, or makes additional allocations within such bands that would substantially reduce their utility to amateurs.

A sample letter on ARRL's The Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2003 Web page http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/arspa.html cites Amateur Radio's role in public service activities. The page also contains information on how to identify and contact members of Congress and links to the Thomas Web site http://thomas.loc.gov/, where the bill's text and a list of cosponsors are available.

"Just bringing the spectrum Protection Act to the attention of your senator or representative is a mjor help in this effort," Haynie said. "This is not one of those cases where we're looking for donations. This is something that you--as a member--can do on behalf of Amateur Radio, and the most it will cost you is some stationary and a 37-cent stamp." Those writing their lawmakers on behalf of the Spectrum Protection Act are asked to copy their correspondence to the League via e-mail specbill03@arrl.org.

HR 713 now has 44 cosponsors, while the identical S 537 has six. Cosponsor ship lends support to legislation while it's in committee, and Haynie says letters and e-mails from members to their lawmakers remains the key to getting the legislation passed.