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LOCAL NEWS
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SUMMARY OF NEWS FROM RAST
(by Tony Waltham, HS0/G4UAV)
New CB band authorised, power limit increased.
A new VHF band has been authorised for CB, and the power limit has been
raised from one watt to five watts.
Frequencies between 215.0 and 215.975 may be used for CB, in addition to
be 27, 78 and 472 MHz bands, while the power limits for the new band and
for the 78 (78.0 - 78.975) MHz band have been increased from one watt to
five watts, according to the Post a nd Telegraph Department.
CB equipment requires only a one time 500 baht licence fee and there are
no other charges for use levied.
RAST stages packet radio demonstration
RAST staged a seminar on "The Future of amateur Radio in Thailand" with an
emphasis on packet radio on June 30 at the Bangkok Bank of Commerce
Surasak branch. The event, conducted for both novice and intermediate
class has was with the support of the bank 's "Red Satang" amateur radio
group. This was the second such seminar to be held in Thailand, the fist
being in Hat Yai in September, 1995.
There were lectures, a demonstration, a question and answer session
covering topics such as satellite communications and problems using packet
on the 2-metre band. Nearly 300 attended the event, presided over by Head
of the PTD monitoring section, Manas Songsaeng, HS1DE.
Khun Mayuree Chotikul, HS1YL led the activities and there was clearly
enough interest to warrant staging another event.
RAST seeks to use digital modes on HF
RAST has requested that the Post and Telegraph Department allocate more
spectrum for HF amateur radio, but the society has been advised that those
frequencies requested are under consideration, pending approval. However,
the PTD has indicated that RAST co uld request the use of digital modes on
HF, which it has now applied to have authorised in accordance with the ITU
Region 3 band plan.
This is in order that packet radio communications on HF bulletin boards
(BBSes) can be linked to VHF packet here to help improve the knowledge and
capabilities of operators here.
New Thai amateur radio magazine to be published
A new monthly ham magazine is to publish here with the first issue on
National Telecommunications Day on August 4 called QRZ Thailand Ham Radio
Magazine edited by Tawatchai Sriprasert HS1RU, an active Intermediate
class licensee, as publisher and Sarayu B untawong, HS1MFO, who has an
intermediate class licence but no station licence, as editor. Both have
experience at the Naval Signals College.
RAST makes changes to the 2-metre net
In the July 7 committee meeting, RAST decided to temporarily suspend the
two-metre net following criticism, and RAST Vice President Chamlong
Chuathai, HS1AAM was assigned ti supervise changes in how the net is
handled and in finding more volunteers to be net control.
Two new DXCC countries
Two islands, Pratas Is land and Scarborough have been approved by the DX
Advisory Committee for DX credit, following an earlier controversial
decision earlier not to allow them. Pratas Island (BV9) comes under the
jurisdiction of Taipei, while Scarborough
(BS7) is administered by Beijing. Both qualify under the distance from
the mainland clause for DXCC credit and an earlier decision to disallow
applications for their acceptance had been controversial.
RAST proposes ways to resolve shortage of callsigns
In April and May, the committee considered the problem of the E20 and E21
callsign allocations for Bangkok and neighbouring provinces being almost
exhausted. A working group was set up and proposals made to the PTD in
early June. RAST will keep members in formed of any developments
Packet radio demonstration in Northeast
The President of the Federation of Northeast amateur radio associations
Anant Dungwanitcharoen, HS4JA, who lives in Udon Thani advises that the
Roi Et amateur radio association will stage a packet radio demonstration
on August 11 with the permission of th e PTD.
PTD working on a exam questions for the intermediate class
Chief of the Monitoring Section of the PTD, Manas Songsaeng, HS1DE advises
RAST that the department is preparing a textbook of questions for the
Intermediate Class examination and that this should be published soon.
PTD modifies radio regulations
In order to keep up with technological advances, the PTD has modified some
clauses in the radio regulations, increasing the penalties for possessing
illegal radios, for illegally monitoring mobile phone conversations and
for allowing licences to expire. A lso to face tougher penalties will be
people caught modifying mobile phones, such as the practice of "cloning" a
mobile phone number. Enforcement officials will also receive more powers,
which are expected to be approved by Parliament soon.
No new station licence needed for digital transmissions
The PTD as clarified in an announcement that no modification needs to be
made to an existing station licence for operators to use digital modes,
now being permitted for test purposes, as this comes under "type of
emission".
Two metre band under threat from US FCC
The following is from July 1996 QST (Revised):
Editorial; It Seems to Us
"Write Now!
"Get out a pen and paper, or boot up your computer. There's work to be
done! Your help is needed to defend two meters and 70 cm. Yes, that 's
right -- the two most popular and most crowded amateur VHF/ UHF bands! But
don't panic, and don't `go ballistic.'
"Here's what's happening, and what you can do about it. The United
States is preparing for the 1997 ITU World Radiocommunication Conference,
WRC-97. In the past, the public has been able to participate in the
preparations for such conferences by responding to FCC Notices of Inquiry.
In March, the FCC announced
a streamlining of its International Bureau's preparatory processes for
WRCs. Under the new scheme, the NOIs have been eliminated in favor of
increased emphasis on WRC Advisory Committees.
"For WRC-97, a series of Informal Working Groups (IWGs) of the Advisory
Committee has been created to address specific agenda items. The output of
each IWG will go directly to a joint FCC-NTIA-Department of State Steering
Committee of the Advisory Commit tee. There, draft proposals as received
from the IWGs will be reviewed and forwarded to the FCC for possible
release as preliminary US proposals for public comment.
"In announcing the streamlined WRC preparatory process, the FCC tried to
reassure those who might be concerned about reduced opportunities for
public participation: `Interested parties should note that input to the
Advisory Committee may be sent at any time....' A pre-press version of
this editorial, circulated far and wide by e-mail and packet radio, caused
so much input to be generated -- more than 1,000 comments in less than a
week -- that the FCC had to modify its procedures to cope with the deluge!
"Hold that thought while we shift gears to the substance of the issue.
"One of the WRC-97 agenda items includes consideration of possible
additional frequency allocations for the mobile-satellite service.
So-called `little LEOs,' low-earth orbit satellites below 1 GHz, already
have allocations. Their proponents claim thes e are inadequate and are
trying for more.
"The needs of little LEOs are being addressed in IWG-2A, chaired by
Warren Richards of the Department of State. The ARRL technical relations
staff participates in IWG-2A to represent Amateur Radio interests.
"At the May 7 IWG-2A meeting, an industry representative presented a
list of `candidate bands' for little LEOs. The list included a number of
bands that would negatively impact existing services, and does not include
others that would appear to be tech nically more feasible but to which
strong objection from incumbents could be expected -- the point being that
some political, rather than purely technical, judgment already has
influenced the list. We have asked for, but to date have been given no
explana tion of why some bands were included and not others.
"Incredibly, 144-148 and 420-450 MHz were included on the list! This is
the first time in memory that another service has been proposed for the
two-meter amateur band. We must make sure it is also the last time.
"We do not need to explain to ARRL members the extensive use that is
made of these bands by amateurs. The two bands provide the backbone of our
local public service communications effort. Voice and data, mobile and
fixed, even television -- the list of
present amateur uses is a long one, and of future uses is even longer.
Both are already used for satellite services and for moonbounce and
extended- range terrestrial operations requiring extremely sensitive
receivers and high levels of effective radiate d power.
"Apparently we did need to explain all this to the little LEO industry
representatives, so we did just that -- both at the meeting and in a
followup letter on May 15. We also explained that we had to regard the
matter as extremely serious. No one with the slightest background in
radiocommunication could possibly believe that a mobile-satellite service
could be introduced into either band without disrupting existing and
future amateur operations. Therefore, we said, if we did not receive
assurance that they would be taken off the list of candidate bands by the
deadline for this issue of QST, we would have no choice but to bring the
matter to the attention of the entire membership.
"The response we received was unsatisfactory. In effect, we were told
the little LEO industry would consider our views but that until their
spectrum needs are satisfied, all bands must remain under consideration.
"So, this is a call to action. We must get across to the industry and
government participants in IWG-2A that the 144-148 MHz and 420-450 MHz
bands cannot be considered as candidates for mobile-satellite services. We
need to drive the point home so forc efully, with so many grassroots
responses, that no one is ever tempted to try this again.
"Which brings us back to that invitation for `interested parties' to
send input `at any time.' There's no time like the present! According to
the Commission's new procedures, comments by e-mail should be sent to:
[email protected]. Written comments, with a n original plus one copy, should
be sent to: Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission,
Washington, D.C. 20554. Each comment should include at the top, `Reference
No. ISP-96-005' and `Advisory Committee Informal Working Group 2A.' FCC
sta ff assures us that comments will be given prompt consideration, and
asks that parties refrain from filing comments in accordance with previous
instructions.
"Do comment. But be civil. Don't abuse people who are simply doing
their jobs. We have to get across that casting covetous eyes on amateur
bands is counterproductive, and contrary to the public interest. To
accomplish this we need a lot of comments, in cluding yours. But remember
that the objective is to educate and persuade, not to intimidate. We don't
need to. The facts are on our side.
"For the latest news on this particular issue, check the ARRL Home page
at http://www.arrl.org/ and click on `Band Threat News.' Then write. Right
now! -- David Sumner, K1ZZ
== from July issue of QST ==
New RAST membership cards
When RAST received the honour of being under the Patronage of His Majesty
the King, all membership cards had to be reissued. In some cases, RAST's
registrar did not have a photograph or the address was not clear so all
members have been issued with new cards. Members are asked to affix their
own photograph and then to get the card laminated.
These cards may be obtained from at a RAST get-together at the Singha
BierHaus on the first Sunday of the month, or be calling the RAST
secretary at 722-7360 or the office of the President at 243-1842 or by
writing to the society at P.O. Box 2008, Bangko k 10501.
[email protected]
