Go to Top

Go to Top

Go to Top

Im sorry, but I did not receive the
Treasurer’s report before this newsletter
Was sent out.

 Go to Top

==>RUSSIA TO DUMP MIR

Russia now appears resigned to dump its Mir space station. After much waffling and after announced plans to commercialize Mir fell through, the Russian government voted this week to deorbit the aging space station that for more than a dozen years has been the pride of the Russian space program.

Current plans call for Russia to deorbit Mir in February. Yuri Koptev, the head of the Russian space agency, said the Russian government has agreed that Mir would be taken out of orbit and brought down into the Pacific Ocean in a predetermined area off Australia between February 26 and 28.

Mir has been the focus of Amateur Radio activity from space by cosmonauts and US astronauts--including several contacts with schools. Amateur Radio communication from US astronauts was able to fill in details of a nearly disastrous fire and after a collision with a Progress rocket nearly decompressed Mir.

Koptev said an unmanned cargo ship sent to Mir early next year will fire its rockets to push the space station quickly into the atmosphere. Koptev said Mir was in too poor a state of repair to remain in orbit much longer.

This week's decision signals the end of an era for Russia's cash-strapped space program, and defeat for the private MirCorp, which had tried to raise millions of dollars to keep Mir in operation. American businessman Dennis

Tito, who had hoped to travel to Mir as a "space tourist" under a deal with MirCorp and has already spent $1 million in training, will not be sent to the station, Koptev said.--from news reports

*** Excerpt from The ARRL Letter Vol. 19, No. 44 
    November 17, 2000

Go to Top

==>PRESIDENT SIGNS CB ENFORCEMENT BILL

President Bill Clinton has signed legislation that permits the enforcement of certain FCC Citizens Band regulations by state and local governments. Amateur Radio operators are exempt from the provisions of the law, now PL 106-521.

Congressional lawmakers saw the measure as a way to give a voice to those experiencing radio frequency interference resulting from illegal CB radio operation. The FCC will not yield its authority to regulate Citizens Band or other radio services, however.

In short, the measure authorizes states and localities to enact laws that prohibit the use of unauthorized CB equipment--consistent with FCC regulations. This would include the use of high-power linear amplifiers or equipment that was not FCC-certificated.

FCC-licensed stations in any radio service--including the Amateur Service--are excluded from such state or local enforcement, and state or local laws enacted under this legislation must identify this exemption.

The bill--HR.2346 is the House version; it was S.2767 in the Senate--actually is the old Senate "Feingold bill" from several sessions ago. The bill's sponsor, Rep Vernon Ehlers of Michigan says local hams asked him to support the bill because of the bad rap they were getting from illegal CBers using high-power linear amplifiers that resulted in TV and telephone interference while the CBers involved hid behind federal preemption.

As did Feingold before him, Ehlers asked the ARRL to review his measure to ensure that it would not unintentionally harm Amateur Radio.

A copy of the new legislation is available on the ARRL Web site at http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2000/11/29/3/cbbill.html.

*** Excerpt from The ARRL Letter Vol. 19, No. 46
    December 1, 2000  

Go to Top