CITY ANTENNA LAW UPTURNED BY FCC RULING
NEIL/ANCHOR: The FCC has invalidated one U.S. city's law challenging
satellite antenna installations. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, has the details.
ANDY: The FCC has declared that federal law protects the right of
property owners and tenants to install and use satellite dish antennas,
even if the antennas are visible from the street. The panel's ruling
on January 11th, invalidates an ordinance in the city of Chicago,
Illinois, that restricts such installations. The FCC says that its
rule - known as the Over the Air Reception Devices rule, or OTARD -
protects the antennas' use, and allows video consumers greater choice
of content. Chicago had argued that its law, enacted in 2012, was put
in place to enforce "aesthetic standards", and that the measure does
not violate the federal ruling. The petition had been brought by the
Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Association, DirecTV, and the
DISH Network.
The Over-the-Air Reception Devices Rule does not apply, however, to
AM/FM radio, CB radio, or amateur radio.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.
(FCC)
**
PROPOSAL TO SUPPORT JAPAN'S STUDENT RADIO OPERATORS
NEIL/ANCHOR: Students in Japan could get more opportunities in amateur
radio, if a requested change in national regulations wins approval.
Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has that story.
GRAHAM: Elementary and junior high school students in Japan can expect
greater opportunities in amateur radio. This, under a proposal from the
Japan Amateur Radio League. League president Yoshinori Takao, JG1KTC,
has asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, for
changes in regulations that would create greater chances for students interested
in volunteering activities, especially disaster communications.
The change, if approved, would require a partial amendment to the Radio
Law Enforcement Regulations. In a translation from the Japanese, posted
on various news websites, Yoshinori said: [quote] "We would like to
nurture a wide range of amateur radio operators, who will lead the next
generation." [endquote] The initiative is being undertaken, in
cooperation with the Japan Amateur Radio Development Association.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.
(SOUTHGATE, JARL)
**
FCC REMINDER ISSUED DAYS BEFORE U.S. INAUGURATION
NEIL/ANCHOR: With fears of further civil unrest in Washington, D.C. at
the presidential inauguration on January 20th, the U.S. Federal
Communications Commission issued a warning several days earlier, in the
form of an enforcement advisory to all licensed and unlicensed radio
services, stating that providing any support to such activity could be
considered a criminal act. The advisory was directed at amateur radio operators,
operators on the General Mobile Radio Service, Family Radio
Service radios, and Citizens Band. The advisory noted that this applies
as well to messages that are encoded to mask their meaning. The advisory states:
[quote] "Individuals using radios in the Amateur or Personal
Radio Services in this manner may be subject to severe penalties,
including significant fines, seizure of the offending equipment, and, in
some cases, criminal prosecution." [endquote]
(FCC)
**
GOLD RUSH SPECIAL EVENT STATION IS MINING FOR CONTACTS
NEIL/ANCHOR: In California, a special event station, marking America's
Gold Rush is mining for contacts, as we hear from Mike Askins, KE5CXP.
MIKE: You might say this event is as good as gold and, well, you wouldn't
be exaggerating. The El Dorado County Amateur Radio Club is marking the
discovery of gold in 1848 at Sutter's Mill -- a discovery which most
students of American history know sparked the Gold Rush the following
year. This year, the mad rush on January 23rd and 24th will be on the HF
bands. As hams look to strike QSO gold using CW, SSB, RTTY, PSK-31, and
JS8, they will be digging deep through all those pileups, and hoping to
log the club call sign AG6AU. By the way, it's no exaggeration to say
you'll strike gold if you get a valid contact. The callsign suffix "AU"
means gold on the periodic table of elements.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mike Askins, KE5CXP.
(EL DORADO AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)
**
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, and now being heard as well
on the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club's W2GSB and WB2QGZ repeaters,
on Saturday mornings at 8, following the 7 a.m. check-ins of the club's
new "Newsline With a Cup of Joe" Net. Newsline is also heard on Monday
nights at 8 p.m. after the club's Info Net.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (57:57/10)
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