Official Observer Summary, October edition

This month’s statistics reveal a total of 703 Official Observers.  During the month of October we received 13 recommendations for hams to begin the process to become OOs.  Three amateurs including one each from Indiana, North Texas, Connecticut and successfully passed the exam and became certified.

News on the Official Observer front for October.

FCC official actions in October included a warning letter to an Arkansas station http://www.fcc.gov/eb/AmateurActions/files/Winst09_10_19_5133.html  and a number of NALs being issued to non-amateur incidents including a number of unlicensed FM broadcast stations.  http://www.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/

Thanks to all who responded to the Official Observer Survey that was sent out recently.  A committee will review the results soon and take into consideration the comments.  A couple of comments that we noted during a quick review were “Hams helping Hams is very good stuff” and “It is worthwhile being able to police our own frequencies instead of the FCC or no one at all”.  If you have requested OO supplies on your monthly reports and you have not received them after some period of time, please let me know directly as sometimes there is a delay in relaying the reports to headquarters.

We continue to get reports regarding 3910, 7241, and 14275, which are being investigated by the FCC.

A complaint about the use of 146.520 in North Texas was referred to the OOC and a similar report from Indiana is being checked out.

A report of a continuous carrier on 7040 was reported by a number of stations, this was forwarded on to the FCC DFing station for which we received this information back a short time later;  Following up on your complaint of a carrier on 7040 kHz, the FCC’s High Frequency Direction Finding Center and Enforcement Bureau were able to locate the source of the emission and get it off the air.  We have not observed the signal on the air since October 27^th.  (They said they were unable to release details)

A report of an unidentified buzz on 7251 was received and referred to regional monitors and the FCC was asked to assist.  They later reported it went off the air shortly after being reported.

Several reports of unlicensed bear hunters using 2 meter simplex frequencies were reported in North Carolina and South Carolina, OOs have been asked to monitor and gather information.

One thing to keep in mind regarding when to send an advisory is to remember that an Official Observer needs to hear first hand the infraction, and not from information based on third-part information.

We continue to receive a number of reports of uncertified “CB” type equipment being offered for sale on eBay and other sites on the internet and also at the major truck stops across the nation.  A number of letters have gone out in the past to dealers and distributors as the FCC follows up on these reports.

We have received several more reports of the call NL7R being boot-legged so we will continue this request to all OOs for possible assistance.  Denis Allen NL7R from Valdez, Alaska recently contacted us saying that someone in the US has been bootlegging his call on 40 meter CW for 3 years.  He states that he does not operate on 40 meter CW and has posted this information on QRZ.com.   But he continues to receive QSL cards from hams who think they have worked him.  Denis says most of the cards indicate operation on or near 7040 in the evenings.  He has contacted the FCC but they would like assistance in pinpointing the source since it is intermittent.  Denis thinks possibly it is originating in Texas but we need help in confirming that.  We have received a number of reports from stations in these states along with the frequencies; Texas 7055, Alabama 7045, Vermont 7032, Nevada 7120, and Florida 7050.

Also N7RD was reported as being boot-legged so if you can provide information on that please let us know.

As an information sideline in regard to the recent discussion about commercialization of the amateur radio service and the subject of waivers, the FCC has been granting a few of them.  Here is a recent one;  http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2420A1.pdf

It is important for all amateurs to abide by their band privileges, our DXCC department does consider OO reports regarding out of band privileges by operators and continual infractions are forwarded on to the FCC.   We have received a number of reports of Technician class licensees and Generals as well operating beyond their privileges.

We would like to include some general information that was sent to Section Managers and Emcomm people earlier regarding good operating practices especially on the crowded bands during contests.

Headquarters announcement:

As we all know, the combination of poor conditions on the higher HF

bands and increasing participation in contests, ARRL-sponsored and

others, is creating some very crowded bands on the weekends -

especially in the 20, 40, and 75 meter phone allocations.  Busy bands

can lead to conflicts between different groups of amateurs, but those

conflicts can often be avoided. The following message is intended to

help amateurs operate more effectively by planning ahead to mitigate

the expected congestion.

Because contesters know to expect this situation in advance, it's a

good reason to make an extra effort to avoid non-contest users of the

bands, particularly emergency communications and service-type

activities.  For example, look up the times and frequencies of state-

and regional-level traffic and emergency nets you are likely to

encounter. Make a list and post it near the radio to remind you to

listen first when near those frequencies. The same goes for

wide-coverage nets or special event stations operating on the higher

bands. If there is activity, give these non-competitive stations a

little extra breathing room - 2.5 kHz above (for your signal) and below

(for theirs) is a reasonable margin. (proportionately less margin on

CW)  If a net is on 3965 kHz, for example, keep your carrier frequency

above 3967.5 or below 3962.5 kHz.  And it should go without saying that

everyone's signal should be clean and free of splatter.  If you

unintentionally open up on an ongoing QSO or net, apologize and move. 

Just as we ask others to recognize the legitimacy of contesting, we

should return the favor.  Take a deep breath, have fun, and play nice!

Because net managers and emcomm leaders know to expect this situation

in advance, it is a cue for nets and other on-the-air activities to

activate and exercise their Plan B.  Everyone must have a Plan B - an

alternate frequency or band or time or even mode.  It's unwise at best

to expect that our chosen frequencies will always be noise- and

interference-free in an emergency, so why not take advantage of the

flexibility unique to the Amateur Service? 75 meter nets could try out

60 meters - to which amateur access was granted on the basis of the

need for emergency communications. Changing net or scheduled contact

times to avoid contest activity also works well. For example, when

solar activity is low, 75, 60, 40, and 30 meters are often quite useful

for regional communications during daylight hours. If you choose to

stay put, remind the participants that under strong signal conditions,

it's best to turn off noise blankers and preamps, turn down the RF

Gain, and even switch in a little attenuation.  They may be pleasantly

surprised at how clean and quiet the band sounds!  Why not take the

opportunity to make this a training exercise?  It will improve your

group's operational abilities at any time!

Upcoming November contests that will create very heavy band loading

include Phone Sweepstakes (Nov 21-22), and CQ World Wide CW (Nov 28-29).  

These events have been running on the same weekends for decades, so no one 

should be surprised that they will be loading up the bands again this year.  

Take this opportunity to inform yourself and your group and to adjust your 

operating technique and plans.  Reasonable and informed expectations coupled 

with flexibility and a spirit of accommodation will help us all make use of 

our spectrum more effectively at any time of the year or solar cycle.

In correspondence with FCC people they have related to us that they believe it is beneficial to use the Good Operator reports when appropriate to help encourage good amateur practices.  We concur with that and point out that they be reserved for those amateurs who set an example for the rest of the community by displaying the best that Amateur Radio has to offer.  They are meant for those that go above normal operating practices and not just observing the rules, which we all are expected to do.

We do appreciate each OO filling out the monthly report and sending it to their OOC and Section Manager who forwards a copy to us at headquarters.  We encourage the use of the online form that can be e-mailed.  http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/forms/#fsd-23

As always, we thank you all for your time and efforts involved with the Official Observer program and we invite you to let us know of problems you hear on the air and possible resolutions through your regular monthly reports and e-mails.  Let us know of activities in your section dealing with on the air operation that you would like to see mentioned and recognized in the next summary.  We especially would like to invite OOCs to provide us with write ups concerning areas of amateur operation they feel would benefit other OOs across the nation.  Our training guide suggests that SM and/or OOCs hold a regular refresher course to ensure that their OOs’ skills and knowledge are up to date.  This would be one way to help fulfill that goal.

Nominations are open for the 2009 ARRL International Humanitarian Award.  If you know of someone or some group that you feel qualifies for this award please follow up with a nomination and we will present it to the selection committee.  http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/09/28/11098/?nc=1

Since we are all watching for more sunspot activity, if you are curious of activity on a certain date, look at this;  http://spaceweather.com/glossary/sunspotplotter.htm?PHPSESSID=6cff8o5dqm2p5dv0gljkn0rqg7

We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

73 till next month,

Chuck Skolaut, KØBOG

Field & Regulatory Correspondent

ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio

860 594 0239

cskolaut@arrl.org