More FCC whackiness - now they're affecting potential EmComms

[Moleculo]

Check out this article:

The K3NG Report: FCC 47CFR97.113 Interpretations: Throwing the Baby Out with the Bathwater

An employee of the hospital voluntarily participated in an emcom drill at the hospital amateur station while he was getting paid by the hospital and got smacked around by Laura Smith for it. I really don't think this was the intent of Section 97.113(a)(3).

I know from first hand observation that Red Cross employees use their amateur station for emcom activities while they are getting paid by the Red Cross. I suppose now the Red Cross is going to get a letter from Laura Smith too? Unbelievable! :thumbdown:

 

[Sonwatcher]

I read another thread on the subject and a question asked I thought was relevant to this. What would HRO and AES do if they could not repair radios ? They have to have employees that have an Amateur license to be able to test the radios. Those techs are paid employees. Or any AR tech for that matter being paid to repair a radio that requires "on air" testing .

 

[Shioda]

Maybe the FCC's plan is to keep narrowing the scope of Amateur usage to the point where there is no justification for the frequency allocations. Then the FCC can take everything but one band, reserved for Amateurs. Say the 10 meter band.

 

[Robb]

Check out this article:

The K3NG Report: FCC 47CFR97.113 Interpretations: Throwing the Baby Out with the Bathwater

An employee of the hospital voluntarily participated in an emcom drill at the hospital amateur station while he was getting paid by the hospital and got smacked around by Laura Smith for it. I really don't think this was the intent of Section 97.113(a)(3).

I know from first hand observation that Red Cross employees use their amateur station for emcom activities while they are getting paid by the Red Cross. I suppose now the Red Cross is going to get a letter from Laura Smith too? Unbelievable! :thumbdown:

I guess that the Fed Gov't doesn't know what is right for the people any more. Laws are needed to be in place to make sense and that make sense. These guys are working with half of a deck - and it's all jokers!

 

[mackmobile43]

I read another thread on the subject and a question asked I thought was relevant to this. What would HRO and AES do if they could not repair radios ? They have to have employees that have an Amateur license to be able to test the radios. Those techs are paid employees. Or any AR tech for that matter being paid to repair a radio that requires "on air" testing .

That's what scopes,spec analyzers and dummy loads are for.

 

[mackmobile43]

Maybe the FCC's plan is to keep narrowing the scope of Amateur usage to the point where there is no justification for the frequency allocations. Then the FCC can take everything but one band, reserved for Amateurs. Say the 10 meter band.

Slightly reminiscent of what happened when 11 meters was allocated.

 

[Sonwatcher]

The FCC gave their opinion on the matter yesterday-

Transmissions by amateur stations participating in government disaster drills must comply with
all applicable amateur service rules. While the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary
noncommercial communications service, particularly with respect to providing emergency
communications, is one of the underlying principles of the amateur service,1 the amateur service is not an
emergency radio service. Rather, it is a voluntary, non-commercial communication service authorized for
the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by licensed
persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.2
State and local government public safety agencies occasionally conduct emergency preparedness
or disaster drills that include amateur operations. Some entities, such as hospitals, emergency operations
centers, and police, fire, and emergency medical service stations, have expressed interest in having their
employees who are amateur station operators participate in these drills by transmitting messages on the
entity’s behalf. The Commission’s Rules, however, specifically prohibit amateur stations from
transmitting communications “in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest,
including communications on behalf of an employer.”

Can't do it. The Amateur rules outweigh the disaster drills for an employer .
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2259A1.pdf

 

[W5LZ]

And the way around that restriction for -drills- is by applying for and having a waiver before participating in that drill. The employee/ham doesn't do that application, his employer does. Those waivers don't apply in actual emergency situations, only with drills. In actual emergency situations it's an "anything goes" sort of thing (within reason), and always has been.
Take a look at the announcement on the ARRL site from the FCC, it's all covered. It ain't a biggy, don't make it into one.
- 'Doc

 

[C2]

I think it is in AR best interest to maintain the separation of these commercial entities

 

[TonyV225]

Wth the amount of QRMing and just plain malicious garbage thats been going on in a few of the bands and letters and complaints being sent in or made with nothing being done I also wonder what the FCC's intent is with everything!!??

 

[Sonwatcher]

You're correct Doc-

Given the public interest in facilitating government-sponsored emergency preparedness and
disaster drills, we take this opportunity to provide a clear process for requesting a waiver, and the
information that we require in order to consider granting such a request.4 Waiver requests should be
submitted to the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau by the government entity conducting the drill, and
must provide the following information: (1) when and where the drill will take place; (2) identification of
the amateur licensees expected to transmit amateur communications on behalf of their employers; (3)
identification of the employers on whose behalf they will be transmitting; and (4) a brief description of
the drill. We emphasize that the filing of a waiver request does not excuse compliance with the rules
while that request is pending. The waiver must be requested prior to the drill, and employees may not
transmit amateur communications on their employer’s behalf unless the waiver request has been granted.

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2259A1.pdf

 

[layjohn]

At least they haven't started taxing us yet on our usage. With this administration any thing is possible.

 

[Moleculo]

At least they haven't started taxing us yet on our usage. With this administration any thing is possible.

Don't give them any ideas! :thumbdown:

 

[C W Morse]

Maybe the FCC's plan is to keep narrowing the scope of Amateur usage to the point where there is no justification for the frequency allocations. Then the FCC can take everything but one band, reserved for Amateurs. Say the 10 meter band.

Sorry, but FCC can't "take" the 10 Meter band. There is a pesky ITU treaty the the US signed. Sure, they could prevent amateurs from using it, but because it is reserved for use by treaty, they couldn't just re-assigned it in the US for something else. Leastwise, that's the way I understand it.

CWM

 

[TonyV225]

LMAO!! @ THE TAXING US STATEMENT. That will be next Im sure or pay buy the hour?? LOL!! Or a $1.60 every 10 minutes of 160 use and $0.80 every 10 minutes of use for 80 meters and so on :laugh::laugh: