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Thanks, AR Newsline:
RESTRUCTURING: IARU THANKS BROADCASTERS FOR SWIFT MOVE OFF 40
Speaking about the International Amateur Radio Union, it has thanked shortwave broadcasters for achieving a high degree
of migration away from the now-worldwide Amateur-exclusive band of 7100 to 7200 kHz. This, by the mandated March 29th
date. IARU Secretary Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, has been quick to acknowledge the compliance by most broadcasters to QSY out of
that band, as required by a decision of the World Radio Conference in 2003. In a statement, Sumner thanked the
international broadcast community for its compliance with the changeover schedule. He also noted that he is certain
that the few remaining broadcast transmitters operating on 7200 kHz and below will be addressed in the coming weeks.
Sumner’s letter of appreciation was sent to the High Frequency Coordination Conference. That group
represents 60 organizations from more than 30 countries accounting for up to 80% of the global output of short
wave broadcasting. The departure of broadcasting from this spectrum has resulted in an enormous improvement in the
usefulness of 40 meters for amateur radio communication. (VK3PC)
Radio Law: Honolulu's radio hams win mobile radio exemption
A major victory for radio hams in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Bill 4, the pro-ham radio mobile cellular phone legislation for the City and County of Honolulu passed Third Reading on April 22nd, and has passed out of the Council.
The measure includes a full exemption for radio amateurs from the effects of this bill. This bill is significant because it addresses the issue of traffic safety, but does not diminish the role of amateur radio in the course of the legislation. It’s also believed to be the first legislation in Hawaii that fully supports amateur radio.
The mayor will sign this bill into law shortly, with an effective date of July 1st.
But the fight is not over yet. The Hawaii County Council is currently working with a draft equivalent to Bill 4, but so far lacks the exemption for amateur radio.
According to Ron Hashiro, AH6RH, the next few weeks will be important for the Big Island for testimony and education of their Council members.
Updates will be posted on this web page:
http://www.qsl.net/ah6rh/am-radio/cellular-phone-ordinance.html
(AH6RH, KH6QX)
Radio Law: Supreme Court Says No More Fleeting Dirty Words Can be Broadcast
Using dirty words in any broadcast is illegal. So says the Supreme Court in its Tuesday, April 28th narrow
ruling in favor of a government policy. One that threatens broadcasters with fines over the use of even a
single curse word on any broadcast. By a 5 to 4 vote, the court threw out an earlier decision by the 2nd U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals that had found in favor of a Fox Television-led challenge to the FCC policy. That
court returned the case to the agency for what it had termed as a reasoned analysis of its tougher line on
indecency. Instead, the FCC took the matter to the Supreme Court. By way of background, the FCC
changed its long standing policy after it concluded that an unofficial one free expletive rule did not make
sense. This, in the context of keeping the air waves free of indecency when children are likely to be watching
television. This, based on a Supreme Court decision some ruled 31 years ago that determined that the FCC could
ban curse words from the airwaves between 6am and 10pm local time in any given broadcast
market. The events leading to this latest change involved a number of live broadcasts of awards shows in
which celebrities let slip a few variations of certain dirty words. So-called fleeting expletives were not
treated as indecent before then. The Fox Television Stations and other networks challenged the policy after the FCC
singled out use of the words by entertainers Bono, Cher, and Nicole Ritchie during awards programs that aired in
2002 and 2003. What, if anything, this ruling might mean to personal radio users at this time is unclear.
In the short term, likely nothing. However, the FCC has been known to use legal findings in one service as
basis to enforce rules in another. It has successfully denied license renewals in several services
based on violations in others and has used cross service violations to successfully lift all licenses in some
cases. That's even happened in ham radio. Now, with so many scanner radios out there in households with
young children, there is the possibility, albeit a remote one, that enough complaints reaching the FCC about
a foul mouthed ham could bring some enforcement action based on this ruling regarding broadcast indecency
into play. (adapted from Media Network and various published reports)
| June, 2009 | |
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