Subj : Newsline Part 1
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri May 12 2017 07:09 pm
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2063 for Friday, May 12, 2017
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2063, with a release date of
Friday, May 12 2017, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. The FCC gets a strong dose of malicious
interference. AMSAT-Sweden reaches a milestone year -- and our top
story, which looks at the impact of hands-free legislation on hams
with mobile rigs. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report
2063 comes your way right now.
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BILLBOARD CART
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BREAKING NEWS - ABC CANCELS LAST MAN STANDING
There is breaking news just released as this newscast was going to air.
ABC has cancelled the Tim Allen sitcom LAST MAN STANDING after 6 years.
Also, The CW pulled the plug on their drama FREQUENCY following it's
first season. Both shows featured amateur radio in their plots.
LAST MAN STANDING reruns are currently in syndication. We will have
more details as they become available. Don Wilbanks, AE5DW reporting.
Jim...
JIM DAMRON/ANCHOR: We open this week's report with a look at mobile
communications. With mobile rigs being second nature to so many radio
amateurs, the crackdown by localities on motorists' cellphones and
hands-free communications is starting to have an impact. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Paul Braun, WD9GCO, has the story of how one group of hams
in Arizona is dealing with it.
PAUL: With the rise of cellphone usage, many states and communities
are passing ordinances banning their use in cars without a hands-free
device. However, as Jay Melnick, KB0TS, of the Radio Society of Tucson,
Arizona points out, hams must remain diligent to make sure that amateur
radio doesn't get caught up in the ban:
MELNICK: The Tucson City Council approved a 5-2 new ban on using
cellphones while driving, and that ban came into effect on May 1st.
Well, we all agree that distracted driving and driving with a cellphone
is dangerous and should be dealt with, but the way I see it, and the
way we see it, is a lot of city councils or county commissioners are so
gung-ho that they jump too quick, and they don't realize that there are
people, mainly amateur radio operators, that need the equipment, and
they're very helpful to law enforcement and civil defense and public
defense.
Under the new ordinance passed, anyone caught using a cellphone while
driving will get a $250 fine for the first offense, and that doesn't
involve an accident. If you are involved in an accident, that's $500
for a second violation, and any subsequent violations and the minimum
fine for anybody involved in a vehicle accident while using a cellphone
will be $500.
They're also making it a secondary offense, so you cannot be stopped
if law enforcement just sees you talking on your cellphone and driving
around.
But when they initially put this together, they didn't think about
amateur radio operators, and other people who are operating two-way
radio equipment, and a lot of the people in Tucson and Pima County,
Arizona got together, especially hams, and brought it to the attention
of the Pima County Sheriff's Department, and we finally got something
from Chief Karl Woodridge of the Pima County Sheriff's Operations
Bureau, and it says that the Pima County Handheld Device Ordinance
10-34 will not affect the use of two-way radios. In the Ordinance, a
hand-held electronic device will be defined as being designated to
engage in calls (cell phones) rather than radio transmissions.
He has forwarded this information to their training personnel to ensure
that the distinction "two-way radios vs. cellphones" is clearly
explained to the deputies. They also went on to say that "the intent
of this law is to prohibit calls and texting, not to interfere with
drivers making radio transmissions. This falls under the
"reasonableness" aspect of our enforcement efforts."
PAUL: Well, now the officials know: there are cell phones, and then
there are ham radios - two different technologies, born of two different
missions. Who better than hams to set the record straight that casual
texting or talking isn't the same thing as needing to be on the air?
When that understanding results in a reasonable adjustment being made
to a very reasonable law, everyone is bound to benefit. For Amateur
Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.
