ARRL and FCC Sign Memorandum to Implement New Volunteer

QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 14 ARLB014
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT April 17, 2019
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB014
ARLB014 ARRL and FCC Sign Memorandum to Implement New Volunteer
Monitor Program

ARRL and the FCC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
that paves the way to implement the new and enhanced Volunteer
Monitor program. The memorandum establishes the Volunteer Monitors
as a replacement for the Official Observers (OO) program. Current
OOs have been encouraged to participate in the new program.

"We are excited by the opportunity to codify our partnership with
the FCC and to work together to achieve our mutual interests of
protecting the integrity of our Amateur Radio bands," said ARRL
President Rick Roderick, K5UR. "This Memorandum of Understanding
will serve as the foundation for a new level of partnership on this
very important issue."

ARRL has contracted with retired FCC special counsel and former
Atlantic Division Vice Director Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, to
oversee the ARRL's role in the development and implementation of the
Volunteer Monitor program.

Approved by the ARRL Board of Directors at its July 2018 meeting,
the new Volunteer Monitor program is a formal agreement between the
FCC and ARRL in which volunteers trained and vetted by the ARRL will
monitor the airwaves and collect evidence that can be used both to
correct misconduct or recognize exemplary on-air operation. Cases of
flagrant violations will be referred to the FCC by the ARRL for
action in accordance with FCC guidelines.

The intent of this program is to re-energize enforcement efforts in
the Amateur Radio bands. It was proposed by the FCC in the wake of
several FCC regional office closures and a reduction in field staff.

"Under this program, the FCC will give enforcement priority to cases
developed by the Volunteer Monitor program, without the delay of
ARRL having to refer cases through the FCC online complaint
process," Hollingsworth said.

Hollingsworth has identified three phases to the program:
Development, Solicitation and Training, and Implementation.

* The Development phase will include drafting a mission statement,
clearly defining the ARRL's and FCC's requirements and needs as part
of the program, writing a job description for volunteer monitors,
and developing a training manual for volunteers.

* The Solicitation and Training phase will involve identifying the
geographic locations where volunteer monitors will be most needed,
soliciting applications and guidance from Section Managers in
reviewing applicants. (Those currently volunteering as Official
Observers are invited to apply for appointment as Volunteer
Monitors.)

* The Implementation phase will involve having the volunteers
provide field reports to ARRL, with staff offering guidance to
volunteers to ensure that the information collected meets
requirements for FCC enforcement action.

Hollingsworth has committed to FCC and ARRL officials to ensure the
adequacy of training for the new positions, to review the quality
and utility of Volunteer Monitor submissions to the FCC for
enforcement actions, and to advocate for rapid disposition of cases
appropriately submitted to the FCC.

ARRL officials estimate that within 6 to 9 months the first
Volunteer Monitors will be in place and ready to begin their duties.
NNNN
/EX​

 

With Riley back in the saddle be prepared to see some spectrum sweeping and trash removal!

Carl

 

I sure hope this works.

IMHO, the key factor is what FCC will actually do with information gathered by the VMs - and how quickly they will do it.

We've seen cases drag on for years and years with no resolution. We've seen cases that were only "resolved" when the offender up and died.

What we haven't seen are cases where an offender lost their licenses and equipment, and paid a big fine, all within a reasonable time.

 

I tried oo for a short time.. anything reported was a waste of my time and effort..
Until fcc enforces the rules with vigor, nothing is going to change..
I also feel the arrl is mostly to blame as they are more interested is "money" aka new members, as apposed to solving the situation.
Case in point, I will no longer permit my grandkids in radio room if I'm on the air, especially tuning around on 75 meters.

 

How could ARRL "solve the situation" if FCC doesn't "enforce the rules with vigor"?

What, exactly, do you think ARRL should do, that they haven't done?

 

anyone with common sense can just listen to 75 ssb, and if you can't see anything wrong, you are part of the problem..
I thought they were supposed to represent the hams in the us. the biggest mistake I feel was them wanting the fcc to let us "self police" the ham bands...or at least agreeing to it..
One of my local hams,, a cop,by the way, who seldom id's and then doesn't do it properly, says to me " what the heck,, nobody cares", when I confronted him about it.

 

Are you saying he is going to get rid of the QRM causing Winlinkbots?

 

The FCC is a Toothless Lion. We have had Deer Hunters on 2 meters here in North Florida for over a dozen years & they have even gotten on our local 2 meter repeater & reports the the FCC have brought ZERO results. They have no money & no man power so why tell them anything when they will do nothing. We even identified a large group,where they were hunting,& what frequencies they were using along with tag numbers of the vehicles & more & still NOTHING from the Toothless Lion. It's just another waste of time & effort & a public ploy so that people who don't know any better think they are still breathing at the FCC when they have long been DEAD. This story must be for pure Comedy because the DEAD don't bother anyone or anything.

Clayton
W4KVW

 

Now that every VM report will go to the FCC, will VMs concentrate on reporting jammers, pirates, and general misuse of the spectrum, or will the VMs be reporting key-clicks, chirps and hums on a signal....technical, equipment problems....to the FCC? There is a potential to make amateur operators look bad in the eyes of the FCC. Some component of the OO program should be maintained for reports that are not related to a rules violation. That was the original spirit of the self-policing OO program, but we seem to have forgotten how to help each other along the way.

 

As long as they work on the garbage and not send OO reports because you have a "chirpy cw signal".

 

Ha! I have a whole bunch of boatanchor gear. Some of the transmitters chirp if I don't tune up just so, especially with crystals. I have garnered a nice little collection of OO cards due to this. Always in connection with a known boatanchor operating event. Some OOs just prefer shooting fish in a barrel, I guess.

So, time will tell if I start getting chrip notices from the FCC/VM/whatever. If so, I'm hoping they will be printed on cards with a nice shade of yellow or pink. The white OO cards just don't look that impressive pinned up on my wall of shame ...

 

I used a HB PP 211 late 1920's design free running oscillator on CW to confirm 80M DXCC about 5-6 years ago. Those were always known as "Yoopers" due to the design and the antenna/feedline blowing around. I eventually stabilized it good enough so that it would stay in about a 500 Hz filter passband during a contest tyle exchange; during a ragchew they drifted a bit more but about the same as a 50's VFO rig.

A few OO's were a regular PITA and the worst ones received their OO card back and rolled on a toilet paper roll along with a photo of the breadboard rig. Two returned a nasty letter about having an illegal rig that was a disgrace to the hobby which I forwarded to the ARRL.

I havent used a crystal on HF since getting my General in 1956. I suspect many of the common WW2 surplus versions are now beyond help of even a good cleaning.

Carl

 

Actually, the few "real" FT-243 rocks that I have work just fine. I did have to clean one recently and that went well. The problem children are FT-243 holders with tiny modern sealed crystals inside. Many of them don't like the high current some of the old oscillators subject them to. They heat up during key-down and give a nice "yoooop". Judicious oscillator tuning helps minimize that. Also reworking the oscillators. But at some point, one's transmitter is no longer the original factory design. So, I am "OO bait" at times.

 

True, If not handled correctly this solution could become a "major problem and a political disaster for hams in general. You have to be careful what she asked for and how you asked for it and what you agree to.

 

Consider yourself lucky.

There were many companies that made those crystals and some werent among the best. And I wont even get into that clown who sells those mini crystals inside the holders.

Crystals inside many boatanchor filters are also aging (losing activity) and drifting off frequency. Most of those Ive been able to clean and bring back on frequency as needed.

On the bench or in the que here for customers are a NC-183, RME-45, HRO-500, and Johnson Ranger...plus a NCL-2000 and Clipperton L.

Carl