THE INDIANAPOLIS RADIO CLUB - FOUNDED IN 1914 (The oldest continuously meeting Amateur Radio Club in the United States) THE AMACHEWER FOR OCTOBER 2001 NEXT MEETING IS OCTOBER 12, 2001 at 7:30 P.M. AT THE INDIANAPOLIS TRAINING CENTER, 2801 NORTH MERIDIAN. (Come early to socialize) 2001 IRC Officers: Pres. Bill Goodall (K9DBY) 255-4749 V. Pres. Chuck Crist (W9IH) 787-6674 Director Bruce Woodward (W9ZY) 251-5606 Secy. Tom Chance (K9XV) 783-1093 Treas. Wade Kingery (W9JGZ) 255-5191 Chief Op. John Lee (W9GRE) 251-3793 Editor Gale Wuollet (AA9WU) 849-8449 ** Our September Meeting Minutes: Secretary, Thomas Chance wrote.... 15 SEP 2001 14 individuals were present for the meeting. Bill Goodall (K9DBY), Club President, opened the meeting after an enjoyable social session. Wade Kingery (W9JGZ) gave the Treasurer's report and explained that we are now are using the CIB bank for our checking and CD locations. They provide the best rates in Indy for the present. The Club treasury is in good shape. Wade also gave a little pitch for the bank - something to check into if your looking for good service, etc. Our Guest Speaker was Bob LaGrange (N9SIU) from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). Club members present learned some very interesting things about the present SEMA operations. A short trivia discussion about old call books and the 1st issued call signs was lead by Chuck Crist (W9IH) ...did you know???? (Perhaps you should have been there to find the answer). The meeting adjourned at 9PM.. ** Our October Meeting: Our guest speaker is Dr. Gary Stouder (K9SG). He will be speaking on the "Greenfield High School Radio Project." Dr. Stouder is from the Greenfield area where he has been involved in amateur satellite communications work for many years. Presently he has taken on the challenge of incorporating satellite communication into the Greenfield High School curriculum. Through the use ham radio and with the help of many volunteers from the Hancock County ARC, Gary has introduced several students to orbiting satellite technology. Some students are also attending ham radio classes and several others have already become hams. At the present time the ham radio group in the High School is scheduled to have contact later this month with the International Space Station (ISS). Don't miss this very informative presentation of new educational concepts involving Ham Radio! P.S. Why not bring along a friend too? ** Local News: TECHNICIAN LICENSE CLASS The American Red Cross Disaster Radio Group has their scheduled Technician class in process. They meet on Thursday nights through November 15, 2001. It's not too late for someone you know to enroll. The class itself is still free of charge and the only expense is the purchase of the ARRL Technician manual ("Now You're Talking") that is used for study. If you know someone interested in attending this class and would like more information, please have them call Gale Wuollet, AA9WU at (317) 849-8449 or email him at aa9wu@arrl.net. NEW KIDS NET STARTED The Indianapolis Repeater Association has started a "Kids Net" on Sunday evenings at 6:30 PM. The net operates on the 146.10/70 repeater and the net is run by and for "kids" as long as they have at least a Technician license and are no more than 18 years old. All check-in's, again 18 years and younger, are welcome. If you know kids that might be interested in checking-in please pass the word around. If they are also interested in being the net control operator some Sunday, please have them contact Don McMorrine (K9MCM) who can often be reached on this same repeater or have them get in touch with me at (317) 849-8449 and I'll see that their wishes get acknowledged. I believe that this is a "first" for central Indiana and I ask that we all try to make it a success as everybody knows we need the younger folks more involved in our hobby if it is to grow and prosper. ** News from the ARRL: 1) The NCVEC Form 605 used by all VE testing groups will be changing by December. The new form will be shipped directly to the VE team liaisons in the coming weeks. 2) Another major change is in effect on December 3, 2001. The FCC wants to collect CORES FRN (FCC Registration Numbers) from those applicants who have already have one. The FCC states that each person registered in ULS should automatically have an FRN. The FRN is viewable by doing a search for LICENSE at the FCC WTB ULS web page: http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls The FCC has also told us (although not yet confirmed in writing) that Social Security Numbers (SSNs) will continue to be acceptable for Tax Identification Number (TIN) purposes, such as for people who don't yet have an FRN. (Ed. When an individual is issued a license they are automatically assigned a CORES FRN. Everyone might want to check that web page if they don't know their own CORES FRN.) 3) Last, the FCC has once again made the applicant's Date of Birth (DOB) a mandatory data item. So whether an individual is filing an NCVEC 605 from through a VE team or filing the FCC 605 from, either in paper form or on-line, this will be required data. ** News from the FCC: ENFORCEMENT CASE HIGHLIGHTS FCC CERTIFICATION RULES (Ed: extracted in part) The FCC's Riley Hollingsworth used the occasion of a recent Warning Notice to hammer home the FCC's position on the sale of RF amplifiers that have not received FCC certification--formerly called "type acceptance." In a September 19 letter to Extra licensee Sidney Lee Martin, KD4YBC, Hollingsworth reiterated an earlier FCC warning to Martin that he cease commercial marketing of non-certificated external RF amplifiers and amplifier kits capable of operating below 144 MHz. Martin, who operated a one-man business called RF Electronics in South Carolina, countered with his interpretation that he was allowed, under FCC Part 97 Amateur Service rules, to sell such kits as one amateur to another under an exception to the certification rules. Martin argued that Section 97.315 of the Amateur Service rules permitted his licensed customers to purchase from him--as another licensee--and construct or modify one model of a non-certificated RF power amp or kit per calendar year for that licensee's personal use. Hollingsworth said FCC rules permit an individual amateur to construct or modify a non- certificated RF power amplifier once per calendar year for use at that amateur's own station-- although the unit may not be built from a kit--and the amateur may then sell the amplifier to another licensee or dealer. The rules do not provide for mass marketing or manufacturing and marketing kits or assembled amplifiers as part of a business, Hollingsworth said. He added that the FCC would prosecute any violations and take enforcement action against Martin's amateur license. Martin's Web site no longer offers any RF amplifiers for sale. ** Miscellaneous (Repeat from last month) Like many retirees, I am finding too many things to do and too little time to do them in. For that reason, at the end of this year I am resigning as editor of the AMACHEWER. I bring this up at this point in time so that a "volunteer" can step forward soon to take over this task and in that way we will both have enough time to make a smooth transition of paper files, database information, etc. If you are interested please contact me or Bill Goodall our club President. 73, Gale A. Wuollet (AA9WU)