‰  NOW 40 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM JANUARY 2015 QST  PAGE 83‰
COORDINATION.  CARLSON SAID THE LEAGUES CURRENT PROHIBITIVE STANCE TOWARD
ASSISTANCE AND SELF SPOTTING IS THE MOST OFTEN HEARD COMPLAINT ABOUT OUR
VHF CONTEST PROGRAM.  HE SAID SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS BELIEVE THAT REMOVING
THOSE PROHIBITIONS WILL FOSTER GREATER PARTICIPATION AND RESULT IN MORE
CONTACTS AND A MORE POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR PARTICIPANTS WITHOUT IMPACTING
THE EXISTING CHALLENGE OF ACTUALLY COMPLETING CONTACTS.  SIMILARLY, HE
CONTINUED, THE PRESENT RESTRICTION OF SI

AIRED AT THE JULY ARRL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS ENDORSING ADDITIONAL HF
DIGITAL PRIVILEGES FOR TECHNICIANS AND REFERRED TO THE EC FOR STUDY CAME IN
FOR CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSION DURING THE MEMPHIS MEETING.  THE ORIGINAL
MOTION BY ARRL SOUTHEASTERN DIVISION DIRECTOR DOUG REHMAN, K4AC, SOUGHT A
PETITION FOR RULE MAKING TO THE FCC SEEKING DIGITAL PRIVILEGES FOR
TECHNICIANS ON NARROW SEGMENTS OF 80, 40, AND 15 METERS.  AFTER DISCUSSING
THE PROPOSALS PROS AND CONS, THE EC PUT THE BALL BACK INTO THE BOARDS COURT
IN A MODIFIED FORM THE EC RECOMMENDED THAT THE BOARD CONSIDER SOLICITING
INPUT FROM THE MEMBERSHIP ON ADDING DATA PRIVILEGES FOR NOVICES AND
TECHNICIANS WITHIN THEIR EXISTING 15 METER SUBBAND.  THIS IS NOT A PROPOSAL
THAT THE BOARD ADOPT DATA PRIVILEGES FOR TECHS AND NOVICES ON 15 METERS AS
AN OBJECTIVE, AND IT IS MOST DEFINITELY NOT AN ARRL PROPOSAL TO THE FCC,
STRESSED ARRL CEO DAVID SUMNER, K1ZZ, A NON VOTING MEMBER OF THE EC.  THAT
WOULD COME LATER, IF AT ALL, AFTER THE BOARD HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
WEIGH MEMBERSHIP INPUT.  IN OTHER BUSINESS, ARRL GENERAL COUNSEL CHRIS
IMLAY, W3KD, TOLD THE EC TO EXPECT AN FCC NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE MAKING IN

GIVEN THE NECESSITY OF UNRESTRICTED MOBILE AMATEUR RADIO COMMUNICATIONS IN
ORDER FOR THE BENEFITS OF AMATEUR RADIO TO THE PUBLIC TO CONTINUE TO BE
REALIZED, ARRL URGES STATE AND MUNICIPAL LEGISLATORS CONSIDERING
RESTRICTIONS ON MOBILE CELLULAR TELEPHONE OPERATION AND MOBILE TEXT
MESSAGING TO NARROWLY DEFINE THE CLASS OF DEVICES INCLUDED IN THE
REGULATION, SO THAT THE CLASS INCLUDES ONLY FULL DUPLEX WIRELESS TELEPHONES
AND RELATED HAND HELD OR PORTABLE EQUIPMENT, THE LEAGUE POLICY RECOMMENDS.
THE ARRL POLICY SUGGESTS STATUTORY LANGUAGE FOR STATE AND LOCAL MOTOR
VEHICLE CODES THAT DEFINES A PERSONAL WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE AS ONE
THROUGH WHICH COMMERCIAL MOBILE SERVICES, UNLICENSED WIRELESS SERVICES, AND
COMMON CARRIER WIRELESS EXCHANGE ACCESS SERVICES ARE TRANSMITTED.  THIS
WORDING SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES TWO WAY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, SUCH
AS THAT USED IN THE AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE.  FOR STATES OR LOCALITIES
CONSIDERING BANNING ALL BUT HANDS FREE CELL PHONE USE, THE ARRL RECOMMENDED
WORDING THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE USE OF A PERSONAL WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS
DEVICE IN ANY MANNER WHILE DRIVING, UNLESS THE MOTORIST IS USING HANDS FREE
CAPABILITY.  ARRL CEO DAVID SUMNER, K1ZZ, ADDRESSED THE ISSUE IN HIS IT
SEEMS TO US EDITORIAL, DISTRACTED DRIVING LEGISLATION PROCEED WITH CAUTION,
PUBLISHED IN THE NOVEMBER 2013 ISSUE OF QST.  IN OTHER MATTERS, A PROPOSAL
‰  END OF 40 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ