06 June 2009
Field Day 2009
The Boundary County Amateur Radio Club has invited BCARC members to join them for Field Day, June 27th and 28th. It will be held in the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge. KE7ADU will post details on his website as plans are finalized. http://ke7adu.idaho4.com/field-day-2009-info
AMATEUR RADIO BILL IN CONGRESS
The ARRL Letter, Vol. 28, No. 17, May 1, 2009
On Wednesday, April 29, Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) introduced HR 2160 -- the "Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009" -- in the US House of Representatives.
If enacted into law, HR 2160, would instruct the Secretary of Homeland Security to undertake a study that would spell out uses and capabilities of Amateur Radio communications in emergencies and disaster relief. The study shall:
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Include recommendations for enhancements in the voluntary deployment of Amateur Radio licensees in disaster and emergency communications and disaster relief efforts.
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Include recommendations for improved integration of Amateur Radio operators in planning and in furtherance of the Department of Homeland Security initiatives.
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Identify unreasonable or unnecessary impediments to enhanced Amateur Radio communications -- such as the effects of private land use regulations on residential antenna installations -- and make recommendations regarding such impediments.
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Include an evaluation of Section 207 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-104, 110 Stat 56 [1996]).
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Recommend whether Section 207 should be modified to prevent unreasonable private land use restrictions that impair the ability of amateurs to conduct, or prepare to conduct, emergency communications by means of effective outdoor antennas and support structures at reasonable heights and dimensions for the purpose in residential areas.
EMCOMM
We may not have hurricanes in Bonner Co. but we do have other weather related problems, fires, volcanic ash, earthquakes, and potential hazmat related disasters. Amateur radio is a valuable asset to every community. If you are interested, Emergency Communication (EMCOMM) courses are available on-line through ARRL, check registration calandar and course descriptions.
