This month, Oregon ARES members will complete the state-wide installation of Winlink http://www.winlink.org/, thanks to a $250,000 grant from Governor Ted Kulongoski. In 2007, the governor was impressed by the hams' ability to handle emergency communications when severe winter storms wreaked havoc on Oregon's North Coast and flooded the City of Vernonia, knocking out 911 services, Internet and phone service for an extended period of time http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/12/05/100/.

The Oregon Office of Emergency Management said that during the storms, the radio operators were "tireless in their efforts to keep the systems connected." When even state police had difficulty reaching some of their own troops, ham radio worked, setting up networks so emergency officials could communicate and relaying lists of supplies needed in stricken areas. "I'm going to tell you who the heroes were from the very beginning of this...the ham radio operators," the governor said at the time. "These people just came in and actually provided a tremendous communication link to us." Because of the service rendered by Amateur Radio operators in providing communications support, the governor allocated funds for the installation of a Winlink system to integrate Amateur Radio with the Internet. The equipment will be installed in the Emergency Operating Center in each of Oregon's 36 counties. Once the monies were distributed, ARES members researched and purchased the equipment that would be needed, formalized and signed contracts between the state, counties and ARES, and allocated space to install the antennas and equipment within each EOC.

The project is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2009 ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET) scheduled for October 3-4 http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/setguide.html . "Using Winlink equipment and other amateur equipment already in place at the EOCs, ARES teams will have to quickly create a communications network, in some instances without depending on other infrastructure such as telephones or Internet," said ARRL Oregon Section Public Information Coordinator Steve Sanders, KE7JSS. "Many will not use commercial electric power. Despite these limitations, the ARES teams should not only be able to quickly pass local messages, but also communicate with other regions of the country. The ability to pass information in and out of disaster areas is crucial to the effectiveness of emergency responders." When Oregon's State Office of Emergency Management was activated on December 3, 2007 http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/12/13/101/,hams over the course of the next four days used Winlink to pass message traffic. "The Winlink system performed perfectly, and the ARES team at the OEM was able to pass approximately 200 messages into and out of the State of Oregon Emergency Operations Center," said Marion County ARES Emergency Coordinator Dean Davis, N7XG. "The only mode of communications for several Oregon counties for the first two days of the storm was the Winlink system."

Subject to the regulations in that country and implements recent changes in the agreement http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2031A1.pdf. When an Amateur Radio operator with US citizenship holds an Advanced or Amateur Extra Class license, they continue to be granted CEPT Radio Amateur License privileges in accordance with CEPT Recommendation T/R 61-01 (as amended) http://www.erodocdb.dk/docs/doc98/Official/word/TR6101%20off%20140905.doc. There is no change in reciprocity for those license classes. What has changed is that US citizens holding a General class license -- who had lost all CEPT reciprocal privileges in 2008 -- are now granted CEPT Novice Radio Amateur License privileges in accordance with ECC Recommendation (05)06 (as amended) <http://www.erodocdb.dk/docs/doc98/Official/word/Rec0506.doc. The Public Notice states that while operating an amateur station in a CEPT country, the person "must have in his or her possession a copy of this Public Notice, proof of US citizenship and evidence of an FCC-issued Amateur Radio license. These documents must be shown to proper authorities upon request." The Public Notice can be found online on the FCC's Web site http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2031A1.pdf.

According to ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, the changes in the CEPT reciprocity are a two-part result of changes made by the European Communications Office (ECO) in February 2008 when they re-examined US license class equivalency in comparison to their HAREC examination contest. "The result of that review was full CEPT reciprocity was only granted to US Amateur Extra and Advanced class licensees, leaving US General and Technician class operators without CEPT reciprocal privileges." The new public notice now reflects that change.

"In order to re-obtain at least some limited privileges under CEPT for those class licensees, the ARRL approached the FCC, asking that the US consider accepting ECC Recommendation (05)06" Henderson continued."Reciprocal agreements between the US and other countries are actually diplomatic arrangements and come about through the agreements through the State Department. In the winter of 2008/2009, the FCC followed up on our request and contacted the US Department of State, asking that the US formally approach the ECO with a request to become party to the recommendation."

At its meeting in late spring 2009, Henderson said that the ECO working group that handles issues pertaining to Amateur Radio accepted the US request to join ECC Recommendation (05)06, and authorized US General Class licensees to operate under that recommendation's terms. It did not extend those privileges to US Technician class licensees. Henderson stated that it is important to note two things about ECC Recommendation (05)06: "First, not all European countries have implemented this recommendation. Therefore, a US General class operator does not have reciprocal privileges in many countries, including popular US travel destinations like Italy, the UK or France. Second, as with any reciprocal operation, the band frequencies and privileges are those allowed by your host country -- they are not the frequencies and privileges extended by your FCC license. Travelers need to make sure they are familiar with the authorized privileges for the CEPT Novice Radio Amateur License if operating using ECC Recommendation (05)06 or T/R 61-01." CEPT countries participating in CEPT Recommendation T/R 61-01 as of September 10, 2009 include Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Estonia, Finland, France (including Corsica, Guadeloupe, French Guyana, Martinique, St Bartholomew, St Pierre and Miquelon, St Martin, Reunion and its Dependencies, Mayotte, French Antarctica, French Polynesia and Clipperton, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna), Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Monaco, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom(including Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man).

CEPT countries participating in ECC Recommendation (05)06 as of September 10, 2009 are Belgium, Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Germany, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.

ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, wrote a letter to National Safety Council (NSC) President Janet Froetscher in July expressing the ARRL's concerns that Amateur Radio not become an unintended victim of the growing public debate over what to do about distracted drivers http://www.arrl.org/news/files/NSC_Letter7-30-09.pdf. Froetscher has now replied, saying the NSC does not support bans or prohibitions on the use of Amateur Radios while driving http://www.arrl.org/news/files/NSC_Response_to_ARRL.pdf.

Noting that there is significant evidence that talking on cell phones while driving poses crash risk four times that of other drivers, Froetscher observed that the NSC position calling for bans on the use of cell phones while driving is grounded in science. "We are not aware of evidence that using Amateur Radios while driving has significant crash risks," Froetscher wrote in her August 24 letter. "We also have no evidence that using two-way radios while driving poses significant crash risks. Until such time as compelling, peer-reviewed scientific research is presented that denotes significant risks associated with the use of Amateur Radios, two-way radios or other communication devices, the NSC does not support legislative bans or prohibition on their use."

Froetscher said that while "the specific risk of radio use while driving is unmeasured and likely does not approach that of cell phones, there indeed is some elevated risk to the drivers, their passengers and the public associated with 650,000 Amateur Radio operators who may not, at one time or another, not concentrate fully on their driving." She points out that the "best safety practice is to have one's full attention on their driving, their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.

Drivers who engage in any activity that impairs any of these constitutes an increased risk."ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, said the ARRL "appreciates NSC President and CEO Janet Froetscher's clear statement that the NSC does not support legislative bans or prohibitions on the use of Amateur Radio while driving. We applaud the NSC for taking positions that are grounded in science. At the same time, all radio amateurs should heed her call to concentrate fully on driving while behind the wheel. It is possible to operate a motor vehicle safely while using Amateur Radio, but if it becomes a distraction we owe it those with whom we share the road, as well as to our passengers, to put safety first."

On January 30, 2009, the ARRL Executive Committee adopted the ARRL's Policy Statement on Mobile Amateur Radio Operation http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/MobileAmateurRadioPolicyStatement.pdf that states "Amateur Radio mobile operation is ubiquitous, and Amateur Radio emergency and public service communications, and other organized Amateur Radio communications activities and networks necessitate operation of equipment while some licensees are driving motor vehicles.

Two-way radio use is dissimilar from full-duplex cellular telephone communications because the operator spends little time actually transmitting; the time spent listening is more similar to, and arguably less distracting than, listening to a broadcast radio, CD or MP3 player.

There are no distinctions to be made between or among Amateur Radio, public safety land mobile radio, private land mobile radio or citizen's radio in terms of driver distraction. All are distinguishable from mobile cellular telephone communications in this respect. Nevertheless, ARRL encourages licensees to conduct Amateur communications from motor vehicles in a manner that does not detract from the safe and attentive operation of a motor vehicle at all times."

In his letter, Harrison explained to Froetscher that Amateur Radio operators provide essential emergency communications when regular communications channels are disrupted by disaster: "Through formal agreements with federal agencies, such as the National Weather Service, FEMA and private relief organizations, the Amateur Radio volunteers protect lives using their own equipment without compensation. The ability of hams to communicate and help protect the lives of those in danger would be strictly hindered if the federal, state and local governments to not ensure that Amateur Radio operators can continue the use of their mobile radios while on the road."

Froetscher replied that she "appreciate[s] your focus of Amateur Radio for emergency communications during disasters. I encourage ARRL to adopt best practices for the safe operation of vehicles that confines use of Amateur Radios while driving only to disaster emergencies."

The Policy Statement asserts that the ARRL "is aware of no evidence that [mobile] operation contributes to driver inattention. Quite the contrary: Radio amateurs are public service-minded individuals who utilize their radio-equipped motor vehicles to assist others, and they are focused on driving in the execution of that function."

Read more: FCC TO UTILITIES: DON'T LOOK TO HAMS TO PAY FOR YOUR TESTING

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