THE BIG NEWS OF THE MONTH... IT'S MCARC HAMFEST TIME! July 17th, Athens Regional Park, 7AM
We need all the help we can get at 6AM Saturday to control traffic, help the ladies more stuff to the pavilion, etc. If you plan to tailgate, that's fine, but please consider parking in your tailgate space, then help out a little before you set up. If we all pitch in, we will be done quickly.

Ruthie Burris, wife of Chuck K4CTB, is spearheading the breakfast sales. She is working on donations of some stuff. If some of the ladies wish to help, here is how:

Ruthie and my wife Jean could use another person or two in the concessions stand. Also, if some of the ladies would like to bake, cook, throw together some kind of dessert type thing we can sell, that would be great. Please make it something that is easy to do individual portions.

As always, there is a chance of rain... he, it's summer time! Hopefully, it will hold off till afternoon.

More info for our tailgaters and visitor is at www.mcminnarc.com/fest/fest.html.

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Next month:
August 12, Ingleside School, Athens Police Department Cookout, 6PM

FCC Rules change regarding amateur radio and employees
A while back, a petition was put forth to the Federal Communications Commission to modify the rules governing amateur radio in regards to employees with amateur licenses operating for employers during drills and exercises. The FCC has now modified those rules. They appear in FCC format at the end of this email. Here are some points that clarify this action:

1) This rule change does not affect operations during an actual emergency. The FCC realizes that during emergencies, any means may be utilized to communicate, including amateur radio.

2) The employee must have an amateur radio license, and is only authorized to operate according to his license privileges. In other words, to operate an HF radio in the 10 - 160 meter bands, the employee must have at least a General class license.

§ 97.113   Prohibited transmissions.

(a) * * *

(3) Communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer, with the following exceptions:

(i) A station licensee or control station operator may participate on behalf of an employer in an emergency preparedness or disaster readiness test or drill, limited to the duration and scope of such test or drill, and operational testing immediately prior to such test or drill.  Tests or drills that are not government-sponsored are limited to a total time of one hour per week; except that no more than twice in any calendar year, they may be conducted for a period not to exceed 72 hours. 

(ii) An amateur operator may notify other amateur operators of the availability for sale or trade of apparatus normally used in an amateur station, provided that such activity is not conducted on a regular basis.
(iii) A control operator may accept compensation as an incident of a teaching position during periods of time when an amateur station is used by that teacher as a part of classroom instruction at an educational institution.
(iv) The control operator of a club station may accept compensation for the periods of time when the station is transmitting telegraphy practice or information bulletins, provided that the station transmits such telegraphy practice and bulletins for at least 40 hours per week; schedules operations on at least six amateur service MF and HF bands using reasonable measures to maximize coverage; where the schedule of normal operating times and frequencies is published at least 30 days in advance of the actual transmissions; and where the control operator does not accept any direct or indirect compensation for any other service as a control operator.
* * * * *

An additional comment from tha MCARC Webmaster:
(NOTE: The comments below may not reflect the opinion of the McMinn County Amateur Radio Club, Inc. They are the comments of the author only.)

I did comment to the FCC during the rule making process that I was in agreement with the rule change, but would like to see a provision that the "employee amateur" be an active part of a local amateur radio emergency communications group. The reason I commented that way is that everyone needs to be on the same page, in understanding what is needed and expected. The "employee amateur" needs to know things like local repeater and simplex frequencies, emergency plans, shelter locations, who leaders are, etc. In practice I have seen that most "employee amateurs" are never on the air other than something to do with their employment, and seldom are involved in local amateur groups. There are exceptions, and those "employee amateurs" who are involved with the local planning are top notch operators and "in the know".

Scott Duckworth, NA4IT
MCARC Webmaster