ULS registration requires supplying a Taxpayer Identification Number (for individuals, this is typically your Social Security Number) and “associated call signs.” These could include your individual call sign plus any club station call signs for which you are the trustee.
The Public Notice said that in conjunction with the ULS, the FCC “must collect TIN information to correlate its licensees with any outstanding Federal debt that they might have incurred in other dealings with the Federal Government.” All vanity call sign applicants must now supply a TIN as part of Form 159.
On-line registration via the Internet is available. In addition to providing basic name and address information, registration requires you to establish a password that you must use along with your TIN to re-enter the system to make future changes. The ULS also lets you check the status of a pending application. A spokesperson in the FCC’s Technical Support Group said the FCC will verify all data supplied at the time of registration to ensure that it is valid before the data are entered into the FCC licensee database.
Using the TIN and the associated call sign(s), the ULS assigns a unique sequential number to each licensee. The WTB says that once it has registration information and has implemented the ULS, it will streamline and simplify the FCC’s ability to handle future administrative changes (name and address changes, for example).
Licensees are invited to register electronically at http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls. Select ULS Registration. Licensees without access to the Internet may file a TIN registration form, FCC Form 60, from the FCC’s fax-on-demand service at 202-418- 0177 or by calling the FCC Forms Distribution Center, 800-418-3676.—FCC
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Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth told reporters on Tuesday, November 18th that he does watch television, but only does so in the capacity of his job at the FCC office. When asked if not having a TV at home will interfere with his job performance, Furchtgott-Roth said that if something requires his watching a program, he will find a way to see it.
Furchtgott-Roth says he has five children and several radios in his home. He refused to tell reporters why he does not have a TV set, but says that he has a home computer. However, he added that the computer is not connected to the Internet.
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Happy 100th birthday to W7HF! George Wilson, W7HF, of Aberdeen, Washington, celebrates his 100th birthday November 1, 1997. The Grays Harbor Amateur Radio Club plans to honor Wilson at its November 6 meeting. Club member Frank Volz, KA7DNK, reports that Wilson is still active on the HF bands. Wilson has been an ARRL member since 1934.—Frank Volz, KA7DNK
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The payloads aboard the Ariane 502 consisted of a pair of instrumented masses designed to simulate large communication satellites, plus the Teamsat technology satellite. Data collected during the flight indicate that the liquid-fueled core vehicle of the Ariane 5 rocket rolled in flight causing its main engine to shut down 10 to 20 seconds too soon. This meant that the upper stage booster and attached payloads did not attain the velocity they needed and went into a lower orbit than expected.
ESA officials are being quoted as saying that if actual communications satellites had been aboard, they might have been able to compensate for the lower orbit insertion by using onboard propulsion systems. However, this also could reduce the satellite’s overall useful life.
It is unclear what effect, if any, the lower orbit will have on Teamsat—or might have had for Phase 3D.
In addition, ESA said that the liquid-fuel core vehicle fell to Earth 5000 miles from its projected impact site in the Pacific Ocean. As a result, aircraft scheduled to witness the reentry didn’t reach the area in time.
AMSAT-DL (Germany) President and Phase 3D Project Leader Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC, expressed confidence that the cause of this problem will be corrected prior to the Ariane 503 test flight.
Ariane 502 was the second Ariane 5 test flight after the failure of the maiden flight in June of 1996. The third qualification flight is set for next spring.
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Tabled for at least the next four years is consideration of changes to Article S25 of the international radio regulations. Article S25 contains the rules that are specific to the Amateur and Amateur Satellite Services. This includes the international commitment to the Morse code proficiency requirement for operation below 30 MHz.
The decision to put off any action on changing the code requirement has nothing to do with the desires of those who want to maintain the code or see it go. Their voices were not even heard by the delegates attending WRC 97. Rather, the decision was purely an economic one based on using the assembly’s’ meager resources to benefit the greatest number of people. Ham radio in general and the Morse code in particular are not seen as being very important issues in a world that revolves around instant digital communications using satellites and the Internet. As such, those hoping to see a code free access to the high frequency bands for all license holders should not hold their breath.
While the delay in debating this issue has only been put off from 1999 to 2001, those who follow the WRC believe there is a very little chance it will be discussed then, or in the foreseeable future. Even if it were to make the agenda for 2001 and changes approved, it would probably take 4 to 5 years to get senate ratification of the revised treaty. Then another 4 to 6 years for the FCC to enact and implement new rules. This would put any code free access to H-F off until 2012 at the earliest.
Also pushed back to the tentative agenda for the year 2001 is the possible realignment of the 40 meter band to resolve a conflict between hams and broadcasters in part of the band. This means that hams will have to live with the current 40 meter mess for at least another decade.
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The Icom Net is a technical forum, and stations checking in with radio problems can quite frequently get them resolved over the air in the course of the net session. Also, it is often a good place to pick up advance information on new Icom products. The Net is not affiliated with Icom in any way - it is a true users' group.
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