The FCC says newly upgraded General class licensees may not operate in the current Advanced class subbands under the new amateur rules. Bill Cross, W3TN, of the FCC’s Public Safety and Private Wireless Division notes that no privileges changed for any license class.
The Advanced class license continues to exist under restructuring, which became effective April 15, although the FCC no longer accepts applications for Novice or Advanced class licenses. Current Generals do not earn Advanced class privileges until they upgrade to Amateur Extra class, when they earn both Advanced & Extra privileges.
The FCC also says General class operators may hold only Group C (1x3) or Group D (2x3) call signs, as it was under the old rules. Generals remain ineligible to apply for or hold Group B (2x2) call signs. Newly upgraded licensees were cautioned to check the revised Part 97 rules carefully to make sure they’re not operating beyond their privileges. FCC Part 97 rules are available on the ARRL Web site at http://www.arrl.org/field/regulations/news/part97/.
The FCC today released the Errata to its December 30, 1999, Report and Order on restructuring. The Errata incorporate minor errors contained in the original R&O and already made in the version of the new rules that appeared in The Federal Register earlier this year.
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Access to the ARRL Web site (http://www.arrl.org/) was disrupted early Monday by an unknown cyber-vandal when those attempting to connect to the site were shunted to another site, apparently in Canada.
ARRL Information Services Department Manager Don Durand said the League’s ‘’arrl.org’’ domain name was illegally modified at Network Solutions—which registers domain names—and redirected to the bogus site. Network Solutions was promptly notified yesterday and has restored the League’s record.
Durand said it takes up to 48 hours for the various name servers on the Internet to update their records.
The ARRL Web site itself was not ‘’hacked,’’ and no ARRL files were damaged as a result of the vandalism, Durand emphasized.
The vandalism disrupted e-mail service to League staff and officials. Mail service has been returning slowly. The ARRL E-Mail Forwarding Service was not affected.
ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, said the League intends to investigate the disruption through all possible means and will prosecute if the perpetrator is caught.
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Ian Coots, VK3YIC, reports the Russian Mir space station was on the air working VK stations April 13 on 2 meter FM simplex (145.985 MHz). The operator identified variously as R0MIR and U8MIR. “Your signal 59, very nice. Thank you for contact. 73. Bye!” the Russian-accented operator told one VK station in an audio clip Coots provided. Several other stations were worked or heard calling.
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