RSGB School Zone

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The RSGB’s School Zone web page brings together radio amateurs in schools and colleges. The Society wants to help people to share their experience and expertise of establishing and running a radio club for young people.

The RSGB has just launched a new page as part of this section called ‘School Zone stories’ where it is highlighting some of the great amateur radio activities that are happening in these, and other, schools. If you’re a school with an amateur radio club and want to be added to the list, or a radio amateur or club that are linking with local schools, the RSGB would love to add your information and stories to School Zone.

RSGB School Zone - http://www.rsgb.org/school-zone

Congresswoman Lesko Reintroduces Bill to Replace Symbol Rate Limit with Bandwidth Limit

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Congresswoman Lesko Reintroduces Bill to Replace Symbol Rate Limit with Bandwidth Limit

Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ-08) introduced The Amateur Radio Communications Improvement Act (H.R. 3241) on May 11, 2023, to require that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) eliminate the obsolete HF digital symbol rate limit with a 2.8 kHz bandwidth limit.

After being petitioned by ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® in 2013 (RM-11708) for the same relief, in 2016 the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (WT Docket No. 16-239) in which it agreed that the HF symbol rate limit was outmoded, served no purpose, and hampered experimentation. But the Commission questioned whether any bandwidth limit was needed in its place. Most amateurs, including the ARRL, objected to there being no signal bandwidth limit in the crowded HF bands given the possibility that unreasonably wide bandwidth digital protocols could be developed. Since 2016 there has been no further FCC action.

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Get Ready for Another ARRL Dues Increase

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Get Ready for Another ARRL Dues Increase

In his editorial in the April issue of QST, David Minster, NA2AA, ARRL CEO pointedly said that we’re in for another ARRL dues increase. This is being followed up by a membership survey on what these dues increase will look like.

Now, personally, I don’t have a problem paying a little more. Costs increase, meaning that prices generally have to be raised. I can pay an extra $5 or $10 per year for my ARRL membership. A lot of hams, however, are going to view this as another reason to quit the ARRL, and the ARRL is going to take another membership hit.

I’ve been writing about ARRL membership issues for years. I may not be an expert in this field, but I can tell you that declining membership is not a good thing. I can also tell you that raising dues—while it may be a good, short-term financial strategy—is not a good, long-term membership strategy.

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