New HF network planned

The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to establish a HF radio network to link up medical facilities in case of an emergency that knocks out other communications

The Department of Veterans Affairs Strategic Acquisition Center (SAC) intends to award a five year firm fixed price Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. This will include equipment, installation, testing, certification, warranty and training to guarantee a fully functional "turnkey" resilient Emergency High Frequency Radio Network.

The HF Network shall be comprised of 400-watt "backbone stations" designed to receive and automatically relay communications among 125-watt stations and 125-watt mobile vehicle based stations located at approximately 200 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities. The HF Network shall provide emergency HF two-way radio communication, linkage to the PSTN, data transmission, cellular and IP telephone networks enabling radio-to-telephone communication and automatic link establishment (ALE).

NextGov article - http://www.nextgov.com/defense/2014/10/va-plans-build-nationwide-high-frequency-radio-network-communicate-during-emergencies/96644/

Veterans Affairs High Frequency (HF) Radio Network -https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&tab=core&id=d4c1b9d5bb16e53d831ac8334387be96

Exam Checklists

The RSGB have issued  checklists to help ensure consistency of exam provision between UK Amateur Radio Exam Centres, and to ensure essential requirements don’t get forgotten or overlooked.

RSGB has released a checklist to help Exam Secretaries and First Named Invigilators provide safe UK Amateur / Ham Radio Exams

Produced on a single side of A4 paper, they are particularly relevant for Examination Secretaries and First Named Invigilators.

The Training and Education Committee welcomes feedback on the checklists and/or suggestions for similar aids for any other aspects of the training and examination system via tec.chair@rsgb.org.uk

Exam Forms and Checklists - http://rsgb.org/main/clubs-training/tutor-resources-2/training-guide/training-assessment-guide/examination-checklists/

The RSGB Tutors Yahoo Group is at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RSGBTutors/

NoV suggestion for Airborne Ham Radio

The RSGB response to the Ofcom licence consultation raises the suggestion of the use of NoV’s for aeronautical amateur radio operation

The UK amateur radio licence currently prohibits airborne operation and amateurs have had to transmit using licence exempt spectrum instead.

Ofcom and the RSGB are consulting over the use of aeronautical Amateur / Ham Radio operation

The Society is critical of Ofcom's proposals regarding 470 kHz pointing out they do not align with the Wireless Telegraphy Act, nor are they the minimum necessary under the ITU Radio Regulations. The RSGB also say the 470 kHz proposals set a dangerous precedent in relation to interference.

Regarding the proposal to remove the 15 minute ID requirement and replace it with‘as frequently as practicable’ the Society say it is open to too great a range of interpretation (and in some cases might be more burdensome than the well known 15-minute rule). The RSGB also suggests there is currently an ambiguity regarding embedding callsign data in modes such as Digital Voice.

Read the full RSGB response, airborne is referenced in Question 9 - http://rsgb.org/main/files/2014/09/141020_RSGB_LicenceReview-Response.pdf

RSGB – UK Amateur Licence Review - http://rsgb.org/licencereview