Girl Guide Achieves Amateur/Ham Radio Licence

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14-year-old Madeleine Dale, a member of her local Girl Guide group has gained her amateur/ham radio licence, motivated by a talk given by her local amateur radio club.

Inspiration was given by Colin Lyne (M0TCN) of the Colburn and Richmondshire District Amateur Radio Society. The talk covered how the radio works and made contact with an amateur radio user in America, who spoke to the girls about the amateur/ham radio hobby.

Madeleine completed her training and passed the foundation exam with a 98% mark.

“It’s quite fun to plan who you’ll make contact with on a big map, you still have to be careful as you would on social media not to give out an address or postcode or personal information like that. But it’s more personal than social media because you’re just talking to someone directly.”
— Madeleine Dale

FCC Announces Head of Enforcement Bureau

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FCC Chairperson Ajit Pai has announced that he intends to appoint Rosemary C. Harold to serve as chief of the Enforcement Bureau

Ms. Harold is an attorney with considerable experience both within the agency and in private practice, as well as a former journalist.

“This agency has a critical role to play in enforcing the law to protect consumers and support competition in the communications marketplace. Our Enforcement Bureau has been getting back on track in recent months, and I am confident in Rosemary’s ability to continue this progress. Our enforcement efforts must be governed by the facts and the law, and Rosemary’s experience and expertise will help us conduct sound investigations and craft legally sustainable enforcement actions. This is especially important when it comes to FCC priorities like protecting consumers against illegal robocalls and confronting unlawful interference with broadcast licensees. I greatly appreciate Rosemary’s willingness to serve.”
— FCC Chairman Ajit Pai

Ms. Harold will be working closely with Michael Carowitz who, having served as acting bureau chief, will continue to help lead the Bureau as deputy bureau chief. Chairman Pai praised Mr. Carowitz’s work as acting chief: “Michael’s steady hand at the helm of this important Bureau has helped us stay on task in protecting consumers and enforcing the law. I thank Michael for his superb and tireless work—including his focus on reaching out to our field office staff who play such an important role in fulfilling our mission.”
 
The Enforcement Bureau manages Commission work enforcing the Communications Act, FCC rules, and various licensing terms and conditions. The Bureau investigates and responds quickly to potential unlawful conduct to ensure consumer protection, robust competition, efficient and responsible use of the public airwaves, and strict compliance with public safety-related rules.
 
Ms. Harold rejoins the agency from Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP, where she was a partner. Prior to joining the firm in 2011, Ms. Harold was a legal advisor to then-FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell for media and broadband issues and deputy chief of the FCC’s Media Bureau.
 
She began her career as a journalist, working as a reporter and bureau chief for the Miami Herald and an editor at C-SPAN. She earned her law degree magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center, her master’s degree from the University of Missouri, and her bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary.
 
FCC Press Release - http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2017/db0621/DOC-345446A1.pdf

Norwegian FM Networks Continue Shutdowns

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On 16th June 2017, P4 and Radio Norway shut down FM transmitters in Telemark, Buskerud, Hedmark and Oppland. Public broadcaster NRK had already closed down their transmitters in April 2017.
 
A week later, NRK shut down FM broadcast in the counties of Aust-Agder, Vest-Agder, Rogaland, Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane. 
 
P4 and Radio Norway will continue to broadcast on FM in Aust-Agder, Vest-Agder, Rogaland, Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane until mid-September 2017.
 
The Norwegian Parliament decided previously that major cities will no longer have access to FM transmission, “for fear that they might take listeners from NRK and the other national channels,” according to radionytt.no

The vast majority of local stations in Norway do continue to transmit on FM; around 200 local radio stations have licenses to transmit on FM to until the end of 2017.
 
Media Article - http://www.radiomagonline.com/around-the-world/0020/norwegian-national-fm-networks-continue-shutdowns/38989