SB QST @ ARL $ARLB050
ARLB050 Rules changes detailed

ZCZC AG17
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 50  ARLB050
>From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  May 9, 1995
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB050
ARLB050 Rules changes detailed

The FCC has issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making on several
changes in amateur service rules announced last week.

The FCC proposes to designate one volunteer examiner of a team as
the examination session manager, saying that would increase
''examination efficiency.''  The FCC said that continuing to require
at least three VEs to be present would preserve the protection of
cross-checking, as sought by the ARRL.

The Commission also proposes to give examination credit to former
licensees, as requested by the ARRL in RM-8418.  The FCC said the
League's position had merit, and the proposed new rule would allow
VEs to give exam element credit for any exam the applicant had
previously passed.  In addition, the FCC asks for comments on
criteria ''it should use'' to allow credit on amateur exams for other
types of formerly and currently held US operator licenses and
foreign licenses.

The FCC also agreed with the ARRL proposal in RM-8462 that bona fide
Amateur Radio clubs should comprise a minimum of four people in
order to be eligible for a club station license and proposes a rule
to that effect.

In response to an ARRL request as part of the vanity call sign
program, the Commission proposes to make one-by-one call signs
available to special event stations.  Requests for such call signs
would have to be made 120 days in advance; the period of the special
call sign would be 15 days or for the duration of the event,
whichever is shorter.  The application would have to state the
nature of the event and include a list of requested call signs in
order of preference.

Finally, the FCC also proposes to allow portable indicators to be
included before, after, or both before and after, the assigned call
sign.  This was, the FCC said, in response to several informal
requests for clarification of its rule 97.119(c).

The comment deadline for these proposals, in WT Docket 95-57, is
July 14, 1995.  The reply comment deadline is August 14, 1995.
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