[OZAPRS] Re: Foundation calls gentle reminder
Roger Nichols
roger.nichols at bigpond.com
Sun Mar 22 14:44:46 EST 2009
Thanks Craig for touching on points relating to the intent and spirit of the
Foundation licence.
As I see it, there is nothing to prevent a Foundation Licence holder enjoying
most aspects of APRS. Everything at the receiving end is available. In the
circumstances envisaged with the introduction of the Foundation licence, a
holder would be encouraged and supported by one or more Standard or Advanced
Amateurs, or their club. My reading of the regulations permits a supporter
prepared to take responsibility, and having a system in place to monitor
transmissions, to fit a tracker on the vehicle (or whatever) of anybody,
including a Foundation licence holder, providing the call sign used is that of
the person or organisation responsible. To enable a shut down if something goes
astray, an arrangement needs to be in place to contact the person at the
device's location e.g. mobile phone or radio operating on a permitted band -
Amateur or otherwise. OK, that's not the full range of APRS capabilities, but it
is 90% of what it's used for.
Section 9, Control of an Amateur Station, of the Determination provides:
The licensee must ensure that an amateur station is operated at all times by a
qualified person in attendance UNLESS the station is:
9(1)c) an amateur station using automatic mode etc
9(1)(d) an amateur station using computer controlled mode etc
The licensee must ensure that at all times etc
9(2)(a) a timer is fitted etc (TOT 10 minutes)
9(2)(b) a transmission from the station can be terminated promptly -- if
interference etc.
I see this as a means of:
(a) encouraging Foundation Licence holders to advance in order to be able to
transmit under their own call sign.
(b) Standard or Advanced licensees, or clubs, encouraging and assisting
beginners,
(c) tracking others in a public service situation e.g. WICEN exercise,
(d) adding interest to the APRS "picture".
I, and several others I know, use this facility for peace of mind in knowing the
whereabouts of loved ones. We also use it to provide a public service, for
example as an adjunct to our role on safety checkpoints (not in commercial
situations). The key points are that a qualified person takes responsibility and
has a system in place to monitor and take action if required.
Comments welcome
Cheers
Roger VK7ARN
-----Original Message-----
From: Craig Cook [mailto:VK3CMC at bigpond.com.au]
Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2009 3:32 AM
To: kim at hawtin.net.au; Australian APRS Users
Subject: Re: [OZAPRS] Re: Foundation calls gentle reminder
Hello Kim, have been following the thread of this conversation and would
also like to add my view on the matter.
The Foundation licence WAS introduced to a market area that was intended to
be exactly what it is. An introductory or entry level into radio as a
hobby.
It earmarked those who already had an interest in electronics and also
wanted to gain access to more and better frequencies for both long range
communications and also to sample some of the delights [not all] of what can
be done in our bands. Many of these people came from the area of the CB
radio user, who really had no training that could bring them into the
Amateur arena without some serious study.
You must also remember that the new licence has introduced very many younger
people [8 years upwards] into hobby that would probably never had dreamed of
doing so in the past. We now find that there are many families parents and
children, that have a licence that does allow them a new experience and
convenience of keeping in touch when out and about. Remember the explosion
of the mobile phone and how quickly they appeared in the hands of just about
everyone in the developed world. I understand what you are saying about
the use of different modes and how that may "discourage" some but there has
to be a line drawn and to be realistic some of these special modes you
suggest that should be available are not available in the radio equipment
that a Foundation licensee can only use under the power restrictions
required.
Provided that they wish to use such privileges, and that is what they are,
then the individual should be able to set their heart on gaining an
increased licence qualification and show they have a deeper understanding of
the wider technical picture. If something is really worth having then its
worth an individual making some commitment and put their full effort into
achieving that goal.
There was at the start of this, and still is a very strong belief by many
amateurs that the foundation licence gained more frequency privileges
than they should have been given. Like your comments re different modes it
will continue to provoke comments and arguments for and against.
In the end we may see some regulatory change in this matter but it may never
happen if the ACMA feels it is adequately catering to the original needs of
the new Foundation licence.
One thing we must not forget is the intent of the licence was to introduce a
much lesser technical licence level and to start to increase the amateur
fraternity size as it was becoming [generally] an older person hobby.
Recent figure released by the ACMA would indicate that our ranks have
definitely gained an increase as a result. Following on from that there
are also quite a few new arrivals who have made the technical leap up and
gained their Standard and their Advanced licence, thus gaining those extra
privileges such as modes to play with, higher power and some more
frequencies and the right to "dabble ' within their equipment if they so
wish to do some technical work inside.
We need to also remember that the new licence started at same time the
requirement to have to pass a CW proficiency test was removed and this also
opened the gates to a number of people who would never be able to gain the
certificate or who used the CW barrier as an excuse to not give it a try.
Although we are living in the modern world we everyone seems to want
something for nothing we mustn't sell ourselves short in every thing and we
do need to have some limitations on our rights of privilege for the licence
system. If we really want something that bad then we can always put the
head down and tail up and study a little bit more and achieve the goal.
Its not a right but a privilege we earn to be called radio amateurs.
I am sure that you can with a little bit of further effort gain your
increased privileges and step up into the next level of the hobby.
All the best for the future.
73.
Craig Cook
VK3CMC
WIA Examiner
NA-010 .
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kim Hawtin" <kim at hawtin.net.au>
To: "Australian APRS Users" <ozaprs at aprs.net.au>;
<hamish-yahoo at cloud.net.au>
Cc: <ZLAPRS at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2009 12:02 PM
Subject: Re: [OZAPRS] Re: Foundation calls gentle reminder
> regards,
>
> Kim VK5FNET
> _______________________________________________
> Ozaprs mailing list
> Ozaprs at aprs.net.au
> http://aprs.net.au/mailman/listinfo/ozaprs
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