News!
5/21/10 - New HF radio from Kenwood announced!
Below is a picture of the TS-590S, available in the Fall of 2010. No prices yet.
Kenwood says: "Kanagawa,
Japan, May 7, 2010 — Kenwood Corporation, an operating
company of the JVC Kenwood Group, is proud to announce the autumn/winter launch
of two new Amateur Radio transceivers: the TS-590S
and TH-D72.
HF/50MHz All-Mode Transceiver -
TS-590S (tentative naming)
Featuring a 32-bit floating-point DSP, the TS-590S
will offer advanced receiver performance and an extensive range of features that
make it ideal for beginner and seasoned DX’er alike. The radio’s exceptional
ease of operation, true to the Kenwood tradition, will be especially welcome for
contest and mobile applications.
Received 2/21/10
QST DE KA9QPN
I would like to direct your attention to newly introduced Illinois HB5761. This bill amends the recently adopted anti-texting law to provide an exception for persons in possession of a current and valid Amateur Radio license issued by the Federal Communications Commission.
The definition of 'mobile communications devices' is so broad in the law as written that it could be interpreted to take in just about any contraption which could be carried or mounted in a vehicle to convey information. I pointed this out in the News last month. The change is necessary to lessen our chances of being victimized by uninformed enforcement. To a police officer, a microphone in the hand is undistinguishable from a cell phone at fifty yards away through normally tinted windows.
NEITHER I NOR THE LEAGUE ADVOCATE MOBILE TEXTING OR DISTRACTED DRIVING.
You are urged to contact your State Representative asking him or her to join with Rep. John Bradley as a co-sponsor of this bill. When you do contact your representative, please remember that we aren't entitled to any preferential treatment. Emphasize that amateurs have a long history of being able to use their equipment without distraction, and the law as currently written places an unnecessary limit on our ability to provide supplementary emergency communications. Be clear, concise and do not demand or insist. Politely ask. Say please and thank you. I apologize if some of this sounds basic and patronizing, but you'd be amazed at some of the correspondence to legislators on which I'm copied.
Many thanks to those who have already responded.
Additionally, there is another radio related bill circulating, HB5194.
This prevents rebroadcast or retransmission of any signals carried on the State Police radio system. This does not affect hams directly, but many of us are also scannists. HB5194, in my own opinion, is generically bad law as it duplicates provisions of the Communications Act of 1934 as amended and is therefore unnecessary. I have received communication on this bill from concerned hams. We don't have an 'official' opinion as it is not our ox being directly gored. You may wish to do your own due diligence on this matter separately. I'd ask that you please not tie the two bills together and to use separate correspondence for each if you do comment on both bills.
73--
Tom KA9QPN
Future Archives will be here:
