
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 13, No. 6
March 24, 1994

FCC surveys telephone interference,
says manufacturers could do better

     The FCC has released the results of a telephone 
interference survey and concluded that since some telephones 
are "bulletproof," all of them could be. 
     Thirty-five FCC field offices each picked three random cases of 
telephone interference on record and then visited the scene. 
The transmitting stations included 47 citizens band, 27 
amateur, 23 AM broadcast, 10 FM broadcast, and one 
international broadcast station (none were specifically 
identified).
     At the location experiencing interference, the FCC's 
Field Operations Bureau personnel first tested the 
telephones on site, then tested their own "bulletproof" 
telephones, as well as several commercially available 
filters. Altogether, 241 different telephones were tested.
     Among the FCC's conclusions was that transmitter power 
did not seem to be a significant factor; they said that 10 
watts or less caused telephone interference in one-third of 
the cases.
     The FCC also said that filters worked only one-third of 
the time. "Manufacturers can design telephones to be 
interference free," the Commission said, citing its 
bulletproof telephones, which were immune from interference 
"virtually all of the time."
     The FCC said that it hopes the survey will encourage 
affected parties "to productively address and resolve this 
problem."
     The FCC said it receives 25,000 complaints per year 
from people who are "unable to use their telephones" because 
nearby radio stations interfere with them. "Whenever the 
radio stations are on the air, the telephones pick up their 
transmissions, which then override any ongoing telephone 
conversation," the FCC said.

The survey's goals

     The survey's goals were to pinpoint the following:
     * What telephones are affected,
     * What type transmitting stations are involved 
(including power levels),
     * Whether commonly available filters are effective in 
eliminating interference,
     * Whether specially designed telephones are effective 
in eliminating interference.

     The report emphasized that because the survey was based 
on what the FCC called a random sample, "it cannot be 
claimed that identical results would be derived under 
scientific surveying and testing, nor should the results be 
construed as FCC endorsement or criticism of any particular 
manufacturer's product."
     At the transmitting station, FOB staff logged the type 
of station (ie, amateur, citizens band, broadcast, etc.), 
measured its power, and got information on antenna height, 
antenna gain, and distance from the complainant.
     At the complainant's location, the FOB disconnected all 
telephones, then plugged them, one at a time, into a single 
jack, while the station was transmitting. 
     Also tested were the effectiveness of several 
commercially available telephone filters.
     Finally, the FOB connected "bulletproof" telephones to the 
telephone jacks and listened for interference.
     The power levels of the transmitting stations 
varied from 2 watts to half a million watts, one-third of 
them running less than 10 watts.
     Of the 241 telephones tested, 68% received 
interference. The rest did not.
     In tests of the AT&T Z100B1 filter on 138 telephones 
receiving interference, 62% of the telephones continued to 
receive interference. A number of other filters were tested, 
on 82 telephones receiving interference. As a group, these 
filters eliminated interference on 29% of the telephones, 
the FCC said.
     The FCC tested its "bulletproof" telephones at 52 
locations and found them 96% effective. 
     
Conclusions

     The FCC said the transmitting stations most likely to 
cause telephone interference are citizens band, amateur, and 
broadcast stations. Citizens band stations accounted for 
half the telephone interference cases, while amateur and 
broadcast stations caused the other half.
     The power levels used by the transmitting stations did 
not appear to be a significant factor in causing telephone 
interference, the FCC concluded, based on power levels of 10 
watts or less causing a third of the interference.
     "Although some telephones did not receive interference, 
the limited nature of [this survey] would not support the 
conclusion that [those particular models] would always 
reject interference," the FCC said.
     On the other hand, models that were observed to be 
susceptible to interference by the FCC can be presumed to be 
susceptible in other installations.
     The FCC said that telephone interference filters 
"cannot be relied upon to eliminate telephone interference," 
since, in two out of three cases in this survey, they didn't 
work.      
     "Manufacturers can design telephones to be 
interference free," the FCC said. "'Bulletproof' telephones 
were immune from interference virtually all of the time.
     "Notwithstanding the 25,000 reports of telephone 
interference the FCC has received to date," the FCC said, 
"it is FOB's experience that, as large as this number is, it 
probably represents only a fraction of the actual instances 
in which this interference occurs. 
     "Given the enormous numbers of instances in which this 
type of interference is experienced by consumers, it is our 
hope that this survey, notwithstanding its informality, will 
serve as a catalyst for affected parties to productively 
address and resolve this problem. As always, FOB remains 
ready to assist in that effort."
          If you would like a copy of the survey, which 
includes a list of telephone models checked, send an SASE 
with two units of first class postage to the Technical 
Information Service at ARRL HQ.

HamVention names award winners

     For the fourth time in the past five years, an ARRL 
dignitary has been named the Dayton HamVention Amateur of the 
Year.
     Chosen this year was Perry Williams, W1UED, who retires 
at the end of April as ARRL Washington Area Coordinator, 
after 40 years of League service.  
     Perry joined the Headquarters staff in 1954, and in 
1975 took the reins of a new department, Membership 
Services. In 1980 he became Washington Area Coordinator.
     Perry is featured in a story about the League's 
Washington office in April QST.
     Receiving the Technical Achievement Award is Dick 
Newell, AK1A, of Bolton, Massachusetts, the inventor of 
PacketCluster. Newell, 43, began experimenting with what he 
called a "packet conference board system" in 1986, and sold 
his first PacketCluster software in 1988. 
     Today, more than 600 PacketClusters are operating, in 
34 countries. Version 6 is in the works for a planned 
introduction at the HamVention. In December 1990 Newell left 
his job to devote full time to PacketCluster, for 18 months 
working on the Amateur Radio version. Today, he is a part of 
Harvard Radio, and a commercial version, called 
PacketCluster Systems, is being marketed to public safety 
agencies.
     "In the beginning," Newell said, "I thought if I could 
sell five PacketClusters, I could buy that Alpha amplifier 
I'd always wanted. Now it's estimated that 40,000 to 45,000 
amateurs regularly use a PacketCluster.
     "This has certainly kept me off the streets the past 
eight years," Newell said.
     A QST story about Dick Newell appeared in August 
1990 QST, page 54.
     The DARA Special Achievement Award goes to Russ 
Kroeker, N7HGE, of Kent, Washington, whom the DARA credits 
with "conceiving, planning, implementing, and operating" the 
Evergreen Intertie, a system of interlinked repeaters 
stretching from Oregon to British Columbia and east over 
the Rocky Mountains.  
     Kroeker, 53, has been with the Boeing Co. for 20 years 
and currently is a manager for electronic product 
development. He was first licensed in 1986, when the 
Evergreen Intertie was born. "It was the brainchild of 
Richard Fryer, VE7OG," Kroeker says, "beginning with a 
single link between two repeater systems across the border."
     Kroeker at the time was chairman of the repeater 
committee of the Boeing Employees Amateur Radio Society 
(BEARS), and became involved in designing a link controller 
to expand and improve the system. "Boeing has supported the 
project over the years," Kroeker said.
     Before joining Boeing, Kroeker worked in Malawi (then 
called Nyasaland), designing VHF links between broadcast 
stations and building radio studios. He was first there 
while a student at Rutgers University, in 1962, as part of 
Operation Crossroads Africa.
     Kroeker's current involvement in the mature Evergreen 
Intertie is as a consultant, "helping out when there are 
political or technical problems such as siting of 
repeaters."
     A description of the Evergreen Intertie was in June 1991 
QST, page 83.
     Previous Dayton Hams of the Year include former ARRL 
President Harry Dannals, W2HD (1993); International Amateur 
Radio Union President and former ARRL General Manager Dick 
Baldwin, W1RU (1992); and ARRL Hudson Division Director 
Steve Mendelsohn, WA2DHF (1990).
     The awards will be presented at the Dayton HamVention, 
April 29 to May 1, 1994.

FCC's PRIVATE RADIO CHIEF
NAMED TO PCS TASK FORCE

     FCC Private Radio Bureau Chief Ralph Haller has been 
named to head a Commission task force on personal 
communication services (PCS).
     The Commission said that the task force would provide 
"a focal point for all of the PCS issues currently before" 
it.  The task force would work with all of the FCC's bureaus 
and offices that are involved in PCS issues, and would be 
responsible "for assuring consistency between policies and 
rules for narrow-band and wide-band PCS."
     FCC Chairman Reed Hundt said that "I am confident that 
under the leadership of Ralph Haller, the PCS task force 
will lead the Commission in the timely development of a 
comprehensive regulatory framework for PCS."
     Other members of the task force include Tom Stanley, 
Chief Engineer; Robert Pepper, Chief, Office of Plans and 
Policy; Donald Gips, Deputy Chief, Office of Plans and 
Policy; and Michael Katz, Chief Economist.

ARRL VOLUNTEERS HELP 
HEAD OFF NY PLATE FEES

     New York state amateurs will soon be able to obtain 
distinctive call sign plates, according to ARRL Public 
Information Coordinator Stephan Anderman, WA3RKB. The 
original bill in the New York State Assembly was flawed, in 
that it would have included a $15 annual surcharge. When 
ARRL Government Liaison Phil Bradway, KB2HQ, learned of the 
problem with the bill, he contacted the Tryon Amateur Radio 
Club, of Gloversville, who had been behind the design of the 
new plates. 
     The NY Department of Motor Vehicles was alerted to the 
problem and the bill was withdrawn, removing the threat of 
increased cost to amateurs. The new plates will carry the 
same $5 annual surcharge as the old; an initial fee of 
$18.00 will pay for the plate, Anderman said.

BRIEFS

     * The ARRL has begun mailing FCC amateur license 
expiration notices to its members. The notices, including an 
envelope addressed to the FCC's processing facility in 
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, are sent 90 days before the 
license expiration date and are generated from the FCC 
database. Addresses are cross-checked with the ARRL 
membership database and the QST mailing address is used if 
it is different from the address in the FCC database. 
     * Closing date for nominations for the Westlink Report 
Young Ham of the Year award is April 30, 1994. Amateurs aged 
18 or younger are eligible, with emphasis on those with 
unusual qualifications such as participation in emergency 
communication operations, assisting with licensing classes, 
and so on, according to Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF.
     The award is underwritten by Yaesu USA. The winner will 
be notified in early May and will receive a trip to the Sea 
Pac convention in Seaside, Oregon, on June 4 and 5, to 
receive the award. Official applications for nomination are 
available from Westlink, 28197 Robin Avenue, Saugus, 
California 91350.
     * Here are the FCC's amateur licensing figures as of 
the end of 1993:

     Extra         65,277
     Advanced     112,637
     General      126,898
     Technician   227,681
     Novice        99,105
     Total        631,598

     The ranks of Extras grew by 6.5% during the year, 
Advanced by 2.5%, General by 1.4%, Technician by 18.5%, and 
Novice licensees were essentially unchanged.
     * Congratulations to ARRL HQ administrative assistant 
Lisa DeLude (and husband Peter) on the birth of their first 
child, Nicole Emily, who arrived March 11.
     * Amateur Radio bulletin services will be the topic of 
a gathering at this year's Dayton HamVention. The session, 
called "Ham news and ham views from around the world," is 
scheduled to include Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, of Newsline; 
Hap Holly, KC9RP, of the Radio Amateur Information Network 
(RAIN); former Radio Society of Great Britain president 
Peter Chadwick, G3RZP; radio host Len Winkler, KB7LPW; 
George Bowen, N2LQS, of the satellite-delivered show "This 
Week in Amateur Radio," and others.
     The forum will run from 2:45 PM to 5 PM on Saturday, 
April 30, in HamVention Meeting Room 2. For more 
information, contact Pasternak at 708-635-6351 or RAIN at 
805-296-7180.
     * "Shortwave listening is the ultimate form of QRP," 
the saying goes. ARRL Assistant Technical Editor Jim 
Kearman, KR1S, attended the Seventh Annual SWL Winterfest 
near Philadelphia on March 11 and 12 and found a number of 
licensed amateurs among the 200 or so listeners there. Those 
speaking at forums included Shel Dunham, W4OEL; Skip Arey, 
WB2GHA; Joe Buch, N2JB; Etgon Byington, N2KXT; Harold 
Hausenfluck, WB4JSP; and Alan Johnson, N4LUS.
     Information on next year's Winterfest is available from 
Kris Field, 705 Gregory Drive, Horsham PA 19044.
     * The FCC on March 11 released its Notice of Proposed 
Rule Making to implement the new fee assessments for 
licensees that were authorized by the 1993 US Budget Act. 
Item 59 of the NPRM notes fees for amateur "vanity" call 
signs if the Commission's proposal for a plan to offer such 
call signs eventually is approved. The FCC's current 
proposal is to assess a fee of $70 ($7 per year) for a 10-year 
license.
     * The sponsor of an Amateur Radio bill in the Georgia 
legislature says he plans to see it is reintroduced in the 
next session. The bill, HB-1134, which would eliminate the 
effect of restrictive property covenants on amateurs and is 
believed to be the first of its kind, was championed by ARRL 
Georgia Section Manager Jim Altman, N4UCK. The Georgia 
legislature ended last week without acting on the proposal.
     The good news from Georgia is that, acting at the 
suggestion of the governor, the legislature rescinded the 
$25 fee for Amateur Radio vehicle license tags.
  * Antennas and Techniques for Low-Band DXing, by John 
DeVoldere, ON4UN, has undergone a major revision and is 
available now. The author himself plans to be at the Dayton 
HamVention to autograph copies of this new ARRL publication. 
     * The Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) have a monthly news 
bulletin that's now available on the Internet (as well as on 
many packet BBS). To receive the bulletin via e-mail on 
Internet, send e-mail to CUTWAYS@QUCDN.QUEENSU.CA     
     * RAC has scheduled their first national convention for 
July 29 to 31, 1994, in Calgary, Alberta. The convention 
committee says it expects 1500 "delegates," according to 
Chairman Ken Oelke, VE6AFO.
     * And Canadians are still fighting what they see as a 
reluctance on the part of their government to set adequate 
RFI/EMI standards for consumer electronic equipment. A 
proposal by Industry Canada (IC) would take a field strength 
measurement at the site of the equipment being interfered 
with; if the signal is over a certain level the transmitting 
station would be at fault. In the case of amateurs, this 
could result in being forced to reduce power or even cease 
operating, according to RAC. 
     Canadian amateurs are encouraged to "become active and 
let their voices by heard" on the matter. The RAC notes that 
the US has more reasonable rules and would be a good model.
     * The Tandy Corporation has begun using information 
from Now You're Talking and The ARRL Handbook to illustrate 
antenna fundamentals and schematic symbols, for use in its 
training certification program for store personnel. (Now You're 
Talking is sold in Radio Shack outlets.)
     * The ARRL DXCC Field Checking program has generally 
been a success, with about 400 certified volunteers at work. 
But there have been problems in two areas: submission of 
QSLs for countries not eligible for field checking, and 
applications in which the call sign and the DXCC country do 
not correlate. (Countries which are eligible for field 
checking are so labeled in the ARRL DXCC Countries List).
     These errors are caught at HQ, but they slow down the 
system.
     At its meeting March 19 in Dallas, the ARRL Membership 
Services Committee (MSC) directed DXCC staff to take 
appropriate corrective measures.
     In other matters, the MSC also endorsed the idea of a 
new microwave operating achievement award to encourage 
activity on 902 MHz and above.
     * A correction to our photo caption of Marathoner Fred 
Doob, AA8FQ, in the March 10 issue: the TV coverage was on 
Los Angeles television station KCOP-TV, Channel 13.
   
10 years ago in The ARRL Letter

     The ARRL Board of Directors held its annual meeting in 
Hartford and elected new officers and committee members, 
including Larry Price, W4RA, for his first of four terms as 
president.
     The meeting's hot topic was the fledgling volunteer 
examiner program and how the ARRL would participate in it. 
The board authorized staff to conclude an agreement with the 
FCC for an ARRL-VEC, but not until the matter of cost 
recoupment was resolved by the Commission. The League 
planned comments to support a proposal for a cost recoupment 
plan, made possible by legislation adopted by Congress at 
the League's request.
     The board also approved the signing of an agreement 
between the League and the FCC Field Operations Bureau to 
establish an amateur auxiliary (an agreement just modified; 
see our last issue), as well as a motion to the FCC to speed 
up expansion of the 'phone subbands at 75, 15, and 10 
meters.
     At the FCC, the League's request to ease power 
restrictions on 160 meters was OK'd, allowing A1 and A3 at 
1500 watts output over the entire 1800 to 2000 kHz range.
     The League filed a "Petition for Expedited Special 
Relief and Declaratory Ruling" on an FCC proposal to adopt 
bioeffects standards of the American National Standards 
Institute (ANSI). The League had earlier urged adoption of 
the standards but with better definition of how they should 
or would apply to amateurs.


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