NTIA compliance

[floridacyclist]

Got this email from a long-dead thread on Eham....comments? I thought NTIA compliance was NTIA complaince

Posted By W4LTX

I note that the postings to this section are all old.  Please see my posting under the forum of ham radio being dead in MARs.
I will say that the site often referred to for a so-called approved list is, in the words of NTIA engineers, bogus.  That list only applies to CAP and not MARS.
I have met with NTIA in regard to our Bill HR 2743.  BTW Congress did not mandate the compliance standards; they did approve going to narrow band for VHF to obtain more channels. 
The bottom line is that most HF modified amateur radio transceivers used for MARS are compliant with a TCXO installed.
MARS stations operating on VHF at some point in time will probably want to buy a narrow band VHF radio such as a Vertex VX 4204 and/or a Icom IC-F33.  Both are available for $305 or less from www.actioncommunications.com (yes you need the s on the end of the name).
God bless,
Pudge Forrester, W4LTX
Systems Administrator
Congressman Roscoe Bartlett
2412 RHOB
Washington, DC 20515

[IceNine]

There was a HUGE battle about this on the CAP Communications Yahoo group....  Pretty much Mr. Forrester called out a few of the top dogs in CAP Comms (who have done a lot of the testing) and said they don't know what they are talking about, and they misread parts of the Redbook etc... to read it all

It is lengthy but the top players are all there (Mr. Forrester, Hartly Gardner, and others)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAP_COMMUNICATIONS/

[SarDragon]

IIRC, you need to join the group to read the messages.

[floridacyclist]

I might do that....I only have about 40 of the Yahoo groups now, what's one more? LOL.

It just seemed odd that I got that email tonight wen nothing has happened on that thread in over a couple of years. Doesn't sound like a whizzing match I'm interested in.

[IceNine]

true you must join the group but it is a button push away...  I mean they let me join so apparently they aren't too choosy

[KB3JUV]

For those interested, below are messages from both Chief Air Force MARS and Chief Army MARS stating the new HF NTIA compliance policy.  Looks like MARS is free...

DE AGA3C NR 03
R 121600Z FEB 2007
FM AGA3C, IL
TO ALL AF MARS MEMBERS AND STATIONS
ZEN NAVY-MARINE CORPS MARS CHIEF
ZEN ARMY MARS CHIEF
BT
SUBJECT RECENT EVENTS

   1. AS OF MAY 2006 IT SEEMS THAT THE NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION OR NTIA HAS PLACED STRICTER SPECIFICATIONS ON HF RADIO EQUIPMENT. UNTIL I GET FURTHER GUIDANCE, WE WILL SUSTAIN OUR CURRENT HF OPERATIONS. FREQUENCY TOLERANCE OF PLUS OR MINUS 20 HERTZ, AND UNWANTED EMISSIONS WILL MEET OR EXCEED THE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURES SPECIFICATIONS.
   2. THERE IS NO CHANGE TO THE VHF NARROW BANDING.
   3. AS A SIDE NOTE, THE FCC DOES NOT REGULATE GOVERNMENT FREQUENCIES. THIS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NTIA.
   4. DUE TO LIMITED FREQUENCIES AND OTHER LOGISTICAL SITUATIONS, I HAVE DECIDED TO POST PONE THE REGION RESTRUCTURING.
   5. WITH THE UPCOMING HURRICANE SEASON, I WILL BEGIN ISSUING THE DD FORM 2350 MARS DISASTER ID CARD. A NEW CHAPTER HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND WILL BE STRICTLY ADHERED TO. NOT ALL AF MARS MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE A DISASTER ID CARD.
   6. PROVIDING THE REINS OF COMMAND--IN EMERGENCIES

SIGNED
DON POQUETTE
AGA3C

NNNN

--------------

R 2130Z AUGUST 2007 NR 034
FM: CHIEF ARMY MARS/AAA9A AZ
TO: ALL ARMY MARS RDS / SDS / OFFICERS / AND ARMY MARS MEMBERS
SUBJ: CAM 37-07 NTIA STANDARS FOR ARMY MARS
BT
AAA9O SENDS FOR CHIEF ARMY MARS

1. To clarify growing confusion among the Army MARS Force regarding NTIA
standards and published/rumored dates of implementation, Army MARS
members
will not be effected by those changing NTIA standards.  Army MARS
members do not have to comply with "any" published deadline dates for
implementation.
2. In particular there was a CAM in 2005 that Chief Sutton published.
Though it was valid at that time, it is no longer valid--things change
over
time.  Though the CAP website discusses NTIA compliance issues and
dates,
The CAP has no control/impact over what Army MARS does.  The CAP falls
under
control of the Air Force, Army MARS doesn't.
3.  So, I'll repeat, "No Army MARS member will need change any equipment
in
any way to meet any rumored or published NTIA changes."
4.  This message supercedes "all" other Army MARS messages on this
subject.
5.  I thank the Army MARS Force for your professionalism and dedication!
You ARE Truly Awesome!!
BT

STUART S. CARTER
Chief, Army MARS, AAA9A
      -and-
Deputy Director, Current Operations (G3)
NETCOM/9th Signal Command (Army)
Fort Huachuca, AZ
"Army MARS - Voice of the Army"
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE


Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

[RogueLeader]

bump to ask a  question.

Can I buy an NITA compliant radio, and program CAP freqs as well as other non-Cap Freqs such as CB freq?  Could I also then use said radio on CAP Missions?

[floridacyclist]

Yes from the CAP side, no from the CB side. It's illegal to use a non-type-accepted radio on CB

Of course, you can always use it for monitoring.

As an example of how that might really work, my Kenwood TK730 is loaded with ham freqs yet is still fully legal on CAP. For that matter, the regs even spell out the process for programming other agencie's freqs into CAP radios, noting that the radio must meet the standards for the bands of operations.