AFCRAS knows you didn’t earn your Amateur Radio license by being a fool…
Informed Alabama Amateur Radio repeater owners and users have become increasingly aware of the fact that the FCC does not recognize any single entity or individual as being “the” sole “officially recognized frequency coordination entity within the State of Alabama” or any other geographic area. Rather, the FCC merely — and clearly — defines what a frequency coordinating entity or individual consists of and the service it provides.
So, why the need to even mention this fact?
There is another coordinating entity in the state of Alabama which includes in its website a statement which reads “By submission of any application for membership, or frequency coordination, the applicant acknowledges the [entity name intentionally omitted — but you most likely know who we are referring to by their history and reputation] as the recognized frequency coordination entity within the State of Alabama, as defined under the Federal Communications Commission Part [97.3(22); 97.201(C); 97.205 (C)].” — [emphasis added].
Really? “THE” recognized frequency coordination entity? As if to say “Us and only us” ??? Do they think they can trick applicants into trying to somehow dictate to the FCC how things are going to be done, as opposed to simply understanding and respecting what the FCC rules actually say (and don’t say) ??? Why would they even feel the need to conduct themselves in such a manner? And could it be that they assume applicants to be naive, stupid, and/or easily misled or tricked into unknowingly playing some sort of silly games?
AFCRAS certainly doesn’t think of members of the Amateur Radio community in that way.
What makes agreeing to such a false attestation?
To clarify why this would be a false/erroneous attestation on the part of an applicant, let us take another look at what the FCC rules and definitions which they make reference to actually state, item per item:
- Here’s what 97.3(22) says, defining what a frequency coordinator consists of and the services provided by such:
- “(22) Frequency coordinator. An entity, recognized in a local or regional area by amateur operators whose stations are eligible to be auxiliary or repeater stations, that recommends transmit/receive channels and associated operating and technical parameters for such stations in order to avoid or minimize potential interference.”
- Here’s what 97.201(c) says:
- “(c) Where an auxiliary station causes harmful interference to another auxiliary station, the licensees are equally and fully responsible for resolving the interference unless one station’s operation is recommended by a frequency coordinator and the other station’s is not. In that case, the licensee of the non-coordinated auxiliary station has primary responsibilty [sic] to resolve the interference. “
- Here’s what 97.205(c) says:
- “(c) Where the transmissions of a repeater cause harmful interference to another repeater, the two station licensees are equally and fully responsible for resolving the interference unless the operation of one station is recommended by a frequency coordinator and the operation of the other station is not. In that case, the licensee of the non-coordinated repeater has primary responsibility to resolve the interference.”
- AFCRAS.ORG comments:
- Nowhere do these rules (i.e., “law”) from the Code of Federal Requlations (CFR) pertaining to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), its operating rules, or Amateur Radio operation rules is there reference to anything such as “the recognized frequency coordinator” or any “sole” coordinator. In fact, there is no mention anywhere in the FCC rules and regulations to there being any recognition or appointment of a singularly recognized or “official” coordination entity in any state or any other geographic area. Instead, the FCC rules and regulations merely define the services which should be provided by any coordinator/coordinating entity.
- The Alabama Frequency Coordination and Repeater Advancement Society (a/k/a “AFCRAS.ORG” does not attempt to trick any repeater owner, operator, club, or trustee seeking the frequency coordination services defined in 97.3(22) into making false attestations which are in conflict with or represent any attempt to falsely interpret the FCC rules and regulations.
- AFCRAS.ORG was formed, exists, and will continue to provide frequency coordination services with integrity and the best interests of the Amateur Radio community as its sole focus. We do not and will not resort to any sort of trickery or hidden verbage, agreements, etc. which in any way contradict, contravene, or circumvent the FCC rules and regulations as contained in the CFR.
- To wit, we fully and quite openly recognize the legal right of other entities and/or individuals to provide frequency coordination services on a free, volunteer basis, as recognized by the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Law; furthermore, we will continue to keep the door of communications open with other coordinating entities and seek open information exchange, which is in the best interest of the Amateur Radio community and optimal repeater coordination and operation.
- Instead of trying to trick anyone into falsely stating they recognize AFCRAS.ORG as being “the” only recognized frequency coordinator in Alabama or any geographic portion thereof, we choose and endeavor to simply provide the services which the FCC expects of a frequency coordinator to the best of our ability, in a courteous, professional, timely manner, and to do so using proven, modern methodology, using modern tools, and to always conduct ourselves (organization and individual officers and representatives thereof alike) with integrity,
- In short, we do not and will not make false claims of being “the recognized frequency coordination entity within the state of Alabama” (i.e., false claims of being somehow recognized by the FCC as the only frequency coordinator in Alabama) because the FCC does not do that. We won’t try to trick you into making any such false claims either. It’s all about integrity.
What we DO offer you instead of trickery…
We quite simply strive to provide the best frequency coordination services we can, and look for ways to improve the way we do so on an ongoing basis.
AFCRAS refuses to engage in underhanded conduct
As we see it, any attempts to force, trick, or somehow coerce membership or coordination applicants into making false or incorrect attestations by any means (including intentional misrepresentations or misstatements of what the FCC rules state) would constitute underhanded conduct, which would go totally against the grain and spirit of the Amateur / Ham Radio Community, and being of worthy service to the members thereof.
We at AFCRAS firmly believe that the Alabama Amateur Radio community deserves nothing less than frequency coordination services provided by a team of dedicated, volunteer, fellow Amateur Radio community members. No trickery. No hidden agendas. No need to attempt to fool you (or ourselves) into thinking we somehow possess any sort of non-existent power, prestige, or positions of authority.
