AM Bill Is Not Part of Congressional Stopgap Funding

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It appears that the bill to require AM radio in new cars will not pass this Congress. The legislation was absent from a stopgap measure unveiled Tuesday to keep the government funded until spring.

“While we are disappointed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act did not pass this Congress, the overwhelming bipartisan and bicameral support underscores the vital role AM radio plays in keeping Americans safe during emergencies and connected to their local communities”
— Curtis LeGeyt, president/CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters

The budget stopgap itself has not become law yet. According to CBS News, Congress has until Friday night to avoid a lapse in funding. “The new stopgap measure, with approval from the House, Senate and President Biden, would keep the government funded through March 14, giving lawmakers more time to reach agreement on new spending bills when the GOP controls both the House and the Senate,” CBS reported (read that story here).

But with the Christmas holiday rushing up fast, the AM bill appears out of options, for now.

LeGeyt thanked the AM bill’s sponsors and noted that it received bipartisan favor from “more than 125 supportive organizations, hundreds of thousands of listeners who contacted their lawmakers and more than 330 members of Congress who championed this effort.” He said NAB plans to work with the next Congress to pass the legislation.

Disappointment Immediately after Liftoff

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Taiwan's PARUS T1A satellite was to become one of the newest FM repeaters in space but it never got a chance. The rocket launch was aborted by Japanese startup Space One right after liftoff on Wednesday, December 17th. The rocket destroyed itself, according to news reports. Engineer Mamoru Endo, a company executive, said that an autonomous safety mechanism triggered the destruction, likely after a first-stage engine or control system abnormality caused the rocket to become unstable.

Hams worldwide had anticipated the eventual orbit of 3U CubeSat which had an FM crossband repeater and an APRS digipeater on 145.825 MHz, the same frequency as the International Space Station's APRS channel.

Meanwhile, the amateur satellite known as PARUS T1 is being scheduled for launch by SpaceX in January, carrying an APRS store-and-forward system.

Both satellites were student projects at National Formosa University.

Updated Equipment Can Save Lives

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Updated Equipment Can Save Lives

Thirty is the magic number for members of Search and Rescue of the Adirondacks, an organization in the northern mountains of New York State. Known by the acronym, SARNAK, the group is marking its 30th year with a core group of 30 volunteers. It is also preparing for the arrival of 30 new radios - the result of a grant of more than $6,000 from the town of North Elba. This will enable SARNAK to continue its mission to support search and recovery missions by replacing its second-hand fire department radio with updated communication equipment. The new radios will have longer-lasting batteries and a greater range than the 40-kilometre radius surrounding the local repeater. They will also have digital capability.

Coordinator Jeff Berry, KE2DKA, told the Lake Placid News that SARNAK has been experiencing a resurgence since the challenges of the pandemic eased up and is now inspired to expand its community engagement. He said volunteers have already begun doing more local public service activities, providing support to major races and other events, including the 90-mile Adirondack Canoe Classic.

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