BE Informed No. 26

The Federal Communications Commission

Field Operations Bureau

And

The American Radio Relay League, Inc.

With respect to amateur volunteers

1.  The Field Operations Bureau (FOB) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the American Radio Relay League, Inc. (ARRL)[1] agree to cooperate in a joint effort to improve rules compliance in the Amateur Radio Service, as provided for in Public Law 97-259 (the Communications Act of 1982).

The objectives of this program are to foster a wider knowledge of and better compliance with laws, rules and regulations governing the Amateur Radio Service, to extend the concepts of self-regulation and self-administration of the Service, and to enhance the opportunity for individual amateurs to contribute to the public welfare as outlined in the basis and purpose of the Amateur Radio Service, while enabling the Field Operations Bureau[2] to efficiently and effectively use its manpower and services.

The FOB has entered into this agreement with the ARRL to avail itself of the services of the League's Field Organization.  FOB may elect to enter into other agreements.

Regional Monitoring Stations, or other members of the ARRL Field Organization, as directed by ARRL procedure in each case, are the focal points for liaison and the primary communications channel between organized amateurs and the FOB field facilities.  This program, the foundation of which will be the ARRL Official Observers, will be known as the Amateur Auxiliary to the Field Operations Bureau.  FOB's Regional Directors are responsible for the overview and the direction of the Amateur Auxiliary program in their regions, in conjunction with designated ARRL filed officials, and will jointly review local policies, practices and procedures, and work together, looking to achieve solutions to problems and regional consistency in accordance with FOB's manual for the Amateur Auxiliary which contains basic overall guidance.

2.  Under this specific Amateur Auxiliary agreement, FCC personnel and amateur volunteers may interact to perform the following functions:

            a.         maintenance monitoring of the Amateur Radio Service frequencies

            b.         fostering wider knowledge of the rules

            c.         responding to complaints/allegations and developing procedures which emphasize cooperation and "no fault solutions", and if and when impasses occur, aid and encourage development of solutions through independent mediation

            d.         signal identification/source location in support of FOB field facilities

            e.         courtesy Amateur Radio station evaluation (this function can only be activated upon specific approval of an FOB Regional Director)

            f.          FOB enforcement support (this function can only be activated upon specific approval of an FOB Regional Director

            g.         other specific projects as appropriate (information collection, support during emergency operations and so forth).

3.  In order for the provisions of paragraph two (2) of this Agreement to be applied in a location where the need is identified by the parties, the FCC field facility supervisor and the designated ARRL Field Organization official may agree to implement any of the functions of the Amateur Auxiliary as outlined above, provided approval for national implementation of that function has been granted and appropriate training material has been prepared, and the appropriate ARRL official has authorized such action as to the specific case under consideration.

4.  All prospective member of the Amateur Auxiliary will be required to undergo a training and certification procedure administered by ARRL, and successful completion of such training/certification will be required for enrollment.

5.  The above outlined cooperative program is hereby agreed to by the signatories and is in force as of the date indicated below.  This agreement may be amended by mutual agreement of both parties and will remain in effect until terminated.  FCC/FOB and ARRL will periodically review this agreement and coordinate such revisions as may be necessary.  Upon 90 days written notice, this agreement may be terminated by either party.

   March 28, 1984        (signed) Richard M. Smith                  (signed) David Sumner

   Date                                     for FCC                                  for ARRL     

[1] Also apparently referred to as the "League" in this document. Ed.

[2] The Field Operations Bureau ("FOB") no longer exists, per se, as a result of FCC reorganizations.  Ed.