Thursday, January 10, 2008

ARES Newsletter, Jan. 10, 2008

On Fri, 11 Jan 2008 01:21:43 -0500 (EST), "ARRL Web site"
said:
> The ARES E-Letter
> January 10, 2007
> =================
>
> Rick Palm, K1CE, Editor
>
> ,
>
> ===================================

> ______________
> In This Issue:
>
> + The View from Flagler County
> + Explosion and Fire at Florida Lab
> + Sarasota (Florida) Damage Assessment Exercise
> + Orange County, California's HDSCS: 2007 Fourth Busiest Year
> + Longtime EC/DEC NB4K Retires in Northern Kentucky
> + LETTERS: California DMV Responds to Space-In-Call Letter License
> Plate Complaint
> + LETTERS: On Repeating EmComm Courses
> + LETTERS: More on CEM's EmComm Course Requirements
> + LETTERS: The Gift
> + TIPS: Smart Fuse-It Glows When It Blows
> + LETTERS: One Day Ham Classes with Follow-Up
> + Disaster "Go-Kits" Updated
> + K1CE For a Final
> ______________
>
>
>
> + LETTERS: California DMV Responds to Space-In-Call Letter License
> Plate Complaint
>
> The following is the response of the California DMV dated December
> 27, 2007, to a ham complaining of the DMV's practice of putting
> spaces in call signs on Amateur Radio license plates:
>
> "California Vehicle Code Section 5005 allows the Department of Motor
> Vehicles to issue special plates in lieu of the regular license
> plates to a vehicle owned by persons holding an Amateur Radio license
> issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). These special
> license plates display the official Amateur Radio call letters of the
> applicant as assigned by the FCC.
>
> "The Department has been issuing HAM license plates since 1953 when
> the statute was first enacted. The placement or spacing of letters
> and numbers composed of the HAM license was originally determined by
> the FCC. Although the department is required by law to issue HAM
> license plates with specific call letters, spacing is not addressed
> in the statute and the department can exercise its administrative
> authority in this regard.
>
> "The Department adopted the spacing in order for law enforcement to
> differentiate between HAM license plates and other series license
> plates. Unlike other states, California does not distinguish the HAM
> license plates with a symbol or wording indicating the plate is a HAM
> plate.
>
> "In April 2007, it was brought to our attention that the HAM license
> plates were being ordered and issued without the proper spacing. The
> problem has since been corrected; however, those HAM plates issued
> with no spaces will remain valid until the plates are lost or damaged
> and duplicates are requested. The Department has received several
> complaints, regarding the spacing of HAM license plates ordered by
> applicants. Thoughts of eliminating the spaces have been reviewed,
> but we must take into consideration the other series license plates
> and the distinction that HAM license plates will no longer have.
> Sincerely, Mario Balbiana, Program Manager, Registration Policy
> Development, Department OF Motor Vehicles, Registration Operations
> Division, Sacramento, CA
>
> [For more info on this issue:
> , courtesy Cliff Cheng,
Ø WW6CC - ed.]

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