ARRL - NPSTC Agreement

[Andre Kesteloot]

==>ARRL, NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATIONS COUNCIL INK PACT

ARRL and the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC)
<http://www.npstc.org/> have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA). The
League is an NPSTC member organization, and the MoA culminates efforts begun
in 2003 to formalize the relationship between the two organizations.

"This agreement promotes the concept of strength in unity," the MoA says.
"Speaking with one unified voice provides a clear and strong message from
the public safety community." The MoA also aims "to promote a consensus
input decision-making process." The NPSTC has been among the organizations
that have asked the FCC to thoroughly explore the potential of broadband
over power line (BPL) technology to interfere with public safety and other
licensed radio systems.

A federation of public safety organizations, NPSTC serves as a forum for the
exchange of ideas and information for effective public safety
telecommunications in the US and abroad.

Under the ARRL-NPSTC pact the ARRL designated Chief Technology Officer Paul
Rinaldo, W4RI, to be its primary representative to the Council (ARRL
Atlantic Division Vice Director Tom Abernethy, W3TOM, is the alternate
representative). Rinaldo will participate in NPSTC meetings and serve on
committees and working groups. The League also has agreed to provide "other
expertise, advice and resources" to further the goals of the MoA and in
support of the NPSTC Charter and to promote NPSTC as "the collective voice
of public safety telecommunications."

NPSTC agrees to provide a National Support Office that will, among other
things, coordinate its outreach activities and provide "national level
technical assistance to the public safety telecommunications community."

In addition to the ARRL, the Council's 13 member organizations include the
American Red Cross, the Association of Public-Safety Communications
Officials -- International (APCO), the International Association of Chiefs
of Police and the National Association of State Telecommunications
Directors.

NPSTC celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The Council will mark "10
Years of Progress" during its Committee & Governing Board Meetings June
11-13 in Denver, Colorado.