OFFICIAL OBSERVER

    The Official Observer program has been sponsored by the League for 
over 50 years to help amateurs help each other.  Official Observer 
appointees have aided thousands of amateurs to maintain their 
transmitting equipment and operating procedures in compliance with the 
regulations.  The object of the OO program is to notify amateurs by 
mail of operating/technical irregularities before they come to the 
attention of the FCC.

    The OO is also the backbone of the Amateur Auxiliary to the FCC's 
Field Operations Bureau.  OOs are certified in the Auxiliary by 
passing a mandatory written examination.

    The OO performs his function by listening rather than 
transmitting, keeping an ear out for such things as frequency 
instability, harmonics, hum, key clicks, broad signals, distorted 
audio, overdeviation, out-of-band operation, etc.  The OO completes 
his task once the notification card is sent.   
    In hard-core rules violations cases, OOs refer problems to higher 
echelons of the Amateur Auxiliary, and may be requested to gather 
evidence for possible FCC enforcement actions.

Requirements follow:

1.  Must take and pass examination to be certified as a member of the 
Amateur Auxiliary, an FCC requirement, based on study of the ARRL's 
Amateur Auxiliary Training Manual.

2.  Must be an ARRL Full Member and have been a licensee of Technician 
Class or higher for at least four years.

3.  Must report to the OO Coordinator regularly on FSD-23.

4.  Maintain regular activity in sending out advisory notices as 
needed. 

    The OO program is one of the most important functions of the 
League.  A sincere dedication to helping our brother and sister 
amateurs is required for appointment.  

     Recruitment of new hams and League members is an integral part of the 
job of every League appointee.  Appointees should take advantage of every 
opportunity to recruit a new ham or member to foster growth of Field 
Organization programs, and our abilities to serve the public.

FSD-110
(1288)


|       |   |         Deputy Manager, Field Services, ARRL.
|       |___|         The ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service, the ARRL
| uck   |   |urder    National Traffic System, The Amateur Auxiliary to
------  |   |         the FCC's Field Operations Bureau, the ARRL
     KY1T             Field Organization and the ARRL Monitoring System.
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lhurder%arrlhq.UUCP@uhasun.hartford.edu   Prodigy - MGTS39A   BIX - ARRL.