Official Observer Coordinator

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Amateur Auxiliary. (Discuss)

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (August 2007)

The Official Observer Coordinator is an American Radio Relay League (ARRL) section-level leadership official, appointed by the Section Manager (SM), for two related purposes: to supervise the maintenance monitoring work of the section Official Observers, and to coordinate special Amateur Auxiliary efforts with Headquarters and the SM.

[edit] History

The Official Observer program has operated for more than a half century. In this time, OO appointees have assisted thousands of amateurs whose signals, or operating procedures, were not in compliance with the FCC regulations. The function of the OO is to listen for amateurs who might otherwise come to the attention of the FCC and to advise them by mail of the irregularity observed. The OO program is, in essence, for the benefit of amateurs who want to be helped. OOs must meet high standards of expertise and experience. It is the job of the OO Coordinator to recruit, supervise and direct the efforts of OOs in the section, and to report their activity monthly to the Section Manager, and ARRL Headquarters.

[edit] Role today

With the inception of the Amateur Auxiliary to the FCC, the role of the OOC is greater today than ever before. A key liaison in the Auxiliary, the OOC assists OOs in evidence gathering and conveys evidentiary materials to Headquarters for handling with the FCC.