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| WWV transmitter site in Colorado. The NIST budget request for fiscal 2019 eliminates funding for continued operation of WWV, its Hawaiian counterpart, WWVH, and 60-kHz WWVB. (US Government photo) |
Tens of thousands of radio amateurs and other users of the shortwave spectrum rely on these stations as sources of accurate time and precise frequency measurement, as well as a wealth of propagation data.
Two petitions have been started on the White House's
"We the People" petition site calling for restoration of funding for
these two essential radio stations. Each needs at least 100,000 electronic
signatures by mid-September to generate a response from the White House. The petitions
can be found at:
<https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/maintain-funding-nist-stations-wwv-wwvh>
(As of now, needs just over 90,000 more signatures by September 15)
<https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/proposed-shutdown-nists-wwv-and-wwvh-radio-stations>
(As of now, needs over 98,000 more signatures by September 17)
CQ urges its
readers and friends – and anyone else who finds value in the continued
operation of WWV and WWVH – to sign one or both petitions and especially to contact your representatives in Congress to explain the need
for these stations to continue to operate. Congress has the last word on the federal
budget and can modify department proposals as it sees fit.
[Update: The Case Western Reserve University Amateur Radio Club recommends calling the members of the House and Senate subcommittees directly responsible for NIST oversight and its budget, especially if you are a constituent of one of those members. For details, see <https://w8edu.wordpress.com/save-wwv/>. ]
[Update: The Case Western Reserve University Amateur Radio Club recommends calling the members of the House and Senate subcommittees directly responsible for NIST oversight and its budget, especially if you are a constituent of one of those members. For details, see <https://w8edu.wordpress.com/save-wwv/>. ]