Activation for Pearl Harbor Remembrance

The Battleship IOWA Amateur Radio Association (BIARA) and the IOWA’s Innovation, Engineering and Technology Team (IET) will activate the ship’s original NEPM Navy call sign on December 6 and 7, 2025.

This year we will be joined by operators on the Battleship ALABAMA who will activate their ship’s original NEMW call sign on the same days.

This activation will be in memory of the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and all the radio amateurs and aficionados who answered the call taking their skills into the military and civilian war efforts. Enjoy Radio at War (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUx_hqwHM1I) and Amateur Radio Before and During WWII (https://bw.billl.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Radio-History-03-Amateur-Radio-Before-and-During-WWII-By-Dan-Davis-W8LUX.pdf) to follow what amateur radio operators brought to bear during this period.

We thank the Federal Communications Commission who has issued a waiver to Section 97.111(a) to allow appropriately licensed amateur radio operators to work NEPM and NEMW for this limited event.

Amateurs are reminded that they may NOT transmit on the military frequencies issued to NEPM or NEMW. Amateur radio operators must operate within the privileges of their licenses. Licensees of other countries not under the US’s FCC jurisdiction are advised to refer to the regulations imposed by their licensing agencies before calling NEPM or NEMW.

Note that all operations are on UPPER SIDEBAND as the military does not authorize the use of LSB. All operations this year will be on PHONE ONLY (USB/J3E).

NEPM transmit frequency and mode:                             Expected listening frequency:

6.989 MHz USB                                                                 7.177 MHz USB

14.375 MHz USB                                                               14.227 MHz USB

18.060 MHz USB                                                               18.117 MHz USB

21.856 MHz USB                                                               21.277 MHz USB

26.850 MHz USB                                                               28.307 MHZ USB

NEMW transmit frequency and mode:                             Expected listening frequency:

3.347 MHz USB                                                                 3.965 MHz USB

7.463 MHz USB                                                                 7.180 MHz USB

14.7615 MHz USB                                                             14.277 MHz USB

             Please note that listed listening frequencies are a starting point. The respective ship’s control operators will tell you where they are listening to minimize your causing interference to stations in band that are not aware you are communicating with military stations NEPM or NEMW outside the amateur bands.

For an NEPM QSL please follow the detailed instructions found on our Web site at https://biara.org.

For an NEMW QSL please send your SASE to K5LDA, Larry D Anderson, 6674 Highway 19 N, Meridian, MS, 39305, USA.

For additional information about the NEPM activation please contact W6HB, Doug Dowds, via w6hb@biara.org.

For additional information about the NEMW activation please contact K5LDA, Larry Anderson, via k5lda@bellsouth.net.

Before the

Federal Communications Commission

Washington, D.C. 20554

In the Matter of   Battleship IOWA Amateur Radio Association   Request for a Waiver of Section 97.111(a) of the Commission’s Rules to Permit Demonstration of Amateur-Military Cross-Band Capabilities During Amateur-Military Commemoration of Pearl Harbor Day

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order

Adopted:  November 19, 2025             Released:  November 19, 2025

By the Deputy Chief, Mobility Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau:

1. Introduction.  By this order, we grant the request filed by the Battleship IOWA Amateur Radio Association (BIARA) for a limited waiver of section 97.111(a) of the Commission’s rules to permit licensed amateur stations to communicate with Federal stations over a two-day period.  The waiver request is for the limited purpose of a short-term event commemorating National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day on December 6 and 7, 2025.[1]
2. Background.  Section 97.111(a) of the Commission’s rules authorizes amateur stations to transmit specific types of two-way communications and limits communications with Federal stations to certain circumstances.[2]  In particular, section 97.111(a)(5) of the rule grants specific authority to communicate with Federal stations for such communications during an Armed Forces Day Communications Test.[3]  No other commemoration day is authorized in this section.
3. BIARA seeks this waiver for December 6 and 7, 2025, for the purposes of a short-term event commemorating the Pearl Harbor attack.[4]  BIARA states that the tests such as those proposed provide opportunities to train operators and test two-way communications capabilities between military communicators and radio stations in the Amateur Radio Service, which allows operators to demonstrate technical skills in a controlled scenario.[5]  BIARA also represents that the frequencies and time periods selected will not impact any public, private, or government communications.[6]
4. Discussion.  To obtain a waiver of the Commission’s rules, a petitioner must demonstrate either that the underlying purpose of the rule would not be served or would be frustrated by application to the present case, and that a grant of the waiver would be in the public interest; or, that in view of unique or unusual factual circumstances of the instant case, application of the rule would be inequitable, unduly burdensome, or contrary to the public interest, or the applicant has no reasonable alternative.[7]  We conclude that granting the requested waiver, for the following reasons and with the following limitations, is in the public interest.
5. We find grant of the waiver meets the waiver standard because this event presents a unique opportunity for amateur operators to practice communications skills under the guidance of military officials, which may be useful in the future and serves the public interest.[8]  We also find that the limitations proposed by BIARA are appropriate to prevent harmful interference and to serve the purpose of the commemorative event.[9]  Further, the frequencies, conditions, and cross service communications have already been approved by the relevant Department of War spectrum managers.[10]
6.  Specifically, this waiver is conditioned on participating amateur stations: 1) monitoring the following eight federal frequencies: 6.989 MHz, 14.375 MHz, 18.060 MHz, 21.856 MHz, and 26.850 MHz, on which the military station NEPM on the Museum Battleship IOWA will transmit, and 4.455 MHz, 7.463 MHz, and 14.7615 MHz, on which the military station NEMW on the Museum Battleship Alabama will transmit; 2) responding solely on frequencies being monitored and announced by the military operators, all of which will be authorized for use by Amateur Radio operators during this event; 3) operating consistent with the privileges of their amateur licenses; and 4) limiting communications to the period beginning December 6 through December 7, 2025.  Additionally, all other related Commission regulations that are applicable to amateur operators will continue to apply (e.g., mode, maximum power, and license class).
7. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that pursuant to section 4(i) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. § 154(i), and section 1.925 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 1.925, the Request for a Waiver of Section 97.111(a) of the Commission’s Rules IS GRANTED as set forth and conditioned above.
8. This action is taken under delegated authority pursuant to sections 0.131 and 0.331 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 0.131, 0.331.

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Thomas Derenge

Deputy Chief, Mobility Division Wireless Telecommunications Bureau

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[1] Request for Waiver of Section 97.111(a) of the Commission’s Rules to Permit Demonstration of Amateur-Military Cross-Band Capabilities During Amateur-Military Commemoration of Pearl Harbor Day, at 1, (filed Oct. 30, 2025) https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/103107568828/1 (Waiver Request); see 47 CFR § 97.111(a).

[2] 47 CFR § 97.111(a).

[3] 47 CFR § 97.111(a)(5).

[4] Waiver Request at 1.

[5] Id. at 2.

[6] Id.

[7] 47 CFR § 1.925(b)(3).

[8] 47 CFR § 1.925(b)(3).

[9] Waiver Request at 2.

[10] Id. at 2 and attachment.

• BIARA has a TASMA-coordinated 2 meter repeater, NI6BB,  operating on 146.880 Mhz, -600 Hz with a PL of 88.5 Hz. The primary service area is the Los Angeles / Long Beach Harbor area and surrounds. Please feel to use this open machine when you are in our area. The repeater is on the 010 level of the battleship and the antenna is on a yardarm at 013.
• Battleship USS Iowa Museum is open. Check www.labattleship.com for details. IOWA is normally closed ONLY on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

• To request a schedule with NI6BB please E-mail us at info@biara.org and or w6hb@biara.org. To coordinate an individual or group visit to BIARA’s NI6BB or to request guest / visitor operations under our control please contact w6hb@biara.org.

The Battleship Iowa Amateur Radio Association (BIARA) is an association of radio amateurs whose purpose is the support of radio activities on, or associated with, the Battleship Iowa. The operation of the Battleship Iowa is under the control of the Pacific Battleship Center (PBC), a 501(c)3 non-profit California corporation. BIARA is a social and recreational non-profit 501(c)7 California corporation. All BIARA full members who engage in amateur radio activities aboard the Battleship Iowa are required to be accepted and registered as volunteers of the PBC and to abide by all volunteer guidelines and directives as may be established by the PBC.

BIARA acts as the representative of the Battleship Iowa, the Pacific Battleship Center and the National Museum of the Surface Navy within the amateur radio community. In this role, BIARA promotes the Battleship Iowa, the Pacific Battleship Center (PBC), the National Museum of the Surface Navy, the interests and advancement of amateur radio, coordinates the activities of the associates in providing public service and provide the opportunity and facilities for the gathering of associates and others interested in the hobby.

BIARA operates its station under license NI6BB from the communications center on the Battleship Iowa promoting the PBC, the Iowa, the National Museum of the Surface Navy and amateur radio in general. We appreciate your contacting us and helping us in our mission.

BIARA does not solicit donations for our operations. Persons wishing to make tax deductible donations are encouraged to do so to the Pacific Battleship Center (PBC) as our host. The PBC is dependent on grants, donations, ticket sales and event income to maintain and enhance the battleship. The IOWA is not supported by or responsible to the US Navy. Your help for the greater good is appreciated.

Please use the PayPal link below to make your tax deductible donation to the Pacific Battleship Center (PBC).

NEPM was the Iowa’s call sign from her initial commissioning in 1943 until her final decommissioning in 1990. In 2002, it was assigned to the USCGC Heron. In 2016, through efforts by Bob, WB6SLC, the battleship was able to have the call sign reassigned. The USCGC Heron now has NHRN. The Iowa is one of the few US museum ships that has it’s original military call sign assigned.

Having the call sign does not afford any operating authority, although once a year, BIARA may use the callsign NEPM during the annual Armed Forces Day Cross-band Test if authorized. With authority from the Navy Marine Corps Spectrum Office Southwest we may gain approval for special event activations. These events will be promoted throughout the world to the amateur radio community. Stations outside the United States are reminded to verify that your country allows you to work us as a military station during cross band operations. The ship’s periodic activation of the “Gray Radios” is under the Innovation & Engineering Technology’s call sign NE6PM for which Gary Lopes, WA6MEM, is the trustee.

NI6BB’s Home

Each station contains an Astron RS-60M linear power supply with an Icom IC-7300 HF transceiver paired with a laptop for logging, spotting and digital modes. We have three identical stations that may be tied each to one of five possible HF antennas.

Station operator in the photo is Roee, 4Z1KO/KU6L.

The discage antenna is on the bow. Two antennas, each with a separate feed point, are combined in one structure.  Higher bands (~10-30 MHz) use the discone, with the radial elements at the top as the disc and the upper section of the cage as the cone. The feed point is the gap between the disc and the apex of the cone. The lower bands (~3.8-12 MHz) , fed from the bottom, use the entire cage section.

A trussed monopole is mounted above the Aviation Service Center on the aft deck. This antenna covers 10-30 MHz. The red base identifies this as a transmitting antenna (blue bases denote receiving antennas). The nonskid deck in foreground is for the flight operations area. Three hooded signal lamps are along the aft edge of the hut roof. At left is the No. 3 16-inch gun turret.