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KA9LCF > NEWS 21.10.12 20:31l 199 Lines 7787 Bytes #999 (0) @ ALLIN
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To : NEWS@ALLIN
RESTRUCTURING: FCC PROPOSES MULTIPLE CHANGES INN THE PART
97 AMATEUR SERVICE RULES
The FCC has put forth a series of suggested Part 97 rules
changes which when taken as a whole literally redefine many
aspects of the United States Amateur Radio Service. Amateur
Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, takes a look at what
the regulatory agency sees in ham radio's future:
--
It's not a done deal by any stretch, but the FCC has put a
few proposals out there for public comment and it's
interested in hearing from you.
The Notice of Proposed Rule Making or NPRM can be divided
into a few basic categories - exam credit for expired
licenses and grace periods for expired licenses, a change in
the number of volunteer examiners needed for a valid testing
session, and emissions and experimentation by amateurs.
Rich Moseson, W2VU, is editor of CQ Magazine, and Amateur
Radio Newsline called upon him for his take on the
proposals.
Let's begin with one that could have the biggest impact, the
proposal to give examination credits for anyone who held a
license that expired, thereby eliminating the need for re-
testing for someone who has an expired license.
Moseson says he wholeheartedly endorses the idea of being
able to recover a license a ham once held. He says right
now, the current FCC rules are scattered on this....
"If you held a particular type of license at a particular
time then there's no limit on being able to get it back
without re-testing," Moseson explains. "But if you held a
higher class license or a lower class license or the same
license at a different time and it's expired and beyond the
grace period, then you can't get it back without re-testing.
"So, the current rules make no sense."
Moseson says he's uncertain how many hams are out there who
let their licenses lapse years ago, but he suggests the FCC
recognizes they should be allowed to get back in without
putting an undue burden on them.
Controversial? Maybe, for some. But Moseson says he
believes it's a win-win for the hobby...
"I don't think that we've been greatly damaged from having
the ability to re-gain licenses once held without additional
testing on the license classes that are permitted," Moseson
says. "And, I don't think there will be any great hazard to
the hobby. In fact, I think there will be benefit to the
hobby of letting people whose licenses have expired return
if their interest has returned as well."
If that doesn't quite sit well with you, Moseson suggests
considering this:
"There's really very little difference between this and what
goes on if you maintain your license," Moseson says. "There
are no activity requirements. So, as long as you renew your
license every 10 years now, you can be licensed continually
without taking a test even if you haven't been on the air in
30 years.
"And, if you want to come back on the air - as long as
you've maintained your license - then you just turn on the
radio. Well, if you've let your license lapse, there's
really not much difference.
"So, if you've passed the test for a license, if you've held
that license before, and you want to get back into ham
radio, let's welcome you back with open arms and not make
you have to take your test again when other people don't
have to take that test again."
Now, on to the proposal to have only two volunteer examiners
at a testing session.
Moseson says he feels a little uncomfortable with that idea,
although the FCC suggests it will open up more exam
opportunities and make it easier for people to get a ham
license....
"I think that a minimum of three people is important at
first glance," Moseson says. "I would be open to looking at
the comments from other people. But from my personal
experience, I think it's good to have a minimum of three
people because it just reduces the possibility of any kind
of shenanigans to a much lower level.
"And, that was the reason for putting in the three-examiner
requirement to begin with and I think that's still valid."
There's also the idea of remote testing sessions - that is
using the technology for VEs to observe an exam session. The
FCC's rationale is colleges and businesses use
teleconferencing and maybe it's time to explore that option.
Moseson says timing might be right...
"Yes, the technology needs to be acknowledged," Moseson say.
"I don't think we should necessarily just jump right into
it. I would suggest a pilot program first to see how well it
works out and then take it from there."
Moseson says he's encouraged by the proposal looking at the
modes for amateur radio transmissions. He says there are too
many restrictions and limitations on hams which can stifle
rather than encourage experimentation.
He says the FCC is wise to look at the issue, especially
considering the area of TDMA or Time Division Multiple
Access technology for amateur radio.
"I think that the more that we can do with them as hams, in
addition to what the commercial world is doing, the better
off we'll all be because that competition is a fact of
life," Moseson says. "You know, you look at our microwave
bands which are really where a lot of the future is going to
be - 2.4 Ghz, 5.8 Ghz - these bands are already shared.
"And if we can make better use of that sharing so that we
can do what we want to do without bothering the other people
and without having them bother us then that's great we can
all get by very well."
Moseson says he still hasn't had a chance to go through the
entire NPRM. He intends to study it and encourages hams to
take the initiative and digest it before commenting...
"Well, I would encourage people to download the NPRM from
the FCC website and read the whole thing, particularly
before sending in comments to the FCC on it," Moseson says.
"I've seen too many people in other situations send in
comments on an NPRM based on a summary and they haven't read
the whole thing and they come off looking uninformed."
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V in
Philadelphia.
--
WT Docket No. 12-121 is expected to draw a lot of discussion
in ham radio circles and we will have more on it in upcoming
Amateur Radio Newsline reports. (FCC)
BT
RESTRUCTURING: RSGB, BATC AND AMSAT-UK REPLY TO OFCOM ON HF
SPECTRUM
Meantime, across the Atlantic, the Radio Society of Great
Britain in concert with the British Amateur Radio Club and
AMSAT-UK, has submitted a response to telecommunications
regulastor Ofcom's Consultation or Notice of Inquiry on the
future use of VHF spectrum from 143 to 156 MHz. This being
the bandspace that was formally used by the British Home
Office.
According to the R-S-G-B, the unique nature of this
spectrum, and the fact that it surrounds the existing 2
meter amateur radio band, suggested a creative response.
One the R-S-G-B stated that would need to be competitive
with the likely responses from Business Radio users. No
details of the actual text of the response are known as we
go to air.
(RSGB)
BT
RESTRUCTURING: SWEDEN HAM COMMUNITY LOOSES 2300 MHZ BAND
Swedish radio amateurs have basically lost the 2300 MHz band
although they have gained some spectrum at 1.8 MHz.
The Swedish Amateur Radio Society, the S-S-A, reports the
loss of the 2300 MHz band with effect from October 1st. And
while 2400 to 2450 MHz is still allocated for amateur radio
operation the power there is limited to just 100 milliwatts
at the antenna.
However there is good news down lower in frequency. Sweden
used to have "Top Band" allocations of 1810 to 1850 kHz at
max 1 kW and 1930 to 2000 kHz with a maximum of 10 Watts
out. As of October 1st this changed to 1810 to 1850 kHz at
1 kW and 1850 to 2000 kHz with a maximum of 10 watts. Power
output is measured at the antenna.
(SSA)
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