[xwarn] FW: WEAVER'S WORDS -- THE FCC SPAKETH

Sat Oct 14 12:07:18 EDT 2006

=================================

ADDRESS REPLIES DIRECTLY TO:

Jim Weaver K8JE k8je at arrl.org

=================================

-----Original Message-----
From: ARRL Web site [mailto:memberlist at www.arrl.org] 
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 8:23 AM
To: W8LLY at sbcglobal.net
Subject: WEAVER'S WORDS -- THE FCC SPAKETH

[Reply only to k8je at arrl.org.  The ARRL reflector operates one-way,
only.]

IN THIS SPECIAL ISSUE I HIGHLIGHT INFORMATION REGARDING THE FCC's
REPORT & ORDER ON AMATEUR RADIO RESTRUCTURING.

REVISED BAND SEGMENTS PER WTB DOCKET 04-140

First, a couple of brief comments:  The ARRL and other petitioners had
asked the FCC to refarm the Novice frequencies and to increase the
relative size of HF phone bands modestly.  The NPRM published by the
Commission nearly two years ago followed through fairly closely to the
modest changes that had been requested.  In a surprise move, FCC
greatly expanded the phone band on 80M in its Report & Order.  One
might hope that the extent of this increase is an error.  There are a
few obvious errors and conflicts contained in the order.  ARRL is
pointing these out to appropriate people at the FCC in hopes they will
be corrected before the order is published officially in the Federal
Register.  The new rules become effective 60 days after being published
in the Federal Register.

To see ARRL's best estimate of the band changes FCC has intended in its
Report & Order, go to
http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/wt04-140/faq.html.  You will
find a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet there as well as links to
a color version and a black and white version of a chart showing the
revised band segment assignments.

A copy of the current band segments is at
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/bandplan.html for
comparison.

MORSE CODE

Please understand that the FCC has done nothing to issue its position
on retaining or dropping Morse Code testing requirements for license
testing.  This issue is in WTB Docket 05-235.  We continue to have no
hint from the Commission as to the date on which this docket will be
released.  We are pretty certain they will remove the requirement for
Morse Code testing for the Technician and General Class licenses. It
also seems at least a 50:50 likelihood the will drop this requirement
for the Amateur Extra also.  ARRL's preference is to keep the code
requirement for Extras as one means of making this license Extra.  We
are even more eager to have the issue decided though the issue of WTB
Docket 05-235 so the uncertainty that has been hanging over our heads
can be dissolved.  At this moment, the Commission's continued
indecision is hindering the development of Amateur Radio.

COMMENT ON GENTLEMEN'S AGREEMENT BANDPLANNING

I mentioned several months ago that the ARRL Board had established a
committee to study developing new band plans once the FCC had issued
its Report & Order on restructuring.  The first task of the Committee
was to review existing band plans around the world.  Now that 04-140
has been issued, the Committee has requested members to submit their
ideas regarding the new band plans.  The request for input is on the
ARRL web site.  I've pasted the initial part of it below.  You are
being asked to contribute to the development of new band plans that are
necessitated by the FCC's new rules.

"Attention All Amateurs... ARRL requests members' input on recent FCC
"omnibus" Report and Order (Oct 13, 2006) -- The ARRL is requesting
members' input concerning the FCC's Amateur Radio proceeding, WT Docket
04-140, released on October 10. The Report and Order will not take
effect until 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. This
publication date is not yet known. The complete text is available for
viewing as a PDF file on the FCC Web site. A summary is available on
this Web site. The ARRL is specifically seeking member guidance on how
the changes will affect current operating activities on 80, 40 and 15
meters (see the current ARRL band plans and an ARRL FAQ that includes a
chart showing the band changes.) Comments may be submitted by e-mail.
All e-mails will be read and considered, but individual responses will
not be possible due to the message volume expected. The deadline for
comments is October 31.

"Link to this story"

I thought you would want to know about the above information

Jim Weaver, K8JE, Director
Great Lakes Division, ARRL
5065 Bethany Rd., Mason, OH 45040
Tel. 513-459-0142; E-mail k8je at arrl.org
ARRL, the Reason Amateur Radio is!
Members, the Reason ARRL is!

--------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL Great Lakes Division
Director: James Weaver, K8JE
k8je at arrl.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------
This message is being sent to you via the ARRL Members Only Web site.
If you do not want to receive further messages, go to the site at:
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/memdata.html?modify=1
Log in with your username and password and change your email options.
Unchecking the "News and information from your Division Director and
Section Manager" box will prevent messages such as this one from
being sent to you.
-- webmaster at arrl.org