[600MRG] Any FCC news on 600m?

[Brian, WA1ZMS]

Gentlemen-

Please keep in mind that there are several factors at play here.  Oh if it
was only so simple as the ARRL and the FCC.

I know I sound like a broken record here, so please forgive me in advance.
The spectrum in question at 630m is
as far as I can tell *STILL* managed by the NTIA.  That is the US Govt
version of the FCC.  The NTIA owns all RF spectrum
in the US from 9kHz to 275GHz.   When popper and timely requests are made,
the NTIA will turn over a "chunk" of
spectrum for the FCC to manage via FCC Rules, etc...

For all we know.....there could be a heated debate between the FCC and the
NTIA about 630m.  Even the ARRL has to
sit this one out as it is beyond their direct influence, but we know they
are trying.

That said, any WARC conference can change the International Table of
Allocations and encourage countries to assign
spectrum to certain radio services. That just happened with 630m. But things
move at a glacial pace in each country
and there is no obligation for a WARC attending country to follow the
recommendations. Just look at the HUNDREDS of
footnotes in the Table!



Now my 2-cents worth is:
The ARRL saw that 137kHz is the "lowest hanging fruit on the future ham
spectrum tree" and has decided to press for that
first.  Right, wrong or otherwise that is what the League did. My sense is
that they want the FCC to act on that first before
they press for a 630m band.  Now if 137kHz is flat-out rejected by the NTIA
& FCC then I would expect a strong push
for 630m. 

As a side note...we are ALL not without transgression.  In fact in late
2013, Globe Wireless station KPH was served with
two NOVs from the FCC for operations on HF freqs that are not on their
license.  So we all screw-up, pro & ham included.

What makes RF spectrum allocation harder here in the US is that there are
two spectrum agencies, the NTIA & FCC.
If you want some really good bed-time reading, go download the 900 page NTIA
RedBook which is a collection of all of the
NTIA Rules and you will be asleep in 10mins!   Dealing with FCC & NTIA is a
small part of my day job and it can drive a
person crazy with reading Federal Rules.

We should NOT give-up as hams, but if you want to write the ARRL then I feel
you can do so as long as it is well reasoned.
Beyond the ARRL, we should hold back our comments so as not to unbalance the
private and often off-the-record talks
that are held between the FCC & NTIA.




-Brian, WA1ZMS