[600MRG] ARRL 600 Meter Experiment Coordinator Recommends Renewing Experimental License

[Ralph Wallio, W0RPK]

ARRL 600 Meter Experiment Coordinator Recommends Renewing Experimental 
License

http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-600-meter-experiment-coordinator-recommends-renewing-experimental-license

04/16/2015

ARRL 600 Meter Experiment Coordinator Fritz Raab, W1FR, said the mission 
of the multi-station experimental operation "has actually been 
accomplished," but since the US still has no medium-frequency (MF) 
Amateur Service allocation, he believes the Experimental license ought 
to be renewed. Raab commented in his most recent quarterly status report 
on the experiment, prepared with John Langridge KB5NJD, and Warren 
Ziegler, K2ORS. The interim report said the WD2XSH operations have 
demonstrated that the Amateur Radio community is interested in MF operation.

"Amateurs with ordinary facilities can use the band; exotic antennas are 
not required," the report said, adding "QSOs from 500 to 1000 miles are 
routinely achieved, and longer distances are possible." According to the 
report, WD2XSH operations continued throughout the winter, although 
transatlantic reception reports "seem[ed] to be down slightly from the 
previous winter."

The FCC has yet to act on the ARRL's 2012 Petition for Rulemaking asking 
it to create a domestic Amateur Radio allocation at 472-479 kHz, known 
variously as 600 meters and 630 meters. Delegates to the 2012 World 
Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12), approved a 7-kilohertz-wide 
secondary Amateur Radio allocation at 472-479 kHz, with a power limit of 
5 W EIRP (or 1 W EIRP, depending on location). Radio amateurs in Canada 
and in several other countries already have allocations there. Canadian 
630 meter operators held a cross-band event on February 14, listening on 
160 and 80 meters for US stations.

The WD2XSH license is set to expire in August, Raab noted in his report. 
"This is therefore a good time to look at what WD2XSH has accomplished 
and to consider whether it should be renewed," he said.

"Following the WRC-12 decision to create an amateur 630-meter band, most 
of us expected the FCC to approve access for US amateurs," Raab's report 
said. "Had this happened, there would not be further need for the WD2XSH 
license. Over 2 years have passed since the ARRL petitioned the FCC to 
consider this band, and the FCC does not appear to be in any hurry to do 
so."

According to the report, which covered WD2XSH operations through 
February 28, the experiment also has demonstrated reliable regional 
ground-wave communication. "This will make possible regional 
beyond-line-of-sight emergency communications that is available at all 
times of day and is not subject to whims of the ionosphere," the report 
added.

The report also pointed out that in 179,000 hours of operation, "there 
has not been one complaint of harmful interference from either other 
radio services or utility power-line communications." The FCC cited 
concerns about possible interference to utility power-line carrier (PLC) 
systems in deciding not to adopt its own 2002 proposal for an LF 
allocation in the vicinity of 137 kHz. The WD2XSH status report noted 
that the radiated power from some WD2XSH stations and of other 
experimental stations working at 630 meters, "is well above the 5 W EIRP 
of the WRC-12 authorization."

"There are now a number of other experimental licenses for 630 meter 
operation, and these will continue whether or not WD2XSH is renewed," 
Raab said in his report. He said that in his opinion, the ARRL "should 
have a continued presence in our quest for a 630 meter amateur band" and 
recommended renewing the license.