Representing ARRL members in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia

Those of you who have heard me speak about the threats facing Amateur
Radio know that my greatest concerns facing our League are loss of
spectrum, loss of antenna rights, and ever increasing RFI. Of these, the
most urgent is the threat to our current 60 meter privileges. 

  Why should you care? Whether or not you are active on 60 meters, the
proposed 10 dB reduction in power from 100 watts to 9.5 watts is the
most sweeping reduction of HF privileges in decades. This erosion of our
rights is a slippery slope which will embolden the FCC to remove or
modify more HF privileges.

  Atlantic Division Vice Director Marty Pittenger, KB3MXM, and I strongly
encourage you to assist League members and the entire U.S. Amateur Radio
community by making your voice heard on the importance of protecting our
60 meter privileges. Submit comments to the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) before October 30th. Some of you have already filed
well-reasoned, persuasive comments, which bear reading at the FCC web
site. 

  If you are not familiar with the FCC Notice of Proposed Rule Making
(NPRM) and its impact on our 60 meter privileges please keep reading the
deep dive below or visit our website at

  https://www.arrl.org/60-meter-band 

 This site has further information with easy instructions and links on
how to file comments with the FCC. 

60 Meter Deep Dive

  Like many of you, I have enjoyed operating 60 meters and have
participated under the occasional inter-service authority to test
interoperability between radio amateurs, FEMA SHARES and Military
reserve units on the authorized channels.

  Even if you are not currently active on 60 meters, the proposed 10 dB
reduction in power from 100 watts to an equivalent of less than 10 watts
is the most sweeping reduction of HF privileges in decades. If Amateur
Radio opposition to this proposed change is weak, and the FCC goes
through with the change, that lackluster response from the Amateur Radio
community will embolden the FCC to remove or modify more HF privileges.
There are other radio services that covet our HF radio spectrum. We need
to protect them. 

  The FCC has issued NPRM Docket Number 23-120 which would reduce our
power limit on 60 meters from 100 watts ERP (Effective Radiated Power)
to the equivalent of 9.5 watts ERP. The NPRM would REPLACE the current
five channels (currently each with a 100-watt power limit) with a 15 KHz
continuous spectrum from 5351.5 to 5366.5 KHz, but limiting power to the
equivalent of 9.5 watts ERP. That is a substantial decrease.  Our League
is proposing to keep the current five channels AND add the docket’s
proposed 15 KHz of continuous spectrum, all at a power level of 100
watts ERP.

  I have heard from reliable sources that certain agency detractors have
labeled ham radio operators as undisciplined on the 60 meter band and
even causing interference by running at very high power. They argue that
their actions threaten other government users that need that spectrum
for operations and emergencies. I have never witnessed this problem, but
it is hard to argue against innuendo. Even if true, which I doubt, it
must be a tiny minority of operators. Retaining useful privileges on 60
meters is really a valuable goal. So, let’s argue the positive aspects
of our presence.

  If you are an emergency communications enthusiast, present your
credentials and cite real examples of the value of 60 meters for such
operations. FCC still sees such amateur operations as the highest
calling of Amateur Radio. Even if you view amateur radio as strictly a
hobby, separate from emergency communications, that may be an
insufficient argument to persuade the FCC that we should retain our
privileges.

  It’s important to note that in 2022, Canada enacted our League’s
position by keeping the five current channels AND adding the expanded 15
KHz of continuous spectrum, all at 100 watts. ARRL is advocating for the
FCC to adopt the identical allocations and power limits which Canada put
in place over a year ago. It might be an uphill battle for us, but your
comments will help. Let’s try to hold the line. 

  When the FCC authorized 60 meter access for Amateur Radio operators in
July 2003, the Commission cited the positive propagation attributes for
emergency communications. Believe me, this is the correct argument that
still holds today. Over the past twenty years, in the midst of multiple
hurricanes, Caribbean Amateur Radio stations used 60 meters to relay
critical weather and situational reports to U.S. operators. Clearly, 9.5
watts ERP would be woefully inadequate to maintain communications for
these purposes.

  Having a consistent band plan with Canada will also ensure harmonious
communications throughout most of North America. Remember, the FCC does
not make decisions on rule making by counting the comments for or
against a change on a weighted scale. Rather, personally drafted
comments, short or long, are more useful than just a quick cut and
paste. But any comments in favor are better than none at all. Please
help and get your ham friends and clubs to act NOW. We only have a few
more days. Make this your weekend project.

  Together, we are The National Association for Amateur Radio. PLEASE
support our League’s filing in this matter. To learn more about the
NPRM and its impact on our 60-meter privileges, please visit your ARRL
website at: https://www.arrl.org/60-meter-band. On this site you will
find links to file comments with the FCC. Please don’t delay. A
substantial response from the ham community before the October 30
deadline is the only way to forestall the loss of our valued operating
privileges. Protection of our Amateur Radio spectrum is our number one
priority. 

  If you have questions or wish to discuss this further, please feel free
to call me at my office number below day or evening. If I’m not
immediately available, leave your contact information and I’ll get
back to you.

  Keep the faith and please file a comment either by Express filing or
Standard filing by document upload - PDF recommended. Read the filings
uploaded far to get the drift. 73, and I will see you on the Radio.
Let’s try to make sure that can also be on 60 meters in the future. 

Bob Famiglio, K3RF
ARRL Atlantic Division Director
610-359-7300

--------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL Atlantic Division
Director: Robert B Famiglio, K3RF
k3rf@arrl.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------
-- 
Mark Caldwell Walker
https://marwalk.net