The note from N5GAR? There’s no need for any mystery. Any of the 175,000 + attendees at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas were welcome to attend Gary Shapiro’s public 30 minute “interview” with the FCC Chairman yesterday noon. The same session has been held in various forms for many years whenever the FCC Chairman attends the show. To be precise, there was no news expected, and none was made. The discussion, as usual, was kept on a high level and light. This “rather packed audience” was in one of the standard rooms at the Las Vegas Convention Center used for panels and interviews throughout the show. It’s not one of the major sessions, which seat several thousand. This is a 2-300 seat room.

The main thrust with Pai was spectrum for 5G, including the incumbency issues associated therewith and which are implicated by the 9 cm (3.4 GHz) and 5 cm (5.9 GHz) notices adopted in December that affect us, as well as multiple other notices in various phases of consideration for other spectrum. They discussed broadband delivery to rural areas and uses by farmers, which is a staple with Pai because, after all, he grew up in rural Kansas and delivery of broadband to rural areas is a major issue with some important Senators. My understanding is that the Chairman referenced the 2.5 GHz band and 6 GHz “C” band particularly in that regard. (For the EC members who attended the FCC meeting in December: it is the “C” band spectrum that brought Senator Kennedy to be seated in front of us. This is the “hottest” spectrum issue of the moment.)

The best line of the session? Pai talking so fast that Shapiro asked him to slow down, explaining that he (Pai) was talking at 5G speed but that his (Shapiro’s) brain only operates at 4G speed.

Looking forward to seeing you all next week.

73, Dave K3ZJ

From: arrl-odv <arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org> on behalf of "rjairam@gmail.com" <rjairam@gmail.com>
Date: Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at 1:00 PM
To: ODV <arrl-odv@arrl.org>
Subject: [arrl-odv:29320] BPL making a comeback?

This is from a reliable source and was posted on Facebook:

“ On Tuesday, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai made a presentation to a rather packed audience on the positions of his office. I was there, as I have been in previous years. However, I could not find anyone wearing an ARRL ID there. As the Chairman proceeded he seemed to indicate preferences for support of BPL. It became clear the BPL promoters have been to visit him.

In Texas, I followed the request of ARRL President Jim Haynie to organize and work this at the Texas Legislature. We were successful in spite of the heavy handed conduct of the opposition. The BPL issue has been resolved in Texas.

At the end of the event I got to visit directly with Chairman Pai and let him know of my concerns on this and some other issues. I told him I could go on for hours about BPL but would not do that now. He appeared friendly and said he remembered speaking with me (that was several years ago when he was a Commissioner). There appeared to be a positive outcome.

I expect the BPL issue will come before amateurs again. It is important that amateurs have competent people in place who are capable of participating on this issue.”

I’m really hoping we don’t have to sharpen our swords to do battle again, but that seems inevitable.

Ria

N2RJ