ODV,

Today the FCC published in the Federal Register Notice of the 60-meter Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted last April.  This sets the comment deadline as October 30, and the reply comment deadline as Nov. 28.  Please note these deadlines wherever you can and ask your constituents to submit comments to the FCC supporting ARRL’s request for a 100-watt limit and continued access to the 4 channels that otherwise will be deleted.  The FCC’s Notice on the 60-meter matter is ET Docket No. 23-120 at paragraphs 37-53, link: https://tinyurl.com/43dyjekf.

BACKGROUND

The FCC proposed to adopt the 60 meter WRC-2015 allocation of 15 kHz of contiguous spectrum at 5351.5 – 5366.5 kHz on a secondary basis for General and high-class amateur licensees.  Notably, it did not propose to replace the current 100-watt power limit with the accompanying WRC-2015 power limit of 15 watts EIRP (9.1-watt ERP), nor did it propose cessation of operation on the currently used four channels outside the WRC-2015 allocation and that were rejected at the Conference.  Instead, the Commission described these two issues and requested comment thereon.

In the same Notice the FCC also proposed to update the existing notice requirements for amateurs in geographic areas where amateur operations in the 420-450 MHz band generally are limited to 50 watts.

ARRL has argued for adoption of  the current 100-watt limit and for continued access to the 4 channels outside the narrow 15 kHz International allocation in addition to the contiguous 15 kHz.  Importantly, Canada adopted this approach notwithstanding the WRC allocation and its limitations.

The federal government is the holder of primary spectrum rights in this band.  NTIA, on behalf of federal user agencies, has opposed any variation from the agreed-upon WRC-2015 result.  It supports only the 15 kHz segment for amateurs with a 15-watt EIRP power limit, noting among other things that although at WRC-2015 some countries obtained slightly higher powers or other concessions with treaty footnotes, the U.S. did not.

ARRL will continue to advocate to maintain the 100-watt limit for 60 meters, continued authorization for the four channels outside the WRC allocation that are being used today, and adoption of the new 15 kHz allocation with the same 100-watt power limit. 

As always, email any questions. 

73, Dave K3ZJ

David R. Siddall

Managing Partner

DS Law, PLLC

1629 K St. NW, Ste 300

Washington, DC 20006

direct: +1 202 559 4690

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