Gene Zimmerman’s column for February QST discusses the
implications of the digital TV transition for VHF-minded amateurs. Gene’s
discussion is much broader than just the 70-MHz question, but he did touch on
it and while he debunked the “low-band TV is going away” myth he was
still a bit more optimistic about the possibility of an amateur allocation than
the situation warrants. I spoke with him this morning and he agreed to edits
that will put more emphasis on the ongoing low-power TV operations and the TV
interface device issue, and will dial expectations back to a more realistic
level.
Dave K1ZZ
From: Joel Harrison
[mailto:w5zn@arrl.org]
Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2008 2:32 PM
To: arrl-odv
Subject: 70 MHz Amateur Allocation Request
As reported
to you in August in my trip report from the 2008 Central States VHF Society
Conference held this past July in Wichita, KS, their board voted to request
ARRL file a petition for the FCC to allocated a 70 MHz segment to the Amateur
Radio Service.
As I reported
at time, there were a number of very good reasons for not doing so.
On November
22, 2008, CSVHFS President Bill Caldwell, N0LNO, wrote a letter to me, as
President, requesting just that. Attached is that request, along with my
response I sent to their board today.
73 Joel W5ZN