Greetings. ARRL has been involved for some time in Docket 08-59 and its predecessors. GE Healthcare has been wanting to get an allocation for medical body worn patient monitoring networks (this is NOT, repeat NOT the neural stimulator item that is a separate rulemaking affecting the 420-450 MHz band). GE Healthcare proposed the 2360-2400 MHz band for these short range networks. Our interest?was, until now,?in protecting our apparently little-used 2390-2400 MHz band from a service that would make sharing very difficult and?which would create liability for radio amateurs in case of interference to patients. ? The Notice of Proposed Rule Making was released today. FCC had it on the open meeting agenda for Thursday, but cancelled that item (as well as several others) and adopted the NPRM on circulation and released it. It is something of?a disaster. AFTRCC, the Aeronautical Flight Test Radio Communications Council, which coordinates flight testing with Boeing at 2360-2395 MHz (yes, they overlap with us at 2390-2395 MHz) in a self-preservation effort, has counterproposed 2300-2305 MHz for the GE medical body worn devices, and as well 2395-2400 MHz (among other bands). I have informed Ken Keane, their attorney, how disappointing AFTRCC's?counterproposal is, and that we will have to vigorously oppose their alternative spectrum suggestions. But worse, FCC seems very much dedicated to proceeding with the GE Healthcare proposal. I have monitored this proceeding fairly closely, and we are going to have a difficult time protecting 2390-2400 MHz, but this is now a very important battle in terms of protecting 2300-2305 MHz, which is quite significantly used throughout the United States. The good news is that the NPRM does want alternative bands for GE Healthcare aired out. That should probably be the thrust of our effort here. There is virtually no chance to stop FCC from putting the networks somewhere. Fortunately the comment date is quite long. I will have more on this in my Board report, coming up shortly. Christopher D. Imlay Booth, Freret, Imlay & Tepper. P.C. 14356 Cape May Road Silver Spring, Maryland 20904-6011 (301) 384-5525 telephone (301) 384-6384 facsimile W3KD@ARRL.ORG