In case you are not familiar with all of the alphabet soup acronyms, this URL will provide you with some of the answers: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/iracdefn.html ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul L Rinaldo" <prinaldo@mindspring.com> To: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> Cc: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 5:54 AM Subject: [arrl-odv:11882] Re: FCC and WRC-07

Tom,

We're about where we should or can be in preparation for WRC-07. However, it's not a one-ring circus and one way or another we're involved with all the different groups.

There are two groups within the US responsible for preparation of US proposals to WRC-07. They are the RCS (the radio conference subcomittee of IRAC) for the federal government and WAC (WRC advisory group and under that Informal Working Group 4 - IWG-4). The first step has been taken by RCS and WAC, that is separate approval of "preliminary views" on agenda item 1.13. The RCS PV has been shared with CITEL. Basically, they're the same and simply are a stalling tactic saying the item needs more study. There is not yet a US proposal to WRC-07 and it's a little early for that.

ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Walt Ireland is working this issue in a number of venues, nearly every day. He is the vice chairman of IWG-4 doing the work of a chairman. He's been pleading with US private broadcasters to state their specturm requirements. They're happy with the status quo because the FCC allows them to operate out of allocated bands. Walt is also US Head of Delegation of ITU-R Working Party 6E (broadcasting terrestrial delivery), which is responsible for developing HFBC technical studies related to this agenda item. Walt has also been participating in Working Party 9C (fixed service below 30 MHz) and its US preprations. That is the group looking after the requirements of the military and homeland security at HF. ITU-R WP 9C meets in Tunis in late April and Walt will participate.

I have been active in ITU-R Working Party 8B and its preparatory meetings. WP 8B has the maritime mobile piece of the 4-10 MHz puzzle. The Europeans want to open some maritime frequencies to shared use. The maritime people are opposed to that, particularly because they're expanding use of HF data comms for email (led by Globe Wireless and the US Coast Guard).

WP 6E meets in Geneva, March 31-April 7 and Walt will be there heading the US delegation. WP 8A meets in early April, and I'll be there along with Larry Price and Ken Pulfer. WP 8A has background text but not yet anything definitive toward solving the agenda item.

Because the 4-10 MHz item involves broadcasting, maritime mobile, fixed, land mobile and amateur services, no one working party can solve it. Accordingly, there is an agenda item 1.13 coordination group meeting planned for late May. Ken Pulfer is a rapporteur from several working parties and will represent IARU there.

All the above can be considered "plate spinning" until someone drafts a proposed revision of Article 5 of the Radio Regulations. That could come from any of the above activities. Chances are it won't happen until fall of this year.

ARRL and IARU have given the consistent message that we're grateful for the improvement at 7 MHz at WRC-03 and still have an unsatisfied spectrum requirement for 300 kHz worldwide at 7 MHz.

This may be more detail than you asked for but is intended to let you know that we're active in all these arenas.

Paul

At 09:56 PM 2/28/2005 -0500, Tom Frenaye wrote:

...

FCC Daily Digest Released: 02/28/2005. THE FCC'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE 2007 WORLD RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONFERENCE APPROVES RECOMMENDATIONS ON WRC-07 ISSUES. (DA No. 05-476). (Dkt No 04-286). IB. Contact: Alexander Roytblat at (202) 418-7501 <http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-476A1.doc> <http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-476A1.pdf> <http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-476A1.txt>

Could K1ZZ and/or W4RI give some analysis of the sections in this report related to Amateur Radio? I see one section of Agenda Item 1.13 that suggests 3-30 MHz will be on the agenda, and another focusing on 4-10 MHz. How are we doing in our efforts to influence the US position?

-- Tom

===== e-mail: k1ki@arrl.org ARRL New England Division Director http://www.arrl.org/ Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444