UPDATE: 11 November 2002
As far as I can tell, the FCC has not taken any action of the FCC Petition for
Rulemaking, RM-10413.
UPDATE: 17 April 2002
Comments invited by the FCC on the ARRL Refarming Petition for Rule Making Click Here
To read the ARRL Refarming Petition for Rule Making Click Here
UPDATE: 25 March 2002
The following is an update on this issue as the ARRL moves along
their charted course without properly taking into account the future
of Amateur Radio by properly addressing the needs of the entry
class licensees for much needed HF operating privilages which would
provide a more rounded introduction to the Amateur Radio Service
in my opinion.
The poll on eHam that resulted from my e-mail last year and all the
correspondence that I have personally received as well as the comments
that the ARRL has bothered to publish and what I hear being discussed
on the air tells me that this course on the part of the ARRL does NOT
represent a consensus within the Amateur Radio community within the
U.S., but rather represents a consensus at the ARRL with the policy
makers of the ARRL.
The ARRL (an organization of which I am a very proud member, which
does represent a large number of licensed Amateur Radio operators
within the U.S.) and I disagree on what the official ARRL position on
this subject should constitute.
We the U.S. Amateur Radio Service community can go on record
when and if this subject is released in public notice for comments
by the FCC.
I urge all Amateur Radio licensees, the related public forums and
various publications to make this the subject of discussion until the
FCC renders an opinion.
ARRL Asks FCC to Eliminate, "Refarm" Novice CW Bands (Mar 22, 2002)
-- The ARRL has asked the FCC to eliminate the 80, 40 and 15-meter
Novice/Technician Plus CW subbands as such and reuse that spectrum
in part to expand the phone allocations on 80 and 40 meters. In a
Petition for Rule Making filed today, the League requests that the
FCC revise its Amateur Service rules in accordance with the modified
Novice band "refarming" scheme the ARRL Board of Directors okayed in
January. The Petition, which includes some additional, lower-profile
requests, has not yet been put on public notice for comment
For the full details Click here.
In my opinion one of the most important issues with respect to the future of the
Amateur Radio Service is beginning to take shape.
The ARRL has formed a committee that they have named the "Novice Spectrum Survey Committee".
If you are an ARRL member you can visit the ARRL web page with an on-line survey
in which the Committee, in my opinon has pretty much revealed the direction in which they are heading. If you are not a member you can send the ARRL e-mail. At eHam.net a public forum has been started as a "Speak Out" section, please also voice your opinion there as those comments are open for all to read. See the links below.
I for one am very upset with what I perceive as the direction of the steering committee. It
would seem that the committee is intent on opening up the sub bands to higher class licensees
for phone privilages without taking into account the need for these new mode privileges for the Novice/Technician Plus class licensee.
The steering committee does however take a subtle route in offering the token idea of giving the Novice/Technician Plus licensee access to the General sub bands for CW only. A move on their part that I believe they feel will not be taken advantage of and thus be of no impact to existing users of the General CW sub bands.
It is my opinion that what is needed for the future of the Amateur Radio Service is to provide
the remaining Novice class and the entry Tecnician Plus class licensee acess to enhanced privilegs in the existing sub bands and beyond.
What I propose is to maintain the existing Novice/Technician Plus sub band spectrum. However split the 80, 40 and 15 meter sub bands exactly in half. The bottom half of each sub band shall be for digital modes of CW, psk31 etc. and the top half of each sub band for SSB bandwith modes
such as phone and SSTV. This is all in keeping with IARU Region 2 band planning.
The 10 meter sub bands should be left as currently authorized.
I propose to keep the RF power output level at 200 watts for all license classes.
The Novice/Technician Plus sub bands would thus support all license classes within the U.S. at 200 watts power and would offer maximum benefit to all amateurs both within and outside the U.S. In addition these changes would be in keeping with what the FCC has outlined of its view
of future changes to effect all license classes.
Whatever your opinion on the subject, please take the time to respond the the ARRL Novice Spectrum Survey with your opinion.
Here are my comments to the ARRL Novice Spectrum Survey Committee. My Comments to ARRL Novice Spectrum Study Survey. Please note that I checked other on all the ARRL proposals provided for selection.
Mr. Rod Stafford, W6ROD
Chairman, ARRL Novice Spectrum Survey Committee
The current Novice/Technician Plus sub bands must not be taken away from access by amateurs that hold these classes of licenses.
What we need to promote for consideration by the FCC is to allow mixed digital modes on the bottom half of the 80,40 and 15 meter sub bands and phone modes on the upper half of these sub bands that all licenses can make use of with the power output of the Novice/Technician Plus licensee kept at 200 watts. The 10 meter band should be left alone.
This would not only be in keeping with what is taking place around the but would be the best possible thing to happen to the entry class licensee as it would provide additional opportunity to experience a broader spectrum of the amateur service and most certainly offer more incentive to move up to a higher license class.
Sincerely,
Stephen B. Hajducek, N2CKH
For the public forum: Click here to voice your opinion at eHAm.net
Members can go to the online survey at: http://www.arrl.org/members-only/NoviceSurvey.html
If you are an ARRL member Click here to read and respond to the ARRL survey
Nonmembers are invited to e-mail comments and suggestions to novicesurvey@arrl.org
If you are NOT an ARRL member click here to send e-mail
The ARRL Letter Vol. 20, No. 26 June 29, 2001 had the following to say.
==>SURVEY SEEKS INPUT ON NOVICE/TECH PLUS HF SPECTRUM
The ARRL Novice Spectrum Study Committee is soliciting input from the
amateur community on possible ways to optimize use of the present Novice and
Technician Plus allocations on 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters. Survey results
might form the basis for the ARRL to approach the FCC and request changes in
the ways amateurs may operate within HF bands that contain Novice subbands.
The Novice Spectrum Study survey is available to ARRL members on the Web
. Members will be able
to complete and submit the survey only once. Nonmembers are invited to
e-mail comments and suggestions to novicesurvey@arrl.org .
The committee--chaired by ARRL International Affairs Vice President Rod
Stafford, W6ROD--has been examining the status and usage of the present
Novice HF bands with an eye toward determining what changes might be needed
now that the FCC no longer issues new Novice licenses. The survey offers
members a chance to express opinions and preferences on various
options--including leaving things as they are. Respondents are invited to
add comments and suggestions before submitting the survey.
Some 40,000 Novice licensees remain in the current FCC database, and that
number is dropping by some 6000 licensees each year through attrition and
upgrading.
The Novice Spectrum panel will present an interim report at the July ARRL
Board meeting, and a final report at the annual meeting next January.
