FCC Notice of Proposed Rule Making on a complete rewrite of Part 95 Rules

[wb7sgl]

Fellow Hams,

You are receiving this message via email because you have registered in the past on the http://www.ldshams.com website. This is one of those few occasions when I feel it is important to notify all of the registered hams on LDSHams.com of a new posting.

There are occasions when our voices can be heard individually by the FCC and this is one of those times. Please take the time to read the proposed changes and comment on them if you have any views. The guidelines for the radio services that are available to the general public may be changed and given our general technical knowledge, we may be able help shape those changes for the better.

It is not a far stretch to imagine that proposed changes such as these could one day be directed at the Amateur Radio bands and service.

73 de WB7SGL


From:  KF7EEC
Via:   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ldshams/messages (LDSHAMS Y! Group)
The FCC NPRM last week issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) on a complete rewrite of the entire Part 95 Rules: NPRM FCC-10-106A1.

This would effect Citizens Band Radio (CB Radio), Family Radio Service (FRS), General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS), Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS), and other radio services.

The FCC NPRM requests comment and discussion of their proposed changes, which, among other things, propose to end the requirement for licensing in GMRS, LOWER the power allowed (to 2 watts for portables), potentially remove repeaters, potentially require GMRS portables to have non-detectable antennas, firmly prohibit scrambling of any kind, give maximum antenna heights switching FRS & GMRS from Wideband to Narrowband, and perhaps, prohibit use of radios dual/type accepted for part 90 and 95!

Read the proposal in PDF format:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-10-106A1.pdf

In Doc Format:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-10-106A1.doc

or, in Txt Format:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-10-106A1.txt

I know this is a LDSHams group, but I also know that lots of stakes use GMRS for their intra stake communications. Here in Vegas, there is a Valleywide Ham ERC net followed by a Valleywide GMRS ERC net.

In my reading of this proposal, GMRS would no longer be a viable EmCom method. I strongly recommend everyone read this proposal, read the comments (http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/comment_search/execute?proceeding=10-119&applicant=&lawfirm=&author=&disseminated.minDate=&disseminated.maxDate=&recieved.minDate=6/9/09&recieved.maxDate=&address.city=&address.state.stateCd=&address.zip=&daNumber=&fileNumber=&submissionTypeId=&__checkbox_exParte=true), and post comments (http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/upload/begin?filedFrom=E).

[wb7sgl]

I hear a rumor that goes along the lines:

"My son at Microsoft tells me that they want the GMRS frequency band to auction to Google and others for large area wireless access systems…"

I fear Amateur Radio will definitely become a target in coming years if this is the case.

[KF7EEC]

FCC is still accepting comments on the Part 95 rule change.  It will be closing soon...