The FCC has expanded the number of 800 MHz channels and changed some of the channel numbers.  To see them click here.

The FCC has designated some new frequency bands for BPL.  To see them click here.

FCC Visits Mount Wilson near Los Angeles (inserted July 23, 2002).

Many items of interest can be found in the monthly newsletters.

You can view the FCC web site at www.fcc.gov.

You can check out the new Universal Licensing System (ULS) at www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls

A beta trial web address for an FCC data base was reported at the November meeting. It appears to be some kind of search program. Try it out at http://gullfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/wtb_pt_rad/ptradsrch.sh

A beta trial web site for Industry Canada was reported at the November meeting. You can find it at http://spectrum.ic.gc.ca.

For information about tower registration look at the following web site www.fcc.gov/wtb/antstruc.html. This site includes a 15 page guide that you can download.

For information about the new Universal Licensing System go to http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls.

Pending Government Legislation

A resolution in the US House of Representatives calling on the FCC to "conduct a full and complete analysis"
of radio interference from broadband over power line (BPL) was introduced on April 21st, 2005. The resolution, H. Res 230,
says the Commission should comprehensivelyevaluate BPL's interference potential incorporating "extensive public review and
comment," and - in light of that analysis - to "reconsider and review" its new BPL rules. (ET Docket 04-37)

The resolution notes that the same NTIA study determined that BPL interference to aeronautical and airline travel communications "could be expected at distances up to 40 kilometers from the center of the broadband over power line system, and that interference to outer marker beacons for airline instrument landing systems could be
expected at great distances as well."

Many public safety agencies and support services, including emergency medical services, fire, and law enforcement, utilize Low-Band VHF (30-50 MHz), the resolution points out. Thirteen states - California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wyoming - use the band for state police operations, while it's the primary public safety radio band in nine states.

The resolution further notes that the Association of Public Safety Officials Inc (APCO), and the National Public Safety
Telecommunications Council (NPSTC), urged the FCC to withhold final action in the BPL proceeding for at least a year, pending a "conclusive determination" of BPL's potential to interfere with public safety and other licensed radio systems operating below 80 MHz. It also cites comments filed by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which uses a statewide radio system with more than 1400 Low-Band VHF users. The Missouri State Highway Patrol commented that the overall effect of
BPL implementation would be "a potentially significant increase in interference to the mission of critical public safety communications," the resolution says.

The resolution recounts that the FCC has struggled for years to resolve widespread harmful interference to the radiocommunications of first responders on 800 MHz and "should not have proceeded with introduction of a technology which appears to have substantial potential to cause destructive interference to police, fire, emergency medical services, and other public safety radio systems" without first conducting a comprehensive evaluation.

Full text of HR 230:
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/filings/hres230/HRes230.pdf

Text of FCC's BPL Report and Order
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-04-245A1.doc

Source & more details:
http://www..arrl.org/news/stories/2005/04/28/3/?nc=1


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