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W3WN
02-17-2011, 03:46 PM
From today's ARRL Letter, and the ARRL Web Site (http://www.arrl.org/news/spectrum-management-bill-threatens-amateur-frequencies):

02/17/2011 On February 10, Representative Peter King (R-NY-3), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, introduced HR 607 (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr607ih/pdf/BILLS-112hr607ih.pdf), the Broadband for First Responders Act of 2011. The bill has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which handles telecommunications legislation. HR 607 addresses certain spectrum management issues, including the creation and maintenance of a nationwide Public Safety broadband network. As part of that network, the bill provides for the allocation of the so-called “D-Block” of spectrum in the 700 MHz range for Public Safety use.

The D-Block consists of two, 5-megahertz-wide segments of spectrum (758-763 and 788-793 MHz) that became available when the FCC ended analog television broadcasts in June 2009 and reallocated the 698-806 MHz band for Public Safety and commercial broadband. It was anticipated that the D-Block would be auctioned for commercial use. There are several bills in Congress providing for the allocation of the D-Block for Public Safety use, and HR 607 is one of those. But HR 607 uniquely provides for the reallocation of other spectrum for auction to commercial users, in order to offset the loss of revenue that would occur as the result of the allocation of the D-Block to Public Safety instead of commercial auction. HR 607 lists the paired bands of 420-440 MHz and 450-470 MHz among the bands to be reallocated for commercial auction within 10 years of its passage.

“Of serious concern to the ARRL is the inclusion of the 420-440 MHz amateur allocation in the list of frequencies to be cleared for auction,” said ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND. “The ARRL and the Amateur Radio community certainly support the work of public safety agencies and understand their desire for an interoperable network; however, the inclusion of most of the amateur 70 cm spectrum as one of the replacement bands is illogical and unacceptable. The 420-440 MHz band is not Public Safety spectrum and should never have been included in any spectrum swap of Public Safety allocations.”

Saying that the ARRL Washington team has already begun meeting with key Congressional staff on Capitol Hill, Henderson noted that Amateur Radio already shares the 70 cm band on a secondary basis with the governmental radiolocation services, such as the PAVE PAWS radar systems: “The 70 cm band is a critical and irreplaceable resource for Amateur Radio public service and emergency communications. The specification of the 420-440 MHz band in this legislation is ill-conceived. To be sure, the ARRL will vigorously oppose this legislation in its present form. It is, as evidenced by other legislation, completely unnecessary to the creation of a nationwide Public Safety broadband network or the use by Public Safety of the D-Block for that purpose.

The role of the Amateur Service as a partner to Public Safety in the provision of public service and emergency communications necessitates the retention of full access to the entire 420-440 MHz band.”
HR 607 is presently cosponsored by the Homeland Security Committee’s Ranking Member, Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS-2) as well as Representatives Shelley Berkley (D-NV-1), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-11), Billy Long (R-MO-7), Candice S. Miller (R-MI-10), Laura Richardson (D-CA-37), Mike Rogers (R-AL-3), and Michael Grimm (R-NY-13).

“As we continue to track the progress of HR 607, I urge ARRL members to watch for further information about the bill on the ARRL website,” Henderson said. “When that additional information is released, it will include a request to contact your representative and express opposition to HR 607, as long as it includes a provision to auction off any Amateur Radio spectrum for commercial use."

PA5COR
02-17-2011, 04:01 PM
Ooops....
Looks like your 70 cm band is under serious threat :(

W3WN
02-17-2011, 04:29 PM
In a word: Yuppers.

NQ6U
02-17-2011, 05:13 PM
I'm surprised no one's gone for the 220MHz band yet. It's very underutilized by hams.

N2CHX
02-17-2011, 05:18 PM
I'm surprised no one's gone for the 220MHz band yet. It's very underutilized by hams.

They already took half of it years ago.

suddenseer
02-18-2011, 06:05 AM
They already took half of it years ago.It was sold to UPS, I think. To date, they never have used it.

N8YX
02-18-2011, 11:33 AM
Whose pocket is he in?

W3WN
02-18-2011, 11:53 AM
It was sold to UPS, I think. To date, they never have used it.
After all their lobbying (and "incentives"... no, they wouldn't BRIBE anyone on the FCC, would they?), when UPS wrested 220 - 222 MHz away from the Amateur Service, they decided that the application they had planned to use wouldn't work.

The band has since been reallocated for other commercial users. Give the band back to the hams? Perish the thought!

But, Don Pardo has your parting gift, a set of data channels to use around 219 MHz!

KA5PIU
02-19-2011, 12:55 AM
Hello.

420 to 440MHz is being used by both the military and CBP for OTH RADAR.
http://www.capelinks.com/cape-cod/main/entry/pave-paws-radar-station-at-otis-afb/
http://www.acc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2359

ki4itv
02-19-2011, 10:43 AM
I would be surprised if the NTIA would agree to allowing Public Safety to have the 70cm allocation.
At least hams (should) understand the interference issues and the secondary nature of their ability to use it.
Public safety tends to think they OWN everything they use. I seem to remember a Police robot operating illegally in that spectrum in the not to distant past. Wonder if that has anything to do with it?

This would be a major hit to AR...Much of the satellite operation is in that spectrum. We're talking major loss of investment here for those who support that activity.
That alone should be a major talking point. A lot of money and effort tossed to the wind.

N8YX
02-20-2011, 08:45 AM
Though I don't agree with the League's whole EmComm whackerism bent, I do feel that their Spectrum Defense efforts are worthwhile and encourage anyone with a little extra mazoola to donate said fundage to that cause.

n2ize
02-22-2011, 06:44 PM
Perhaps the idiots who wrote the bill aren't even aware that such thing as "ham radio" exists. Politicians are getting dumber and more clueless by the day.

In any event radio spectrum is like gold these days. It's invaluable. Fight for it or lose it. A lot of politicians couldn't give a shit about ham radio.

ka8ncr
02-27-2011, 08:54 AM
How much spectrum does "public service" need anyway? They have been given an entire 700 MHz allocation and have yet to use it.

When they build their nationwide network, are they going to disband the local and regional digital trunking systems that chew up nearly all of the 800 MHz band?

kb2vxa
02-27-2011, 10:42 AM
1) ALL of it!
2) Only because manufacturers aren't pushing it... yet.
3) They just got finished re-banding it, what makes you think they'll ever DIS-band it?

If you do an FCC database search you'd be surprised how many interoperability assignments there are. So why don't you already know this even though you have a scanner?
"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence...

And you thought paper repeaters were a ham thing?

W3WN
03-01-2011, 08:55 AM
Perhaps the idiots who wrote the bill aren't even aware that such thing as "ham radio" exists. Politicians are getting dumber and more clueless by the day.

In any event radio spectrum is like gold these days. It's invaluable. Fight for it or lose it. A lot of politicians couldn't give a shit about ham radio.The politicians didn't write the bill. Neither did anyone on their staff. Someone in the industry wrote it, and got one of their in-the-pocket "friends" to file it on their behalf, and similar "friends" to sponsor it.

All the politicians will hear is about the "jobs" that the sale of this "new" spectrum will generate. They'll be told that there's nothing but a small group of selfish old people who don't vote... hams... who are hogging this valuable spectrum and keeping commercial interests from using it... ITU treaties? Never heard of them.

What we have to do is start writing our Washington goniffs... be they Senators or Congress(wo)men... and tell them, politely but firmly, that we OPPOSE this spectrum grab, and that we DO vote. And keep writing them. Even the ones who don't directly represent us.

Because the first rule of a politician who's won office is to get re-elected. They start getting rumblings of disconent from the grass roots, they make take notice. They start seeing an avalanche... well, they may be dishonest, greedy, and try to steal anything and everything they can, but they're not dumb.

W3WN
03-03-2011, 01:46 PM
So... it's been over two weeks since the news broke.

What have YOU done about it? [Not you COR, since you're out of the country...]

Have you written or emailed or phone your CongressGoniff, er, Congressman to indicate your displeasure with the concept of losing 2/3 of the 70 cm band? (Especially when the "D-Band" that is proposed to be re-allocated is two 5 MHz segments... and the bill proposes taking away 40 MHz in the 70 cm region alone... 420 - 440 & 450 - 470 MHz. And that may mean goodbye, FRS & GMRS!)

No?

Even if you don't like the organization, go to the League's web site and look at the sample letter they have there. Rewrite it in your own words, or write one of your own in your own words.

Then -- send it to the lobbying firm of Chwat & Co. Yes, it's the one the ARRL pays for... and this is WHAT they pay them for. They will HAND DELIVER all signed letters received to the CongressGoniff's offices.

Remember, that statistically, for every letter that's written, it also represents at least 1000 people who felt the same way and didn't write. (That's the math they use, so I am told.) So enough letters from constituents can make a difference.

Sample letter can be found at: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Advocacy%20Sample%20Letters/607%20%20opposition%20final%20draft%203.doc . Read it, revise it, sign it. (And they must be signed to be effective!)

Then send it...

Mail to: John Chwat, Chwat & Co., 625 Slaters Lane Suite 103, Alexandria VA 22314-1176
Fax to: (704) 684-7594
Email to: arrl@chwatco.com

What? You can't be bothered enough to take 5 minutes to print a letter, sign it, and mail it? Is this the Island or... another site we won't mention at this time, that's all talk and no action...

NQ6U
03-03-2011, 01:48 PM
Already done, Ron. Not only did I e-mail a comment to my Congressperson, I followed up with a real letter.