WRITE NOW.
Reply-To: Ray Soifer <71331.1337@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Sender: MOON-NET
From: Ray Soifer <71331.1337@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject: Fwd: URGENT: SPCL DIV DIR'S BULLETIN 96-09A
X-To: AMSAT-INTERNATIONAL
X-cc: "Michael Owen, VK3KI" <100355.1423@CompuServe.COM>,
MOON-NET
To: Multiple recipients of list MOON-NET
Hi,
While we've all been working on WRC-99, a clear and present danger to the
two most heavily-used amateur bands, 2m and 70cm, has apparently emerged
in the run-up to WRC-97.
If you haven't already seen the following, please read it and bring it to the
attention of your IARU member society and your national AMSAT organization.
AMSAT-NA is working with ARRL to respond appropriately within the USA,
but since WRC-97 is an international conference at which the USA will have
but one vote, the active participation of all radio amateurs throughout the world
will be needed.
Tnx & 73,
Ray, W2RS
RE: Fwd: URGENT: SPCL DIV DIR'S BULLETIN 96-09A
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Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 13:16:27 -0400
To: sarex@amsat.org
Subject: Fwd: URGENT: SPCL DIV DIR'S BULLETIN 96-09A
Not sure how many of you have seen this before.... but it is pretty
applicable to this group as well!
Sorry if it is a dupe!
Terry Stader - KA8SCP
America Online Ham Radio Club Host
MEMA Area 1 Communications/RACES Officer
ARRL EMA Section Emergency Coordinator
President, Police Amateur Radio Team of Westford - WB1GOF
From: 0005164217@mcimail.com (Warren Rothberg)
Sender: owner-arrl-nediv-list@netcom.com
To: arrl-nediv-list@netcom.com (NEDIVBUL)
Date: 96-05-29 08:35:42 EDT
QST DE WB1BRE
ARRL NEW ENGLAND DIVISION DIRECTOR
STRAFFORD VT, MAY !((^
SPECIAL DIVISION DIRECTORS BULLETIN 96-09A
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*****ARRL NEW ENGLAND DIVISION SPECIAL BULLETIN 96-9A*****
QST to all Amateurs
May, 1996
Strafford, VT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW ENGLAND DIVISION DIRECTOR NEW ENGLAND DIVISION VICE DIRECTOR
Bill Burden WB1BRE Warren Rothberg WB1HBB
wb1bre@arrl.org wb1hbb@arrl.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
************** 2 Meter AND 70 cm BANDS THREATENED ***************
__________________________________
THIS IS NO JOKE!! ARRL HAS LEARNED THAT IN PREPARATION FOR THE
WORLD RADIO CONFERENCE IN 1997, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LOW-EARTH-ORBIT
(LEO) INDUSTRY PROPOSED A LIST OF CANDIDATE FREQUENCY BANDS FOR
REALLOCATION TO, AND EXCLUSIVE USE OF THE MOBILE SATELLITE SERVICE. THIS
LIST INCLUDES 144- 148 MHZ (THE CURRENT AMATEUR 2 M BAND) AND 420-450 MHZ
(THE CURRENT AMATEUR 70 CM BAND)!
IF THIS EFFORT WERE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, IT WOULD MEAN THE END OF
AMATEUR OPERATIONS ON THESE TWO MOST HEAVILY UTILIZED AMATEUR VHF/UHF
BANDS!
I have included the text of Dave Sumner's upcoming editorial for
July QST in this bulletin. ARRL, as the principal representative of
Amateur Radio in Washington, is actively pursuing this issue as this
bulletin is being written. Dave's call to action is serious!! We could
lose these bands if we do not take action now!!
Club presidents and newsletter editors: please make this
information available to your membership as soon as possible.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follows the text of Dave Sumner's July QST editorial:
WRITE NOW!!!!
Get out a pen and paper, or boot up your computer. There's work to
be done! Your help is needed to defend two meters and 70 cm. Yes,
that's right -- the two most popular and crowded amateur VHF/UHF bands!
But don't panic, and don't "go ballistic."
Here's what's happening, and what you can do about it.
The United States is preparing for the 1997 ITU World
Radiocommunication Conference, WRC-97. In the past, the public has been
able to participate in the preparations for such conferences by
responding to FCC Notices of Inquiry. In March, the FCC announced a
streamlining of its International Bureau's preparatory processes for
WRCs. Under the new scheme, the NOIs have been eliminated in favor of
increased emphasis on WRC Advisory Committees.
For WRC-97, a series of Informal Working Groups (IWGs) of the
Advisory Committee has been created to address specific agenda items.
The output of each IWG will go directly to a joint FCC-NTIA-Department of
State Steering Committee of the Advisory Committee. There, draft
proposals as received from the IWGs will be reviewed and forwarded to the
FCC for possible release as preliminary U.S. proposals for public
comment.
In announcing the streamlined WRC preparatory process, the FCC tried
to reassure those who might be concerned about reduced opportunities for
public participation: "Interested parties should note that input to the
Advisory Committee may be sent at any time directly to the Chair of the
WRC-97 Advisory Committee; the Chairs of the Advisory Committee's
Informal Working Groups; Cecily C. Holiday, the FCC's federal officer
of the WRC-97 Advisory Committee, or to Damon C. Ladson, the alternate
federal officer."
Hold that thought while we shift gears to the substance of the
issue.
One of the WRC-97 agenda items includes consideration of possible
additional frequency allocations for the mobile- satellite service.
So-called "little LEOs," low-earth orbit satellites below 1 GHz, already
have allocations. Their proponents claim these are inadequate and are
trying for more. The needs of little LEOs are being addressed in IWG-
2A, chaired by Warren Richards of the Department of State. The ARRL
technical relations staff participates in IWG-2A to represent Amateur
Radio interests.
At the May 7 IWG-2A meeting, an industry representative proposed a
list of "candidate bands" for little LEOs. The list includes a number of
bands that would negatively impact existing services, and does not
include others that would be technically more feasible but to which
strong objection from incumbents could be expected -- the point being
that some political, rather than purely technical, judgment already has
influenced the list.
Incredibly, 144-148 and 420-450 MHz were included on the list! This
is the first time in memory that another service has been proposed for
the two-meter amateur band. We must make sure it is also the last time.
We do not need to explain to ARRL members the extensive use that is
made of these bands by amateurs. The two bands provide the backbone of
our local public service communications effort. Voice and data, mobile
and fixed, even television -- the list of present amateur uses is a long
one, and of future uses is even longer. Both are already used for
satellite services and for moonbounce and extended-range terrestrial
operations requiring extremely sensitive receivers and high levels of
effective radiated power.
Apparently we did need to explain all this to the little LEO
industry representatives, so we did just that -- both at the meeting and
in a followup letter on May 15. We also explained that we had to regard
the matter as extremely serious. No one with the slightest background in
radiocommunication could possibly believe that a mobile- satellite
service could be introduced into either band without disrupting existing
and future amateur operations. Therefore, we said, if we did not receive
assurance that they would be taken off the list of candidate bands by the
deadline for this issue of QST, we would have no choice but to bring the
matter to the attention of the entire membership.
The response we received was unsatisfactory. In effect, we were
told the little LEO industry would consider our views but that until
their spectrum needs are satisfied, all bands must remain under
consideration.
So, this is a call to action. We must get across to the industry
and government participants in IWG-2A that the 144- 148 MHz and 420-450
MHz bands cannot be considered as candidates for mobile-satellite
services. We need to drive the point home so forcefully, with so many
grassroots responses, that no one is ever tempted to try this again.
Which brings us back to that invitation for "interested parties" to
send input "at any time." There's no time like the present! Here are the
key addresses, including those of the mobile-satellite industry folks who
seem to have started the ruckus:
Cecily C. Holiday, International Bureau, FCC, Washington, DC
20554; choliday@fcc.gov; FAX (202) 418-0748.
Warren G. Richards, Chair, IWG-2A, Department of State, CIP
2529, Washington, DC 20520; richardswg@ms6820wpoa.us-
state.gov; FAX (202) 647-7407.
Tracey Weisler, FCC Rep., IWG-2A, International Bureau, FCC,
Washington, DC 20554; tweisler@fcc.gov; FAX (202) 418-2824.
Mary Kay Williams, Final Analysis, Inc., 7500 Greenway
Center, Ste. 1240, Greenbelt, MD 20770; FAX (301) 474-3228.
Leslie Taylor, President, LTA, 6800 Carlynn Court, Bethesda,
MD 20817; ltaylor@lta.com; FAX (301) 229-3148.
Do comment. But be civil. Don't abuse people who are simply doing
their jobs. We have to get across that casting covetous eyes on amateur
bands is counterproductive, and contrary to the public interest. To
accomplish this we need a lot of comments, including yours. But remember
that the objective is to educate and persuade, not to intimidate. We
don't need to. The facts are on our side.
To monitor the FCC's ongoing WRC-97 preparations, visit its
WRC-97 home page at: FCC's ongoing WRC-97 Preparations
Write now. Right now! -- David Sumner, K1ZZ
For corrections, etc: W6/PA0ZN