Disturbing FCC Action - Bye Bye 70 cm Band
Mike Branda
This past week, the Federal communications Commission issued a Report & Order giving Law Enforcement agencies nationwide permission to operate robotic wideband video devices on spectrum allocated to the Amateur Radio Service. The R&O establishes three 5 MHz video channels from 430-448 MHz to operate these devices under modifications to FCC Part 90 rules. And while these new Part 90 users will be operating on a Secondary basis, seemingly an equal footing with the Amateur Radio Service, other laws promulgated by the State and local jurisdictions have the potential to strip Amateur Radio operators of their legal rights and privileges in the 70 cm band.
I must take exception to this brazen and arbitrary action by the FCC. While law enforcement may be some need to operate wireless robotic video cameras, why aren't these devices being put where law enforcement already has allocated spectrum, in the recently created 700 MHz band? Television broadcasters and the general public just relinquished 100 MHz of spectrum so that law enforcement and other broadband users could have a new place to call home. Further, if the FCC is so worried about spectral efficiency, how can they justify allocating spectrum that is already in use for NTSC analog video signaling that will interfere with existing users?
Apparently the ARRL either does not care about the 70 cm Amateur Radio allocation or was asleep at the switch as the FCC contemplated this action. And based on the statement posted on their website, I am not going to hold me breath waiting for them to take any action to counter the FCC's rulemaking.
However, if you are as fired up about this as I am, I urge you to write to your Congressional representatives and ask them to take action to reverse the FCC on this matter. If the FCC had taken action to allow Part 90 video operations between 420-432 MHz, it would have been in harmony with the establish Amateur Radio band plan. To sanction this activity on frequencies used for FM repeater operations, SSB weak signal ops and satellite communications defies common sense and shows a callous disregard by the FCC for the hundreds of thousands of licensed Amateur Radio operator nationwide.
Let your voice heard now. Write to your congressman and Senators now and ask for their assistance to reverse this unwarranted and unnecessary usurping of the Amateur Radio 70 cm band.
73 de Paul-NB9X
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