SB QST @ ARL $ARLB027
ARLB027 "Omnibus" Amateur Radio Report and Order Takes Effect December 15
ZCZC AG27
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 27 ARLB027
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT
November 22, 2006
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB027
ARLB027 "Omnibus" Amateur Radio Report and Order Takes Effect December 15
With publication in the Federal Register November 15, the long-awaited changes to the amateur rules are set to take effect 30 days later, at 12:01 AM EST December 15. The so-called "Omnibus"Amateur Radio proceeding, WT Docket 04-140, includes a significant expansion of the 75 meter phone band and a variety of other changes.The highlights:
* For Amateur Extra class licensees, the 75 meter phone band will start at 3600 kHz, while Advanced class licensees start at 3700 kHz and Generals at 3800 kHz. The high end of the CW/RTTY/Digital band is now 3600 kHz (although CW is allowed on the entire band).
* On 40 meters, Amateur Extra and Advanced licensees will be ableto operate phone beginning at 7125 kHz, while Generals start at 7175kHz. The top end of the CW/RTTY/Digital band will be 7125 kHz (although CW is allowed on the entire band).
* There are no changes to the 20 meter band.
* On 15 meters, the General class phone band now starts at 21275 kHz.
* On 10 meters, Novice and Technician Plus licensees can now operate CW/RTTY/Digital from 28000 kHz to 28300 kHz.
* In addition, Novices and Tech Plus licensees can use CW only onthe same frequencies as General and Advanced licensees on the 80, 40 and 15 meter bands: 3525 kHz-3600 kHz; 7025 kHz-7125 kHz and 21025kHz-21200 kHz.
The Report & Order as published in the Federal Register clarified two items that had raised some concerns when it was first released October 10: That the 80/75 meter band split applies to all three IARU Regions, and that FCC licensees in Region 2, which includes North America, can continue to use RTTY/data emissions in the 7075-7100 kHz band. Several controversial aspects of the proceeding are still to be resolved, although the FCC is working on an erratum for the inadvertent elimination of J2D emissions of more than 500 Hz bandwidth. The Commission intends to release the erratum by the December 15 effective date.
The FCC also took several other miscellaneous actions.
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