RM-9267 New Threat to 70-Centimeter (420-450 MHz) Band - Reply D

["Gregory S. Williams" <Gregory.S.Williams@xxxxxxx>]

I got this off of CQ Mags' web site...enjoy...

New Threat to 70-Centimeter (420-450 MHz) Band - 
Reply Deadline Extended

The FCC has extended until July 16 the deadline for reply comments 
on RM-9267, the Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC) petition 
for an immediate reallocation of several UHF and low microwave 
frequency segments from the federal government to the Private Mobile 
Radio Service -- including 20 MHz of the 70-centimeter ham band, 
420-430 and 440-450 MHz. The amateur service now holds a secondary 
allocation on these frequencies, with the government as the primary 
user. LMCC is the industry group representing the nation's business 
radio users. One member is a group to which you may belong -- the 
American Automobile Association (AAA).

According to the ARRL (American Radio Relay League), the LMCC 
request skips over 430-440 MHz, which is an international amateur 
allocation and home to most weak-signal and satellite activity on the 
band. The primary amateur use of the 420-430 segment is amateur 
television (ATV), and the 440-450 segment is the home of more than 
6500 FM repeaters and countless links and other "auxiliary" stations. 

The petition -- labeled by the FCC as RM-9267 -- acknowledges 
amateur activity on 70 centimeters, and suggests that hams could 
retain their secondary allocation on these frequencies, but offers no 
suggestions as to how amateur TV and FM signals could successfully 
share the frequencies with PRMS voice and low-speed data 
communications, which the LMCC identifies as its "most urgent need." 
The LMCC petition says it feels that 430-440 "is more important to 
the amateurs for use in emerging technologies such as links with 
spacecraft and amateur television applications," and that having PMRS 
on 420-430 and 440-450 would actually benefit hams "pursuing such 
applications as compressed video television in the 430-440 MHz band." 
The petition also seeks immediate reallocation of 1390-1400 MHz, 
1427-1432 MHz, and 1670-1675 MHz, plus a future reallocation of 
960-1215 MHz.

Comments on RM-9267 were due by June 1, with reply comments 
originally due by June 15, but extended by the FCC to July 16. Reply 
comments must refer back to comments already filed, so you may not 
use the reply period as a way of filing late comments on the initial 
proposal. You must make your comments in response to comments filed 
during the initial comment period. The ARRL is closely tracking the 
situation, and will keep its site updated with any new developments. 
has promised to post the 72-page petition on its website as soon as 
it is available. For the latest info, point your browser to the 
special ARRLWeb page on RM-9267. 
Gregory S. Williams
KE4HSM@ICX.NET
http://user.icx.net/~ke4hsm