The AM Forum

If you haven't caught this yet; plus there were some errors in the original posted Report and Order; this is what the Advanced and General Class amateurs lose and what the Extras gain when the new Part 97 amateur regulations go into effect over the next several weeks.

ARRL, Oct 20, 2006

What we gain:
Once the new rules go into effect, the 75 meter phone band will span 3800 to 4000 kHz for Generals, 3700 to 4000 kHz for Advanced class licensees (ARRL had requested 3750 to 4000 kHz), and 3600 to 4000 kHz for Amateur Extras (ARRL had requested 3725 to 4000 kHz).

Who loses what:
Generals lose access to 150 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 80 meters while gaining 50 kHz of phone spectrum on 75. They also lose access to 25 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 40 meters but gain 50 kHz of phone privileges on that band. Factoring in another 25 kHz of phone spectrum on 15 meters that's an overall gain in privileges of 125 kHz of phone spectrum offset by an overall loss of 175 kHz of CW/data spectrum -- or a net loss of 50 kHz in spectrum privileges.

Advanced licensees also lose access to 150 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 80 meters but gain 75 kHz of phone spectrum on 75. They also lose access to 25 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 40 meters but gain 25 kHz of phone spectrum there. That's an overall loss of 175 kHz of CW/data spectrum offset by an overall gain of 100 kHz of phone spectrum (25 kHz less than Generals). The net loss in Advanced privileges works out to 75 kHz (25 kHz greater than Generals).

For all the info, plus the revised, in color "Band Charts" for 80, 40, 15, and meters, go here:
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/10/20/104/?nc=1

This is a strange ruling to me, but an incentive (get the pun) for upgrading.

Maybe the FCC envisions this Report and Order as also there 21st century  "incentive licensing" program.

  I see in the document the authorization to transmit phone on more frequencies than before. But, I do not see where they un-authorize anything, at least in the text, for a General and higher license.
  Where am I miss-reading something, or is it in the changes they detail in the back of the document?
 

Hung chad?.........QTF

Generals lose access to 150 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 80 meters while gaining 50 kHz of phone spectrum on 75. They also lose access to 25 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 40 meters but gain 50 kHz of phone privileges on that band. Factoring in another 25 kHz of phone spectrum on 15 meters that's an overall gain in privileges of 125 kHz of phone spectrum offset by an overall loss of 175 kHz of CW/data spectrum -- or a net loss of 50 kHz in spectrum privileges.

Advanced licensees also lose access to 150 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 80 meters but gain 75 kHz of phone spectrum on 75. They also lose access to 25 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 40 meters but gain 25 kHz of phone spectrum there. That's an overall loss of 175 kHz of CW/data spectrum offset by an overall gain of 100 kHz of phone spectrum (25 kHz less than Generals). The net loss in Advanced privileges works out to 75 kHz (25 kHz greater than Generals).

I don't think you missed a thing......
I've read it over and over..........   nowhere do I see that it says Generals can't use CW in that segment, only that Extras can now use voice there (etc.)


The only possibility I see is the statement (as a note  )......."In the amateur service, “operating privileges” generally refer to the frequency bands available to the control operator of an amateur station and to the emission types an amateur station may transmit."

Could that be the "key" that leads some to the conclusion that 3600-3700kc will now be "Extras only"?


They state also......
"The Commission noted that the proposed rule revisions would result
in no licensee losing any spectrum privileges, and that General, Advanced, and Amateur Extra
Class licensees would gain access to additional spectrum for phone communications, one of the
most popular operating activities on the HF bands."


I can't tell if they are saying " Yes, I know we said that, but now we changed our minds....",
or if no one has lost anything!


 :-\ :-\ :-\

Yes Pete
That's what the ARRL says......

But WHERE in the Report and Order does it say that ???

Present Part 97.301
Advanced 3.525 to 3.750 for CW/data
General 3.525 to 3.750 for CW/data

New R&O for 97.301
Advanced 3.525 to 3.60 for CW/data
General 3.525 to 3.725 for CW/data (uncorrected error in current document)
General 3.525 to 3.600 for CW/data (corrected in the final document)

In the current R&O under 97.301, page 39,  "b" is Extra, "c" is Advanced, "d" is General. In order to do the compare, you need to have the current 97.301 in front of you to compare against the changes. I have no clue why they didn't just put the class titles in the R&O. You're on your own to compare the other band gains and losses.

Well, I'll go back and find that in the R&O.....

However the numbers you gave are contradictory as to amount of loss for Generals.....
That's a loss of only 50kc on 80 meters.....

"Generals lose access to 150 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 80 meters while gaining 50 kHz of phone spectrum on 75. They also lose access to 25 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 40 meters but gain 50 kHz of phone privileges on that band. Factoring in another 25 kHz of phone spectrum on 15 meters that's an overall gain in privileges of 125 kHz of phone spectrum offset by an overall loss of 175 kHz of CW/data spectrum -- or a net loss of 50 kHz in spectrum privileges."


"

WAIT...... I see it now.....

Now I can see the changes...........

So according to ARRL, the FCC made a mistake in those columns, and is supposedly going to change them to "3600kc".....


Alright Pete,
Thanks for pointing that out to me......

 :-[ :-[

Sorry, I forgot to copy that info:

"The R&O contains several apparent mistakes, too. For example, in §97.301(d) the 80 meter row should read 3.525-3.600 MHz for all three ITU regions. In §97.305(c), the frequencies in the first line for 40 meters should read 7.000-7.100 MHz. The FCC plans to fix these errors in the "official" R&O text that will appear in the Federal Register later this fall."

I wonder why they call them "apparent mistakes"    ;D


Well, in any case, it sure would be nice if the FCC had proof-read their R&O before releasing it....
Would save a lot of discussion!!


Just the way they made it sound in the text that they were ADDING priviledges.....makes me wonder...

Thanks again Pete !

Bruce G

Wonder if it's the same brand of "mistake" that Fox news employed recently when they reported on a hot-ticket political scandal, and linked the culprit's affiliation to the wrong political party.

That's the one thing I don't like about the expansion - they give Extras way too much exclusive territory, and actually took away privileges from some licensees, rather than just adding new phone privileges.

But with the present dumbed-down Extra exam, there is no reason for anyone not to have full privileges if they really want them.

Has anyone checked the Federal Register recently?

Yea, sort of like those 'fake but accurate' doctored documents CBS came up with! Maybe Dan Rather is working at the FCC now.

Nothing there yet....
I suspect it will take a few more weeks.....

As I recall, every class of license is limited to 200 watts when operating in the Novice band.  After the rule change, the majority of the remaining CW band will be Novice band, limiting most of the CW band to 200 watts (unless new power details).

Tom, In the R&O that is being changed as follows........





§ 97.313  Transmitter power standards.

* * * * *
   
(c) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 200 W PEP:

(1) On the 10.10-10.15 MHz segment;

(2) When the control operator is a Novice Class operator or a Technician Class operator who has received credit for proficiency in telegraphy in accordance with the international requirements; or

Unless the rules have been changed, can't you still operate CW *anywhere*?
Even Generals should be able to operate CW on any phone frequency, exclusive of the bottom 25 KC of most of the HF bands.

The rules will change 30 days after the rules are published in the Federal Register. Go back to the top of the thread to see what General and Advances Class lose in the way of CW/data frequency access.

Could be FCC's 21st century  "incentive licensing" program.

Tnx..Got it...I was misinterpreting the ARRL charts.

Yes.
This sentence is in the new R&O.





§ 97.305  Authorized emission types.

(a)  Except as specified elsewhere in this part, an amateur station may transmit a CW emission on any frequency authorized to the control operator.

Sure it is.... especially since they say it in the R&O    :)


"Additionally, we are persuaded that increasing the spectrum for voice communications is consistent with our observation that additional frequency privileges for higher class licensees are an incentive for licensees to advance their communications and technical skills, thereby providing greater incentive for licensees to advance or "upgrade" to a higher class operator license, and will better reflect the communication technology preferences of amateur radio operators.  "