[CW] Have you filed your comments to the FCC on the proposed 160m changes for 1900-2000 yet?

[Donald Chester]

Looks like the first, and so far only, comment has come in (they missed 
the formal comment deadline), opposing the proposed 1900-2000 kHz 
changes.

http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/comment/view?id=6017166561 


The following was submitted as a reply comment to the above, to refute 
the claims.

http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/comment/view?id=6017166592 

The company rep completely misinterpreted the FCC proposal, which does 
not even address the issue of unlicensed fishing buoy beacons; the FCC 
proposal addresses the issue of LICENSED stations.  From my best 
understanding, those buoys are like Part 15 devices - accorded no 
protection whatever by national regulatory agencies like the FCC, and 
besides, they operate on the high seas largely by non-US registered 
vessels, so they are outside the FCC's jurisdiction in any case.  They 
operate at about 5 watts, and most of the time are so weak that they are 
not a problem, especially on 1900-2000 where most of the activity is 
domestic ragchewing; the weak-signal DX'ers operate down at the low end 
of the band.  I sometimes hear the weak cw beacons on the low end of the 
band too, but some of the east coast guys say they can be a problem 
there where they are much stronger.  Hopefully the FCC will see right 
away that the guy doesn't know what he is talking about and won't let 
that one complaint persuade them to water down or dissuade them from 
going through with the licensing changes as proposed.

Don k4kyv