[FLham] FCC Orders Rule Changes

[Radioguy]

FCC Orders Amateur Rule Changes to Conform with WRC-03

NEWINGTON, CT, Jan 19, 2006--The FCC has ordered 
several rule revisions to implement changes 
agreed to at the international level during World 
Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03). 
Acting Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Chief 
Catherine W. Seidel signed the 
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-79A1.pdf>Order, 
released today. The changes affect §97.111, 
Authorized transmissions; §97.113, Prohibited 
transmissions; §97.115, Third party 
communications, and §97.117, International communications.

"These amendments will ensure that the 
Commission's Amateur Radio Service rules conform 
to Article 25 of the international Radio 
Regulations adopted at the 2003 World 
Radiocommunication Conference, and will further 
the Commission's ongoing efforts to streamline 
its Amateur Service Rules," the FCC said in its 
order. "The overall effect of this action is to 
update the Part 97 Amateur Radio Service rules in 
the Code of Federal Regulations to conform to 
now-effective international agreements."

The rule changes will become effective upon 
publication in The Federal Register. The FCC Order revises:

    * §97.111(a)(1) to permit "transmissions 
necessary to exchange messages with other 
stations in the Amateur Service, except those in 
any country whose administration has notified the 
ITU that it objects to such communications. The 
FCC will issue public notices of current 
arrangements for international communications." 
The old language permitted communication among 
amateur stations in different countries "except 
those in any country whose administration has 
given notice that it objects to such communications."

The FCC said the change does not prejudice its 
consideration of comments to rule changes it's 
proposed to §97.111(a)(2) in WT Docket 
04-140--the so-called "Omnibus" proceeding that 
covers a wide range of rule changes and 
proposals. The Commission has proposed amending 
that rule section to clarify that amateur 
stations may at all times and on all authorized 
channels transmit communications necessary to 
meet essential needs and to facilitate relief actions.

    * §97.115(a)(2) to facilitate the 
transmission of international communications on 
behalf of third parties in emergency or 
disaster-relief situations, whether or not a 
third-party agreement is in place between the US 
and the countries involved. The revision now 
permits communication with any non-US station 
"when transmitting emergency or disaster relief 
communications" as well as with any non-US 
station "whose administration has made 
arrangements with the United States to allow 
amateur stations to be used for transmitting 
international communications on behalf of third parties."

The revised rule further provides that no station 
may transmit third-party traffic other than 
emergency or disaster relief communications to a 
station whose government has not made a 
third-party arrangement. Still excepted from the 
prohibition is any third party eligible to be the 
control operator of an amateur station.

    * §97.113(a)(4) to prohibit amateur stations 
exchanging messages with amateur stations in 
other countries from making transmissions that 
are encoded for the purpose of obscuring their 
meaning, except for control signals exchanged 
between Earth command stations and space stations 
in the Amateur-Satellite service, something Part 
97 already provides for. The old rule referred to 
the use of "codes and ciphers."

The same rule also already prohibits transmitting 
music, communications intended to facilitate a 
criminal act, obscene or indecent words or 
language and false or deceptive messages, signals or identification.

    * §97.117 to state that amateur stations may 
transmit communications incidental to the 
purposes of the Amateur Service and to remarks of a personal character.

The FCC also revised §97.3 and 97.309 to update 
the definition of International Morse code and of 
various digital codes in the amateur rules to 
reflect changes in the Radio Regulations.