[LeArc] ARLB053 NTIA gives thumbs down to 5 MHz petition

[Tony Coniglio]

> SB QST @ ARL $ARLB053
> ARLB053 NTIA gives thumbs down to 5 MHz petition
> 
> ZCZC AG53
> QST de W1AW  
> ARRL Bulletin 53  ARLB053
> >From ARRL Headquarters  
> Newington CT  September 10, 2002
> To all radio amateurs 
> 
> SB QST ARL ARLB053
> ARLB053 NTIA gives thumbs down to 5 MHz petition
> 
> The National Telecommunications and Information Administration--the
> NTIA--has recommended that the FCC not grant an ARRL petition for a
> domestic-only, secondary Amateur Radio allocation at 5 MHz. The NTIA
> regulates radio spectrum allocated to the federal government. The
> last-minute recommendation followed hundreds of largely favorable
> comments and reply comments from organizations--including the
> ARRL--and from individuals.
> 
> In an August 21 letter, the NTIA's Fredrick R. Wentland said federal
> agencies are making extensive use of HF for emergency services,
> including communications support for the Department of Defense, the
> Coast Guard and Department of Justice law enforcement activities.
> ''NTIA believes the Commission's current proposal does not adequately
> provide for protection from harmful interference to these critical
> government operations primary in the band,'' said Wentland, who is
> NTIA's acting associate administrator for spectrum management.
> 
> ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, and ARRL President Jim
> Haynie, W5JBP, plan to meet with representatives of the affected
> agencies to address the concerns raised in the NTIA's letter.
> 
> In its recent comments, the ARRL called the 5 MHz allocation ''an
> urgent priority of the Amateur Service'' and asked that the
> proceeding to grant it be expedited. Wentland's letter arrived at
> the FCC beyond the cut-off date for reply comments in the
> proceeding, ET Docket 02-98.
> 
> Wentland said that without a more complete understanding of the
> interference potential to federal operations, the NTIA believes the
> secondary amateur allocation would be ''premature.'' But he said that
> NTIA would work with the federal agencies, the FCC and the amateur
> community to determine whether ''some future accommodation'' for
> amateurs at 5 MHz would be possible. That could include limitations
> on power or emission types, a reduction in the size of the proposed
> band, the use of discrete frequencies or geographical restrictions,
> he suggested.
> 
> Imlay said that while he and the ARRL Board of Directors have been
> long aware of the concerns registered by the US Coast Guard and the
> US Department of Justice with the NTIA's Interdepartment Radio
> Advisory Committee (IRAC), he was surprised by the tone of the NTIA
> letter. ''This is a lot worse than we were told to expect,'' he said,
> noting that the FCC had cancelled a meeting to discuss issues
> expressed by the NTIA several months ago and went forward with its
> proposal despite the NTIA's concerns.
> NNNN
> /EX
>