[MRIC] T-MARC correspondence

Tue Jan 27 11:39:43 EST 2009

Maryland ROs:

Per Pat's request, please find below the complete correspondence I had 
with Dave Prestel (T-MARC President) the day before our MRIC meeting 
last week in response to the MRIC email sent in November requesting 
T-MARC preserve simplex frequencies.

Brett Hammond
Chairman, MRIC

---------------------

From: David Prestel <Prestel at verizon.net>
To: brettham at aol.com
Cc: t-marc at columbiaara.org
Sent: Sat, 24 Jan 2009 12:06 am
Subject: Re: [T-MARC Board] T-MARC VHF Simplex from MRIC

I'll review the band plan and get back to you. The count of simplex 
frequencies was based entirely on the frequencies on which the FCC 
rules permit simplex FM operation. In event of an emergency, those 
frequencies would all be available. Since FM simplex is always legal 
there, use of them for drills, on a non-interfering basis, is possible.

Dave

-----------------------
On Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 8:02 PM, <brettham at aol.com> wrote:

Dave,

Thank you for your response, but your comments below that there are 52 
VHF simplex channels available is in direct conflict with your web site 
band plan for the T-MARC area that states that 146.415 - 146.595 are 
reserved for simplex use. I think this provides for 13 channels. If 7 
of them were used for digital repeaters, that would leave us with 6 VHF 
simplex frequencies to share statewide. This is our concern.

Is the band plan published on your web site incorrect?

Brett Hammond
Chairman, MRIC

-----Original Message-----

From: David Prestel <Prestel at verizon.net>
To: brettham at aol.com
Cc: t-marc at columbiaara.org
Sent: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 8:32 pm
Subject: Re: [T-MARC Board] T-MARC VHF Simplex from MRIC

Brett: Thank you for providing MRIC's input. Let me reply by pointing 
out several factors that affect T-MARC's decision making process:

The FCC has restricted the portions of the 144MHz band in which 
repeater operation is permitted.

All of the available repeater frequency pairs are allocated in the 
T-MARC coordination area.

There continues to be a demand for repeater coordinations, including 
new demand for pairs for DSTAR repeaters.

Please note that many of the DSTAR requests come from people who are 
requesting them for use for emergency and public service 
communications, including ARES and RACES operation.

There are presently 52 simplex chann
els available on two meters. Some are 'reserved' by common practice for 
packet radio or for "miscellaneous and experimental" simplex. However, 
all of these channels would be available for emergency communications 
during a disaster and can be used during drills on the same 
non-interference basis under which any simplex frequency is used.

The 52 channels are:

144.910

145.510

145.710

146.475

147.420

147.570

144.930

145.530

145.730

146.490

147.435

147.585

144.950

145.550

145.750

146.505

147.450

144.970

145.570

145.770

146.520

147.465

144.990

145.590

145.790

146.535

147.480

145.010

145.610

146.400

146.550

147.495

145.030

145.630

146.415

146.565

147.510

145.050

145.650

146.430

146.580

147.525

145.070

145.670

146.445

146.595

147.540

145.090

145.690

146.460

147.405

147.555

Note that many of these channels are outside of the repeater sub-bands, 
as defined by the FCC. They are available for simplex operation, but 
not for repeater
operation.

In this day of synthesized radios, all of those channels should be 
available to any amateur operator.

If MRIC takes into account all of the simplex channels available, then 
the potential loss of a small number of simplex channels in the 
repeater subbands should have little effect, if any at all.

Speaking as the Howard County RACES Officer, I can tell you that we 
have experienced conflict in the use of simplex frequencies for Howard 
County operations because adjacent counties have written the same 
frequencies into their communications plans. If MRIC encourages use of 
all of the 2 meter simplex frequencies, I believe that this conflict 
can be minimized. Use of the 19 simplex channels on the 70 cm band, 
where appropriate, can also help to reduce conflict, especially as 70 
cm propagation tends to be more local than 2m propagation.

Yes, many counties have existing emergency communications plans, and, 
yes those plans presently incorporate specific simplex frequencies. 
However, plans must be flexible. They are written on paper or stored on 
computers. They are not carved in stone -- and if they were, they would 
hardly be of much use in emergencies. Wherever repeaters remain 
operable during an actual emergency, they represent a valuable 
resource. DSTAR repeaters represent an especially valuable resource to 
emergency communications.

T-MARC appreciates the importance of the use of simplex channels
by RACES, ARES, and other organizations, but, we must also operate 
under the limitations on repeater coordination imposed by the FCC.. We 
will make every effort to minimize our impact on those simplex channels 
that fall in the repeater subbands while carrying out our coordination 
activities.

Dave Prestel, W8AJR
President -- The Mid-Atlantic Repeater Council
Howard County RACES Officer

-----------------------------------------------------------
On Sun, Nov 23, 2008 at 3:35 PM, <brettham at aol.com> wrote:

Dear T-MARC Board,

The Maryland Emergency Management Association created a subcommittee
two years ago to address RACES interoperability issues in Maryland. The
subcommittee is called the Maryland RACES Interoperability Committee
(MRIC) and consists of the RACES Officers of all Maryland
jurisdictions, each with one vote, and meets three times per year.

Based on some discussion at the last T-MARC meeting this past summer,
there was some concern that T-MARC may be considering reducing the
number of VHF frequencies currently set aside for VHF simplex
operation. Many jurisdictions have these frequencies written into their
emergency operations plans to use if repeaters are not operational, or
for local or interjurisdictional traffic regardless. We have
coordinated these frequencies among ourselves to ensure we do not
interfere with each other during an emergency.

Yesterday, MRIC unanimously approved the following resolution:

"MRIC resolves and recommends that T-MARC not ma
ke frequency
allocations in the following ranges: 146.400 to 146.580 MHz; and
147.420 to 147.570 MHz (i.e. the frequencies currently assigned by the
ARRL band plan for simplex)."

Thank you for considering our position in future band-plan changes.

Sincerely,

Brett Hammond - K3TAL
Chairman, MRIC
410-829-6749 (cell)

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