[Scan-DC] Time on your hands? Read some federal documents.

[Andrew Clegg]

Hi b_thom,

Part of my job (and part of the jobs of at least a few people on this group 
that I know of) is to monitor and participate in proceedings of the FCC, 
like the old one below. There is a counterpart to the FCC, called the 
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA, part of 
Commerce) that regulates the use of the radio spectrum by Federal government 
agencies, which also sometimes has open proceedings.

If you are interested in following the activities of the FCC regularly, I 
recommend subscribing to the FCC's Daily Digest ( 
http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Digest/2009/  ), which is a daily 
email list of Commission activity. Most of the activity is fairly routine 
and/or boring (like broadcast station ownership changes, or changes in long 
distance tariffs), but some of it is quite interesting (like proceedings 
that may affect scanner listeners like us). It takes a while to get the flow 
of how the system operates, but generally, the FCC (and all other executive 
branch agencies) are required to follow the Administration Procedure Act. A 
very highly simplified process of typical Commission actions: they issue 
Notices of Proposed Rule Makings (NPRMs), where the FCC indicates that it is 
thinking of making new rules or changing existing ones. There are comment 
periods where the public (anyone) can reply and provide feedback on the 
proposed changes. After the FCC has a chance to read and consider the 
comments, it may issue an Order, which indicates their decision. The rule 
changes usually take affect a certain amount of time (usually 30 days) after 
the Order is published in the Federal Register 
(http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/), which is the government's official record of 
administrative activity.

Virtually all Commission NPRMs, Orders, etc., can be downloaded from their 
web site, which is quite extensive. Documents dating back to about 1994 are 
available online. Older documents can be retrieved from a publication called 
the FCC Record, which is available at most law libraries, or from library 
versions of the Federal Register.

If you are looking for especially entertaining reading, be sure not to miss 
Notices and Orders related to fines for indecent programming. The FCC 
documents themselves can sometimes verge on X-rated!

Happy reading,
Andy


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <b_thom at juno.com>
To: <Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 3:21 PM
Subject: [Scan-DC] Time on your hands? Read some federal documents.


Specifically
"FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 90
[WT Docket No. 99–87; RM–9332; FCC 04–292]

Implementation of Sections 309(j) and 337 of the Communications Act of 1934 
as Amended; Promotion of Spectrum Efficient Technologies on Certain Part 90 
Frequencies"

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-11477.pdf

I quote, in part:

"10. The Third Memorandum Opinion and Order adopts rules to promote the 
transition to narrowband technology in bands 150–174 MHz and 421–512 MHz. 
Specifically, we amend our rules to impose a deadline for migration to 12.5 
kHz technology for both Public Safety Radio Pool and Industrial/Business 
Radio Pool licensees operating Private Land Mobile Radio Service (PLMRS) 
systems on those bands, beginning
January 1, 2013. In addition, we amend our rules to prohibit the 
certification of any equipment capable of operating at one voice path per 25 
kHz of spectrum, i.e., multi-mode equipment that includes a 25 kHz mode, 
beginning January 1, 2011. We also prohibit the manufacture and importation 
of 25 kHz equipment (including multi-mode equipment that can operate on a 25 
kHz bandwidth) beginning January 1, 2011.
We will permit all licensees operating on these bands to modify existing 
systems, including modifications that expand coverage area, with 25 kHz 
equipment until January 1, 2011. No later than December 31, 2009 the...."

It goes on. Tip o' the hat to a librarian who shall remain nameless for 
finding this link for me. If she can teach me to find this, think what else 
I can find.


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