[Scanner] Re: Spectrum Refarming

[G. D.]

> > You also might not have caught the error in the following
> > paragraph from the story:
> 
> "Technically speaking, the process began in 1995. That's when the
> federal government mandated that all first responder radio systems
> convert from "broadband" transmissions, covering 25 megahertz of
> the available electromagnetic spectrum, to "narrowband"
> transmissions within 12.5 megahertz of spectrum."

Two errors.

The FCC didn't mandate any such thing. It only made the 7.5, 12.5 and
6.25 kHz channels available, in their respective bands, - it didn't
mandate their use, although it did dictate that new transceivers be
equipped for "narrowband" transmissions. There was NO requirement that
they convert to such emissions. They sweetened the deal a little by
allowing a licensee to split his existing channels into "narrowband"
channels - if he didn't cause interference to adjacent channels - to
encourage their use.
Since the percentage of applications for new "narrowband" licenses had
been minuscule, the Commission DID move a year or so ago to start
requiring the use of the new channels under certain conditions and to
finally prohibit the manufacture of conventional-bandwidth transceivers.

George






________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!