FCC Responds to ARRL Petition Against Experimental License using 40 Meter Band
On Monday, October 20, the ARRL filed a "Petition for Modification or Cancellation of Experimental Authorization" (Petition) with the FCC with respect to WE2XRH. According to the FCC, this experimental license -- issued to Digital Aurora Radio Technologies (DART) -- proposes to "test digital transmissions in 4.50-5.10 MHz, 7.10-7.60 MHz and 9.25-9.95 MHz for a terrestrial digital radio service to the citizens of Alaska." The League's protest was prompted by the certainty that high-power operation in the frequency range 7.10 to 7.30 MHz would cause unacceptable and harmful interference to the Amateur Radio Service in this part of the 40-meter band, which is an exclusive amateur allocation in ITU Region 2 (North and South America).
On October 24, the FCC responded by issuing an amended license that redefined one of the station's frequency ranges to eliminate conflict with the Amateur Radio Service. The amended license narrows the range to 7.30 to 7.60 MHz and gives as the reason for the change, "operation in the band 7.1-7.3 MHz will cause harmful interference to Amateur Radio Service licensees."
"We are delighted that the FCC acted so promptly to correct this error and are pleased that the matter has been resolved," said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ.
WE2XRH will be using a 20 kHz bandwidth digital emission at a transmitter output power of 100 kW and an ERP of 660 kW within a radius of 1500 kilometers of Delta Junction, Alaska. According to the amended license, the transmissions will take place in the frequency ranges 4.4 to 5.1 MHz, 7.3 to 7.6 MHz and 9.25 to 9.95 MHz.
Page last modified: 02:09 PM, 24 Oct 2008 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2008, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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