ARLB028 902 MHz band news
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 28  ARLB028
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  March 12, 1993
To all radio amateurs

The FCC has proposed new rules to allow greater use of the
902-928 MHz band for so-called automatic vehicle monitoring
systems.  The proposed new rules would replace interim rules
adopted in 1974.

An FCC news release says, "The Commission proposed to expand the
service to encompass location of all objects, animate and inanimate,
and to allow licensees to provide service on a private carrier basis
to individuals, the Federal Government, and Part 90 eligibles.  The
Commission also proposed to rename the AVM service as the Location
and Monitoring Service (LMS) and to define LMS as the use of
non-voice signalling methods from and to radio units to make known
the location of such units.

"Comments are requested on this proposal and on whether LMS systems
and other entities currently occupying the 902-928 MHz band will be
capable of handling any increased congestion.

"In the 902-928 MHz band, the Commission proposed that wide-band
and narrow-band LMS systems not be licensed on the same spectrum.
The Commission proposed the wide-band LMS systems be licensed on
the 904-912 and 918-926 MHz bands and the narrow-band LMS systems
be licensed on the 902-904, 912-918, and 926-928 MHz bands.  The
Commission believes that wideband systems are capable of operating
in a shared environment, with cooperation among the various
licensees, but solicits comments on the need and desirability of
providing for exclusivity for some period of time...."
/EX