SB QST @ ARL $ARLB018
ARLB018 Study eyes 2300 MHz

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ARRL Bulletin 18  ARLB018
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  February 15, 1994
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB018
ARLB018 Study eyes 2300 MHz

Study eyes 2300 MHz

A preliminary plan from the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA) for reallocating government
frequencies to non-government uses does not go far enough in
responding to the will of Congress in protecting the needs of
amateurs, the ARRL says.

Specifically affected would be the 2300 to 2450 MHz band.  The
preliminary plan would transfer some of that band to new
non-government uses, which would not necessarily result in the loss
of frequencies for amateurs, but amateur sharing could be more
difficult than it now is with government users.

NTIA proposes to leave 2400 to 2402 and 2417 to 2450 MHz as now
allocated, in part to permit continued amateur and, especially,
amateur satellite operation.  2390 to 2400 and 2402 to 2417 MHz
would be made available for new non-government services as early as
August 1994, and 2300 to 2310 MHz would be made available later,
under the NTIA plan.

In 1990 the ARRL commented to the NTIA when a study of domestic
telecommunications infrastructure was begun.  At that time, the
League said that Amateur Radio's role of education and public
service depended on it not being taken for granted in its modest
spectrum needs.

In late 1992 the NTIA issued a notice of inquiry asking spectrum
users what their future needs would be, and the League responded
with a list, including ''continued or upgraded access to 2300 MHz for
both terrestrial and satellite uses.''

The plan is the proposed implementation of a reallocation of
spectrum from government to non-government use mandated by Congress
last year.

A public comment period on the plan runs until May 1994.
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