FCC WRC-03 amateur radio rule changes now in effect

Several FCC Part 97 Amateur Radio rule revisions to implement changes agreed to at the international level during World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03) now are in effect.

The FCC Order, released in January, affects 97.111, Authorized transmissions; 97.113, Prohibited transmissions; 97.115, Third party communications, and 97.117, International communications. The Federal Register published the changes May 3.

''These amendments will ensure that the Commission's Amateur Radio Service rules conform to Article 25 of the international Radio Regulations adopted at the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference, and will further the Commission's ongoing efforts to streamline its Amateur Service Rules,'' the FCC Order said. ''The overall effect of
this action is to update the Part 97 Amateur Radio Service rules in the Code of Federal Regulations to conform to now-effective international agreements.''

The FCC Order revises:

* 97.111(a)(1) to permit ''transmissions necessary to exchange messages with other stations in the Amateur Service, except those in any country whose administration has notified the ITU that it objects to such communications. The FCC will issue public notices of current arrangements for international communications.'' The old language permitted communication among amateur stations in different
countries ''except those in any country whose administration has given notice that it objects to such communications.'' The FCC said the change does not prejudice its proposal to amend 97.111(a)(2) to clarify that amateur stations may, at all times and on all authorized channels, transmit communications necessary to meet essential needs and to facilitate relief actions.

* 97.115(a)(2) to facilitate the transmission of international
communications on behalf of third parties in emergency or
disaster-relief situations, whether or not a third-party agreement is in place between the US and the countries involved. The revision now permits communication with any non-US station ''when transmitting emergency or disaster relief communications'' as well as with any non-US station ''whose administration has made arrangements with the
United States to allow amateur stations to be used for transmitting international communications on behalf of third parties.'' The revised rule further provides that no station may transmit third-party traffic other than emergency or disaster relief communications to a station in a country lacking a third-party arrangement. Still excepted from the prohibition is any third party eligible to be the control operator of an amateur station.

* 97.113(a)(4) to prohibit amateur stations exchanging messages with amateur stations in other countries from making transmissions that are encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning, except for control signals exchanged between Earth command stations and space
stations in the Amateur-Satellite service, something Part 97 already provides for. The old rule referred to the use of ''codes and ciphers.'' The same rule also already prohibits transmitting music, communications intended to facilitate a criminal act, obscene or indecent words or language and false or deceptive messages, signals or identification.

* 97.117 to state that amateur stations may transmit communications incidental to the purposes of the Amateur Service and to remarks of a personal character.

The FCC also revised 97.3 and 97.309 to update the definition of International Morse code and of various digital codes in the amateur rules to reflect changes in the international Radio Regulations.

Source: The American Radio Relay League

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