Proposed 5MHz changes in USA

The FCC is proposing replacing one of the five Amateur Radio channels in the 60m band and increasing the power level to 100W ERP.

Acting on a 2006 Petition for Rulemaking filed by the ARRL, the FCC has issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), ET Docket No 10-98 to modify the rules that govern amateurs’ secondary use of five channels in the 5 MHz frequency range known as 60 meters.

The proposed changes would substitute a new channel for one that is seldom available because of occupancy by the fixed service, which is primary in this range. Also proposed is an increase in power from 50 to 100 W effective radiated power (ERP) and the addition of CW, PSK31 and PACTOR-III modes with provisions to ensure that such operations would be compatible with the primary service.

Read the full ARRL story at
http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-proposes-additions-changes
-to-amateur-5-mhz-allocation

The proposed changes can be found beginning on page 8 of the NPRM at
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=6518527442