Topband: FCC Inquiries Focus on 160-Meter Band Plan

[Bill Tippett]

        Note that ARRL's current 160 Bandplan approved by their Board of
Directors in July is for narrowband modes only below 1843 instead of 
below 1830 as stated in this release...I presume ARRL will correct their
release. 

                                                73,  Bill  W4ZV

P.S.  Especially note the following:

"Where interference results from band plans not being followed," 
Hollingsworth continued, "the Commission expects substantial justification 
to be shown by the operators ignoring the band plans."

(From  http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/10/04/1/?nc=1  )

FCC Inquiries Focus on 160-Meter Band Plan

NEWINGTON, CT, Oct 4, 2001--The FCC recently asked three amateurs
to respond to complaints alleging that they deliberately transmitted SSB
on top of CW stations operating in the vicinity of 1820 to 1825 kHz. The
FCC has never designated mode-specific subbands in the 160-meter
amateur band, so operation on "Top Band" continues to be governed by a
voluntary band plan. The current ARRL band plan stipulates only "CW,
RTTY and other narrowband modes" in the 1800-1830 kHz segment. 

In the wake of the complaints, FCC Special Counsel for Amateur Radio
Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth wrote George Wehrung, W5TZ, and
Dennis Clauder, KT5S--both of Texas--and Derrick Vogt, WA4TWM, of
Kansas in mid-September. Hollingsworth asked each to respond to
allegations from several other operators that their SSB transmissions
deliberately interfered with attempts by others to operate on CW
between 1820 and 1830 kHz. Copies of the complaints were sent to all
three operators. 

"Band plans are voluntary in nature," Hollingsworth acknowledged in
each of the similarly worded letters. He said the FCC depends upon
voluntary compliance because it minimizes the necessity for the
Commission to be called in to resolve amateur problems. "Where
interference results from band plans not being followed," Hollingsworth
continued, "the Commission expects substantial justification to be shown
by the operators ignoring the band plans." 

One complainant reported that the SSB operators "started moving up
and down the band between 1822 and 1825," ignoring CW operators' pleas 
that the frequency was occupied, failing to identify and, at one point, 
mocking the CW operators. Some complainants sent tape recordings to the FCC. 

Hollingsworth requested that Wehrung, Clauder and Vogt each reply to the
complaints within 20 days.