Topband: FCC seeks to assign entire 160 ham band to primary status

[Jim Monahan]

Allocation Changes to 160 Meter Band

The FCC is proposing to change the Amateur Radio Service allocation to the 160 meter band (1800-2000 kHz), reallocating the 1900-2000 kHz segment to the Amateur Radio Service on a primary basis. In the NPRM, the FCC noted that "the ARRL has identified the 160 meter band and the amateur HF bands as '[b]y far, the heaviest-used [Amateur Service] allocations.'"

Historically, the 1715-2000 kHz band was allocated exclusively to the Amateur Service. In 1953, the FCC removed the 1715-1800 kHz segment from the Amateur Radio Service and allocated the 1800-2000 kHz band to the Amateur Service on a shared basis with the Radionavigation Service. Then in 1983, the FCC allocated the 1800-1900 kHz band to the Amateur Service on an exclusive basis and the 1900-2000 kHz band to the Radiolocation Service on a primary basis for federal and non-federal use and to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis. The FCC stated that "[t]he purpose of allocating this band [1900-2000 kHz] to the Radiolocation Service was to provide reaccommodation spectrum for radiolocation users that will have to move out of the 1605-1705 kHz band when AM broadcasting is implemented in that band." The AM broadcasting proceeding was resolved in 2000, and a review of the FCC's Universal Licensing System (ULS) database finds that no one is licensed to use this non-federal Radiolocation Service allocation.

Currently, federal use of the 1900-2000 kHz segment is light, with only 10 assignments authorized to operate in this segment. "A single federal assignment authorizes land and mobile stations in the Radiolocation Service to transmit on 1922 kHz using a necessary bandwidth of 600 Hz within a protected radius of 193 kilometers centered on San Diego, California," the FCC noted in the NPRM. "All other federal assignments in the 1900-2000 kHz band are for unallocated uses, and thus, these assignments operate on an unprotected and non-interference basis."

The FCC is proposing to amend the US Table of Allocations and remove the federal and non-federal Radiolocation Service allocations from the 1900-2000 kHz band and the raise the secondary Amateur Radio Service allocation to primary status because "there appear to be few (if any) Radiolocation Service stations operating in this band," it said. "In addition, we note [from WARC-79] that 'this [Radiolocation Service] allocation was made for reaccommodation purposes and not to provide additional spectrum for radiolocations needs,' that the Commission has concluded its AM Expanded Band proceeding that would have prompted non-federal RLS licensees to relocate to the 1900-2000 kHz band and that this band was historically allocated to the Amateur Service on an exclusive basis."


The entire article can be read which includes other proposals at:

http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-seeks-to-assign-entire-amateur-portion-of-160-meter-band-to-primary-status-to-amateur-radio-serv<http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-seeks-to-assign-entire-amateur-portion-of-160-meter-band-to-primary-status-to-amateur-radio-serv>

Jim, K1PX

K1PX at msn.com<mailto:K1PX at msn.com>