Topband: Topband Digest, Vol 148, Issue 24

[Donald Chester]

> From: w6jk at sbcglobal.net

> The FCC has agreed that the buoys need licensing they don't have, but rather that requiring compliance
> they have simply declared that the Part 80 (Marine) license now covers this Part 90 activity.  This is completely
> unprecedented, as far as I know.
> 'JK

Money talks.  Just like the lack of enforcement of Part 15 rules against spectrum pollution from power lines, plasma TVs, switching-type wall warts, etc.  And now it is being proposed to severely cut what enforcement staff that remains.

It is likewise unprecedented that unlicensed Part 15 (PLC) devices are given priority over licensed services, as in the previous denial of VLF amateur privileges in earlier proceedings, or maybe this latest is just following the same precedent.

Here in the hinterlands, the only buoy signals I hear are extremely weak CW beacons and I have never paid much attention to them.  Apparently they must be more a problem in coastal areas.  With the RLS allocations in 1705-1800 kHz and 2000-3300 kHz all but devoid of signals, I can't understand any reason to continue operation in 1900-2000 kHz band, other than the inconvenience and cost of converting beacon transmitters to frequencies above 2000 or below 1800.

Foreign flagged vessels in international waters are beyond the jurisdiction of the FCC, so this entire issue is a moot point to them.

http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7022127470

http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/comment/view?id=6017166561

Don k4kyv