Federal Register: FCC (Personal Radio & Amateur)

This action amends the maritime service and personal radio service rules to permit the shared use of the 216-217 MHz band on a secondary, non-interference basis, for a new Low Power Radio Service (LPRS) to include auditory assistance devices, health care assistance devices, law enforcement tracking systems, and automated maritime telecommunications system (AMTS) point-to-point network control communications. The effect of this rule is to: increase educational opportunities and access to telecommunications devices for persons with disabilities; facilitate health care services, strengthen law enforcement, and maximize efficiency in the use of AMTS coast stations frequencies. This action promotes effective utilization of presently unused radio spectrum.

The Report and Order (``R&O'') amends the Commission's Rules to adopt new guidelines and methods for evaluating the environmental effects of radiofrequency (RF) radiation from FCC-regulated transmitters, in accordance with The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. NEPA requires agencies of the Federal Government to evaluate the effects of their actions on the quality of the human environment. To meet the Commission's responsibilities under NEPA, the Commission has adopted revised RF exposure guidelines for purposes of evaluating potential environmental effects of RF radiation. The new guidelines reflect more recent scientific studies of the biological effects of RF radiation. Use of the new guidelines will ensure that the public and workers receive adequate protection from exposure to potentially harmful RF field.

The Commission has amended its rules to permit IVDS licensees to provide mobile service to subscribers. This action authorizes mobile operation of response transmitter units (subscriber units) operated with an effective radiated power of 100 milliwatts or less. The Commission also eliminated the IVDS ``duty cycle'' requirement for operations outside of TV channel 13 Grade B contours. The Commission found that these amendments would provide additional flexibility for IVDS licensees to meet the communications needs of the public without increasing the likelihood of interference.

This action revises the Personal Radio Service rules to establish a very short distance, unlicensed, two-way voice personal radio service called the Family Radio Service (FRS). The rule amendments are necessary so that families, friends and associates could have the capability to communicate with one another over a very short range, typically a few city blocks. The effect of this action is to provide a high-quality low-cost communications service that will be useful to hunters, campers, hikers, bicyclists and other outdoor activity enthusiasts who need to communicate with other members of their party who are out of speaking range or sight but still in the same general area.

This action revises the amateur service rules to make clear that a renewal application, filed at the address specified by the Commission on the same date as the license expiration, is timely. Also, an application for a vanity call sign, filed at the address specified in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Fee Filing Guide on the same date as the license expiration, is timely. The rule amendments are necessary so that licensees will know that they have continuing authority to operate, pending action on their applications. The effect of this action is to assure licensees that their operating authority is continued until the final disposition of the applications.

By this Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O), the Commission addresses the Petition for Reconsideration (Petition), filed by Fred Daniel d/b/a Orion Telecom (Orion). Orion's Petition requests that the Commission rescind the 219-220 MHz allocation to the Amateur Radio Service or, alternatively, modify the rules to provide additional protection for Automated Maritime Telecommunications Systems (AMTS) operations. This MO&O affirms the Commission's decision to allocate the 219-220 MHz band to the Amateur Radio Service on a secondary basis; and also amends the amateur rules to reflect the frequency upon which the AMTS stations operate. Finally, the MO&O updates and corrects the Table of Frequency Allocations.

By this Second Notice of Proposed Rule Making, (``2nd NPRM''), the Commission addresses proposals: to restrict amateur usage of the 76-77 GHz band in order to protect vehicle radar systems from interference while also giving amateur operators coprimary status in the 77.5-78 GHz band; to develop a spectrum etiquette technical standard for the 59-64 GHz band to minimize interference within that band; and to further restrict emissions above 200 GHz to protect radio astronomy operations from interference.

This action amends the amateur service rules, consistent with the statutory mandate of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, to remove certain unnecessary and outdated regulations. It removes the conflict- of-interest provisions pertaining to the administration of amateur operator license examinations. It also eliminates the requirement that volunteer examiners (VEs) and volunteer-examiner coordinators (VECs) who administer and coordinate amateur operator examinations maintain records of out-of-pocket expenses and annually certify those expenses to the Commission. The effect of these rule amendments is to further the public interest because they eliminate unnecessary regulatory burdens.

This action restructures the Compliance and Information Bureau. The Commission reviewed the operations of the Bureau in light of principles of the National Performance Review to makes its operations more cost effective and to privatize those that could be handled by the private sector. It is the intent of this action to improve service to the public at a reduced cost.

The Commission has adopted a Report and Order to eliminate the one-year ``build-out'' requirement for the IVDS, while retaining the three-year and five-year build-out requirements. This action will allow the IVDS industry additional time to develop and deploy new and innovative applications.

On October 2, 1995, the Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau adopted an Order that clarified that amateur stations may use any digital code that has its technical characteristics publicly documented. The amendments were necessary because some amateur operators have expressed concern about the propriety of using the CLOVER, G-TOR, and PacTOR codes on the High Frequency amateur service bands.

This action makes revisions to the vanity call sign system rules. The revisions concern limiting availability of call signs for call sign Regions 11, 12, and 13 to licensees who have a mailing address in the specific state, commonwealth, or island of those regions, requiring a close relative of a deceased call sign holder to hold the same or higher class of operator license as the deceased, specifying that applicants who file timely vanity call sign renewal applications will have continuing operating authority, establishing a new starting gate, Gate 1A, for clubs that wish to obtain the call sign of a deceased member, and making an editorial change relating to new club and military recreation station applications. The rule amendments are necessary so that all members of the amateur community will be treated fairly, yet recognizing the privileges of higher grade operator licensees. The effect of this action is to make available to amateur operators call signs that they themselves select for their amateur stations.

The Commission has proposed rules to establish a new personal radio service that would permit individuals a very short distance, unlicensed, two-way voice radio service in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) portion of the radio spectrum. This action is in response to a petition for rule making from the Radio Shack Division of Tandy Corporation (Tandy). Allowing uses of the radio spectrum in this manner would meet a burgeoning public demand for an affordable and convenient means of direct, short-range, two-way voice communication among small groups of persons.

The Commission has proposed rules to allow Interactive Video and Data Service (IUDS) licensees to eliminate the one-year construction ``build-out'' requirement. This action was initiated on our own motion in response to requests by several IUDS licensees that participated in the IUDS auction. Originally crafted in the context of awarding licenses by lottery, the one-year construction benchmark now appears unnecessary. Licensees have sufficient economic incentives to provide service as quickly as possible; eliminating this one-year benchmark will provide licensees with greater flexibility in making financial, equipment, and other construction-related decisions.

The Commission had adopted a Notice of Proposed Rule Making which seeks to permit the shared use of the 216-217 MHz band, on a secondary, non-interference basis, for a new Low Power Radio Service to include law enforcement tracking systems, auditory assistance devices for the hearing-impaired, and health care assistance devices for disabled and ill persons. Further, the Commission seeks to permit Automated Maritime Telecommunications Systems (AMTS) coast stations to also share this band on a secondary, non-interference basis for point- to-point network control communications. This action stems from the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rule Making and Notice of Inquiry in PR Docket 92-257 which sought to compile a record of viable, alternative uses for this one megahertz of maritime mobile spectrum. Thus, the proposed rules should aid law enforcement efforts in the recovery of stolen goods, further the goals of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), increase access to educational and health care opportunities for persons with disabilities and illnesses, increase the number of channels available to the AMTS for operational control communications, and promote the efficient use of maritime spectrum.

This action amends the rules for the amateur service to authorize automatic control of stations transmitting digital emission types on the High Frequency (HF) amateur service bands. This amendment was necessary because, except for temporary authority the Commission issued to permit a feasibility study, automatic control has not been authorized on the HF bands. The intended effect of the final rule is to authorize automatic control of amateur stations transmitting digital emissions subject to two conditions: The automatically controlled station either must be connected to another station that is under manual control, or the automatically controlled station must transmit only within a subband designated for communications between automatically controlled stations.