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In this document the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) amends its rules to permit Family Radio Service (FRS) units to transmit global positioning system (GPS) location information using emission type F2D in a digital burst of not more than one second, and to permit brief text messaging between FRS units. With the exception of automatically responding to interrogation requests spaced less than 30 seconds apart, an FRS unit shall limit transmission of digital data containing location information, requesting location information from any other FRS unit, or containing any brief text message to another FRS unit, to no more than once within any thirty-second period. The amendment will better serve the public interest by allowing FRS units equipped to transmit location information utilizing GPS technology and permit communication between FRS units through the use of brief text messaging. Equipped with GPS, an enhanced unit can be used to locate a lost family or group member in the woods, or at an amusement park. FRS units capable of transmitting brief text messages will likely reduce channel congestion and increase the usefulness of the service.

The Federal Communications Commission published a document in the Federal Register on June 20, 2002, (67 FR 41847), revising the Quiet Zone procedures for operation near GOES stations. The publication incorrectly indicated that the GOES procedures were contained in Sec. 1.924(f) and, therefore, inadvertently removed the Quiet Zone procedures for operation in the 420-450 MHz band. This document corrects the Quiet Zone procedures by re-inserting the procedures for operation in 420-450 MHz band into Sec. 1.924(f) and lists the updated procedures for operation near GOES stations into Sec. 1.924(g).

In this document, the Commission addresses six petitions for reconsideration or clarification of the Report and Order in WT Docket No. 98-182. The Commission affirms the decision to create a new Citizens Band Radio Service named the Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS), updates the Airport Terminal Use (ATU) and adopts additional revisions to the Commission's rules on its own motion. The Commission also adopts a rule revision to remove the low power restriction from certain frequencies currently reserved for low power operation on a primary basis for cargo handling purposes at docksides. The Commission also eliminates the eligibility restriction on school and park operations in the Public Safety Pool.

In this document the Commission examines methods to promote the commercial development and growth of the "millimeter wave" spectrum in the 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz and 92-95 GHz bands under parts 15 and 101 of our rules. This action follows was taken pursuant to our mandate under section 7(a) and 303(g) of the Communications Act and a in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Loea Communications requesting service rules for these bands. We anticipate that the proposals set forth herein will encourage the use of technologies, developed in military and scientific applications in commercial products and services.

This document makes conforming edits to service-specific competitive bidding rules and portions of the part 1 general competitive bidding rules in accordance with the authority delegated by the Commission. These conforming edits further the Wireless Telecommunication Bureau's ("Bureau") continuing efforts to streamline its procedures in accordance with the Commission's biennial regulatory review obligations. In addition to making these conforming edits, the Bureau also exercises its delegated authority to make certain ministerial conforming amendments, including edits to correct competitive bidding provisions that were inadvertently altered or deleted. The intended effect of this action is to eliminate approximately 66 pages of redundant or unnecessary rules from the Code of Federal Regulations.

This document denies the Ad Hoc Coalition's ("Coalition") second petition for reconsideration of the Commission's 218-219 MHz Second Reconsideration Order. The Coalition's petition contains previously raised constitutional and price inflation arguments and a newly raised, albeit untimely, Administrative Procedure Act ("APA") argument. The Commission dismisses as repetitious the Coalition's constitutional and price inflation arguments because these arguments were previously the subject of reconsideration and fully considered in the 218-219 MHz Second Reconsideration Order. The Commission also dismisses the Coalition's untimely APA argument because the Coalition does not plead or otherwise establish new facts, changed circumstances, or public interest considerations that would merit review of the untimely request for reconsideration.

In this document, the Commission adopts service rules for 27 megahertz of electromagnetic spectrum in the 216-220 MHz, 1390-1395 MHz, 1427-1429.5 MHz, 1429.5-1432 MHz, 1432-1435 MHz, 1670-1675 MHz, and 2385-2390 MHz bands, recently reallocated for non-Government use. The licensing plan adopted in this proceeding implements, in part, the Commission's November 1999 Spectrum Policy Statement. The service rules adopted herein establish a flexible regulatory and licensing framework. The Commission believes that this decision will provide opportunities for new services to utilize this spectrum, thus addressing spectrum scarcity concerns, as well as to promote the delivery of technologically innovative services to the public.

This document proposes to amend the Commission's Rules to add a new secondary allocation to the 135.7-137.8 kHz band for the amateur service for experimentation in the low frequency ("LF") region of the spectrum; add a new secondary allocation to the 5250-5400 kHz band for the amateur service to facilitate high frequency ("HF") amateur service operations; and to upgrade the amateur service allocation from secondary status to primary status and add a primary allocation for the amateur-satellite service in the 2400-2402 MHz band. The proposed changes to the Rules would enhance the ability of the amateur service to conduct technical experiments with LF propagation and antenna design; allow amateurs to communicate at 5250 kHz when propagation conditions do not permit communication at 3500 kHz or 7000 kHz; and provide protected status for the amateur-satellite service now using the 2400-2402 MHz band.

This document seeks to adopt rules for satellite services concerning orbital debris mitigation. Orbital debris consists of artificial objects orbiting the Earth that are not functional spacecraft. Since human activity in space began, there has been a steady growth in the number and total mass of orbital debris. Growth in the orbital debris population may limit the usefulness of space for communications and other uses in the future by raising the costs and lowering the reliability of space based systems. Accordingly, we seek comment on a range of options for addressing orbital debris issues as a part of spacecraft design and operation in order to preserve access to space for the long term.

This document proposes to amend our rules in order to implement domestically various allocation decisions from International Telecommunication Union ("ITU") World Radiocommunication Conferences concerning the frequency bands below 28000 kilohertz ("kHz"). The most significant of these proposals is to reallocate high frequency ("HF") spectrum from the fixed and mobile services to the broadcasting service. We also propose to make various minor amendments to our U.S. Table of Frequency Allocations ("U.S. Table") and to several of our service rules. In sum, the proposed actions would update our Rules for frequency bands below 28000 kHz so that they better comport with international regulations, would update various rule parts to effectuate the allocation changes, and would otherwise clean-up rules that have not recently been reviewed.

In this document, the Commission proposes to establish new service rules for licensing a total of 27 megahertz of spectrum transferred from Government to non-Government use. The Commission seeks comment on the flexibility that should be afforded new or incumbent licensees, and the technical and other service rules that should govern the range of existing and proposed services. The comments will aid the Commission on how best to utilize these bands to provide valuable services to the public. Additionally, the Commission seeks comments on a petition for rulemaking filed on March 6, 2000, by Data Flow Systems, Inc., requesting amendment of the Commission's rules. The Commission also seeks comments on a proposal filed by Securicor Wireless Holdings, Inc.

This document reallocates spectrum transferred from Federal Government use for non-Government services pursuant to the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 and the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Our actions here fulfill our statutory obligation to reallocate this transfer spectrum to non-Government users. We believe that this will lead to the development of new technologies and services and provide spectrum alternatives for users currently operating on heavily encumbered spectrum where operations are constrained due to congestion.

In this Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), the FCC proposes to amend Commission's rules to authorize Family Radio Service (FRS) units to transmit an additional emission type and to revise the permissible communications rule that applies to FRS units. These rule changes could allow a new and incidental use of the FRS, a short-range two-way voice communication service used by small groups of persons.

This document proposes to amend a Commission rule in order to revise the authorized duty cycle for SVRS operations on 173.075 MHz. The rule change was proposed in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by LoJack Corporation. Specifically, we propose to permit a duty cycle for mobile units of 1800 milliseconds every 300 seconds, in addition to the current duty cycle of 200 milliseconds every 10 seconds.

This document denies in part and grants in part various petitions for reconsideration of the Report and Order in this proceeding. It also revises part 13 of the rules to ensure the telegraphy requirements for commercial radio operator licenses remain unchanged and it makes minor editorial changes to certain part 97 rules. This action will allow current Amateur Radio Service licensees to contribute more to the advancement of the radio art; reduce the administrative costs that the Commission incurs in regulating this service and streamline our licensing processes; and promote efficient use of spectrum allocated to the Amateur Radio Service.

In this document the Commission denies seven petitions for reconsideration and affirms the 218-219 MHz Order which modified the regulations governing the licensing of the 218-219 MHz Service (formerly known as the Interactive Video and Data Service ("IVDS")) to maximize the efficient and effective use of the band. The petitions fall into four general categories. The first category includes requests to change the options available under the 218-219 MHz service, restructuring plan. The second category includes requests to expand the definition of entities eligible to participate in the 218-219 MHz service, restructuring plan. The third category consists of miscellaneous requests relating to the 218-218 MHz Service restructuring plan. The fourth category consists of requests to expand the remedial bidding credit to all current and former licensees. Additionally, the item makes several technical modifications to conform the rules to the 218-219 MHz Order.

In this document, we open a proceeding to examine ways in which we could remove, relax, or modify Commission rules to remove unnecessary regulatory barriers to the development of more robust secondary markets in radio spectrum usage rights. We inquire generally about how best to clarify our rules, and revise them where necessary, to promote the wider use of spectrum leasing, particularly in our Wireless Radio Services in which licensees hold "exclusive" authority to use spectrum in their service areas. We also ask whether the Commission should take additional actions to improve the effectiveness of secondary markets in the context of other terrestrial licenses, as well as satellite licenses. We inquire whether the Commission should revise its rules to increase flexibility in its technical and service rules. Finally, we seek comment on actions the Commission might take to impose the availability of information on the use of wireless radio spectrum.

In this document, the Commission amends its rules to promote operational, technical, and regulatory flexibility for Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS) and high seas public coast stations. These final rules will eliminate the application and engineering study requirements and modify the broadcaster notification requirement for new AMTS stations that qualify as fill-in stations, extend the construction requirement for new AMTS systems from eight months to two years, provide AMTS licensees with much-needed technical flexibility, extend the high seas public coast construction requirement to twelve months, and eliminate the HF channel loading requirement for high seas public coast stations. The Commission believes that this action will increase competition in the provision of telecommunications services, promote more efficient use of maritime spectrum, increase the types of telecommunications services available to vessel operators, allow maritime commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers to respond more quickly to market demand, and reduce regulatory burdens on AMTS and high seas public coast station licensees.