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HomeMy WebLinkAboutProposed FCC rule changes 1970 r� TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFET 4761 WILSON E. SPEIR Division of Defense and Disaster Relief Director C. O. L AYN E State Coordinator Date April 6, 1970 TO: Civil Defense Director Addressed FROM: Josh R. Messenger, State Technical Operations Officer SUBJECT: Proposed FCC rule changes The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced their proposed rule making relative to the use and operations of "repeaters" in the Amateur Radio Service. This is one of the most important issues to come before the Commission thus far regarding changes in the present rules. The proposed changes, if adopted, will render present repeater operations somewhat illegal. There are many applications for repeaters in emergency communications, specifically RACES, that necessitate our involvement. The State, on behalf of interested local governments, will prepare comments to be forwarded to the Commission. These comments, which are to state our requirements and position, will undoubtedly influence the final outcome. I am enclosing a copy of the FCC's Proposed Rule Making Docket 18803 for your review and consideration. You are urged to coordinate with your Communications and /or RACES Radio Officer and prepare your comments. Should you desire to file separately with the FCC, rather than jointly with the State, please forward a copy of your comments to me. Your comments should reach this office no later than May 1, 1970 in order that we can coordinate your comments and file our joint proposal by May 15, 1970. AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE Licensing and Operation of Repeater Stations In the matter of amendment of Part 97 of the Commission's rules concerning the licensing and operation of repeater stations in the Amateur Radio Service Docket No. 18803; RM -388, RM -1087, RM -1209. 1. The Commission has under consideration a joint petition filed by James W. Kyle, Jr., Robert B. Cooper, Jr., and Russell L. Miller (Kyle) (RM -388), and petitions filed by the State of Texas, Division of Defense and Disaster Relief (Texas)(RM- 1087), and the Buffalo Amateur Radio Repeater Association (BARRA) (RM- 1209), for the rule making in the above- entitled matter. All petitioners proposed that the Commission amend its rules to specifically provide for the operation of amateur stations which would auto- matically repeat the transmissions of other amateur stations. Comments supporting the Kyle petition were filed by Arizona Amateur Radio Society. Comments supporting the BARRA petition were filed by Electronic Industries Association; Tulsa Repeater Organizations, Inc., and Rocky Mountain VHF Society, Inc. 2. A repeater station, as the term is used herein, is an amateur station which receives and automatically retransmits radio signals primarily for the purpose of extending the communication range of mobile units. Repeater stations are particularly useful on VHF bands where reliable communication is generally over relatively short distances. Although the present rules do not specifically refer to repeater stations, under policies that have developed, amateur stations licensed to persons holding a Technician or higher class licenses have been per- mitted to operate as repeater stations consistent with the rule permitting remote control and other rules applicable to all amateur stations. The present rules require, among other things, that the licensee be present at the transmitter orat an authorized control point when the station is in operation; that remote control points must be at fixed locations designated on the station license; that all emissions of the remote transmitter must be monitored by the licensee; and that the operation of the station must be under the positive supervisory control of the licensee, i.e., it must be possible for him to suspend the radia- tion of the transmitter regardless of any control signals transmitted by another user station for the purpose of gaining access to the repeater. The station licensee is also required to comply with the logging and station identification requirements applicable to the usual amateur station. In response to the peti- tioners requests, the Commission proposes to amend its rules to specifically provide for the operation of amateur repeaters. 3. Since the operator of each station using a repeater is required to maintain a log of his transmissions, and the duplication of the information in the repeater log would serve no useful purpose, it is proposed that the repeater log include only the time and date of the periods the repeater is available for service, and entries indicating the technical and operational condition of the repeater. It is also proposed to amend the present identi- fication rule to permit automatic identification of repeaters by telegraphy at intervals not to exceed three minutes. - 2 - 4. With respect to the operator and monitoring requirements, BARRA proposed that an amateur repeater station be permitted to operate without an operator in attendance at the transmitter or at an authorized control point. In support of its proposal, BARRA stated that since a repeater does not originate communications, the responsibility for communication content should be placed solely on the licensee of the station using the repeater, because he is responsible for the propriety and content of any signals transmitted by his station. The licensee of the repeater would then be responsible only for the technical operation of his station. Section 310(b) of the Communications Act requires, in effect, that the licensee of a station maintain supervision and control of both the tech- nical and operational performance of his station. Accordingly, it is proposed herein to continue to require the licensee of a repeater station to be in attendance at the transmitter or at an authorized fixed control point, and to monitor all transmissions of the station. 5. Because of the shared use of amateur frequencies, equipment limitations which may preclude monitoring the repeater input frequency, and the inability of repeater users to observe activity on the repeater output frequency throughout the area served by the repeater, consideration must be given to the interference potential of repeaters to amateurs operating on the same and adjacent frequencies. The proposals set forth below should tend to minimize interference between stations, but not unduly inhibit the growth of a useful repeater system. 6. The propagation characteristics of the amateur bands below 50 Mc /s are such that mobile stations and stations at fixed locations can communicate over short, medium, and long distances on those frequencies without recourse to repeaters. In view of this, there is no apparent need for retransmission on frequencies below 50 Mc /s or for multihop repeater systems on frequencies above 50 Mc /s. Accordingly, it is pro- posed to permit the operation of repeaters only on frequencies above 50 Mc /s and limit the automatic relaying of communications to a single retransmission. It is also proposed to adopt the recommendations of Kyle and BARRA that a repeater be so designed and installed that it will normally be activated only by means of a coded signal or such other means as will effectively exclude transmissions by stations not desiring to work through the repeater, thus minimizing unnecessary transmissions and the possible resulting interference. The required coded signal may consist of a single audio tone so that the repeater can be easily "whistled on." 7. To further minimize interference, and in the absence of any apparent need, the simultaneous retransmission by a repeater in two or more bands of the same received signal will not be permitted, nor will cross -band operation, that is receiving in one band and transmitting in another, be permitted. It is also proposed to specify frequency subbands in the 50, 144, 220, and 450 MHz bands, for repeater input and output. It is believed that by restricting repeater operation to specific portions of the amateur bands a more useful and uniform system will result, and interference to the operation of stations not transmitting through repeaters will be minimized. -3- The proposed frequency subbands are tentative in that they may be adjusted within the band if comments received indicate a need for such adjustment. 8. It is proposed to limit the power input to repeaters to 600 watts. This is consistent with the maximum power permitted in the land mobile services and is believed sufficient to provide reliable communica— tions within the range of mobile units. Also, the rule sections relating to operator requirements and station identification have been revised to codify present Commission requirements. 9. The specific rule changes proposed herein are set forth below. Authority for these proposed amendments is contained in sections 4(i) and 303 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. 10. Pursuant to applicable procedures set forth in Sec. 1.415 of the Commission's rules, interested persons may file comments on or before May 15, 1970, and reply comments on or before June 1, 1970. In accordance with the provisions of Sec. 1.419(b) of the Commission's rules, an original and 14 copies of all statements, briefs, and comments filed shall be fur- nished the Commission. All relevant and timely comments and reply comments will be considered by the Commission before final action is taken. The Commission may also take into account other relevant information before it, in addition to specific comments invited by this notice. Adopted: February 26, 1970. Released: March 2, 1970. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (SEAL) BEN F. WAPLE, Secretary, 1. In Sec. 97.3, a new paragraph (i) is added to read as follows: Sec. 97.3 Definitions. (i) Amateur Repeater Station. An amateur station at a specified fixed location used to automatically retransmit signals of other amateur stations. 2. Section 97.41 is amended by adding a new paragraph (b) as set forth below, and redesignating former paragraphs (b) and (c) and (d). Sec. 97.41 Application for station license. (b) Each application for a remotely controlled station shall be filed on FCC Form 610 or FCC Form 610 -B as appropriate, and must include a supple- mentary statement giving the address of the remote control point and indicating whether control will be by wire or radio. If remote control is by radio, complete -4 information must be furnished showing how the transmitter is controlled and what means will be used to prevent unauthorized operation of the transmitter. Data on control frequencies, the function of all relays, timing devices used for control, directional transmitting and receiving antennas in the control system, and other pertinent details must be included. 3. A new Sec. 97.42 is added to read as follows: Sec. 97.42 Station Location. Every station must have a fixed transmitter location. Only one fixed transmitter location, which will be designated on the station license, will be authorized unless the station is authorized to be operated by remote control. 4. Present Sec. 97.43 is deleted and new Sec. 97.43 is added to read as follows: Sec. 97.43 Remote control of an amateur station. (a) Remote control of an amateur station other than an Amateur Repeater Station from a point or points specified on the station license may be authorized provided: (1) The remote transmitter is so installed and protected that it is inaccessible to unauthorized persons. (2) That in addition to complying with Sec. 97.85, a photocopy of the amateur station license is posted in a conspicuous place at the remote transmitter location. (3) The emissions of the transmitter are continuously monitored at the control point. (4) The radiation from the transmitter can be immediately suspended from the control point when there is any deviation from the terms of the station license or the requirements of this part. (5) The station is so designed and installed that the transmitter can be activated only from the authorized fixed control point. (6) That if remote control is by radio, the control link is direct, without intermediate relay. (7) That if remote control is by radio, the control transmitters operate on frequencies within a band above 220 Mc /s. (8) That if remote control is by radio, a timer is provided to automatically limit transmission to a period of 3 minutes in the event of failure of the radio control link, capture of the control receiver by an undesired signal, or other technical malfunction. - 5 - (b ) Remote control of an Amateur Repeater Station may be authorized provided: (1) The installation and operation of the station complies with para- graph (a) of this section. (2) The station is provided with an automatic timer to limit a single uninterrupted transmission to a period of not more than 3 minutes. This circuit may be so designed that it will automatically reset but will not permit use of the transmitter until receipt of a properly coded signal. (3) The station is so designed and installed that overriding control of the station is maintained from an authorized remote control point. (4) The station is so designed and installed that the transmitter can be used only upon receipt of a coded tone signal after the transmitter has been activated from the control point. (5) The station is so designed and installed that the transmitter will be silenced within 5 seconds after cessation of the output of its associated receiver. 5. In Sec. 97.61, the introductory text of paragraph (a) is amended, and a new paragraph (c) is added to read as follows: Sec. 97.61 Authorized frequencies and emissions. (a) Following are the frequency bands and associated emissions avai- lable to amateur stations, other than Amateur Repeater Stations, subject to the limitations stated in paragraph (b) of this section and Set. 97.65. Frequency bands available to Amateur Repeater Stations are shown in para- graph (c) of this section. (c) Amateur Repeater Stations must receive and transmit in the same frequency band. Simultaneous transmission in two or more frequency bands is not permitted. The following frequency bands and the emissions authorized in those bands in paragraph (a) of this section are available for Amateur Repeater Stations: Input (Receiving) Output (Transmitting) Mc /s Mc /s 5 5 53.00- 53.20 146.30 - 146.60 146.90- 147.20 22 - 223.30 224.10- 224.30 447.70- 448.90 449.10- 449.30 Any amateur frequency above 1215 Mc /s. 6. Section 97.67 is revised to read as follows: Sec. 97.67 Maximum authorized transmitter power. -6- (a) Transmitter power is the d.c. power input to the final radio - frequency amplifier. If the final amplifier is of the radio frequency grounded -grid or radio frequency grounded -base type, the transmitter power also shall include the d.c. power input to the stage which imme- diately precedes the final radio frequency amplifier. (b) Except as limited by Sec. 97.61 (b) transmitter power shall not exceed: (1) 600 watts for transmitters used at Amateur Repeater Stations; (2) Two kilowatts for single sideband radiotelephone transmitters and other amplitude modulated radiotelephone transmitters using reduced, suppressed, or controller carrier when measured during maximum peaks of modulation; (3) One kilowatt for all transmitters other than those covered by subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this paragraph. (c) Equipment capable of operation with transmitter power in excess of 90 percent of any applicable power limitation shall have installed a means for accurately measuring transmitter power. 7. Section 97.79 is revised to read as follows: Sec. 97.79 Operator requirements. (a) An amateur station may be operated only by a person holding a valid amateur operator license issued by the Federal Communications Commis- sion and only in the manner and to the extent provided by the class of license held by the operator or the station licensee, including the trus- tee of a club station, whichever is the lesser. (b) The licensed operator required by paragraph (a) of this section must be on duty at the transmitter location or at an authorized control point. (c) An amateur station licensed as a military recreational station may be operated only in the manner and to the extent provided by the class of amateur license held by the person operating the station. (d) When an amateur station is used for telephony or radioprinter transmissions, any person may transmit by voice or teleprinter, provided a licensed amateur operator is present at tle operating position, conti- nuously monitoring the transmissions and maintaining supervisory control of the station, including turning the carrier on and off for each trans- mission and signing the station off after communication with each station has been completed. 8. In Sec. 97.87, new paragraphs (e) through (h) are added to read as follows: -7 Sec. 97.87 Station identification. (e) In lieu of the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, an Amateur Repeater Station may be automatically identified by radio- telegraphy at intervals not to exceed 3 minutes by keying on audio tone superimposed on the voice transmissions. The code speed shall not exceed 20 words per minute, and the modulation level shall be sufficient to be readable through the voice transmissions. (f) A station licensed to an individual may be identified by its assigned call only when operated by or under the immediate supervision of the station licensee. If the station licensee, who is the owner of the equipment, is not present, the operator must identify his trans- missions by using his own call sign with the appropriate portable indicator. (g) A club station may be identified by its assigned call only when operated under the supervision of the trustee or an authorized club member. (h) A military recreation station may be identified by its assigned call only when operated by a member of the Armed Forces of the United States who holds a valid amateur operator license. 9. Section 97.89 is amended to read as follows: Sec. 97.89 Points of Communication (a) Amateur stations may communicate with: (1) Other amateur stations. (2) In emergencies or for test purposes, and on a temporary basis, with stations in other services licensed by the Commission and with United States Government stations. (3) Any station, other than an amateur station, which has been autho- rized to communicate with amateur stations. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section, an Amateur Repeater Station shall not repeat the transmissions of another Amateur Repeater Station. 10. Section 97.103 is revised to read as follows: Sec. 97.103 Station log. (a) Each licensee of a station other than an Amateur Repeater Station shall keep a log of station operation which shall include the following: (1) Except when operating mobile, the date and time of each trans- mission or the beginning and end of a series of transmissions. -8- (2) When operating mobile, the date and time station operation commences and ends. (3) Call sign of the station called. (4) If the transmissions are made through a repeater station, the call sign of the repeater. (5) The signature of each licensed operator who operates the transmitter from the transmitter location or control point and the date and time of such operation. (6) The name of any person other than the operator who directly or by recording transmits by voice or transmits by radio teleprinter. (7) The input power to the transmitter. (8) The frequency band or subband used. (9) The type of emission used. (10) The station location. (11) If record messages are handled, a copy of each message sent and received shall be entered in the station log or retained on file for at least 1 year. (b) The licensee of an Amateur Repeater Station shall keep a log of operation which shall include the following: (1) The date and time station operation commences and ends. (2) The entries specified in subparagraphs (5), (7), (8), (9), and (10) of paragraph (a) of this section. (3) A record of all installation, service or maintenance work per- formed which may affect the proper operation of the station. (4) The entry required by subparagraph (3) of this paragraph shall be made, signed, and dated by the licensed amateur operator who supervised or performed the work. (c) The entries required by subparagraphs (5), (7), (8), (9), and (10) of paragraph (a) of this section need only be entered once until there is a change in the required entry. 11. In Sec. 97.193, the introductory text of paragraph (a) is amended, and a new paragraph (e) is added to read as foilOws: -9 Sec. 97.193 Frequencies available. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, the following frequencies and frequency bands and associated emissions are available on a non - exclusive basis to the indicated classes of stations or units of such stations in the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. * * * * * * * (e) A repeater in the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service may operate on any frequency and associated emission above 50 Mc /s listed in paragraph (a) of this section. (F. R. Doc. 70 -2698; Filed, Mar. 4, 8 :48 a.m.)