08/02/2023 ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®, as part of its mission to protect Amateur Radio, has filed comments against a proposal that would introduce high-power digital communications to the shortwave spectrum that in many instances is immediately adjacent to the Amateur HF bands. The “Shortwave Modernization Coalition” (SMC), which represents certain high-frequency stock trading interests, filed the petition with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). (Previous coverage can be found on ARRL News.) ARRL responded on behalf of its members and the 760,000 licensees of the Amateur Radio Service in the US. The ARRL Laboratory performed a detailed technical analysis over several months to determine if the proposed rules would affect operations on the bands allocated to Radio Amateurs that are inter-mixed with the Part 90 bands in the spectrum in question. ARRL’s analysis determined that, if the proposed rules are adopted, the new operations inevitably will cause significant harmful interference to many users of adjacent and nearby spectrum, including Amateur Radio licensees. Ed Hare, W1RFI, a 37-year veteran of the ARRL Lab and internationally recognized expert on radio frequency interference, was the principal investigator on the study. Hare concluded the petition should not be granted. “This petition seeks to put 50 kHz wide, 20,000-watt signals immediately next to seven different amateur bands with weaker protections against interference than required in other services,” said Hare. In its formal opposition, ARRL stated, “That destructive interference would result if operations commenced using anything close to the proposed maximum levels.” ARRL’s filed comments highlight flawed analysis and incomplete data submitted by the petitioners. It noted the petitioners “…significantly understate the harmful interference that is not just likely, but certain, if the rules proposed by SMC are adopted as proposed. It is noteworthy that SMC’s proposed rules would provide less protection than the much-lower power amateur radio transmitters are required to provide Part 90 receivers.” ARRL’s opposition also noted that there was no reported tests conducted with Amateur or other affected stations, but referenced a spectrum capture in the Comments filed with the Dayton Group that showed actual interference into the Amateur 20-meter band from one of the High Frequency Trading experimental stations. Part 90 HF rules currently authorize a maximum signal bandwidth equal to a voice communications channel, at up to 1000 W peak envelope power (PEP). The petition seeks multiplication of signal width, greater transmitted power, and weaker rules that protect users of adjacent spectrum. ARRL’s comments expose the likely fallout: “Incredibly, notwithstanding the significant increase in potential interference that would result from using digital schemes with 50 kHz bandwidths and 20,000 watts of power, SMC also proposes to substantially lessen the protections required to protect adjacent and neighboring licensees. SMC proposes [out-of-band emissions] limits that offer less protection than the existing Part 90 limits and would actually permit no attenuation (0 dB) at the edge of adjacent allocations, many of which are bands allocated to and heavily used in the Amateur Radio Service. Consistent with lessening protections while increasing the potential for harmful interference, SMC also proposes a lower limit for spurious emissions. SMC would reduce the existing protection of -73 dB for the applicable 1000-watt power limit to just -50 dB protection for their proposed 20,000-watt limit. Due to the much wider 50 kHz proposed bandwidth, the resulting interference would penetrate deep into the adjacent Amateur bands.” The proposal has been assigned FCC Docket No. RM-11953. While the period for commenting on the petition has now closed, replies to comments in the record may now be submitted. Hundreds of licensed Radio Amateurs filed comments in the Docket, expressing overwhelming opposition to the proposal. Those interested may read ARRL’s full comments and the results of the technical analysis, which are included in the filing. “If granted as written, this would be devastating to Amateur operation for many tens of kHz into our bands,” said Hare. ARRL will continue to advocate for its members and the Amateur Radio Service in this proceeding. About Amateur Radio and ARRL Amateur Radio Service licensees use their training, skills, and equipment to practice radio communications and develop radio technology. Amateur Radio Operators volunteer their qualifications and equipment for communications duty in public service and during emergencies. Amateur Radio also provides a basis for hands-on STEM education and pathways to careers. ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® was founded in 1914 as The American Radio Relay League, and is a noncommercial organization of Radio Amateurs. ARRL numbers within its ranks the vast majority of active Radio Amateurs (or “hams”) in the US and has a proud history of achievement as the standard-bearer in promoting and protecting Amateur Radio. For more information about ARRL and Amateur Radio, visit www.arrl.org.

Hi, Let us know about your station ! What transceiver and antenna are you using , what's your favorite mode ? What would you recommend to others ?

What are peoples' thoughts? I will probably stay on but won't get QST delivered any longer. I use the buro and LOTW but that's about it. If they raise rates again I'm not going to renew.

How do you log your QSOs ( if at all if that's something allowed in by your regualtor ?). Share your best practices, software and tips !

Fellow HF folks and those with antennas outside, I wanted to share this useful website. I often use it when on 40m and to check whether to disconnect my antennas.

With over 600 members c/amateur_radio isn't a small community. There is however very little traffic and even less engagement. What kind of content are you actually looking for here ?

With DAB and DAB+ now widely available in Europe it's really easy to leverage it to check propagation. Every couple of hours I run a quick scan accross all of the multiplexer to see the ones I pick up. DAB / DAB+ in Europe operates mostly on VHF Band III between 173-230 MHz making it a good indicator about the propagation on 2m. I use [welle.io](https://www.welle.io) as a software with an RTL-SDR v3 screen and a simple home made vertical dipole cut for 2m and that's plenty to catch stations about 200 Km away on a daily basis.

We need to jump on this shady BS.

I'm looking for advice on a good pair of headsets. I'm familiar with the Heil Pro Set 3 and I **am not** looking for a mic/headset combo because I hope to get a Yaesu M1 eventually. I'm currently using a pair I got at 5 Below (*Where we spell kwality with a K!*) and I'm looking into options.

I'm glass I wasn't on the air.

> Why should this bother you? If you are a radio amateur it should be a grave concern that a band which has provided the “glue” for so many vital services over many decades might come under threat, and if you are not a radio amateur it should concern you that a commercial defence contractor in one country can so easily set in motion the degradation of a globally open resource governed by international treaties penned in your grandparents’ time.

Holy steam punk, Batman!