[aprssig] 420-440 MHz (Low End of UHF Band) Under Attack Again

[r gilson]

Depending on location the 420 to 430 was re-allocated to Public Safety about 20 years ago.  This happened adjacent to Canada and some metropolitan areas. Also the 450 to 512 is Public Safety and business radio. With digital TV there is a lot of unused spectrum available for every one.  With cell phones, business radio is being phased out!  If Public Safety goes exclusively to 700/800, then this allocation of 420 to 440 should revert back to the amateurs on a secondary basis, as it is at the present time.  There is some concern that the money which some agencies have already spent to comply with the 12.5khz channels (2013 mandate) will be wasted, but some hams might be able to find bargains at Ham Fests?
WA2WWK
Ron


--- On Thu, 3/10/11, Stephen H. Smith <wa8lmf2 at aol.com> wrote:

From: Stephen H. Smith <wa8lmf2 at aol.com>
Subject: [aprssig] 420-440 MHz (Low End of UHF Band) Under Attack Again
To: "TAPR APRS Mailing List" <aprssig at tapr.org>
Date: Thursday, March 10, 2011, 5:13 PM

Slashdot.org
<http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/03/10/1931248/King-Wants-To-Sell-Out-Ham-Radio>

ARRL Website
<http://www.arrl.org/hr-607>

>From ARRL Site:

HR 607

On February 10, 2011, Rep. Peter King (R-NY), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, introduced H.R. 607, the “Broadband for First Responders Act of 2011,” which has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee (which handles telecommunications legislation). The bill addresses certain spectrum management issues including the creation and maintenance of a nationwide Public Safety broadband network.

As part of that network, the Bill provides for the allocation of the so-called “D-Block” of spectrum in the 700 MHz range for Public Safety use. HR 607 uniquely, provides for the reallocation of other spectrum for auction to commercial users, in order to offset the loss of revenue that would occur as the result of the allocation of the D-Block to Public Safety instead of commercial auction. H.R. 607 lists, among the bands to be reallocated for commercial auction within ten years of the passage of the Bill, the paired bands 420-440 MHz and 450-470 MHz.

The inclusion of most of the Amateur 70-cm spectrum as one of the replacement bands is a major problem. The 420-440 MHz band is not Public Safety spectrum and should not be included in any spectrum swap of Public Safety allocations.

While the ARRL and all Amateurs support the work of Public Safety and recognize their need for dedicated spectrum which would promote interoperability, the ARRL vigorously opposes HR 607 in its present form. HR 607 is a direct threat to our limited spectrum and the ARRL encourages all amateurs to appropriately voice their opposition to this bill.

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