[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 53 (Wednesday, March 19, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 12982-12983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-6897]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 97
[WT Docket No. 97-12; FCC 97-10]
Providing for Greater Use of Spread Spectrum Communication
Technologies in the Amateur Radio Services
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), released March 3,
1997, seeks comment on proposed rules to allow amateur stations to
transmit spread spectrum type emission technologies that employ
additional spreading sequences. It also seeks comment on a proposal
that each SS transmitter be required to automatically limit its power
to that actually necessary to carry out the communications when the
transmitter power exceeds 1 watt. This action is in response to a
petition for rule making from the American Radio Relay League, Inc. The
intent of the NPRM is to compile a record in sufficient detail for us
to determine whether we should authorize amateur stations to use
additional spread spectrum type emission technologies and whether such
use would facilitate the ability of the amateur service to contribute
to the development of SS communications.
DATES: Comments are due on or before May 5, 1997, and reply comments
are due on or before June 5, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments and reply comments should be sent to Office of the
Secretary, Federal Communication Commission, 1919 M Street, NW, Room
222, Washington, DC 20554. Parties should also file one copy of any
document filed in this docket with the Commission's copy contractor,
ITS Inc., 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William T. Cross of the Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau at (202) 418-0680.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's NPRM
in WT Docket No. 97-12, FCC 97-10, adopted January 9, 1997, and
released March 3, 1997. The proposed rules are at the end of this
document. The full text of this NPRM is available for inspection and
copying during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center, Room
239, 1919 M Street, NW, Washington, DC. The complete text also may be
purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, International
Transcription Service, Inc., 2100 M Street, Suite 140, Washington, D.C.
20037, telephone (202) 857-3800.
I. Regulatory Flexibility Certification
The Commission's Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is
included below:
I. Need for and Objectives of the Proposed Rule: The need for and
objective of this rule making proceeding is to eliminate technical
restrictions that amateur radio operators claim hamper their
flexibility to experiment with SS emission types.
II. Legal Basis: Authority for this action can be found in sections
4(i), and 303(a), (l)(1), and (r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as
amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), and 303(a), (l)(1), and (r).
III. Description and Estimate of the Number of Small Entities To
Which Rule Will Apply: None. The rules in part 97 of the Commission's
rules, 47 CFR part 97, apply to individuals who are qualified to be
licensees and/or control operators of amateur radio stations. Small
businesses are not eligible to be licensees in the amateur service, and
amateur radio operators are prohibited from transmitting communications
for compensation, for their pecuniary benefit, and on behalf of their
employers. See 47 CFR 97.113.
IV. Description of Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping and Other
Compliance Requirements: None. This
[[Page 12983]]
rule making proceeding does not impose any new or additional
recordkeeping, reporting or compliance requirement on amateur service
licensees.
V. Significant Alternatives To Proposed Rule Which Minimize
Significant Economic Impact on Small Entities and Accomplish Stated
Objectives: None. This proceeding will affect only amateur stations
that choose to transmit a spread spectrum emission using a spreading
technique that is not permitted under the currently effective rules.
Small businesses are not eligible to be licensees in the amateur
service, and amateur radio operators are prohibited from transmitting
communications for compensation, for their pecuniary benefit, and on
behalf of their employers. See 47 CFR 97.113.
VI. Federal Rules That May Duplicate, Overlap, or Conflict With the
Proposed Rule: None.
II. Initial Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 Analysis
This NPRM does not contain either a proposed or modified
information collection. As part of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork burdens, the Commission invites the general public and the
OMB to take this opportunity to comment on this conclusion, as required
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Public and
agency comments are due at the same time as other comments on this
NPRM, OMB comments are due 60 days after the date of publication of
this summary in the Federal Register.
List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 97
Emission types, Radio.
Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
Part 97 of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended
as follows:
PART 97--AMATEUR RADIO SERVICES
1. The authority citation for part 97 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 48 Stat. 1066, 1082, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 154, 303.
Interpret or apply 48 Stat. 1064-1068, 1081-1105, as amended; 47
U.S.C. 151-155, 301-609, unless otherwise noted.
2. In Sec. 97.3, paragraph (c)(8) is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 97.3 Definitions.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(8) SS. Spread-spectrum emissions using bandwidth-expansion
modulation emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R
as the first symbol; X as the second symbol; X as the third symbol.
* * * *
3. Section 97.305(b) is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 97.305 Authorized emission types.
* * * * *
(b) A station may transmit a test emission on any frequency
authorized to the control operator for brief periods for experimental
purposes, except that no pulse or SS modulation emission may be
transmitted on any frequency where pulse or SS emissions are not
specifically authorized.
* * * * *
4. Section 97.311 is amended by revising paragraphs (a), (b), and
(g), and removing and reserving paragraphs (c) and (d) to read as
follows:
Sec. 97.311 SS emission types.
(a) SS emission transmissions by an amateur station are authorized
only for communications between points within areas where the amateur
service is regulated by the FCC and between an area where the amateur
service is regulated by the FCC and an amateur station in another
country that permits such communications. SS emission transmissions
must not be used for the purpose of obscuring the meaning of any
communication.
(b) A station transmitting SS emissions must not cause harmful
interference to stations employing other authorized emissions, and must
accept all interference caused by stations employing other authorized
emissions.
* * * * *
(g) The transmitter power must not exceed 100 W under any
circumstances. If more than 1 W is used, automatic transmitter control
shall limit output power to that which is required for the
communication. This shall be determined by the use of the ratio,
measured at the receiver, of the received energy per user data bit (Eb)
to the sum of the received power spectral densities of noise (N0)
and co-channel interference (I0). Average transmitter power over 1
W shall be automatically adjusted to maintain an Eb/ (N0+I0)
ratio of no more than 23 dB at the intended receiver.
[FR Doc. 97-6897 Filed 3-18-97; 8:45 am]
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