[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 115 (Friday, June 14, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 40898-40907]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-14774]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 2 and 97

[ET Docket No. 02-98 ; FCC 02-136]


Amateur Radio Service Rules

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: 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.

DATES: Written comments are due July 29, 2002, and reply comments are 
due August 13, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathyrn Medley, Office of Engineering 
and Technology, (202) 418-1211, TTY (202) 418-2989, e-mail: 
[email protected].

ADDRESSES: All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, 
Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. Filings can 
be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, 
or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (although we 
continue to experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). 
The Commission's contractor, Vistronix, Inc., will receive hand-
delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission's 
Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Suite 110, Washington, DC 
20002. The filing hours at this location are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All 
hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. 
Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. 
Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail 
and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol 
Heights, MD 20743. U.S. Postal Service first-class mail, Express Mail, 
and Priority Mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20554.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Notice 
of Proposed Rulemaking, ET Docket 02-98, FCC 02-136, adopted May 2, 
2002, and released May 15, 2002. The full text of this document is 
available for inspection and copying during regular business hours in 
the FCC Reference Center (Room CY-A257), 445 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20554. The complete text of this document also may be 
purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, Qualex International, 
445 12th Street, SW., Room, CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554. The full 
text may also be downloaded at: www.fcc.gov. Alternative formats are 
available to persons with disabilities by contacting Brian Millin at 
(202) 418-7426 or TTY (202) 418-7365.
    Pursuant to Sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 47 
CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments on or before 
July 29, 2002, and reply comments on or before August 13, 2002. 
Comments may be filed using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing 
System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of 
Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). Comments filed 
through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to 
http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html. Generally, only one copy of an 
electronic submission must be filed. If multiple docket or rulemaking 
numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, however, commenters 
must transmit one electronic copy of the comments to each docket or 
rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the 
transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, U.S. 
Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking 
number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-
mail. To get filing instructions for e-mail comments, commenters should 
send an e-mail to [email protected], and should include the following words 
in the body of the message, ``get form