FCC agrees to 90-day pause in consideration of WT Docket 16-239

The ARRL reports on the latest development in the attempt to scrap the archaic Part 97 symbol rate restriction that has crippled experimentation with amateur radio digital modes for nearly 40 years



The ARRL report says:



It has been almost six years since the ARRL requested the FCC to

consider changes to the Amateur digital rules in 11-708 and almost three years since the ARRL filed comments in the resultant proceeding, identified by the FCC as 16-239.



The Commission's proposed changes differed from the ARRL's initial filing and caused the ARRL to be concerned about possible interference to current users resulting from the deletion of the ARRL's requested 2.8 kHz bandwidth limitation. Due to those concerns the League filed comments with the FCC opposing the deletion of the requested bandwidth.



Since the ARRL's initial filing many individuals and groups have commented to the FCC and publicly regarding issues and potential consequences they passionately believe are implicated by the FCC's proposals embodied in 16-239/11-708. Additionally, in the six years since the initial filing of 11-708 new information has been presented by individuals and groups who support and oppose the FCC's proposed adoption of 16-239.



Due to the time that has elapsed since the ARRL's initial digital rules change request, the new information that has become available and the extent of both support and opposition to the proposed rules change, the ARRL asked the FCC to grant a delay in its consideration of the proposed rules change to provide the League the opportunity to clarify the issues and determine whether a consensus can be reached on some or all of the issues raised by the FCC's proceeding.



At the League's request, the FCC Staff has agreed to a 90-day pause in the consideration of WT Docket 16-239.



Source ARRL

http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-agrees-to-90-day-pause-in-consideration-of-wt-docket-16-239



On March 17, 1980, the FCC introduced a 300 baud symbol rate restriction on HF data which had ARRL support. Its intent was to restrict the bandwidth of data transmissions without actually specifying a bandwidth restriction.



In the September 2013 issue of QST the ARRL announced a new position on symbol rates. They proposed that the FCC delete all references to symbol rate from Section 97.307(f) of the amateur regulations and adopt a bandwidth limit of 2.8 kHz for amateur data emissions below 29.7 MHz, see http://www.arrl.org/files/media/News/ItSeemsToUs.pdf

The ARRL Petition filed a Petition for Rule Making RM-11708 on November 15, 2013 followed by an erratum filed November 26, 2013FCC 97.307