In re: Delete, Delete, Delete FCC looks to eliminate rules and regulations

[DaveNF2G]

Whether one likes or dislikes George Soros, facts matter. In this case, he has dual citizenship with the US, so the "foreign ownership" rule does not apply.

 

[kc2asb]

Whether one likes or dislikes George Soros, facts matter. In this case, he has dual citizenship with the US, so the "foreign ownership" rule does not apply.

Good point. It bears repeating that both parties supported the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which allowed these giant conglomerates to control more than 90% of the media/entertainment industries.

 

[W1KNE]

You forgot the Sinclair Broadcasting Group they own most of the Right wing radio stations ........

Sinclair doesn't own a single radio station. They sold off their radio stations many years ago. They only own TV now.

Also , George Soros doesn't own any radio stations either. An investment group he is the head of , purchased a portion of Audacy radio stock.
He has zero say in their programming despite what some seem to believe.

 

[red8]

I'd like to see the requirement that Uniden scanners have to skip over encrypted transmissions eliminated.

Add Whistler to that too

 

[IC-R20]

Add Whistler to that too

You can just turn that setting off in the menu. Mine makes a phone sound instead.

 

[IC-R20]

Eliminate Amateur Service license fees. (Except for people who use out of area call numbers 🤣)

 

[kb9mwr]

Eliminate Amateur Service license fees. (Except for people who use out of area call numbers 🤣)

Move administration of the amateur service to a third party. So much of it is already, like the testing, repeater coordination, etc All things the FCC used to do. What are they doing for us in reality? I bet not one single ham rule gets changed. They asked this same sort of thing in 2017, and other services did see regulation changes then.

 

[DaveNF2G]

A lot of rules for other services have no application to ham radio. This order is about technical regs, so things like data rates are being examined, which is an amateur radio concern.

 

[kb9mwr]

A lot of rules for other services have no application to ham radio. This order is about technical regs, so things like data rates are being examined, which is an amateur radio concern.

I understand that. As I stated we were though this before with no actions taken for ham radio:

In 2017 the Technological Advisory Council (TAC) Technical Inquiry Into Reforming Technical Regulations. Bruce Perens, K6BP wrote an excellent look at things: See: Bruce Perens COMMENT regarding 17-215 : Bruce Perens : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Yet other services outside of ham radio did see changes
FCC Personal Radio Service Revisions Will Affect GMRS, FRS, CB, Other Part 95 Devices

Again I ask, what has the FCC done recently for ham radio.?

 

[EAFrizzle]

Again I ask, what has the FCC done recently for ham radio.?

Vanity call signs.

 

[AK9R]

Again I ask, what has the FCC done recently for ham radio.?

FCC Amends Amateur Radio Rules for Greater Flexibility

The Commission adopts this R&O and FNPRM to eliminate the baud rate limitation and establish a bandwidth limitation in certain amateur bands. The item also proposes removal of the baud rate limitation in several additional bands.

www.fcc.gov

 

[kb9mwr]

FCC Amends Amateur Radio Rules for Greater Flexibility

The Commission adopts this R&O and FNPRM to eliminate the baud rate limitation and establish a bandwidth limitation in certain amateur bands. The item also proposes removal of the baud rate limitation in several additional bands.

www.fcc.gov

That single rule change took decades, and they had to get a congress person to pressure the FCC. Further back than this 2013 piece: https://www.arrl.org/files/file/QST/This Month in QST/September 2013/ItSeemsToUs.pdf Also read up on RM-11306 ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio PETITION FOR RULEMAKING regarding RM-11306 : Christopher D. Imlay : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Again in my opinion if they cannot modify rules in a timely manner they do not serve our interest well. Technology is advancing faster than we can get rules changed. That's only okay in the minds of those who see ham radio as the last bastion for museum modes.

 

[W1KNE]

Vanity call signs.

My biggest gripe about the Vanity calls is they should've never applied to the region. So if you wanted "W1ZZZ" in New England, but it was taken, you shouldn't have been able to get "W4ZZZ". You're applying in region n, that will be your number in the call, vanity or not.

 

[AK9R]

I don't disagree that the FCC seems to move at something less than glacial speed. However, they've been charged by Congress with the job of managing telecommunications in the US. Until and unless Congress steps in, the FCC is what it is.

It's easy for us, as amateur radio operators, to think that the FCC is doing us a disservice. But, we have to understand that we are but a small pea in a large pod. And, given the current climate in the administrative branch, it may be best for amateur radio to lay low and not make waves. Wouldn't want a twenty-something, small-government, young Republican interning as an FCC Commissioner's aide to look at amateur radio and say "What's that? Can we sell it?"

 

[MrSpock11A2B]

This is a rather long thread so I don't know if anyone else has pointed this out. I would like to see the limit of 4 watts on CB and SSB lifted once and for all. There are several reasons for this.

1) The enforcement arm of the FCC has been virtually non-existent for years so why not lift the regulation and decriminalize the actions of thousands of hobbyists who currently exceed the 4 watt limit, but are otherwise not harming anyone?

2) CB was recently authorized for FM and since the FCC is content with allowing people to use 50 watt GMRS Radio on FM frequency without any real license ( yes there is a fee, but no test of knowledge so it's just a money grab ) why not allow CB to go above 4 watts on AM / FM and and also lift the 12 watt ceiling on SSB?

3) Contrary to everything you hear people say on the web, CB radio sales and usage are on the rise ( Global CB Radio Supply, Demand and Key Producers, 2024-2030--GlobalInfoResearch ) ( $218.4 Million CB Radio Market Expansion by 2025: Key Insights from the U.S.,...) ( CB Radio Market 2025 To 2033 | Research Report ). CB usage is increasing more than any other radio service and the availability of Export Radios have helped contribute to the renewed interest in CB Radio. I think people like the ease of use, lower entry cost and the anonymity of use. Ham licensing is on the decline ( if you don't believe me read the article Static On The Airwaves: Understanding The Drop In U.S. Amateur Radio Operators...) and I believe that were it not for the increased power available on GMRS, people would not be gravitating to it. Even at that there are only 125,000 GMRS licenses in the U.S. If CB were allowed even 25 watts on AM/FM and SSB people would flock to it let alone 50 watts.

So stop the money grab with the GMRS license fee and raise the output for Citizens Band across the board. This is supposed to be a free country and we deserve to have a better Free Radio Service than the current law allows for "Citizens Band". The FCC has already given it's implied consent by declining to enforce current law, so why not just cut the cord and change the law?

 

[kayn1n32008]

The company wanting to take a portion of the 900 MHz band will affect more than just licensed amateur radio as it will take the portion of the 90 MHz band that is also used by all of the LORA/Meshtastic devices.

Hams don't even have primary use of 900MHz, being secondary to ISM users.

 

[KF0NYL]

Hams don't even have primary use of 900MHz, being secondary to ISM users.

Which is true for most, if not all amateur bands.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Which is true for most, if not all amateur bands.

All except 2m off the top of my head

 

[kb9mwr]

Which is true for most, if not all amateur bands.

And this mere fact is what protects the bands so that we can continue to use them (assuming we don't interfere with the primary users)

 

[kb9mwr]

2) CB was recently authorized for FM and since the FCC is content with allowing people to use 50 watt GMRS Radio on FM frequency without any real license ( yes there is a fee, but no test of knowledge so it's just a money grab ) why not allow CB to go above 4 watts on AM / FM and and also lift the 12 watt ceiling on SSB?

Yes this was one of the rules changed for Part 95 as part of the 2017 rules inquiry. How the heck did CB get a rule changed and we did not?
Oh by the way be sure to donate to the ARRL. (lol)