The ARRL report the FCC has invited comments by February 18 on the latest batch of draft recommendations of its Advisory Committee for World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-2015).

At its January 27 meeting, the Advisory Committee (WAC) approved draft recommendations on a number of issues that will be considered by WRC-2015. Some items, including one which could possibly lead to changes to 60 meters in the long term, could affect the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services. ARRL Chief Technology Officer Brennan Price, N4QX, is a member of the WAC, which is chartered to allow non-federal government entities to “provide to the [FCC] advice, technical support, and recommended proposals for the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference.”

WRC-2015 will consider a number of issues that could impact amateur allocations above 420 MHz, including a possible extension of the current worldwide allocation to the Earth Exploration-Satellite service in the band 9300 to 9900 MHz by up to 600 MHz “within the frequency bands 8700 to 9300 MHz and/or 9900 to 10500 MHz” Incumbent services in the 9900 to 10500 MHz range include the Radiolocation, Fixed, Mobile, Amateur, and Amateur-Satellite services.

The Amateur Service is secondary at 10000 to 10500 MHz worldwide, and the Amateur-Satellite Service is secondary at 10450 to 10500 MHz worldwide.

Comments should reference IB Docket 04-286 and specific recommendations by WAC document number. Interested parties may file comments via the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS).

Read the full ARRL story at
http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-opens-brief-window-for-comments-on-wrc-2015-draft-recommendations

Draft WRC-2015 recommendations
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2014/db0128/DA-14-88A2.pdf

IB Docket 04-286 http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/proceeding/view?name=04-286

FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/