FCC Agrees to 90-Day Pause in Consideration of WT Docket 16-239

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 MHz 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