Friday, October 6, 2017

FCC Grants Waiver for High-Speed PACTOR in Puerto Rico Recovery Communications

The FCC has granted an ARRL request to temporarily allow PACTOR-3 and -4 transmissions at higher baud rates than is currently permitted under Part 97 as part of the League's communications efforts on Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

The waiver notes that the Commission is already considering the elimination of current baud-rate restrictions, and that most of the comments in that proceeding have been positive. The waiver is valid for 60 days and applies only to stations participating in relief communications for Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, the ARRL is reminding amateurs of ongoing emergency communications out of Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean on 14.265 MHz (+/- 3 kHz) and other frequencies, and requests that stations not participating in these communications keep these frequencies clear.