The FCC is asking the amateur community to weigh in on the future of the 60-mater band. In a proceeding more than seven years in the making, the Commission is proposing to adopt the contiguous 5351.5-5366.5 kHz segment approved by the International Telecommunication Union at the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15), but is seeking comments on what to do about the four current 60-meter amateur channels that are not part of that segment as well as the question of power limits.
U.S. amateurs are currently permitted to use up to 100 watts effective radiated power (ERP) on the band while the international rules adopted at WRC-15 limit power to the equivalent of 9 watts ERP. For more detailed discussion of this matter, see the "Zero Bias" editorial in the June issue of CQ. Proceeding numbers are ET Docket 23-120 and RM-11785. At press time, we did not have a comment deadline but it is expected to be late June or early July.
