The FCC in late February issued a Notice of Proposed Rule
Making (FCC 13-22) seeking to provide an additional 195 megahertz of spectrum
in the 5 GHz band for unlicensed Wi-Fi use, as well as other broadband
services. Amateurs currently have a secondary allocation on the band between
5.650 and 5.925 GHz, and since 1997, 100 MHz of that allocation (5.725-5.825
GHz) has been shared with unlicensed "National Information
Infrastructure" users. The new proposal would extend that shared spectrum
to include 5.850-5.925 GHz, effectively making all but 100 MHz of the amateur
allocation on the band shared with unlicensed Wi-Fi devices.
News and information of interest to ham radio operators from CQ Amateur Radio magazine, the world's leading independent ham radio magazine.
Friday, February 22, 2013
FCC Proposes Greater Sharing of 5 GHz Ham Band for Unlicensed Wi-Fi Devices
The FCC in late February issued a Notice of Proposed Rule
Making (FCC 13-22) seeking to provide an additional 195 megahertz of spectrum
in the 5 GHz band for unlicensed Wi-Fi use, as well as other broadband
services. Amateurs currently have a secondary allocation on the band between
5.650 and 5.925 GHz, and since 1997, 100 MHz of that allocation (5.725-5.825
GHz) has been shared with unlicensed "National Information
Infrastructure" users. The new proposal would extend that shared spectrum
to include 5.850-5.925 GHz, effectively making all but 100 MHz of the amateur
allocation on the band shared with unlicensed Wi-Fi devices.