The FCC has
turned down three petitions for rule making filed by hams. According to the
ARRL, two of them asked the Commission to limit vanity call options to those
available in the call area in which the applicant lives. The third sought FCC
pre-emption of state and local distracted driving laws as they apply to using amateur
radio transceivers while driving.
On the call sign
petitions, the FCC said it has considered the matter more than once in the past
and continues to see no real problem that would justify regulatory changes.
Regarding distracted driving laws, the Commission said it sees no conflict
between those laws and its rules, and that a driver "can comply with these
laws by using a hands-free attachment or by parking the vehicle prior to using
a handheld device, both of which are contemplated by our rules regarding
two-way radios.”