FCC Fixes Licensing Glitch

The FCC has found and fixed a glitch that had delayed processing of more than 1000 ham and commercial license applications in late June and early July. 

The ARRL Letter reports that the problem had been resolved by mid-July, but that it had never found out exactly what caused the system to stop accepting batch-filed applications or what was done to fix it.

47-GHz Ham Band Protected – For Now – From 5G Wireless Growth

If you're wondering about the value of the ham bands in the gigahertz (GHz) portion of the RF spectrum, just ask any engineer working on developing 5G wireless broadband networks. This band is among many frequencies being considered at the next World Radiocommunication Conference in 2019 (WRC-19) to possibly accommodate next generation 5G wireless networking.

The ARRL reported that a new FCC recommendation in advance of the conference included 11 gigahertz of spectrum above 24.25 GHz for consideration, but did not include the 47.0-47.2 GHz amateur allocation. This band is allocated to amateurs on a primary basis worldwide, but could still face pressure as demand for broadband wireless bandwidth continues to grow.

International Court Rules Against China on S. China Sea Islands

The Permanent Court of Arbitration is based in the Hague,
Netherlands (Photo via PCA website)

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague (Netherlands) has ruled that China has violated Philippine sovereignty by claiming exclusive control over South China Sea islands and shoals including Scarborough Reef and the Spratlys. 

The court ruled that, even though Chinese sailors and fishermen have historically made use of these islands, so have other countries and there is no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or resources, according to a report in the ARRL Letter. China refused to participate in the arbitration and said it is not bound by the ruling. 
 

It is unclear what, if any, impact the decision may have on future efforts by amateurs to operate DXpeditions from disputed islands in the South China Sea. They have historically been very dangerous locations, with several instances of hams being fired on by naval vessels.