[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 184 (Thursday, September 23, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51471-51472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24372]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 97
[WT Docket No. 97-12; FCC 99-234]
Greater Use of Spread Spectrum Communication Technologies
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This action revises the Amateur Radio Service rules applicable
to Spread Spectrum (SS) emission types that an amateur station may
transmit. The rule amendments are necessary so that amateur stations
may transmit SS emission types that have been developed and become
available since the original rules permitting amateur stations to
transmit SS emission types were adopted in 1985. The effect of this
action is to allow amateur stations greater flexibility in
experimenting and communicating with SS emission types, to eliminate
unnecessary restrictions in the amateur service rules and to simplify
the rules applicable to stations that choose to transmit SS emission
types.
DATES: Effective November 1, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William T. Cross, Federal
Communications Commission, Washington, DC 20554, (202) 418-0680.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Report
and Order, adopted August 31, 1999, and released September 3, 1999. The
complete text of this Commission action, including the rule amendments,
is available for inspection and copying at the Federal Communications
Commission, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC. The complete text of
this Report and Order may also be obtained from the Commission's copy
contractor, International Transcription Services, Inc., 2100 M Street,
NW, Suite 140, Washington, DC 20037, telephone (202) 857-3800, and from
the FCC's internet World Wide Web home page, >http://www.fcc.gov<. summary="" of="" report="" and="" order="" 1.="" by="" this="" action,="" we="" are="" amending="" the="" amateur="" service="" rules="" to="" allow="" amateur="" radio="" stations="" to="" transmit="" additional="" ss="" emission="" types.="" we="" conclude="" that="" the="" public="" interest="" would="" be="" served="" by="" removing="" the="" restriction="" in="" the="" amateur="" service="" rules="" that="" limit="" the="" ss="" emission="" types="" that="" amateur="" stations="" may="" transmit.="" moreover,="" we="" believe="" that="" this="" change="" will="" (1)="" allow="" amateur="" service="" licensees="" to="" experiment="" with="" additional="" ss="" emission="" types;="" (2)="" allow="" amateur="" radio="" operators="" to="" develop="" innovations="" and="" improvements="" to="" communications="" products="" and="" develop="" new="" communications="" technologies;="" and="" (3)="" facilitate="" the="" ability="" of="" the="" amateur="" service="" to="" contribute="" to="" the="" development="" of="" ss="" communications="" by="" allowing="" amateur="" stations="" to="" transmit="" and="" experiment="" with="" ss="" technologies="" currently="" used="" in="" consumer="" and="" commercial="" products.="" 2.="" also,="" by="" this="" action,="" we="" are="" also="" amending="" the="" amateur="" service="" rules="" adopt="" a="" requirement="" that="" amateur="" stations="" use="" automatic="" transmitter="" power="" control="" to="" limit="" transmitter="" power="" to="" the="" minimum="" power="" necessary="" to="" maintain="" communications="" when="" an="" amateur="" station="" transmits="" an="" ss="" emission="" type="" with="" more="" than="" 1="" watt="" of="" power="" and="" we="" amend="" our="" rules="" to="" remove="" now-unnecessary="" recordkeeping="" and="" station="" identification="" requirements="" that="" presently="" apply="" only="" to="" stations="" transmitting="" ss="" emissions.="" 3.="" we="" also="" are="" amending="" the="" amateur="" service="" rules="" to="" insert="" numbers,="" which="" were="" inadvertently="" removed="" december="" 14,="" 1998,="" in="" 63="" fr="" 68904,="" in="" front="" of="" each="" defined="" term="" in="" section="" 97.3,="" thereby="" facilitating="" use="" of="" the="" rules="" by="" licensees.="" 4.="" the="" amended="" rules="" are="" set="" forth="" below,="" effective="" november="" 1,="" 1999.="" 5.="" this="" report="" and="" order="" and="" the="" rule="" amendments="" are="" issued="" under="" the="" authority="" contained="" in="" 47="" u.s.c.="" 154(i)="" and="" (j),="" 303(r)="" and="" 403.="" list="" of="" subjects="" in="" 47="" cfr="" part="" 97="" radio.="" federal="" communications="" commission.="" magalie="" roman="" salas,="" secretary.="" rule="" changes="" for="" the="" reasons="" discussed="" in="" the="" preamble,="" the="" federal="" communications="" commission="" amends="" 47="" cfr="" part="" 97="" as="" follows:="" part="" 97--amateur="" radio="" service="" 1.="" the="" authority="" citation="" for="" part="" 97="" continues="" to="" read="" as="" follows:="" authority:="" 48="" stat.="" 1066,="" 1082,="" as="" amended;="" 47="" u.s.c.="" 154,="" 303.="" interpret="" or="" apply="" 48="" stat.="" 1064-1068,="" 1081-1105,="" as="" amended;="" 47="" u.s.c.="" 151-155,="" 301-609,="" unless="" otherwise="" noted.="" 2.="" sections="" 97.3(a),="" (b),="" and="" (c)="" are="" amended="" by="" adding="" numbers="" in="" front="" of="" each="" defined="" term="" in="" the="" definitions,="" and="" revising="" paragraph="" (c)(8)="" to="" read="" as="" follows:="" sec.="" 97.3="" definitions.="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" (c)="" *="" *="" *="" (8)="" ss.="" spread="" spectrum="" emissions="" using="" bandwidth-expansion="" modulation="" emissions="" having="" designators="" with="" a,="" c,="" d,="" f,="" g,="" h,="" j="" or="" r="" as="" the="" first="" symbol;="" x="" as="" the="" second="" symbol;="" x="" as="" the="" third="" symbol.="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" 3.="" section="" 97.119(b)(5)="" is="" removed="" and="" the="" semicolon="" and="" the="" word="" ``or''="" is="" removed="" from="" the="" end="" of="" paragraph="" (b)(4).="" 4.="" section="" 97.305(b)="" is="" revised="" to="" read="" as="" follows:="" sec.="" 97.305="" authorized="" emission="" types.="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" (b)="" a="" station="" may="" transmit="" a="" test="" emission="" on="" any="" frequency="" authorized="" to="" the="" control="" operator="" for="" brief="" periods="" for="" experimental="" purposes,="" except="" that="" no="" pulse="" modulation="" emission="" may="" be="" transmitted="" on="" any="" frequency="" where="" pulse="" is="" not="" specifically="" authorized="" and="" no="" ss="" modulation="" emission="" may="" be="" transmitted="" on="" any="" frequency="" where="" ss="" is="" not="" specifically="" authorized.="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" 5.="" section="" 97.311="" is="" revised="" to="" read="" as="" follows:="" sec.="" 97.311="" ss="" emission="" types.="" (a)="" ss="" emission="" transmissions="" by="" an="" amateur="" station="" are="" authorized="" only="" for="" communications="" between="" points="" within="" areas="" where="" the="" amateur="" service="" is="" regulated="" by="" the="" fcc="" and="" between="" an="" area="" where="" the="" amateur="" service="" is="" regulated="" by="" the="" fcc="" and="" an="" amateur="" station="" in="" another="" country="" that="" permits="" such="" communications.="" ss="" emission="" transmissions="" must="" not="" be="" used="" for="" the="" [[page="" 51472]]="" purpose="" of="" obscuring="" the="" meaning="" of="" any="" communication.="" (b)="" a="" station="" transmitting="" ss="" emissions="" must="" not="" cause="" harmful="" interference="" to="" stations="" employing="" other="" authorized="" emissions,="" and="" must="" accept="" all="" interference="" caused="" by="" stations="" employing="" other="" authorized="" emissions.="" (c)="" when="" deemed="" necessary="" by="" a="" district="" director="" to="" assure="" compliance="" with="" this="" part,="" a="" station="" licensee="" must:="" (1)="" cease="" ss="" emission="" transmissions;="" (2)="" restrict="" ss="" emission="" transmissions="" to="" the="" extent="" instructed;="" and="" (3)="" maintain="" a="" record,="" convertible="" to="" the="" original="" information="" (voice,="" text,="" image,="" etc.)="" of="" all="" spread="" spectrum="" communications="" transmitted.="" (d)="" the="" transmitter="" power="" must="" not="" exceed="" 100="" w="" under="" any="" circumstances.="" if="" more="" than="" 1="" w="" is="" used,="" automatic="" transmitter="" control="" shall="" limit="" output="" power="" to="" that="" which="" is="" required="" for="" the="" communication.="" this="" shall="" be="" determined="" by="" the="" use="" of="" the="" ratio,="" measured="" at="" the="" receiver,="" of="" the="" received="" energy="" per="" user="" data="" bit="" (eb)="" to="" the="" sum="" of="" the="" received="" power="" spectral="" densities="" of="" noise="">0) and co-channel interference (I0). Average
transmitter power over 1 W shall be automatically adjusted to maintain
an Eb/ (N0 + I0) ratio of no more than 23 dB at
the intended receiver.
[FR Doc. 99-24372 Filed 9-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
