FCC relaxes rules for Spread Spectrum from The ARRL Letter

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ARRL Bulletin 62  ARLB062
From ARRL Headquarters 
Newington CT  September 9, 1999
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB062
ARLB062 FCC relaxes rules for spread spectrum

The FCC has relaxed rules governing the use of spread spectrum techniques by radio amateurs and opened the door to the possibility of international spread spectrum communication. The Report and Order in WT Docket 97-12 adopted August 31 concludes a proceeding that originated with an ARRL petition in December 1995 and has been pending since 1997.

The FCC adopted rules that will allow Amateur Radio stations to transmit additional spread spectrum emission types. Once the new rules become effective November 1, hams will be able to use techniques other than frequency hopping and direct sequence spreading. In addition, the new FCC rules will permit US hams to use spread spectrum techniques to communicate with amateurs in other countries that permit SS. Spread spectrum communication has been limited to stations within FCC jurisdiction.

The new rules require that spread spectrum stations running more than 1 W incorporate automatic transmitter power control. Amateur stations using SS are restricted to a maximum power of 100 W.

The Commission also amended the rules to eliminate what it called ''now-unnecessary record keeping and station identification requirements'' that apply only to stations using spread spectrum.  The FCC agreed to let SS stations identify themselves using conventions developed by the Amateur Radio community.

Roanoke Division Vice Director Dennis Bodson, W4PWF, who has followed the League's Spread Spectrum initiative through from start to finish was pleased with the outcome of the proceeding. ''I'm very happy,'' he said. ''The League got everything it wanted and more--all of which, I believe, will help to promote this mode on the amateur bands.''

Stations employing spread spectrum techniques will remain secondary to--and must accept all interference from--stations employing other authorized modes. The FCC declined to authorize the use of spread spectrum techniques on additional bands or frequencies.

A copy of the FCC's complete Report and Order is available at http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/wt97-12.

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