News release

[Paul L. Rinaldo]

For those who could not read the Word attachment:

AMRAD Press Release
Amateur Radio Research and Development Corporation
P.O. Drawer 6148, McLean, Virginia 22106 USA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For further information contact: André Kesteloot, n4ick@amrad.org


Washington, DC, March 6, 1999: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
has granted a one-year experimental license to the Amateur Radio Research
and Development Corporation (AMRAD) to conduct tests on the frequency
136.75 kHz using the call sign WA2XTF from twelve sites in Northern
Virginia. These experiments are to gain experience in anticipation that the
FCC may allocate the low-frequency (LF) band 135.7 - 137.8 kHz to the
Amateur Radio Service in the United States. This band already exists in New
Zealand and some European countries in accordance with Recommendation
CEPT/ERC/REC 62-01. CEPT is the abbreviation for the European Conference of
Postal and Telecommunications Administrations. 

Participating in the experimental operation are: Glenn Baumgartner, KAŘESA;
David Borden, K8MMO; Robert Bruhns, WA3WDR; Hal Feinstein, WB3KDU; Terry
Fox, WB4JFI; André Kesteloot, N4ICK; George Lemaster, WB5OYP; Shannon
Mishey, N8TBM; Paul Rinaldo, W4RI; David Rogers, K9RKH; Elton Sanders,
WB5MMB; and John Seely, AA4GM. This is a closed list of stations and new
transmitting stations cannot be added. However, others are invited to join
the project by listening and reporting results. Reception reports should be
made by e-mail to n4ick@amrad.org.
 
Emissions authorized for these tests are 173HF1D (frequency shift data, 173
Hz bandwidth), 100HA1A (CW, 100 Hz bandwidth) and 450F1D (frequency shift
data, 450 Hz bandwidth.) The authorized transmitted power is 1 watt ERP.
The 12 stations will operate experimental transmitters, antennas and
receiving systems using digital signal processing (DSP) techniques.

On October 22, 1998, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) petitioned the
FCC to create two LF allocations for the Amateur Radio Service: 135.7 -
137.8 kHz and 160 - 190 kHz limited to 200 watts PEP but in no case greater
than 2 watts EIRP. The petition was designated RM-9404. Additional
information is available at the ARRL Web site: www.arrl.org under ARLB095
ARRL Petitions FCC for LF Allocations.

AMRAD is a worldwide club of Amateur Radio and computer experimenters. It
is incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is recognized by the US
Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) scientific and
educational organization. Further information concerning these LF
experiments will be available in the AMRAD Newsletter mailed bi-monthly to
AMRAD members and on the World Wide Web at: www.amrad.org.

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