AMRAD Part 5

AMRAD Press Release

Amateur Radio Research and Development Corporation

P.O. Drawer 6148, McLean, Virginia 22106 USA

For further information contact: Frank Gentges, K9BRA

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, KAØESA; 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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