FCC Orders Amateur Rule Changes to Conform with WRC-03
The FCC has ordered several rule revisions to implement changes agreed to at the international level
during World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03). Acting Wireless Telecommunications
Bureau Chief Catherine W. Seidel signed the Order, released today. The changes affect §97.111,
Authorized transmissions; §97.113, Prohibited transmissions; §97.115, Third party communications,
and §97.117, International communications. "These amendments will ensure that the Commission's
Amateur Radio Service rules conform to Article 25 of the international Radio Regulations adopted at
the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference, and will further the Commission's ongoing efforts to
streamline its Amateur Service Rules," the FCC said in its order. "The overall effect of this action is to
update the Part 97 Amateur Radio Service rules in the Code of Federal Regulations to conform to
now-effective international agreements." The rule changes will become effective upon publication in
The Federal Register. The FCC Order revises:
§97.111(a)(1) to permit "transmissions necessary to exchange messages with other stations in the
Amateur Service, except those in any country whose administration has notified the ITU that it objects
to such communications. The FCC will issue public notices of current arrangements for international
communications." The old language permitted communication among amateur stations in different
countries "except those in any country whose administration has given notice that it objects to such
communications." The FCC said the change does not prejudice its consideration of comments to rule
changes it's proposed to §97.111(a)(2) in WT Docket 04-140--the so-called "Omnibus" proceeding that
covers a wide range of rule changes and proposals. The Commission has proposed amending that rule
section to clarify that amateur stations may at all times and on all authorized channels transmit
communications necessary to meet essential needs and to facilitate relief actions.
§97.115(a)(2) to facilitate the transmission of international communications on behalf of third parties in
emergency or disaster-relief situations, whether or not a third-party agreement is in place between the
US and the countries involved. The revision now permits communication with any non-US station "when
transmitting emergency or disaster relief communications" as well as with any non-US station "whose
administration has made arrangements with the United States to allow amateur stations to be used for
transmitting international communications on behalf of third parties." The revised rule further provides
that no station may transmit third-party traffic other than emergency or disaster relief communications to
a station whose government has not made a third-party arrangement. Still excepted from the prohibition
is any third party eligible to be the control operator of an amateur station.
§97.113(a)(4) to prohibit amateur stations exchanging messages with amateur stations in other countries
from making transmissions that are encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning, except for control
signals exchanged between Earth command stations and space stations in the Amateur-Satellite
service, something Part 97 already provides for. The old rule referred to the use of "codes and ciphers."
The same rule also already prohibits transmitting music, communications intended to facilitate a criminal
act, obscene or indecent words or language and false or deceptive messages, signals or identification.
§97.117 to state that amateur stations may transmit communications incidental to the purposes of the
Amateur Service and to remarks of a personal character. The FCC also revised §97.3 and 97.309 to
update the definition of International Morse code and of various digital codes in the amateur rules to
reflect changes in the Radio Regulations.
RTTY pioneer, DXer Jules L. Freundlich, W2JGR, SK
Jules L. Freundlich, W2JGR, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, died January 10 following a short illness. He was 88.
Licensed in 1935, Freundlich evolved in the early 1980s into a serious RTTY DXer, ultimately confirming
327/333 (current/deleted) DXCC entities. RTTY enthusiasts also may remember him as the longtime editor of
VK2SG RTTY DX Notes, a post he left in 2003. In addition to being an ARRL member, he was a past president and
member of the Long Island DX Association and the Twin Cities DX Association.
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