The ARRL Executive Committee will face a full and challenging agenda when it gathers March 29 in St Louis, Missouri. A number of FCC and regulatory-related issues are up for discussion among the panel members.

One item that will come under intense EC scrutiny is the Petition for Rule Making (RM-11715) from Mimosa Networks that asks the FCC to create a Part 90 mobile allocation in the 10.0-10.5 GHz band. Mimosa has proposed to include a requirement for wireless broadband service operation in the band “to avoid harmful interference with Amateur service and Amateur-Satellite service operations in the band” but there are a number of aspects of the petition that raise concerns. At this meeting the EC will determine the general thrust of the ARRL’s comments, which will be drafted for filing by the April 11 deadline.

The EC also will discuss the Report on FCC Process Reform (GN Docket 14-25) and consider draft comments in response to the Commission’s Public Notice on the subject. Comments are due March 31. The FCC Report proposes more than 150 process reform recommendations that cover a wide range of specific topics. “These recommendations, if implemented, would enable the Commission to work faster, smarter, more efficiently, more transparently, and more inclusively,” the FCC Public Notice stated.

Additional discussion topics will include the League’s March 12 complaint to the FCC contending that a “grow light” ballast being widely marketed and sold is responsible for severe interference to the MF and HF bands. The League urged Commission action to halt sales of the Lumatek LK-1000 electronic ballast and to recall devices already on store shelves or in the hands of consumers. The League’s filing includes the results of tests that were conducted in the ARRL Lab in response to complaints from members.

The EC also will review comments, reply comments, and post-comment period input from members on the League’s Petition for Rule Making (RM-11708) to delete restrictions on symbol rates for data communication and to establish in their place a 2.8 kHz maximum occupied bandwidth for data emissions below 29.7 MHz.

The EC will consider revisions to the 2009 Mobile Amateur Radio Operation Policy Statement — in light of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) requirements — as well as state legislative issues affecting Amateur Radio. In MAP-21 Congress included funding for a new program encouraging states to enact and enforce distracted driving laws. It became law in 2012. Distracted driving legislation was the topic of the “It Seems to Us” editorial in the November 2013 issue of QST.

Other items on the agenda for updates or reports include:

• FCC dockets WT 12-283 and WT 09-209 and Petitions for Rule Making RM-11-625, and RM-11629) relating to Amateur Service rules governing qualifying examination systems and other matters, Amateur Radio use of narrowband TDMA Part 90 equipment in the Amateur Service, and remote proctoring of Amateur Radio examination sessions.

• The ARRL’s Petition for Rulemaking to create a new MF allocation at 472-479 kHz (the ARRL petitioned for the allocation in November 2012) and ET Docket No. 12-338 to implement the Final Acts of World Radiocommunication Conference 2007. The EC also will be updated on the status of a 135.7-137.8 kHz allocation and a primary allocation at 1900-2000 kHz.

• FCC ET Docket No. 13-49, which seeks to revise Part 15 rules to permit unlicensed national information infrastructure (U-NII) devices in the 5 GHz band. The League filed comments in May 2013 and reply comments in July 2013.

Voting members of the ARRL Executive Committee are President Kay Craigie, N3KN; Central Division Director Dick Isely, W9GIG; Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB; Midwest Division Director Cliff Ahrens, K0CA; Pacific Division Director Bob Vallio, W6RGG, and West Gulf Division Director Dr David Woolweaver, K5RAV.

Non-voting members are First Vice President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and Chief Executive Officer and Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ.