SB QST @ ARL $ARLB010
ARLB010 ARRL Seeks Input for New IARU Region 2 Band Plan

ZCZC AG10
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 10  ARLB010
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  March 16, 2010
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB010
ARLB010 ARRL Seeks Input for New IARU Region 2 Band Plan

The International Amateur Radio Region 2 (IARU R2) conference --
held later this year in El Salvador -- brings together delegations
from the national Amateur Radio Societies in the Western Hemisphere.
One of the topics on the agenda will be the Region 2 HF band plan.
This band plan is "harmonized with" -- spectrum management-speak
for "very similar to" -- the IARU Region 1 and Region 3 band
plans.

According to ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, many hams in the USA
probably did not know there was such as thing as a Region 2 band
plan until recently. Now, however, many more American hams have
heard of it, but may not know how -- if at all -- this band plan
affects them. Here are important facts for American hams to keep in
mind:

    * IARU band plans are voluntary guidelines. They do not have the
force of FCC regulations.

    * It would be inappropriate to incorporate Region 2 band plans
into the FCC rules, and the ARRL has no plan to petition the FCC to
do so.

    * Most other countries do not have the detailed sub-band
regulations that are in Part 97 of the FCC Rules; for amateurs in
those countries, IARU band plans offer the only guidance on
frequency use.

    * The recognition of a calling frequency or band segment for a
particular purpose or mode in the IARU band plan does not convey any
special rights or exclusivity of use.

A new, more transparent procedure will be followed this year for
considering possible changes to the Region 2 band plan. The ARRL is
cooperating with this procedure by inviting input to be sent to the
ARRL Board of Directors' Band Planning Committee. The committee will
review the existing Region 2 band plan, consider input from the
amateur community and make recommendations to the ARRL Board for
submission to IARU Region 2.

The inadvertent omission of the AM center of activity frequency
(calling frequency) -- 3.885 MHz on 80 meters -- has already been
noted, and this will be one of the recommended revisions.

The deadline line set by Region 2 for gathering input and
formulating recommendations is rather short.

Amateurs who would like to submit input should take the following
steps:

     * First, study the existing IARU Region 2 band plan posted on
the Region 2 Web site at http://www.iaru-r2.org/band-plan. The
Region 1 and Region 3 band plans are also posted there, so be sure
you are looking at the band plan for Region 2.

     * Next, formulate a clear statement of any change you propose.
Include a brief explanation of why you think the change would be
beneficial. Please include your name and call sign in your input.

     * Finally, send your input via e-mail to bandplan2010@arrl.org
no later than April 5, 2010. Messages will be automatically
acknowledged.

If you live in another country in Region 2, please contact your
national Amateur Radio Society for information on how to submit
input for the band plan process.
NNNN
/EX