Focus on Competition - 2010/11
Technically Speaking ...
Greg Hahn Technical Director [email protected]
Frequency Usage
I get quite a few phone and e-mail questions every month about whether 72 MHz frequencies are still usable — whether they're good to use now or will remain usable in the near or distant future. I also get asked if the use of 72 MHz is still allowed here at the International Aeromodeling Center (IAC) and during the Nats.
All good questions. With the usual rumors on the forums, these concerns reappear regularly. With that in mind, I’ll try to put many of the questions to rest for the time being and hopefully provide a little peace of mind.
In August, the FCC requested that the AMA comment on a proposed rewrite of FCC Part 95 rules. Part 95 pertains to our model use of the current 72 MHz frequencies that were acquired in the late ’80s and early ’90s during the narrowband transition. Such rewrites are routine, so this was nothing unexpected.
No changes were proposed to our use of the frequencies. The few proposed updates dealt with transmission tolerances and other technical specifications and aimed to consolidate redundant sections of the rule. Our D.C. attorney submitted the AMA’s usual comments, with a few additions from the AMA Electronic Technology Committee.
That said, there are no pending threats or competing requests from outside sources, so our use of the existing group of frequencies should not be impeded in the foreseeable future. I realize there is currently limited production of new and spare 72 MHz equipment, but that situation is not being driven by any threat to our usage or to availability of those frequencies for RC.
As far as the IAC is concerned, there are no general restrictions on using 72 MHz or 2.4 GHz systems. There are certain areas of the site where only 2.4 GHz systems are allowed because of the availability of the pin board, but both systems are usable at the facility.
Nats events are managed by individual Special Interest Groups (SIGs), and each SIG may choose which systems can be used for its events. That is not an AMA mandate. If you have a question about which systems your Nats event permits, check with the SIG involved or look on the Nats entry form, which normally states any limitations.
Hope this clears up a few things. MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
