RFSTUF

FCC Proposed Rulemaking to Ease Restriction of Amateur Operations in Disaster Drills
...propose to amend the Commission’s amateur radio service rules with respect to amateur radio operations during government-sponsored emergency preparedness and disaster readiness drills and tests. Although public safety land mobile radio systems are the primary means of radio-based communications for emergency responders, experience has shown that amateur radio has played an important role in preparation for, during, and in the aftermath of, natural and man-made emergencies and disasters. Current rules provide for amateur radio use during emergencies. At the same time, the rules prohibit communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer. While there are some exceptions to this prohibition, there is none that would permit amateur station control operators who are employees of public safety agencies and other entities, such as hospitals, to participate in drills and tests in preparation for such emergency situations and transmit messages on behalf of their employers during such drills and tests. Accordingly, we propose to amend the rules to provide that, under certain limited conditions, amateur radio operators may transmit messages during emergency and disaster preparedness drills, regardless of whether the operators are employees of entities participating in the drill. ...