EMWIN Downlink Frequencies Under Attack By Broadband Interests

IMPORTANT NEWS FOR EMWIN USERS:

I know this isn't Scanner Laws-related, but many ham operators use this site and many of THEM use "EMWIN"...

For those SKYWARN spotter and ARES/RACES groups across the US which make use of EMWIN to distribute weather bulletins for free to their spotters, hams, and to their local communities, some kinda scary news...

From the EMWIN-Users listgroup: "Of special interest to EMWIN users and vendors is FCC Public Notice DA-1035 (ET Docket No. 10-123) released on June 4, 2010 calling for public comment on the extent and manner of use of the 1675-1710 MHz frequency band by non-federal users."

The FCC is calling for comments on the feasibility of the idea to take the current frequencies now used for EMWIN downlink and giving them over to other services, which would eliminate EMWIN downlink for many users across the country and other parts of the world...including the downlinks many Emergency Management Agencies now enjoy. We need to write the FCC and harp on our numbers - how many of us are actually using the downlink; and on the SPEED with which EMWIN allows us to receive the bulletins - on par with our NWS counterparts, often on the order of minutes before they actually go out over the NWR or are received using internet-based commercial resources.

Read the entire email here, which also contains a link to the actual FCC Notice.

We've been given less than THREE WEEKS to compose comments and submit them to the FCC. That's kinda ridiculous, but there it is. So let's move on this. Spread the word fast. Compose away people. Join lists such as EMWIN-Users, EMWIN Broadcasters, and WxMesg, too, for more information, and for ideas and suggestions on what to mention in your comments.