AG28
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 28  ARLB028
>From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  July 29, 2016
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB028
ARLB028 FCC Seeks Comments on Waiver Request from Expert Linears

The FCC is inviting comments on a June 11 request from Expert
Linears America LLC to waive Part 97.317(a)(2) of the Amateur
Service rules to permit it to import, market, and use its model 1.3K
FA amplifier in the US. The Texas company is seeking the waiver
pending resolution of its earlier Petition for Rule Making
(RM-11767), which called on the Commission to eliminate the 15 dB
gain limitation on Amateur Radio amplifiers altogether. Expert said
the version of the model 1.3K FA amplifier it now imports has been
modified to comply with current rules.

'Expert seeks a waiver in order to be able to import the unmodified
version of the Model 1.3K FA, which is capable of considerably more
than 15 dB amplification,' the FCC explained in a July 29 Public
Notice. 'Expert argues that the public interest would be served by
permitting use of a higher-powered amplifier, because it would
improve the communications capabilities of amateurs using portable,
low-power transmitters by enabling them to approach the maximum
legal power output.' Expert assured the FCC that its model 1.3K FA
has proprietary software to prevent it from transmitting in the
26-28 MHz band, so it cannot be used in the Citizens Radio Service.

The Public Notice can be found on the web in PDF format at,
transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2016/db0729/DA-16-864A1.pdf
.

On May 26, ARRL told the FCC that it 'strongly supports' Expert's
petition seeking to eliminate the Amateur Service rule, spelled out
in Part 97.317(a)(2), that amateur amplifiers not be able to boost
the RF input signal by more than 15 dB.

Comments on Expert's waiver request are due by August 29, reply
comments by September 13.