70cm in Jeopardy!

I just got this from the AMSAT mailing list and I thought it was important enough to share...(cross posted to RadioFurs & FurryHams LiveJournal)Sent: Monday, February 21, 2011 10:27:33 AMSubject: 420 MHz in Jeopardy!I received this info from one of the D-STAR groups about the 420 MHz bandand thought I would pass it along.Rick - KA2BSM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Subject: 420 band auction imminent if HR 607 passesI think we need to be aware of this issue, since our repeater system livesthere.This is being done "in order to offset the loss of revenue that would occuras the result of the allocation of the D-Block to Public Safety instead ofcommercial auction". So they are giving away some spectrum that they said they would auction, andwe get to pay the price for it.This bill was introduced by the Horable Peter King, R-NY District #3.Read more about Congresman King's spin on this plan here. http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/ny03_king/bipartlegsdblock.htmlNote that there is NO MENTION of the 420-450 and 450-470 bands in his pressrelease, and they are in a footnote in the bill (oh, by the way, we can makeup the revenue shortfall by auctioning off these frequencies...) So thesebands will be sacrificed to pay for the reallocation of the spectrum thatwas previously cleared by TV Broadcasters for acution in the name of"Homeland Security". The 450 band contains Broadcasting Remote Pickup and Studio to Transmitterlinks along with other coordinated use. 420 to 450 is our 70cm amateurband. ----------------------------------------------------------*Spectrum Management Bill Threatens Amateur Frequencies**On February 10, Representative Peter King (R-NY-3), Chairman of the HouseHomeland Security Committee, introduced HR 607, the **Broadband for FirstResponders Act of 2011**. The bill been referred to the House Energy andCommerce Committee, which handles telecommunications legislation. **HR 607 addresses certain spectrum management issues, including the creationand maintenance of a nationwide Public Safety broadband network. As part ofthat network, the bill provides for the allocation of the so-called"D-Block" of spectrum in the 700 MHz range for Public Safety use.**The D-Block consists of two, 5 megahertz-wide segments of **spectrum(758-763 and 788-793 MHz) that became available when the FCC ended analogtelevision broadcasts in June 2009 and reallocated the 698-806 MHz band forPublic Safety and commercial broadband. It was anticipated that the D-Blockwould be auctioned for commercial use. **There are several bills in Congress providing for the allocation of theD-Block for Public Safety use, and HR 607 is one of those. But HR 607uniquely provides for the reallocation of other spectrum for auction tocommercial users, in order to offset the loss of revenue that would occur asthe result of the allocation of the D-Block to Public Safety instead ofcommercial auction. **HR 607 lists the paired bands of 420-440 MHz and 450-470 MHz among thebands to be reallocated for commercial auction within 10 years of itspassage. *Read morehere< http://www.arrl.org/news/spectrum-management-bill-threatens-amateur-freq... >