FCC Declines Request to Extend Comment Period on Shortwave Modernization Petition

A request by the Shortwave Modernization Coalition (SMC) for the FCC to amend its rules to allow fixed, long-distance, non-voice communications above 2 MHz and below 25 MHz has drawn a lot of interest, with 800 comments from observers being filed in the last 30 days. The proposal has drawn concerns from advocates for amateur radio.

However, the FCC decided not to extend the comment filing docket deadline, even after several groups requested it do so. Comments for RM-11953 were due July 31. Reply comments are welcome until Aug. 15.  The proposal has drawn concerns from advocates for amateur radio.

The FCC’s Office of Managing Director in June asked for comments on the SMC proposal. It seeks to use multiple bands within the high frequency 2-25 MHz range for the transmission of time-sensitive data from fixed stations. The proposal would prohibit voice transmission and mobile operations. While the proposal excludes amateur bands, high power operations on immediately adjacent spectrum allocated to the Amateur Radio Service are being proposed.

The firms that make up the coalition are “market makers and liquidity providers” for exchanged-traded financial instruments. The high-frequency trading industry has been using the shortwave links for several years using experimental licenses granted by the FCC to send trading data between U.S. and foreign exchanges. The industry has often relied on fiber and other technologies for long-distance, passive market making, according to experts.

Read more – Radio World: