9 Years ago, Gary K4AAQ and Jeff AC4ZO (SK) did a HamRadioNow episode titled My Stupid Plan for 60 Meters. That was 12 years after we got those 5 ‘channels’ on 60, and the ARRL was noodling about a plan hatched at the 2015 World Radio Conference to create an actual band at 60. Turns out Gary’s plan really was stupid, but the show was a lot of fun.

Well, it’s 2023, and we’re back… our Episode 477: 60 for 60 detailed the current state of RM-11785, the FCC’s dithering proposal for maybe a little 15 kHz wide band (with a 9 Watt power limit 😮), but maybe not. That proposal was supposed to be out for 60 days of public comments after it was published on the Federal Register web site… where it has yet to appear, best we can tell. However, the place where you make comments, the ECFS (Electronic Comment Filing System) is still accepting comments left over from the first round of RM-11785, back in 2017. Gary filed his Express comments – his Genius Plan – and one other person also filed comments.

That ‘one other person’ turned out to be Janis Carson AB2RA, a 77 year old YL from upstate New York. Janis was first licensed in 1959, and while she is into boat anchors (aka ‘new equipment from when she was first licensed’), she is also right up to date on today’s technology, and everything in between. And she keeps current with the FCC, too, often filing comments on RMs and NPRMs.

With both David W0DHG and Jim NO1PC bowing out for other activities, Gary and Janis spend a couple of quality hours talking about the 60 meter proposals, and lots of other stuff.

LINKS:

• HRN’s 60 meter Playlist

  • We’ve done a few shows about 60 meters over the years.

• Comments that Janis has filed on other current topics:

  • https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/105030620228022/1

  • https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10430521230708/1

• The FCC’s ECFS page for RM-11785, with old comments from 2017, the new NPRM, and Janis’ and Gary’s current comments.