Since there's no edition of The ARRL Letter this week, we are issuing this special bulletin regarding this issue of high interest to the amateur community. Thanks and Season's Greetings.--Rick Lindquist, N1RL

The FCC has postponed for one year, until January 1, 1998, the date for hams to comply with its new RF-exposure regulations. The ARRL was among those requesting the delay this fall. The League said that the additional time was needed for the FCC to draft implementation guidelines that amateurs could use to help them comply with the regulations--released on August 1, 1996 as ET Docket 93-62. Among other things, the regulations would require hams running 50 W PEP or more to conduct "routine RF radiation evaluations" to determine if RF fields were sufficient to cause human exposure to RF radiation levels in excess of those specified in the proposed regulations. The ARRL also has asked the FCC to reconsider the 50-W threshold, but the FCC report (DC 96-112) extending the compliance deadline did not address that issue.

The FCC announcement--which the ARRL obtained just before noon on Christmas Eve--noted that more time would be needed for affected licensees to determine that they comply with the new requirements. The extension also will allow required changes to Amateur Radio operator examinations to be made at the time other, routine revisions are made between now and July 1, 1998. In announcing the extension, the FCC said it disagreed with those petitioners who suggested that the time extension "will have significant adverse effects on public health."

Since the FCC announced the RF-exposure regulations, the ARRL has worked with technically knowledgeable volunteers to assist the staff, the RF Safety Committee and the FCC in coming up with a workable ham radio approach toward RF safety. ARRL Laboratory Supervisor Ed Hare, KA1CV--the ARRL HQ liaison to the ARRL RF Safety Committee--has spearheaded the ARRL's effort. "The ARRL is very pleased that the FCC extended the compliance date," Hare said. "As all parties involved tried to fully understand the new requirements, it soon became obvious that neither the FCC nor the ham radio community was ready for the January 1, 1997, implementation deadline."

Hare said the delay will give both the FCC and hams more time to better understand the implications of the rules and will give hams an opportunity to evaluate their stations as the regulations will require (see "The FCC's New RF-Exposure Regulations," QST, Jan 1997, p 47).

The entire text of Report DC 96-112 may be found on ARRLWeb at http://www.arrl.org/fcc/dc96-112.html (or click on What's New or RF Safety News). See Happenings in February QST for additional information.

And, to all, a good night!