Florida Amateur Digital Communication Association
Promoting packet radio in the State of Florida


Mail Address:
L. E. "bud" Thompson
1131 Abady Court
Deltona, FL 32725


FLORIDA AMATEUR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION, INC.
Non High Frequency Digital Coordination Policy Statement
As revised 4-27-96


1. The American Radio Relay League supports regional frequency coordination
efforts by amateur groups. These "gentlemen's agreements" provide for
good amateur operating practice.

2. The Florida Repeater Council, Inc, (FRC) is the ARRL recognized amateur
frequency coordinating body for the state of Florida.

3. By means of an agreement between FRC and the Florida Amateur Digital
Communications Association (FADCA), the FRC protects groups of frequencies
for digital modes, and has delegated to FADCA the task of coordinating
digital systems within these groups of frequencies.

4. FADCA provides frequency coordination and interference resolution services
to all Florida digital operators, FADCA members and non-members alike.

5. Coordinations issued by FADCA shall be in accordance with the Florida
Digital Spectrum Utilization Plan as approved by FRC, and in effect at the
time of coordination.

6. Should a situation arise where a FRC and FADCA coordination are in
conflict, the FRC shall have ultimate jurisdiction and authority in the
matter.

7. The types of fixed amateur transmitting systems in those amateur band
segments in which such system is authorized by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) coordinated by FADCA are:
a. Network NODES
b. Full Service Bulletin Board systems
c. DX Packetcluster nodes
d. Other devices used to communicate through the transmission of
digital signals, except CW and those used for radio control
purposes

8. Devices which could ordinarily be considered network devices, but which do
not also include coordinations for backbone frequencies will not be
coordinated for any frequency. These switches, nodes, digi's, etc. are
considered ancillary devices within a LAN and operate at the pleasure of
the coordination holder for that domain.

9. The holder of record of a FADCA coordination must be a person who holds a
valid license under the Amateur Radio Service Part 97 of the Federal
Communications Rules and Regulations, and who serves as owner,
owner/trustee, or trustee of the coordinated device. Said person shall be
designated by FADCA as the "licensee." Said licensee's callsign will
identify that device on the air, except when such device is a club station
identifying with the club's call sign, in which case the trustee of the
club station is the licensee. All requests for coordination, or changes
in ownership, trusteeship, or specifications must be submitted in writing
over the signature of the aforementioned licensee. The frequency
coordination document shall be addressed to and mailed to this licensee.
In the case of a group owned device all requests for changes by the
licensee must be affirmed and certified in writing by the ownership group.

10. The concept of coordination zones is relevant only to LAN frequencies.
FADCA currently maintains an 85 mile co-channel zone. In some
coordination situations FADCA may require the operator to agree to
antenna height restrictions, antenna pattern restrictions, ERP
limitations, or all of the above. An alternative to arbitrary separation
distances exists when it can be shown that somewhat shorter separation
distances will provide satisfactory interference-free operation. This
alternative will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and will also
include consideration of antenna heights, signal pattern, and ERP of all
devices geographically involved. The success or failure of such
operation will be determined experimentally on a trial basis after
issuing a conditional coordination to the applicant. If the experimental
operation produces acceptable interference-free operation, the
conditional coordination will be upgraded to full coordination; if not,
the conditional coordination will be rescinded.

11. The proper operation of the digital network requires that some devices
occupy the same frequency in the same approximate geographic location as
other devices. Coordination policy therefore reflects the fact that nodes
and bbses need to operate on the same frequency within a domain and that
nodes must be able to communicate with other nodes.

12. If any changes are made to a coordinated device installation, such as
antenna height, location, ERP, FADCA must be notified in writing within 30
days after the change. In some cases, such as moving a device more than a
mile or so, re-coordination may be required.

13. Because of the ever changing state of the art and overall network changes
as the network itself grows, coordinations for backbone frequencies are
subject to annual review and change.

14. When either the licensee or owner of a coordinated device changes, FADCA,
if requested, will re-coordinate the frequency to the new licensee or
owner, providing there have been no modifications to the technical or
geographical coordination specifications. If modified coordination
specifications are proposed, they must be compatible with the current
FADCA coordination policy. In no event, however, shall FADCA guarantee
the new licensee access to the existing coordination. In cases where the
new licensee or owner cannot be re-coordinated, the existing coordination
will revert to the original licensee with the existing coordination speci-
fications, or else return to FADCA and be made available for re-issue.

15. The following information must be submitted to FADCA on a FADCA
Coordination Application form before coordination can be issued:
a. Specific Frequencies desired
b. Proposed location: city, latitude and longitude. Latitude and
longitude must be stated in standard form for indicating
geographical coordinates in degrees and minutes.
c. Name of licensee/trustee, callsign, mailing address, and both
home and work telephone numbers.
d. If not the licensee, name and address of owner (single owner, or
group of owners), callsign, if any, mailing address and both home
and work telephone numbers.
e. Proposed antenna height and ERP.
f. Proposed Signal Pattern.

16. All new coordinations are valid for 60 days from the date of issue.
Consequently, a newly coordinated device must be in operation within 60
days of the coordination date. Failing this, the frequency, which may
have been issued, will revert back to FADCA for re-issue.

17. FADCA will not honor any request for an UNLISTED frequency. It is the
policy of FADCA to furnish to the ARRL all coordinated frequencies for
publication on the ARRL Repeater Directory, except as noted in paragraph
19. This policy assists in maintaining the integrity of the Digital
Spectrum Utilization Plan.

18. The following information will be published in the Repeater Directory:
Operating frequencies, type, location, callsign, sponsor and features.
All other information will be held strictly CONFIDENTIAL.

19. A requirement for listing devices in the ARRL Repeater Directory is the
submission of an annual status and data report, to allow FADCA to maintain
an accurate and up to date Data Base. To qualify for the Directory
listing the report must be received by the FADCA Data Base Manager no
later then November 15 of any year to meet the Directory publication
deadline.

20. FADCA policy regarding interference between devices is as follows:
a. If an uncoordinated device causes harmful interference to a
coordinated device, the primary responsibility for correcting the
interference rests with the operator of the uncoordinated device.
b. If both systems are coordinated, FADCA will determine who bears
the primary responsibility for correcting the interference.
c. If a system operator changes the location, antenna height,
antenna pattern, ERP, or other parameters of his system in a
manner which causes harmful interference to other devices, that
device operator bears the primary responsibility for correcting
the interference, and possibly becomes subject to the
requirements for re-coordination. (See Par 12)

21. FADCA reserves the right to de-coordinate a device under the following
conditions:
a. If a system is ordered permanently shut down by the FCC for any
reason.
b. If the operator of a system consistently violates good
engineering practice by transmitting with excessive deviation
(ie.: in excess of accepted standards for the band in which the
device is operating), with spurious emissions, or so far off
frequency as to cause harmful interference, and does not attempt
in good faith to correct the problem within a reasonable time
when approached by FADCA.
c. When it has been determined by means of research that a device
has been inactive for a period of 60 days without submitting a
satisfactory explanation for the inactivity to FADCA, and when,
in addition, a prospective applicant for that frequency has
activated a device on that frequency for at least 60 days with
FADCA permission with no response from the holder of the
coordination of that frequency, then, if the applicant for that
frequency meets all other requirements for a coordination, that
frequency will be issued to him.

d. If a device is inoperative for more than 90 days, the
coordination is automatically withdrawn. No individual or owner
group is allowed to hold a frequency for future use.
e. Any device that has not submitted a status update report within
the last three years is subject to immediate de-coordination. If
mail sent to the latest address appearing in the FADCA Data Base
is returned undeliverable, and if the date of that address
appearing in the data base is three or more years old, the
coordination shall be deleted immediately on the date the mail is
returned.

22. All known cases of apparent malicious interference will be forwarded to
the FCC Field Office with jurisdiction over the area in which the source
of the interference is located.

23. If either the address or phone number of the trustee/owner is changed for
any reason, such as moving to a new location, FADCA must be notified in
writing within 14 days. In addition, if a coordination is abandoned for
any reason, such as moving away, FADCA must be notified within 14 days of
the abandonment.

24. A 60 day extension of time may be granted for time specific policy items
where an acceptable explanation shows that a reasonable effort is being
made to put the system into operation. The request for such an extension
must be in writing and state the reasons therefore.

25. All devices in operation on the date of this document are "grandfathered"
as coordinated by filing a complete annual report within one year of the
date of this policy statement.

26. Definitions:
a. Network - A network is a group of interconnected devices for the
purpose of moving communication from one point therein to
another.
b. LAN (local area network) frequency - This is the RF frequency,
which is the network entry point for users. It is also defined
to be the user frequency for bulletin boards, DX packetclusters,
and other unattended digital devices.
c. Backbone frequency - This is the RF frequency or group of
frequencies used for network interconnect purposes by network
devices. These frequencies are on bands other than the two meter
band.
d. NODE - This is a network device consisting of more than one
transmitter. It provides network access to users via a radio on
the LAN frequency, and provides for interconnection between LANs
through links to one or more other nodes via one or more other
backbone frequencies used for that purpose. The term NODE
includes ROSE Switches, THENET NODES, and any and all other
devices which perform based upon this functional definition.
e. Full Service Bulletin Board (BBS) - This is a store and forward
computer system providing bbs services to users on a LAN
frequency which forwards to other bbs systems employing one or
more backbone frequencies.
f. DX Packetcluster Node - This is a radio / computer system
utilizing the packetcluster (c) software which provides DX and
other information to users on a LAN frequency which forwards to
other DX packetcluster nodes employing one or more backbone
frequencies. The operating nature of these devices follow those
of a network node more closely than that of a bbs. The
statements relating to nodes shall be considered to also apply to
these systems.

27. Any decision of the Frequency Coordinator which is contested can and
should be appealed to the full Board of Directors.