State of Maine Seeks Access to 160 MHz Channels

Frustrated by a “lack of support” from the Association of American Railroads (AAR), the State of Maine (Maine) has filed eighteen applications and a waiver request seeking authority to operate trunked land mobile facilities on VHF channels which are exclusively coordinated by the AAR. Maine reports that AAR has indicated in response to repeated requests for concurrence, that it will oppose any request to coordinate VHF channels for public safety use.  Maine has countered that AAR’s rejection of its request for concurrence is “grossly inadequate”, and that there are no Class I railroad operations in the entire state of Maine. EWA may have something to say in this matter when comments are due at the Commission on February 13.  Public Notice