ORIGINAL: Sport_Pilot
Refresh away, but I quoted the exact FCC Rule and it is crystal clear. We are not, and never have been, primary users of our slice of the 72MH spectrum.
No you did not quote the part of the FCC explaining primary and secondary, that is prossibly in the definitions section. I presently do not have time to search for that.
The AMA fought to get those 72 Mhz frequencies. Nobody but the FCC controls them. The FCC allowed them to run the gold sticker program to get people moved into the frequencies. So they have some clout, but not control.
I don't think the article said you could not have great range over water. It was that the range would be reduced or non existant, especially over water, in areaswhere there is large interference from other users, both RC and non RC.
From Part 95.207d:
(d) Your R/C station must stop transmitting if it interferes with:
(1) Authorized radio operations in the 72–76 MHz band; or
(2) Television reception on TV Channels 4 or 5.
Our RC equipment takes second place to not only authorized (i.e. licensed) commercial remote control equipment like cranes but also TV channels 4 and 5. I used to fly at a site that we thought was in the sticks but had a few farm houses nearby. They actually complained to the channel 4 station about interference.