We are slowly getting organized. We have been flooded with personal emails
and phone calls and appreciate all of the comments and suggestions. We
are certainly open for inputs and right now the feeling is we need to unite
and attack this in two ways:
1. Provide inputs for the ARRL's Band Plan. The priority is inputs
for the ARRL as that is under a time schedule and we have two weeks
remaining
2. The other avenue is education. Here are the proposed pieces:
a. Develop a white paper on both the engineering and deployment flaws
of Winlink and other automated digital packet robots. We have a two page
draft but its need inputs from experts who can make it technically correct
and polish it up.
b. Develop a white paper on potential interference from RM-11708 and
why it needs to be sandboxed into its own sub band. This needs development
from the ground up.
c. Develop a short white paper documenting the percent of automated
packet users versus legacy SSB, CW and RTTY modes. There was a post to the
reflector from a KH6 as I recall that had some numbers. That needs to be
documented with supporting data and published.
d. Develop a Power Point presentation along the lines of "Spectral
Defense - Dangers from Within". There we talk about the bottom end of 40
meters that's shared between CW, RTTY and SSB and talk about the
interference to the FT5 DX-Expedition by unattended packet. Then follow up
a view of the spreadsheet shows the "mine field" of unattended packet
stations that are there and just waiting to QRM you. Other slides would
discuss the bending of the rules / legality, Spectrum grab, IARU concerns
about automated robot spectrum grab, a slide from a Emergency Coordinator
that rejected Winlink for his two Texas counties due to speed, and the
request for 15% of the spectrum band.
e. We also need a 5 minute u-tube video demonstrating Winlink showing
that it takes 5 minutes of actual air time to transmit a simple one line
message.
After the education content is complete, we need help from everyone on this
reflector to share the educational information with ARRL officials, other
reflectors, clubs and anyone who will listen. I have requested a slot to
do a presentation at the Central Texas DX and Contest Club and also plan do
a presentation at the Temple Amateur Radio Club. I am scheduled for a 30
minute talk at HamComm hamfest in Dallas on N1MM Contesting Software and
I'll certainly hijack a few minutes out of that talk to discuss the above
content and concerns and how folks can help.
In the last few days, there has been daily calls with John Stratton - ARRL
Vice Director West Gulf Division. The information is also being passed to
our Director. With the proper content we can start a education program with
all league officials expressing all of our concerns. We have good data,
we have the majority we just need to organize and get the word out.
We need volunteers to help on the white papers. I have someone in mind
that not only has superior technical skills but is also well respected
both at ARRL HQ and across the world. I sure hope he volunteers.
There are a few ideas that we consider nuclear options that are definitely
off the table for now. There are other thoughts and ideas are coming in
that are very useful. Thanks for all of the inputs.
Terry AB5K
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