[CQ-Contest] CW or SSB FCC says neither.

[Pete Smith]

At 11:35 PM 8/4/02 -0400, Bill Coleman wrote:
>On 7/19/02 8:22, Pete Smith at n4zr at contesting.com wrote:
>
> >The only trouble is that there are only 5 Commissioners, who could decide
> >to change a lot of things we find important (like abolishing CW
> >subbands).
>
>There ARE NO CW subbands on HF. There are a few narrow CW-only subbands
>on VHF, but not on HF.
>
>CW is permitted everywhere, and there are no indications it will be
>prohibited.
>
>I really get annoyed at this suggestion that any regulatory change is
>couched in the framework of somehow eliminating CW subbands, when such
>subbands do not exist.
>
> >The bottom line, to me, is that it doesn't have to be either-or -- CW can
> >remain, just like sailboats in an age of jet aircraft...
>
>More like Piper Cubs in the age of jet aircraft.

I think Bill missed my point, probably because I could have put that more 
precisely.  There are no CW sub-bands, but the phone sub-bands protect CW 
from phone QRM.  I worry that the FCC will succumb to pressure to expand 
the phone sub-bands to cover more and more spectrum now effectively set 
aside for CW and digital modes.  Digital devotees should realize that the 
existing phone sub-bands now protect them, too.

As for metaphors, I still prefer sailing, because while CW may be 
Piper-Cub-slow, it's also sailboat-like-fun.


73, Pete N4ZR

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