[CQ-Contest] [RTTY] I just have to ask

[W0MU Mike Fatchett]

My problem has been the emails received where the beacon people would like
me to believe those frequencies are theirs which is not correct.  They have
no more right to use a frequency than any other licensed operator.

14100.00 nor any other frequency used by the beacon network is protected.
If the FCC would like to step in and create protected frequencies great.
That has not happened.  

When a group tries to take a frequency and tells me I can't use it or a kc
on either side then we  have a problem.  The beacons don't ever own the
frequency.  They use a very finite band segment for automated hf operations.
They are a shared user just like the rest of us.  QRM happens to all of us.





"A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may
never get over." Ben Franklin
-----Original Message-----
From: J. Edward (Ed) Muns [mailto:w0yk at msn.com] 
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 9:44 AM
To: 'W0MU Mike Fatchett'
Cc: cq-contest at contesting.com; rtty at contesting.com
Subject: RE: [RTTY] I just have to ask

> Would using the beacon system to check propagation put you into the 
> assisted category?

No, because listening to the Beacon System or WWV solar conditions is not
directly finding potential QSOs for you.

(Let's not start another heated thread about the Assisted vs. Non-Assisted
categories, hi!)

> I am all for the beacon network.  What I don't like is the apparent 
> feeling of ownership of the frequencies by the beacon operators.  If 
> someone can point me to the exact waivers and rulings by the FCC 
> giving anyone exclusive right to the beacon frequencies I would 
> appreciate it.

The Beacon System doesn't own the frequencies they occupy (all the time).
OTOH, many of us greatly appreciate their presence and make use of the
propagation information provided.  If the beacon service weren't seen as
broadly valuable, it would probably be QRM'd more.  My hope is that we work
together to keep the Beacon frequencies clear because we choose to do so.

Ed - W0YK