[RTTY] 30 meter rtty restrictions

[George Henry]

Not sure what you mean "The dumb ARRL approved it."...  I didn't see anything in that article that referenced PropNet, and the ARRL can't overrule the FCC rules.  The article is basically just a "yeah, the bands are crowded, so let's be a little understanding" piece.  But the fact that PropNet beaconing is NOT a "legitimate activity" on that frequency changes everything.  Furthermore, beacons do not enjoy the same protections as general amateur communications:  97.203(f) requires a beacon to cease operation immediately if notified by an FCC District Director that it is interfering with other amateur operations.  It then may NOT resume operation until approved by the EIC.  There is NO requirement that anybody else accomodate a beacon that is causing interference.

The only reason that PropNet and ALE have gotten away with what they have been doing is because nobody has reported them (or at least, not with supporting facts)

If the PropNet guru doesn't care, e-mail the offender directly.  If he doesn't care, write to Riley.  He WILL act.

George
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: FireBrick 
  To: ka3hsw at earthlink.net 
  Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 6:56 PM
  Subject: Re: [RTTY] 30 meter rtty restrictions


  won't work George
  http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2007/05/01/1/

  The dumb ARRL approved it.

  And besides, the PropNet Guru don't care.

  On 2/4/2008 6:49:22 PM, George Henry (ka3hsw at earthlink.net) wrote:
  > Bill,
  > here's what I would do:  e-mail the PropNet guru whose messages you
  > forwarded to me (thank you) and send him the following message (feel free to
  > copy and paste):
  > 
  > "Dear Sir:
  > 
  > Part 97.3(a)(9) defines a beacon as "An amateur station transmitting
  > communications for the purposes of observation of propagation and reception
  > or other related experimental activities."  PropNet "probes" are clearly
  > beacons, as defined by the FCC.
  > 
  > Part 97.203(d) restricts automatic beacon operation to frequencies above
  > 28.200 MHz, and 97.221(c)(1) restricts automatic control of a digital
  > station to only those stations responding to interrogation by another
  > digital station under local or remote control.  Therefore, the automatic
  > transmission of PropNet "probes" on ANY HF frequency below 28.200 is clearly
  > illegal.
  > 
  > Unless these transmissions cease immediately, I will be forced to file a
  > formal complaint with the FCC."
  > 
  > 
  > And then follow up on the threat if need be.  Make a list of all  the unique
  > US callsigns you see in the left-hand column of the 24-hour listing on the
  > http://www.propnet.org website, and forward it to Rileywith your complaint.
  > He will probably e-mail you back asking you t