[RTTY] Digital Operators Band Plan Committee - Current thoughts and status

[Don W5FKX]

With my apologies for any inaccuracies in my recommendations, given the lack of any leadership from ARRL, here is my final submission of comments to the Band Planning Committee:

My displeasure with the manner in which ARRL handled this whole issue of bandwidth vs. symbol rate has been expressed previously.  The confusion about it that now exists within the ham community is indicative of the lack of proper vetting and discussion with the membership.  Perhaps some lessons were learned from that debacle, and this is what led the ARRL BOD to form a Band Planning Committee which, unlike the committee that formulated RM-11708, is asking for member input! Under the presumption that ARRL will not ask for a recall of RM-11708 and that the FCC will proceed with enactment, here are my recommendations to the Band Planning Committee:

 

1)  Because of the limited frequency span of the WARC bands (12, 17, & 30 meters), there should be no change in current allocations of segments by bandwidth, no digital modes of greater than 300Hz, and no auto-enabled transmissions of any type should be allowed.

 

2) Signal bandwidth modes exceeding 300 Hz, including auto-enabled transmissions for forwarding messages (digital/voice/SSTV), should be restricted to these portions of the 10, 15, 20, 40, 80/75, & 160 meter bands:

 

            29.000-29.300, 21.350-21.400; 14.300-14.350; 7.250-7.300; 3.875-3.900; 1.950-2.000 

 

3) All auto-enabled transmissions for forwarding messages (digital/voice/SSTV) should be required to use a CW identifier at the beginning and end of each transmission.

 

4) The lower 100 kHz of  the 10, 15, 20, 40, 80/75 meter bands should be allocated to the narrow band (<300 Hz) digital modes as follows:

 

            a) lower 70 kHz for CW only; however, CW should be allowed  throughout the bands;

 

b) 30 kHz above the CW portions for narrow-band digital modes: RTTY, PSK, JT65, etc.

 

5) On the 160 meter band, the lower 10 kHz should be allocated for narrow-band digital modes such as RTTY, PSK, JT65, etc.; and the next 30 kHz should be primarily for traditional CW.

 

6) Finally, all digital modes should use open-source software so that access to interpretive programs is cost-free to all.

 

Having been licensed and active for 60y, I have seen and enjoyed new technology in this hobby and certainly do not want to oppose development in the future; however, this should not be at the expense of current modes enjoyed by many.  The recommendations herein would be closely aligned with band-mode allocations of IARU Region 2, especially for emergency coordination activities.

 

73,

Don Boudreau, W5FKX