[RTTY] ARRL Board Meeting - Approved modified HF band plan changes

[Ron Kolarik]

One thing overlooked so far in the discussion is Novices/Techs already 
have RTTY/digital
privileges on 10m, where are they? It's the easiest and least expensive 
HF band to get on
and play. When I was first licensed, Tech (pre-Tech+), we were limited 
to 28.1 to 28.2.
My primary interest was weak signal experimenting at 6m and up then 
someone gave me
a Heathkit TU so 10m RTTY got some attention. With the limits I had on 
10m I managed to
work my first DXCC and won my section RTTY a few times then things got 
strange.....
DX I couldn't work below 28.1 netted an Extra so no limits on 10m or any 
other band for
that matter the antennas and radios followed. The whole point is Novices 
and Techs CAN
play digital IF they want to. One director sold the Tech enhancement to 
the board but why?

The FCC recently shot down a petition for expanded FM privileges
on 10m for Techs here's part of the denial from ARRL news
10/21/2013
"Further, the FCC pointed out that the current licensing structure was 
developed “with the expressed desire of the amateur
community to provide an incentive, ie, additional frequency privileges, 
to motivate Amateur Radio operators to advance their
communication and technical skills.” The FCC noted that it increased 
Technician privileges in 2006 to include Novice and
Technician Plus privileges. “A Technician class licensee can upgrade to 
a General class operator license and receive
significantly more frequency privileges (including those at issue here) 
by answering correctly a minimum of twenty-six
questions on a thirty-five question written examination,” the FCC said. 
TMRA, the Commission concluded, had submitted
no evidence that the FCC should depart from its “long-standing policy of 
providing additional frequency privileges as an
incentive” for license advancement.

TMRA had asserted that amending §97.301(e) of Part 97 would extend 
Technician voice privileges on 10 meters to “coincide
with today’s technical advancement of the Amateur Radio Service.”

What about the new band plan? It looks like the FCC told the ARRL to 
show them something before they rule on RM-11708.
The FCC has already killed more recent petitions but nothing on 
RM-11708? The new band plan has some things in it that
won't go over too well with the ACDS crowd and also specifically 
mentions digi modes up to 2.7kHz wide. I don't know how
they expect the ACDS guys to follow a _voluntary_ band plan when they 
violate _rules_ on a daily basis.

Ron
K0IDT