TopBand: Proposed band plan for 160

[dennis g. peterson]

Hi All;  As I agree with much to what has been said about the newly
proposed thoughts on segmenting TOPBAND; there is one area I totally
disagree with.  That is this:   I don't feel that after 21 years of
operating on 160 as only a General Class operator that the band ( and I'm
not only speaking for myself I'm speaking for those who choose not to speak
as well) should all of a sudden be classed as this portion for Advanced
only, this portion for EXTRA only and the remaining for Generals.  The band
was structured in such a way back then as to accomodate amateurs and as
well as for the Loran.  Today's technology does away with the older
versions and therefore allows more freedom of operation and useage on this
band.  It is indeed UNFORTUNATE that we have people sitting at ARRL
Headquarters fullfilling a post/position supposedly to represent the
majority of the people but it appears as though that too is ludicrous.
I say leave the operator class out of this as it is a band for General
class and above.  Why punish those of us who don't have or hold the higher
licensing class?  TRUE, I suppose we could upgrade if we could find the
time to do so.  That's no ones fault but our own individual problem.  The
fact is, why are some of you so willing to force some of the rest of us out
of the picture by segmenting it only for Extra, Advanced etc.   The
appropriate band plan seems to be and it was suggested several years ago
when I lived on the West coast that the bottom 25-40 Khz be allocated or
segmented to CW Only.   It seemed like a waste of time and it appears as
though today, "WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE IN A POSITION AT ARRL WHO REALLY CARES
ABOUT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THEY ARE REPRESENTING ONLY THE POSITION
THEY HOLD AND THEMSELVES".  
	Talking about it certainly isn't going to get the job done.  It's like the
frequency tables you all are enjoying by requesting it from the webb sight
that was put together back in 1984.  I mentioned one night on the air that
someone should put together a frequency allocations list so we would know
where the other DX Countries are allowed to operate according to their
country Rules and allocations.   Someone else said, "YES DENNIS WHY DON'T
YOU DO IT".   They laughed about it; and to be quite honest it seemed like
a difficult task and uncertain one.   But I'm sure you all can see the
benefits of it TODAY, and it certainly isn't 100% accurate as I get
notifications from time to time of incorrect areas.  But, when you are
furnished with some of the information that you are counting on as being
reliable you go ahead and use it and try to make as complete a set of
operating aids as can be done.  I make mistakes and probably make available
information that isn't checked or validated; however, if I were to wait for
that info there undoubtedly wouldn't have been these tables in the first
place.  From 1984 till now 1997 is 13 years and I don't think that what
there is is too terribly bad.

Mr. Bill/W4ZV  if I've taken up too much bandwidth for this subject which I
personally feel is worthy of discussion here on 160 my humble appologies to
you at this time.  I would like to offer this statement in closing;    We
The People/Amateur Radio Operators in general are of the SILENT MAJORITY
because we don't act or speak our minds in a maner that allows us to be
heard.  Well; let's make that an understatement, and start doing something
about what we want and how we feel towards those who are supposedly
representing us in Newington.  If we can't get results and action from
those in there the Democratic Process Provides us with a means of removing
them and voting someone else in their places who will.   LESS TALK AND MORE
ACTION Equals BETTER RESULTS AND FEWER PROBLEMS.  73S AND Happy DXing de
N7CKDennis   My favorite band is and always will be 160; infact it's
probably the only band I operate on and I don't feel I need to be punished
for band space just because a few seem to feel a need to make more room for
their own personal gain.

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