Topband: RM-11305
David Sinclair
k3ky at radioprism.com
Sat Jan 14 11:21:38 EST 2006
(Quote, N7UA)
Let me speculate a little. The FCC is not infatuated with ham radio.
We make it difficult to give power companys and other business interests
what they want. Enforcement issues take time and resources, which the
FCC is short on right now. It's easy: with fewer regulations there is
less to enforce, workload goes down. That's the benign neglect theory.
I also have a more sinister hypothesis...
The FCC wants ham radio to die. By relegating it to a series of band
(segments) filled with chaos, it creates a situation which invites
radical change later. It also diminishes the hobby further and
discourages anyone who participates. Ham radio spectrum becomes just
another group of CB like frequencies.
Just like good fences make good neighbors, definitive band/mode
allocations make for good communications. This is fundamentally not
what the FCC wants for the future of Ham Radio. Bob, N7UA
Regretfully, I think that Bob is fairly close to the mark. We have
few friends in the FCC these days. That is partly of our own making,
partly the work of business interests who would be just as happy to
see amateur radio wither on the vine. That does not bode well for a
free and vital society, either in the US or the world at large.
The contentious code/no-code debates were damaging to ham unity and
have hurt our bargaining power as a group with FCC and others.
So has the BPL controversy. We're probably viewed as obstructionist.
I believe RM-11305 would indeed create chaos and greatly hasten the
demise of CW operations on our bands. I have little faith in the good
behavior of *all* fellow hams. That's what it would take to make this
proposal work. Phone would very likely soon expand to occupy entire
bands, even if a majority were willing to observe voluntary band
plans and 'live and let live'.
Anyone who values their ability to work CW on the bands should
object strenuously to RM-11305. But sadly, it may be a little too
late to stop this one. David K3KY
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