Topband: strange propagation

[Louis Parascondola]

Thanks Tom  and to add to that this is what I received from Ray just a few minutes ago




Stations are not licensed, individuals are, all ops on RHR are the control operator. Its no different than I going to your station in person and operating using my call sign, the FCC views the remote technology as a long microphone cord. Furthermore, the ARRL has looked into the legality and published in QST http://www.remotehamradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/RHR-ARRL-REVIEW.pdf







-----Original Message-----
From: Tom W8JI <w8ji at w8ji.com>
To: Louis Parascondola <gudguyham at aol.com>; topband <topband at contesting.com>
Sent: Fri, Jan 15, 2016 8:00 am
Subject: Re: Topband: strange propagation

>I can't be 100% sure but I think this will all wash down to the fact that 
>stations are no longer licensed and the control operator is fully 
>responsible.  And I do believe that is the case.  RHR has lawyers on 
>retainer and I'm sure this has been legally looked at.  I can get the 
>ruling they go by.
>

This all comes up every time with this subject. I don't know why people have 
such a difficult time remembering it. Like politics today, we can't let 
facts get in the way of hyperbole. It is also more fashionable to hate and 
complain than offer any viable solution. It is always all about the insults 
instead of solutions..

Starting way back about 35 years ago, we no longer had station licenses. We 
no longer had to sign mobile, tell the FCC where we were at if out of local 
district, and no longer had to sign portable. Station licenses were gone as 
long as we were in the continental USA.  The license is with the control op.

About the same time, location or station for DXCC also changed and did not 
matter. DXCC went with the call, not the location.

It was also never illegal to make money from property in a station, it was 
only illegal to charge for the service of communication or use 
communications to augment business communications. People have been renting 
stations and equipment for years and years, and people have "made money" 
since the very first copper wire was sold.

The proper way to handle this, if people disagree with the rules, is to work 
to have the rules changed. I would suggest, however, things get thought 
through very carefully. It would be very easy to kill or seriously damage 
the hobby with poor changes.

It seems to me the real problem is people want an award for DXCC 
specifically to how they operate and live, and everyone has to fit that 
criteria.

To me, that makes absolute sense for three tiers.

1.) You cannot use a club station, you cannot move, you cannot phone a 
friend. This would be a STATION and operator DXCC.

2.) DXCC to the station no matter who the op.

3.) DXCC to the no matter what the station. This is what we have now.

Instead of whining like two-year-olds about what the FCC rules are, because 
the FCC will never roll back to making us have specific station locations, 
the real solution is in what the DXCC rules are. The award rules will not be 
changed here, and it is very unlikely the ARRL with yank DXCC's from people 
who have worked DX from more than one location, so the best approach would 
be a new DXCC with all contacts allowed from one location, where it is the 
licensee's station and operating.

73 Tom