[VHFcontesting] FROM THE LIST ADMINISTRATOR - Re: Spectrum Issues

[Eugene Zimmerman]

A few weeks ago Les N1LF raised aquestion about spectrum usage on this
reflector: could we amateurs trade spectrum security and a Federal override
of CC&Rs in return for giving our entire microwave frequency allocations to
the broadband providers that the current newspaper articles say are in
serious need of massive amounts of new microwave space. While this is an
important question it is only marginally appropriate for a VHF contesting
reflector and is much more appropriate for a general purpose weak signal
reflector like Stanford. It deals with commercial spectrum issues, serious
political details, business issues and is appropriate for THIS reflector
only because all of our large VHF contests are scored like microwave
contests and if there are no microwave bands it would make a huge difference
in the scoring.
 
The discussion has beaten this subject into the ground and completely
dominated this reflector for more than a few weeks with the minor exception
of discussion whether 222 or 1296 ought to be the next band for a 50/144/432
station - a subject that has also been discussed in great detail several
times in the past but is directly relevant to VHF Contesting. The posts now
are dealing primarily with the political issues over which we have ZERO
control and worse, many seem to believe that politicians can and would
guarantee an end to CC&Rs and no further raids of our frequencies in
exchange for our microwave frequencies. For those who believe this to be the
case I have a bridge I would like to sell you - it runs between the Boroughs
of Manhatten and Brooklyn. In any case the spectrum discussion no longer is
germane to a VHF Contesting Reflector. 
 
Many appear to think that the ARRL is impotent and uses protection of our
freqencies to raise money which is then uses for other purposes. It is
possible to complain about the ARRL in many respects but the job they do on
spectrum defense is truly amazing. We have lost nothing below 30 MHz since
the CB days while we have gained the WARC bands. In the face of unending
pressure on our microwave allocations we have maintained our own. IMHO the
ARRL CEO Dave Sumner K1ZZ has few peers in the area of spectrum defense,
nationally or internationally. It is just because the ARRL fights tooth and
nail that we still have the frequencies that we do. Even in the face of
entreanched interests like BPL with the full backing of the Executive Branch
the ARRL has prevailed by showing the technology to be flawed and a massive
spectrum polluter. So read N0AX' recent post again and be thankful that the
ARRL is as effective as it is in this area.
 
Gentleman (and ladies) we have the VHF SS coming up in less than two weeks.
There has been almost nothing on this Reflector about this contest. We have
other issues - wintertime is traditionally when we think and act about
improving our VHF stations so that they will work better during the warm
weather. So let us now stop talking about spectrum issues. No further posts
on spectrum issues will be accepted for the time being.
 
--Gene W3ZZ
List Administrator