Transmitting soundings without checking for activity on the frequency,
or by not sounding if there is activity, is an AUTOMATIC operation. Do
you deny that soundings that cover many frequencies in a short time are
not transmitted without ALWAYS listening first! That would be hard to
believe!
Is the HFlink proposal a frequency grab? Well if it results in any
expansion of frequencies for automatically controlled digital stations
by taking space already in frequent use by other activities, of course
it is an attempted "frequency grab". It would give ALE ops more
frequencies to legally transmit signals as wide as 2700 Hz without
having to listen first - in other words, sounding or high-speed
messaging. There has always been limited interest in high-speed
messaging on the HF bands, because they are used mostly for
person-to-person communications, DXing, contesting, ragchewing, etc., so
THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION in giving up person-to-person communications
for a very poor (relatively slow speed) radio emulation of email or
texting over the Internet. This IS the 21st century and, except for a
very few individuals, higher speed communications than over the HF bands
is available to almost everyone. Ham radio is a HOBBY activity, with
occasional public service during emergencies, and even then, most
communication is by voice over repeaters, with a scattering of long
distance relays. Even after the Haiti earthquake, there were few HF
emcomm activites, but temporary repeaters were rushed in to handle most
of the messages. We need to preserve our HOBBY and not let it be taken
away by a few who try to tell us we are antiquated just because we do
not think high-speed communications should displace communications at
the speed of a QSO.
Lets compare the HF link proposal with the FCC part 97.221 current
allocations for automatically controlled digital stations over 500 Hz in
bandwidth:
HFlink: 3575-3625 (2700) ALL MODES, FAST DIGIMODES, AUTOMATIC = 50 kHz
FCC: 3585-3600 KHz = 15 kHz
HFlink: 7050-7060 (2700) ALL MODES, FAST DIGIMODES, AUTOMATIC = 10 kHz
FCC: 7.100-7.105 = 5 kHz
HFlink: 7100-7125 (2700) ALL MODES, FAST DIGIMODES, AUTOMATIC = 25 kHz
HFlink: 10125-10150 (2700) ALL MODES,DIGIMODES,FAST DIGIMODES,AUTOMATIC
= 25 kHz FCC: 10.140-10.150 = 10 kHz
HFlink: 14090-14099.5 (2700) ALL MODES, FAST DIGIMODES, AUTOMATIC = 9.5
kHz FCC: 14.0950-14.0995 = 4.5 kHz
HFlink:14100.5-14125 (2700) ALL MODES, FAST DIGIMODES, AUTOMATIC = 24.5
kHz FCC: 14.1005-14.112 = 17 kHz
HFlink:18095-18109.5 (2700) ALL MODES,DIGIMODES,FAST DIGIMODES,AUTOMATIC
= 14 kHz FCC: 18.105- 18.110 5 kHz
HFlink: 21090-21149.5 (2700) ALL MODES, FAST DIGIMODES, AUTOMATIC = 59.5
kHz FCC: 21.090-21.100 = 10 kHz
HFlink: 24920-24929.5 (2700) ALL MODES, FAST DIGIMODES, AUTOMATIC = 9.5
kHz FCC: 24.925-24.930 = 5 kHz
HFlink: 28120-28199.5 (2700) ALL MODES, FAST DIGIMODES, AUTOMATIC = 79.5
kHz FCC: 28.120-28.189 = 69 kHz
HFlink: 28200.5-28300 (2700) BEACONS, ALL MODES, AUTOMATIC = 99.5
HFlink: 28990-29300 (6000) ALL MODES, FM, AM, SSB, DIGI, AUTOMATIC = 310 kHz
HFlink: 29510-29700 (6000) FM, REPEATERS, ALL MODES, AUTOMATIC = 190 kHz
If the HFlink idea is for ARRL to support the HFlink proposal for IARU
Region 2, and then petition the FCC for new rules to align the bands
with the proposal, a huge additional amount of spectrum used by
non-automatic stations (ragchewing, DXing, contesting, etc.) could
become covered with both Winlink and ALE messaging robots that do not
listen first. Is that what you want to see happen!
I have submitted my opposition. If you agree to give up more space for
robot messaging stations, then do nothing. If you do not agree, then you
should send in your comments without delay!
ARRL will continue to read comments past the announced "deadline", just
as the FCC often does, so just submit your comments, regardless of the
announced deadline, but do it NOW!
Remember that HFlink is not alone in wanting more space to avoid QRM of
their own kind, but Winlink wants it also, and that would be the most
serious consequence. HFlink has a history of also supporting expansion
of frequencies for automatically controlled digital stations which would
benefit less than 1% of the ham population at the expense of everyone
else using the bands.
The sunspots are returning, and if you think the bands are not crowded
now, just wait! They soon will be, and you would wish for that space back!
73, Skip KH6TY
Alan Barrow wrote:
> This is little more than a "frequency grab" by Bonnie that would
benefit the HF-ALE group, I feel, the most.
OK, so I have to ask.... how would it benefit HFLink????
- HFLink already has well established centers of activity in the current
bandplan
- ALE by definition does not lead to frequency "spreading". If anything,
it concentrates activity onto specific frequencies.
So if magically "passed" (unlikely), virtually nothing would change for
HFLink operations.
The only exception to this would be that we would now have a US bandplan
that aligns with a more reasonable international one, which is not the
case now. But it would not increase ALE operations at all, nor change
current centers of activity unless forced to by the new plan.
So tell me again how this benefits ALE ops????? How would it be a
"frequency grab"??????
