On 8/29/2010 2:12 PM, k4cjx wrote:
BTW, it wasn't "winlink" that wanted anything, it was the ARRL who
wrote the proposal. There were flaws in it, but it was headed in the
proper direction. it will return as we move toward a digital future.
Steve, k4cjx, aaa9ac
Let's not try to distort history. The "ARRL" was essentially taken over
by Winlink, in this instance. when the proposal was written
http://www.zerobeat.net/bandplan-dissent.html so it was really Winlink's
proposal, not the ARRL's proposal, and was roundly rejected by both
phone band hams and digital operators, and rightfully so. As so many
have complained, the bandwidth of ROS is hugely inappropriate for the
digital portions of the bands, for what it can accomplish in comparison
to much more narrow modes, and even lacks the basic busy detector which
would allow it to share the frequencies with other stations, just as
Winlink stations lack, and often do battle among themselves, for a
frequency instead of sharing it on a first-come-first serve basis.
As far as the phone bands being opened to digital operations is
concerned, there is still lacking a practical means to cross-communicate
between phone and digital in order to effect frequency sharing. This is
a major reason that there must continue to be legal separation between
digital operators and phone in order to protect the phone bands from
being dominated by digital operations, and until phone operators and
digital operators can cross-communicate and cooperatively share
frequencies, it is probably going to stay that way.
Our limited ham bands must be shared by all interests and do not exist
just for the convenience and pleasure of a minority that does not
subscribe to, or practice, frequency sharing. We are fortunate to have
REGULATIONS in this country, instead of merely bandplans (which are only
recommendations), to prevent the dominance of the bands from a few who
refuse to adopt frequency sharing practices or technologies. If you do
not live under FCC jurisdiction, you also need to be thankful for the
same reguations that have protected you also, as radio waves often obey
no international boundaries.
73, Skip KH6TY
