Dear David, I echo all of the sentiments below. I think that in retrospect, it was a huge mistake to take away so much CW spectrum from the General Class CW operators on 80m.
I also want to STRONGLY OPPOSE expansion of WINLINK / PACTOR and any other UNATTENDED digital mode operations on our HF bands! They cause QRM and are a nuisance no matter what is done to claim that they have been cleaned up! Many of my ham friends and I confess to having missed the April 2015 QST article and your It Seems to Us page in the September 2015 issue. These articles discuss proposed changes to accommodate digital modes, while eliminating or reducing extra class phone privileges on 80 meters. Many of us have now been awakened to the ARRL´s conclusions and the proposed recommendations to its executive committee, and to the FCC. And while the door may be closed to the initial polling (only 1,000 respondents), we nevertheless feel the need for clarification, and if necessary an appeal for a reconsideration of these ARRL´s proposals. First, this may be simply a matter of clarification. I read, and then re-read both the September and April articles several times. I can find no assurance that the proposal would provide that the remaining 3650-3700 phone segment will be retained for the exclusive use of Amateur Extra Class licensees. While this may be merely an oversight, the absence of this assurance seems suspicious. A clear statement in your recap like "while the extra class phone exclusivity will be reduced by 50 kHz, the 3650-3700 segment will be protected for the exclusive use of holders of Amateur Extra Class licensees," would have eliminated much anxiety. Would you please clarify this via email and through QST as soon as possible. Next, many of us earned extra class licenses through hard work and devotion to the hobby. I earned mine shortly after incentive licensing was introduced in the 1970s. Incentive licensing is, in my opinion, one of the ARRL´s most significant initiatives. I was very proud to be awarded my new license, the extra band operating privileges, and the right to request special call signs. Many of us I am sure had the feeling that we were in the top of the class! Today of course, some of these hard earned "extras" have either disappeared or made available to a broader base of hams without that extra effort. Then there is the dropping of the 20 WPM code requirement, and the code requirement completely, etc., which further eroded the merit-based/privilege system that incentive licensing had launched. Moreover, remember that many of us are in our 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and so on, and we continually hear about the erosion of our other hard-earned rights in other areas of life (Social Security, Medicare, Veteran´s benefits, etc.). My recent posting to the qrz.com posting on this subject Friday rapidly became a popular topic. And discussions on nets to which I belong and among club members proved that many extras class licensees were totally unaware of these proposals. I have also received an extraordinary number of private emails since Friday questioning the ARRL´s motives, and the protection of our operating privileges. So David, would you kindly send your reply to me (via email) as soon as possible addressing the above points? Please address these specific questions: 1. Is it true that the ARRL proposal will protect exclusive Amateur Extra Class 80 meter phone frequencies (either 3650-3750, or even 3650-3700) and thus add that specific language to this proposal? And if not, why not? 2. Will you reopen this issue for further input now that a wider audience has had the time to become informed? (As of noon today, Sunday, there have been nearly 12,000 views on the qrz.com forum.) 3. When is the ARRL Executive Committee supposed to take this matter up, and where do we find a listing of the members of this committee? Thank you for your time, David. And thank you for the many fine things you and the ARRL do for our hobby. Respectfully, 73, Brian Carling, Af4K _______________________________________________ Boatanchors mailing list Boatanchors@puck.nether.net https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/boatanchors
