I agree that the regulations of which emission types can appear where and at what baud rates has outlived its usefulness and needs to go.
As to all the intricacies and arcana, and why the FCC has gotten so much of it so very wrong, I think that many forum members may be missing the larger message: The FCC just doesn't care that much about amateur radio any more. While I have no inside knowledge, I'd say it's very likely that the FCC believe they have more important (and revenue producing) issues to deal with than amateur radio. It seems like maintaining these regulations is just a nuisance to them. Given the technological advancement in just the past ten years, I'd say it's time for a major overhaul of Part 97. Get it narrowed-down to something that makes sense to reasonable folks and that can be administered by bureaucrats with divided attention. Of course, getting the FCC to DO that given their apparent lack of interest would be quite a chore. Sorry for hijacking the thread yet further. But seeing how the FCC's acted over the past couple of years really makes it clear to me that amateur radio isn't really on their list of important items. Peter K1PGV
