Keith,
While ROS is not legal on HF it still is not legal on 6 or 2 meters here in the
states, it is legal on 1.25cm and above. Please see Part 97.305 it clearly
states where spread spectrum is authorized.
This issue has been hashed out on numerous threads and I wouldn't want to put
my
license on the line for this software.
73, Chuck AC5PW
________________________________
From: n4zq <n...@yahoo.com>
To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, August 24, 2010 8:16:19 AM
Subject: [digitalradio] Anyone For 6 Meter ROS ??
Here is a response I got from Dan Henderson, N1ND, ARRL Regulatory Information
Manager about the legality of ROS here in the states. My question was very
simple. Is ROS a legal mode under FCC rules and if not, what would it take to
make it so. Here is what Dan had to say.
From: dhender...@arrl.org
To: n...@hotmail.com
Keith
ROS is a spread spectrum technique. FCC rules allow Spread Spectrum above 50
MHz. It is not currently legal on the HF bands in the US. There has been quite
a
controversy about ROS since it was introduced. The original documentation from
the developer clearly stated it was SS which was confirmed by the FCC. When the
developer was notified SS was not legal in the US below 30 MHz, he changed his
documentation then posted a forged email claiming it was from the FCC and that
they had changed their opinion. Long story short, it uses a frequency hopping
SS
technique, regardless of what the author later claimed when the controversy
erupted. This was verified by FCC engineers in their labs. Yes, it is a narrow
bandwidth SS technique but it is still SS.
The FCC would have to change Part 97 in order for it to be allowed on the HF
bands in the US. They would either have to amend the rules to allow SS on all
amateur bands (something that would probably be strongly opposed because many
SS
techniques are far wider than this mode and would create major problems on the
relatively small HF band allocations) or they would have to specifically
approve
it for use. That is something that they have not been inclined to do because
they do not wish to be constantly adding individual modes as they are
developed.
They provide a broad framework in the rules for what is allowed or prohibited
and the mode either meets those criteria or it doesn't.
73
Dan Henderson, N1ND
ARRL Regulatory Information Manager
So it is what it is and I wouldn't look forward to being able to use it on HF
any time soon here in the good old USA. But it might be a great weak signal
mode
on 6 meters in this very late E season. Anyone up to beaconing on 50.295 or
144.160 MHz, the frequencies suggested within the program? I'll be on 6
myself...
Keith N4ZQ
