The AM Forum

Here is the ARRL Executive Committee Report, dated Jan. 17, 2005,  prior to the Board of Directors Meeting in January.
They reviewed the five recommendations for changes to the draft petition that had been adopted by the Committee at its October 16, 2004 meeting.
The first three are a go, the fourth was killed, and the fifth is still up in the air.

They are:
1. A segment for 3-kHz bandwidth (no phone) of 10.135-10.150 MHz to accommodate existing and planned future digital operations.

2. Deletion of the word "continuous" from the description of test transmissions that are authorized on most frequencies above 51 MHz.

3. Simplification of proposed changes to §97.309 to clarify that FCC-licensed amateur stations may use any published digital code as long as other rules are observed.

4. Restoration of the existing rules that permit automatically controlled digital stations in narrow HF subbands.

5. A rule prohibiting so-called semi-automatic digital operation on frequencies where phone is permitted below 28 MHz.

To read the full committee report, go here:
http://www.remote.arrl.org/announce/ec_minutes_475.html

Pete,

The ARRL just doesn't get it. It's as if they are living in a vacuum, with no real feel for what it is like to operate on today's HF ham bands. They have consistently ignored even the most reasonable suggestions in favor of a plan that is so severely tilted and complicated that it just doesn't make sense.

I have made accusations before that what they are doing appears to be the product of hidden agendas because nothing else makes sense. What hidden agendas could they have? It's very simple, their own continued existence!

I know you are a life member and I am glad that I am not because supporting an organization in perpetuity, that refuses to recognize reasonableness, must be a very frustrating experience. You deal with it well and are to be commended.

--Larry W8ER