Anybody know what this is about?

[W1QWT]

I saw in the Executive committee minutes the following:

5.5. An application has been filed for Special Temporary Authority for a single amateur station operated by a member of the ARRL HSMM Working Group to experiment with data and image transmission of up to 200 kHz bandwidth in the band 50.3-50.8 MHz.

I operate on 50.4 Mhz AM or there abouts with friends every Saturday night and wonder if anyone knows what this is about so I can determine its impact on us. What is the HSMM working group?
WIll this station be in CT. ? SHouldn't they do this type of stuff in the Non Voice segment of 50.6 to 50.8?

Regards
Q

[Art]

"A survey conducted by the ARRL Technology Task Force, of League members and other amateurs revealed that the number one interest in new technologies was in high-speed digital networks. Some suggestions were:

High-speed data links (up to 20 Mbit/s)
Ethernet at 2 Mbit/s on 10 GHz using Sofan Gunplexers
Encourage development of a high-speed amateur digital network
High-speed digital audio/video

In January 2001, the ARRL Board of Directors voted unanimously that the ARRL should proceed with the development of High Speed Digital Networks for the Amateur Service. The ARRL President was to appoint a group of individuals knowledgeable in the field from the international Amateur community and industry. The group would report to the Technology Task Force.

This charter encourages the use of spread spectrum modes of communications such as IEEE 802.11b on amateur radio frequencies bringing a new meaning to the term "radio relay." Today an individual can obtain an amateur radio license with a straight forward written test and no Morse Code required. Then they can use spread spectrum modes such as IEEE 802.11b under Part 97 rules and connect their "access point" to any antenna they prefer. "

I guess its possible the ARRL failed to consider you as a user of the spectrum in question in accord with traditional band plans or . . . did consider you and have decided this is more important . . .

[Art]

High-Speed Digital Networks and Multimedia aka HSMM
"Vision
As development progresses, the amateur radio high-speed digital system could have the following key characteristics:

The system should be capable of multiple transmission rates of at least 56 kilobits per second (kbit/s), for example: 128 kbit/s (which is the most common video conferencing rate) and 384 kbit/s (which provides good quality video and audio), 384 to 2 Mbit/s (which can produce broadcast quality video).

Bandwidths should be selected for overall spectrum efficiency. For example a 384-kbit/s transmission rate could be accommodated within a 442-kHz bandwidth using GMSK modulation (K = 1.15). Higher order modulations could be used but by sacrificing signal-to- noise ratio. The system should promote maximum spectrum reuse.

Amateur bands above 420 MHz should be used, particularly those in the range 1240 MHz - 47.2 GHz.

The system should support multimedia modes of voice, data (including messaging, telemetry, telecommand and geolocation beyond Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS), and images (still and video).

Interconnection to the Internet, amateur radio packet, voice and amateur television (ATV) repeaters should be accommodated.

Half- and full-duplex modes and multipoint (including roundtable) operation should be supported.

Some attention will be paid to content to attract newcomers and keep people interested. For example, the system could display a Web page type of screen.

Latency (delay) should be minimized so that users see the system as responsive. Low latency also facilitates, and is necessary for, full-duplex communication.

There should be multiple access to the frequencies, such as packet radio, to obviate constant occupancy such as full-time streaming video.

Terrestrial relays (including multimedia repeaters) and amateur satellites should form the network.

To keep user costs as low as possible, designs should take advantage of widely available technologies, consumer electronics devices, chip sets such as audio/video DSP encoders/decoders, cable modems and existing protocols.

For economies of scale and interoperability (via satellite), the system should have a high degree of interchange and commonality between the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. "


It appears 50MHz has been grouped into the "Amateur bands above 420 MHz should be used, particularly those in the range 1240 MHz - 47.2 GHz." range . . . or, the ARRL is talking one talk and walking another .
. . again.
-ap

[Art]

Hey Phil . . . you are always more articulate and legal than me . . . would you drop an email to Riley on this? . . . or give me some of your well considered terminology and I will do so . .  . .

[2ZE]

I normally don't stick my nose in these, but I have a question Art. Why would you want to e-mail Riley on this?
Riley is enforcement, not regulatory. The ARRL is asking for an STA. If the league gets a grant, and they cause interference, then contact Riley, because then the FCC will pull the STA.
Just wondering?

Mike

[Tom WA3KLR]

There was a topic back in February that dealt with this subject of High Speed Multi-Media, the next regulatory change submission(s) in the works by the ARRL.

The topic was titled "ARRL= SECRET RADIO".  Here is the link to the first page:

http://amfone.net/Amforum/index.php?topic=7014.0

Read the whole thread please.

[Tom WA3KLR]

Update on changes the ARRL is working on for spread spectrum and HSMM coming about inch by inch -

An excerpt from the ARRL board MINUTES OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, Number 479,
St. Louis, Missouri -- March 11, 2006 :

"4. A draft petition prepared by Mr. Imlay in response to Minute 50 of the January 2006 Board Meeting was reviewed. The petition seeks amendment of §97.311(d) of the FCC Rules concerning spread spectrum emissions. On motion of Mr. Day, the General Counsel was authorized to file the petition with the FCC."

Minute 50 excerpted from the January 2006 Board Meeting minutes:

"50. On motion of Mr. Bodson, seconded by Mr. Vallio, it was VOTED that the ARRL Executive Vice President and Legal Counsel are directed to prepare a petition for submission to the Federal Communications Commission to delete paragraph 97.311(d) of the FCC rules concerning spread spectrum emissions with the exception of the first sentence, "The transmitter power must not exceed 100 W under any circumstances." This petition shall be submitted to the Executive Committee for approval at their first meeting in 2006 and filed as soon as possible thereafter with the FCC. "

An ARRL petition for allowing encrypted transmission is yet to come.

Below is a one page pdf from CFR Part 97 containing Section 97.311(d).
What the ARRL is asking for is to be able to run 100 Watts SS regardless of reported link S/N ratio.  The present rule requires stations running more than 1 Watt SS to take the S/N into account for transmitted power. ( Cell phone transmitter power follows this system of adjusting power, which is necessary for good reception of many CDMA signals at the same time on the same channel.) :

[Art]

"I normally don't stick my nose in these, but I have a question Art. Why would you want to e-mail Riley on this?
Riley is enforcement, not regulatory. The ARRL is asking for an STA. If the league gets a grant, and they cause interference, then contact Riley, because then the FCC will pull the STA.
Just wondering?"

Good points. I assumed that by the time we get the news the situation has gone beyond blocking the grant by conventional methods. However, the regulatory process does include touching base with enforcement to get their read and possibly a veto due to potential for interference. From an enforcement perspective, notifying Riley is a heads up relating to interference that will occur to people using 50.4. When the complaints come in there will be less investigation/identification required.

-ap