[AMRadio] How can we rid the HF bands of AM ?

[Geoff]

Donald Chester wrote:

>
>
>> I was reading though the recent freebie copy of World Radio News 
>> today, and
>> someone had written in asking how "we could rid the HF bands of AM" !!!
>> They didn't publish the call of who asked the question.   The issue 
>> is at my
>> office now, so I can't provide the page number, but it's in one of 
>> the "ask
>> your question" sections.
>
>
> In WorldRadio (the west coast ham radio rag published on newsprint), 
> John B. Johnston, W3BE, retired chief of the Rulemaking Division of 
> the Private Radio Bureau of the FCC that used to be in charge of ham 
> radio rulemaking matters, publishes a monthly column on RULES & REGS.  
> The column is basically Q-A format, with Johnston sometimes inserting 
> his own comments as a "W3BE-O-GRAM."
>
> Many readers of this forum will recall that Mr. Johnston seemed to 
> pursue a consistently anti-AM policy throughout the 20+ years he was 
> involved with FCC rulemaking.  He first gained notoriety within the AM 
> community when he advocated eliminating AM, in the guise of 
> "deregulation," under the mid-1970's bandwidth proposal in Docket 
> 20777 (not unlike the proposal that ARRL is currently discussing).  
> Later, he was a strong defender of the 1990 AM power reduction, and 
> typcially replied to objections from the amateur community by putting 
> a spin on his response in such a manner to totally evade whatever 
> issue was brought up.
>
> In the June 2005 column most of the Q-A's are about Field Day and who 
> can and cannot operate a given licensee's station, but here's the one 
> Mark was referring to:
>
> Q: How can we rid our HF bands of AM?
>
> A. That would require an amendment to Section 97.3(c)(5), at least.
>
> W3BE-O-GRAM: That would be much harder done than said.
>

So, W3BE is speaking of experience, as one who tried himself to rid the
bands of AM.

Interesting.  Have to remember that call...

W3BE      USA
JOHN B JOHNSTON
17701 BOWIE MILL RD
DERWOOD MD 20855

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73