[AMRadio] IARU Reg.2 MF/HF Bandplan

[Mike Sawyer]

Here is my response to the main players in the band plan proposal. You will 
note I still show the same amount of disdain for a certain radio 
dis-organization in it that I do here and on the AMFone.net board. Also, no 
'Mod-U-Lator' at the end.
Mod-U-Lator,
Mike(y)
W3SLK
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Mike Sawyer
To: LPrice at iaru.org ; dsumner at arrl.org ; W4RI at arrl.org
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2007 9:00 AM
Subject: IARU Reg.2 MF/HF Bandplan


Gentlemen,

My name is Mike Sawyer, W3SLK and I'm writing in response to the IARU Reg. 2 
Band plan which was proposed in September 2007 and scheduled to go into 
effect January 2008. First a little information about myself, I’m not a 
radio engineer, nor am I associated with any commercial communications 
group. Nor am I a member of the A.R.R.(gghh)L. I have been involved with 
amateur radio since about 1974 and celebrate it as the reason for my 
employment in the electronics field.
    By now you have probably been inundated with numerous emails and 
communications regarding the band plan. It is not my intention to rehash 
what has been previously been stated but to ask three simple questions.

    Question#1: Why wasn't there any survey or input from amateur radio 
operators in the U.S. since the bandwidth proposals where requested by 
A.R.R.(gghh)L. representatives? Since the (be)League(d) only represents 
20~25% of licensed amateurs in the U.S. and represents all of them at the 
IARU Reg. 2.

    Question#2: Why was the following paragraph that was present in the 1998 
bandwidth proposal omitted from the 2008 proposal?
".....These band plans are voluntary and as such cannot legally be enforced, 
except in some countries in which the band plans are written into the 
national regulations. The vast majority of amateurs in all countries do 
conform to the IARU band plans and it is in our own interest that it should 
continue to be this way. The plans are prepared in a democratic way with 
input from any
country's member society. The plans are discussed, modified and voted upon 
at IARU Regional General Assemblies with each country (large or small) 
having only one vote. If an individual or group is not satisfied with the 
band plans as they are and has a suggestion for improvement then he should 
submit it, with as much documentation as possible, to his IARU member
society......"

    Question#3: If these will not effect our operation and are purely 
voluntary, why put so much time, effort, travel, and money into establishing 
them? If we are to keep operating the way we are now, we (U.S. amateurs) 
will not be the vast majority that conform!

    You will have noticed that I hold nothing but contempt and cynicism for 
the A.R.R.(gghh)L. Due to issues like F.C.C. Petition RM-11306, it has 
hardened my stance against the (be)League(d). Also having been employed in 
different venues of electronics, I am wise to the notion of "Incremental 
Change." I think I speak for my brethren/sisters of the amateur radio 
community when I paraphrase a quote from the poet Dylan Thomas: "We will not 
go gently into that good night!"

Sincerely,
Mike Sawyer
W3SLK