[GreenKeys] SELCAL today

[Gary Chatters]

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004, Stan Wilson wrote:

[...]
>
> I think we might have an FCC problem, since we can not run beacons on
> the lower HF bands.   A good WRU/SELCAL system might fall under beacon
> rules, Ug...  I think.   Our modern laws can not keep up with the
> technology.
>

It can be useful to actually read the regulations.  The following are my
opinion with the usual disclaimer (IANAL):

- There is no restriction on the bands that can be used for beacons.  The
limitation to 10M and higher only applies to beacons operating with
automatic control.

- Beacons are limited to 100 watts.

- Beacons are for propagation, reception, and other experimental studies.
This would not apply to the WRU/SELCAL net being discussed.  A RTTY beacon
could be useful on low activity bands.

- A RTTY station may use automatic control to respond to an interogation
from another station.  This sounds like the unattended WRU response could
be entirely legal.  The interogating station can not use automatic
control.


73,
Gary