[Lowfer] Last Chance on 136 kHz Rulemaking

[JD]

Good points, Craig, although I don't have good feelings about emphasizing 
the terrorism angle too much.  Some of the commenters have done that 
already, perhaps in ways that do not reflect well on our own intentions for 
the band.  If you noticed, UTC has quoted some comments from the last 
proceeding in 2003 as evidence that hams want PLCs shut down entirely.  As 
much as I agree they have been abusing their special status for decades, and 
as much as I agree there are better alternatives to which they should begin 
converting, we know the Commission is fearful of tampering with the power 
companies' ultra-privileged position precisely because of the risk to the 
grid.  They have grown too dependent on this technology over too long a 
time, and it will take time to wean them from it.

It's odd to me how they praise it as the most reliable and least expensive 
communication tool available, on one hand, so nobody should ask them to 
change a thing they're doing--while at the same time, they claim it's so 
vulnerable to interference and so expensive to re-engineer, that the very 
people who could help them police the LF band should be exluded from 
operating there.

John