[PVRCNC] Arrl up to their same old digital aggression tricks!

[Ted]

I'm sorry to report that the ARRL wideband data aggression, and internet commerce ambitions, are on full display once again in front of the FCC and the world in the Florence hurricane.

Here they are, publicly pushing for, receiving, and then lauding the FCC's Pactor 4 waiver for hurricane relief---again.
 
This is just like in the Puerto Rico disaster in 2017, where they pushed for a Pactor 4 waiver, but then never once used Pactor 4 after getting such a FCC waiver, despite trying to amass a "force of 50" and after shipping radios for a failed publicity stunt.

The League is simply relentless, and disingenuous, about what they want for the future of amateur radio. 

Their actions, here again, broadcast their aspirations for NPRM wt16-239 from the FCC- a rule change that would allow unlimited bandwidth, wideband email with guaranteed privacy and no interference protections for narrowband operations in all sections of our HF bands. The ARRL and others have moved in and cajoled ITU region 2 to set up Winlink stations in Central America for the first time last month.

This is all part of a not-so-subtle move to obscure HF ham transmissions and enable commerce on our HF bands for use by Winlink as a big, no-cost ionospheric access point in the sky, for boaters to use free internet when sailing around the globe.

Sadly, n6aa Dick Norton, an ARRL director, conveyed to me at Dayton 2018 that he sees boaters using HF for internet email to order occasional boat parts or supplies as a perfectly fine use for ham radio, and he has no concerns whatsoever of Pactor 4 and Winlink being used in HF, because the bands are empty, and Winlink leader Steve Waterman told him there is no problems or concerns!

Shocking and telling to me is that, instead of looking at the thousands of public comments against RM-11708 and FCC's NPRM Wt16-239 that I told him about, N6AA instead doubled down on his position by telling me by email that he polled thousands of hams in Los Angels, and they all believe it's perfectly ok to order a pizza over 2m phone patch- I'm happy to share these emails for public consumption.
> http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-grants-arrl-temporary-waiver-request-to-permit-pactor-4-use-in-hurricane-relief
> 
> Very very telling, and sad to me, to see ARRL's attorney Imlay leading this activity, pounding away before the FCC (he has been the lone ARRL lawyer for many, many decades, isn't licensed in CT, and seems to me to operate alone. I'm told his father- in-law was the ARRL lawyer for decades before him - wow- a single family dynasty representing the league's legal activities for 60+ years!).
> 
> "ARRL’s request proposed limiting the use of PACTOR 4 to radio amateurs in the Continental US who are directly involved with the hurricane relief efforts involving the US mainland. “This request is without prejudice to the resolution of Docket 16-239 [the so-called “symbol rate” proceeding], which is presently pending and addresses the rule section discussed herein,” Imlay added"
> 
> Submitted by K4CJX  WDT

> One can't help wonder -- why Pactor 3 couldn't suffice.

> Well, no need to wonder-- we all know why!


> The ARRL and Winlink/boating community wants to turn the HF spectrum into their free internet access point as they push the  FCC NPRM at every turn, so that all wideband unlimited BW encrypted email can commence.

At the same time, while Winlink has control operator violations and lack of ability to monitor over-the-air transmissions,  the ARRL has voiced its concerns about the super narrow band wspr-x HF transmissions! What horse are they backing!?

Please let your voices be heard in the director elections this year!

New directors in *every* section are vitally needed, NOW, to add transparency and to investigate the current legal representation "dynasty" of the League. 

73 ted N9NB