[QCWA] It's official... we are secondary.

[THOMAS WEBB]

Yes.  I agree.  If they formally change the Part 15 rules, we don't have much of an argument.

ARRL has tried their best.  They have had a relationship of mutual respect with the FCC for years, and didn't hesitate to defend our interests when necessary.  No one can fault ARRL.

I for one will complain to my representatives to Congress.  It seems the FCC has turned into a "bully."  

73, Tom  W4YOK


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: W1EOF 
  To: Discussion of QCWA 
  Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2004 6:54 PM
  Subject: RE: [QCWA] It's official... we are secondary.


  Tom - Make no mistake about it: In this and other notices the FCC is telling
  us that they are re-deinfining what "Part 15 interference" is. They are
  telling us that since we are strictly a "hobby" our concerns can be pushed
  aside. To me this is a VERY bad precedent. Whathappens next, when a
  commercial interest wants 40m?

  I really believe we have to make our voice heard. We have to let all our
  representatives know that the current leadership at FCC is changing the
  definitions of the rules that have stood for over 70 years.

  They tried the same thing with commercial TV and Radio obscenity standards
  earlier this year. A bunch of people/organiztaions squawked and they backed
  off. Then they did some knee-jerk fining of a few individuals to show all of
  us that "they are doing something."

  73,

  Mark W1EOF

  > -----Original Message-----
  > From: THOMAS WEBB [mailto:sam9lives at msn.com]
  > Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2004 4:56 PM
  > To: w1eof at hamnutz.com; Discussion of QCWA
  > Subject: Re: [QCWA] It's official... we are secondary.
  >
  >
  > FCC is ignoring their own Part 15 rules, which require unlicensed
  > transmitters to not cause interference to existing services.
  >
  > Forgive me for being cynical, but this doesn't smell good.  Could
  > it be possible that some of the public servants at FCC are taking
  > bribes from BPL interests?  That sort of thing isn't exactly
  > unknown in Washington.
  >
  > I wrote a letter to QST suggesting this.  I doubt that it will see print.
  >
  > Tom Webb  W4YOK
  >
  >   ----- Original Message -----
  >   From: W1EOF
  >   To: Discussion of QCWA
  >   Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2004 3:21 PM
  >   Subject: [QCWA] It's official... we are secondary.
  >
  >
  >   >From this week's ARRL Letter...
  >
  >    The entire statement is on the ARRL website for your inspection.
  >
  >    I thought this part indicates the attitude of the FCC, and
  > also indicates
  >   how seriously they'll take any BPL complaints.  I quote in part:
  >
  >   ______________________________________________________________________
  >
  >
  >   BPL operators would be required to avoid certain bands, such as
  > those used
  >   for life and safety communications by aeronautical mobile or US Coast
  >   Guard stations. The FCC R&O makes clear, however, that similar
  > rules will
  >   not apply to the Amateur Service.
  >
  >   "We similarly do not find that Amateur Radio frequencies warrant the
  >   special protection afforded frequencies reserved for international
  >   aeronautical and maritime safety operations," the Commission
  > said. "While
  >   we recognize that amateurs may on occasion assist in providing emergency
  >   communications," the FCC added. It described typical amateur
  > operations as
  >   "routine communications and hobby activities."
  >
  >   Although some cases of harmful interference may be possible from BPL
  >   emissions at levels up to Part 15 limits, the FCC said, "we agree with
  >   NTIA [National Telecommunications and Information
  > Administration] that the
  >   benefits of Access BPL service warrant acceptance of a small and
  >   manageable degree of interference risk." The Commission
  > reiterated in the
  >   R&O its belief that BPL's public benefits "are sufficiently
  > important and
  >   significant so as to outweigh the limited potential for
  > increased harmful
  >   interference that may arise."
  >
  >   ______________________________________________________________________
  >
  >
  >   Ok.  It's about as official as it gets: we're a "routine hobby",
  >   that MAY on OCCASION ASSIST in providing emergency communications. For
  >   the first time in history we are being told we have secondary status
  >   on our bands.
  >
  >   We really need to do EVERYTHING possible to clear-up this misunderstand
  >   and not let it stand. Our privledges on the bands are being attacked,
  >   and the government organization that was charged to protecting them
  >   for us is telling us that we are "secondary users." I understand it
  >   can be discourging but we really cannot stand by and watch this happen.
  >   Write letters - emails - calls to all your representatives. Join your
  >   local ARES/RACES/SATERN group and participate as best you can.
  >
  >   I know we all have busy lives but this is a pivotal point in history.
  >
  >   73,
  >
  >   Mark W1EOF
  >   _______________________________________________
  >   QCWA mailing list
  >   QCWA at mailman.qth.net
  >   http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa
  > _______________________________________________
  > QCWA mailing list
  > QCWA at mailman.qth.net
  > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa
  >
  >

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