[SixClub] Re: 6M PSK-31 (longish, Rules&Regs)

[mikea]

On Thu, Dec 06, 2007 at 10:53:05AM -0600, donroden at hiwaay.net wrote:
> Joey,
> 
> WHERE is PSK31 legal on SIX  ??

>From the 2006 edition of Part 97, it looks like it's *legal* anywhere
in the band, though the gentlemens' agreements may restrict it a bit.
I thought about summarizing the stuff below, but it's hard to do, so I
just cut-and-pasted it.

97.305:
: 
: VHF:
:     6 m           50.1-51.0 MHz........  MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data.....  (2), (5).
:      Do           51.0-54.0 MHz........  MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data,      (2), (5), (8).

 97.307:

:     (f) The following standards and limitations apply to transmissions 
: on the frequencies specified in Sec. 97.305(c) of this part.
: 
:     (2) No non-phone emission shall exceed the bandwidth of a 
: communications quality phone emission of the same modulation type. The 
: total bandwidth of an independent sideband emission (having B as the 
: first symbol), or a multiplexed image and phone emission, shall not 
: exceed that of a communications quality A3E emission.
: 
:     (5) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified digital 
: code listed in Sec. 97.309(a) of this part may be transmitted. The 
: symbol rate must not exceed 19.6 kilobauds. A RTTY, data or multiplexed 
: emission using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed 
: in Sec. 97.309(b) of this part also may be transmitted. The authorized 
: bandwidth is 20 kHz.
: 
:     (8) A RTTY or data emission having designators with A, B, C, D, E, 
: F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2, 7 or 9 as the second symbol; 
: and D or W as the third symbol is also authorized.

97.309:

:     (a) Where authorized by Sec. Sec. 97.305(c) and 97.307(f) of the 
: part, an amateur station may transmit a RTTY or data emission using the 
: following specified digital codes:
:     (1) The 5-unit, start-stop, International Telegraph Alphabet No. 2,
: code defined in ITU-T Recommendation F.1, Division C (commonly known as 
: ``Baudot'').
:     (2) The 7-unit code specified in ITU-R Recommendations M.476-5 and 
: M.625-3 (commonly known as ``AMTOR'').
:     (3) The 7-unit, International Alphabet No. 5, code defined in IT--T 
: Recommendation T.50 (commonly known as ``ASCII'').
:     (4) An amateur station transmitting a RTTY or data emission using a 
: digital code specified in this paragraph may use any technique whose 
: technical characteristics have been documented publicly, such as CLOVER, 
: G-TOR, or PacTOR, for the purpose of facilitating communications.
: 
:     (b) Where authorized by Sec. Sec. 97.305(c) and 97.307(f) of this 
: part, a station may transmit a RTTY or data emission using an 
: unspecified digital code, except to a station in a country with which 
: the United States does not have an agreement permitting the code to be 
: used. RTTY and data emissions using unspecified digital codes must not 
: be transmitted for the purpose of obscuring the meaning of any 
: communication. When deemed necessary by an EIC to assure compliance with 
: the FCC Rules, a station must:
:     (1) Cease the transmission using the unspecified digital code;
:     (2) Restrict transmissions of any digital code to the extent 
: instructed;
:     (3) Maintain a record, convertible to the original information, of 
: all digital communications transmitted.

>From Part 2.201: 

(First symbol)

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, R: 
  --Double-sideband.................................................   A
  --Independent sidebands...........................................   B
  --Vestigial sideband..............................................   C
 (4) Emission in which the main carrier is amplitude and angle-        D
 modulated either simultaneously or in a pre-established sequence...
  --Frequency modulation............................................   F
  --Phase modulation................................................   G
  --Single-sideband, full carrier...................................   H
  --Single-sideband, suppressed carrier.............................   J
  --Single-sideband, reduced or variable level carrier..............   R

(Second symbol)

 (2) A single channel containing quantized or digital information      1
 without the use of a modulating sub-carrier, excluding time-
 division muliplex..................................................
 (3) A single channel containing quantized or digital information      2
 with the use of a modulating sub-carrier, excluding time-division
 multiplex..........................................................
 (5) Two or more channels containing quantized or digital              7
 information........................................................
 (7) Composite system with one or more channels containing quantized   9
 or digital information, together with one or more channels
 containing analogue information....................................

(Third symbol)

 (1) No information transmitted.....................................   N
 (2) Telegraphy--for aural reception................................   A
 (3) Telegraphy--for automatic reception............................   B
 (4) Facsimile......................................................   C
 (5) Data transmission, telemetry, telecommand......................   D
 (6) Telephony (including sound broadcasting).......................   E
 (7) Television (video).............................................   F
 (8) Combination of the above.......................................   W

> Seems like with narrow SWR beams, everybody would be better served if 
> PSK parked somewhere closer to the national calling freq.
> 
> By close, I mean within a couple of wrist twists.

That's not entirely a bad idea. You may get objections from the phone
folks -- but I doubt they'll be heard if they're made on 6m, the way 
the band has been behaving of late. 

-- 
Mike Andrews, W5EGO
mikea at mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin