[TVARC] FCC: Time for Your Consideration & Input on 4 Inter-related Proposals About "WinLink" (bandwidth & encryption) [NPRM 16-239, RM-11708, RM-11759 & 17-344]

Sat Dec 29 00:04:47 EST 2018

Hi Members of TVARC's MailList,

Apparently, there's an important bit of rule-making process underway at the
FCC regarding the bandwidth and "secrecy" (encryption) of certain digital
modes (WinLink, in particular) in the Amateur Radio Service.  We should all
become better acquainted with the four (4) inter-related proposals now
pending before the FCC.

After becoming better informed, then you should consider submitting your
input to the FCC (details on how to do that are provided below).
Personally, I don't feel well enough informed about these proposals, to
judge whether I'd be FOR them or AGAINST them.

So, I've embedded below a copy of an email that I recently received from
Tony DeAngelo (N2MFT).  Tony DeAngelo is the President of the "Mid-Florida
DX Association" (MFDXA).  His email included Dan White's (W5DNT) lengthy
text that provides some detail, background, and additional references about
the proposals at issue.  Although Dan is clearly stoking a "call to action"
to oppose these proposals, he's text is still a valuable read regardless of
whether you're in favor, or against, the proposals.  As yet, I don't
pretend to understand much about the issues involved.  So, consult the
resources mentioned in Dan's email,

Since it sounds like those underlying issues are very important for the
future of ham radio as well as our ability to self-police our hobby, I
suggest that we all need to become better acquainted with what's involved
in these complicated, inter-related proposals now before the FCC.  These
four (4) inter-related proposals dealing with the bandwidth & encryption
(secrecy) of certain digital modes (i.e. WinLink) are know in "FCC-speak"
as: NPRM 16-239, RM-11708, RM-11759, and 17-344.

=================================================================
===  E-MAIL from N2MFT with W5DNT's Insightful Call to Action STARTS HERE
===
=================================================================

[MFDXA] FCC NPRM 16-239 Your Help is Needed!
MFDXA email list <mfdxa.n2mft at gmail.com>
2:14 PM (9 hours ago)
to bcc: me

>From a Friend:

  Dear Amateur Radio Friends,

  Please note that there is an intense propaganda based lobbying campaign
happening right now at the FCC that is going unopposed. Over 400 comments
from the Amateur Radio Safety Foundation, Inc./WINLINK crowd are urging the
FCC to widen the bandwidth of obscured (encrypted) data that cannot be
intercepted by the FCC or other hams, even other data operators – by their
own admission – they just want free private, effectively encrypted email :

https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/filings?limit=100&proceedings_name=16-239&sort=date_disseminated,DESC
 .

Amateur Radio Safety Foundation, Inc., ARSFI, is merely a front
organization for WINLINK and boaters that want free encrypted email over HF
ham bands. Their members have openly admitted they are using effectively
encrypted email that even other WINLINKer’s cannot intercept – no one but
the two people in the point-to-point link are able to decipher the
proprietary transmission. Even the FCC cannot intercept the transmission in
ARQ mode, something most hams don’t understand:
https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filing/1222718116209

 ARSFI's campaign was launched after Dr. Ted Rappaport, an internationally
recognized expert on Spectrum Utilization, sent the following comments in
to the FCC, against NPRM 16-239 and RM 11708.
https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1116597429048/FCC%20Letter%20Nov.%2015%202018%2016-239.pdf
 .

 Please support Dr. Rappaport’s astute and insightful, fact based call for
FCC to stop all action on NPRM 16-239 and/or RM 11708, without adoption,
and to first focus on drafting rules that ensure that only open, in the
clear, easily decoded transmissions are used for all amateur
communications, in order to ensure the self-policing and lack of commercial
bypass on the amateur spectrum, as required by Part 97 Rules.

Additionally, Ron Kolarik, K0IDT, has filed a common sense approach to the
problems created by wideband digital operations on HF.
https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/100918881206/PETITION%20FOR%20RULEMAKING.pdf .
In your comments, I would encourage you to also ask that the FCC move to
enact Ron's proposed rulemaking, which would ensure all data is open and
able to be monitored by other hams, as required by Part 97. Ron's proposal
would also limit the "automatically controlled data stations" (HF email
servers) to currently existing data bands, consistent with IARU band
planning,. thus solving the interference issues with narrow band modes such
as CW, RTTY, FT-8, PSK, JT-65, etc..

It is easy to simultaneously file express comments for the four relevant
proceedings on the FCC website. To submit a quick express filing at the
FCC, simply go to:
 https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express , and in the Proceedings field,
type in exactly (without quotes)  "16-239" and select it in the pull down,
then enter “RM-11708” and select it in the pull down, then enter
“RM-11759” and select it in the pull down, and then finally enter “17-344”
and select it in the pull down. Fill in your own name as filer, hit enter,
and then your address and email. You should check the box for email
confirmation. Express filings will not have paragraph and link formatting,
but that's OK, it's quick, easy and gets the information across to the FCC.
Your written comment will go to all four relevant proceedings where ARSFI
is fighting for its spectrum takeover of private email.

Here is a letter I "express filed" at the FCC. Feel free to use or modify
my text.

My name is Dan White and I am a licensed amateur radio operator of 48
years.

 Approval of NPRM 16-239 or RM-11708 would be very troubling to me for
reasons already articulated to the FCC by hundreds of amateurs, as it would
perpetuate not only malicious interference but major Part 97 rule
violations with no ability to monitor traffic and self-police the hobby.

  ARSFI is improperly perpetuating free, private email and internet access,
mixing the boundaries of private email services (Sailmail, Airmail,
WINLINK) and the hobby of amateur radio. Therefore, in short, I fully
support Dr. Rappaport's testimony and recommendations of November 15, 2018,
as shown at
https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1116597429048/FCC%20Letter%20Nov.%2015%202018%2016-239.pdf
 .

Furthermore, I support immediate FCC action for Mr. Kolarik's previously
filed proposal of October 9, 2018, to ensure the amateur radio hobby can
self-police itself, as shown here:
https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/100918881206/PETITION%20FOR%20RULEMAKING.pdf

  Sincerely,
  Dan White
  W5DNT

  Finally, please encourage your friends who care about the future of
amateur radio to file such a brief statement that urges the FCC to stop
NPRM 16-239, etc. and seek common sense solutions such as Ron's proposal.

 Thanks for your consideration in this call to action.

  Happy New Year in 2019 and 73!

Dan
W5DNT

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To unsubscribe from MFDXA list unsubscribe
<MFDXA.N2MFT at gmail.com?subject=UNSUBSCRIBE%20MFDXA%20list>

DO NOT REPLY to this email.

GUD DX

73,
Tony N2MFT, President
Mid Florida DX Association W4FDX
http://www.W4FDX.com/ <http://www.w4fdx.com/>
DXCC/WAS/WAC/VUCC/IARU Card Checker and VE Coordinator
================================================

=================================================================
===  E-MAIL from N2MFT with W5DNT's Insightful Call to Action ENDS HERE  ===
=================================================================

73,
Tony Hackenberg/K4QR
TVARC Member
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/tvarc/attachments/20181229/42f1fabc/attachment-0001.html>