Symbol Rate FCC Petition

> Symbol Rate - FCC Petition 11708 - At the January Board of Directors
> meeting, the FCC Petition 11708 dealing with elimination of symbol
> rates was discussed and a set of Frequently Asked Questions was
> established.  To view FAQs go to: http://www.arrl.org/rm-11708-faq
>
> Questions and comments on the Petition may be directed to ARRL CEO
> David Sumner, K1ZZ at: dsumner@arrl.org

"The petition proposes to substitute a bandwidth limit of 2.8 kHz for the symbol rate limits - why 2.8 kHz and not some other figure?- It accommodates the digital data modes that are now in widespread use while limiting future development to the bandwidth of an SSB transceiver."

>

Sorry but that's not progress.  Limiting our future looking activities based on 1980 hardware and 1999 software..   :(

It's like blocking iPhones today because they don't have a rotary dial...

We should simply:

  1.  Limit all 'computer' data activities like this to what's currently listed as the unattended data band segment.

  2. Double (at least) the unattended data band segments.  That's still a small portion of our spectrum.

  3. Remove any limits on the data bandwidth operations.   If it fits in the unattended data band segment use it.

Thus the data users will not be impeded by artificial restrictions. The human operators will be spared the current ongoing interference from computer modes.   Everybody wins and we can actually use existing and future technology to do cool things.

> How would you define 'computer' data activities in regulatory text?

While I'm sure a real regulation would require far more thought, how about something like this...

Sending a brag file from a key press - that's a human operation.

A PBBS login where the computer responds to the connect request - that's a computer activity.  Anything that isn't initiated by the live user (at both ends) would be computer activity.