From the 10/23/14 edition of the ARRL Letter…
A proposal aired at the July ARRL Board of Directors meeting endorsing additional HF digital privileges for Technicians and referred to the ARRL Executive Committee (EC) for study came in for considerable discussion when the EC met on October 4 in Memphis. The original motion by ARRL Southeastern Division Director Doug Rehman, K4AC, called for a Petition for Rule Making to the FCC seeking digital privileges for Techs on narrow segments of 80, 40, and 15 meters. Rehman’s motion had noted that Technicians already enjoy digital privileges on 10 meters, a band with highly variable propagation that will diminish as the sunspot cycle declines.
After discussing the proposal’s pros and cons, the EC put the ball back into the Board’s court in a modified form: The EC recommended that the Board consider soliciting input from the membership on adding Novice/Technician data privileges within their existing 15 meter subband. In his original proposal, Rehman had pointed out that text messaging, a medium preferred by today’s youth, bears “great similarity with amateur digital communications.”
“This is not a proposal that the Board adopt data privileges for Techs and Novices on 15 meters as an objective, and it is most definitely not an ARRL proposal to the FCC,” stressed ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, a non-voting member of the EC. “That would come later, if at all, after the Board has had an opportunity to weigh membership input.”
So, what say, hams? On the face of it this seems like a good idea to me. If you think so, too, contact your division director.
Walter Underwood K6WRU says
This is a great idea. It would more than double the market for digital modes. Half of US hams are Technicians, but more than half of the first time hams are Techs.
Now if someone could revive the PSK-20 with models for 15 & 40, Techs could get into digital HF cheaply.
CD says
I’ve always thought the 10m privileges for Techs was almost worthless, given its dependence on sunspot cycles and SFI. How would a dead band during a cycle low excite and entice a Tech to upgrade to increase his priveleges? To me, 20m would be the band of choice, considering its activity level and frequent openings.