(Note: This is the last of the motions for July that I have been working on.)

A member presented an idea for both attracting younger people to amateur radio and encouraging existing Technicians to learn and upgrade involving giving Digital privileges on HF bands to Technicians (they already have full digital privileges on 10m). From his idea, I created the below motion. The idea is similar to the Novice bands of years ago: provide a place where Technicians can experience digital communications in a limited manner and form the desire to have access to more privileges, therefore upgrading and expanding their knowledge and abilities.

If the change involved giving access to centers of existing digital communications there would be no reason to upgrade, thus unique subbands are created. Just as the Novices and Technicians of years past listened to all of the great DX lurking just out of reach of their license privileges, the Technicians or today and the future would see the multitude of DX and special event stations in the General and higher bands. Their equipment would already be capable of operating in the General and Extra subbands as soon as they upgrade their license.

On 6/25 I sent an email out to my Division asking for members to vote yes or no on “Create a 10 KHz Technician Digital Subband with a limit of 200 watts in the 80m, 40m, and 15m bands. Digital modes would be limited to RTTY and PSK. The subbands would be 3.600-3.610 KHz (moving the bottom of the Extra phone band to 3.610 KHz), 7.115-7.125 KHz, and 21.190-21.200 KHz. “

I have received 388 (65%) YES votes and 209 (35%) NO votes. (Note: 20 of the yes votes were sent to the “no” address and were generally in favor, but took exception to the 80m portion and/or the power limit.) Most of the No votes that contained comments were along the lines don’t give anybody anything; make them work for it—possibly missing that the proposal is aimed at encouraging growth of the hobby.

The 10 KHz subband size was chosen as all of the transmissions will be limited bandwidth and vast bandwidth is available by simply upgrading to General. The idea is to create a place where the ember can be ignited, not merely turn existing Technicians loose on the HF digital modes. The idea is also to impact existing operations as minimally as possible.

Limiting the modes to RTTY and PSK was done as those are arguably the most common modes. Again the idea is to expose Technicians to digital operation, not give them full privileges.

The 200 watt power limit mirrors the existing CW power limit for Novices and Technicians (and 10m Technician digital/phone limit). Since few radios put out 200w, it could be reduced to 100w. Some commenters suggested 25w, 50w, or 75w as 25w or less is the typical power used by PSK operators.

Carving 10KHz out of the 80m Extra phone allocation was chosen as the FCC significantly narrowed the cw/digital subband to 3500-3600 some years ago. The 3600-3610 segment is not heavily used and there is a substantial amount of spectrum reserved for Extra/Advanced phone in that band (3600-3800), whereas there is a limited amount of cw/digital space.

Doug

K4AC

Motion

WHEREAS digital communications modes are a significant part of both amateur and non-amateur communications; and

WHEREAS Technician class licensees already enjoy digital privileges on ten meters and above; and

WHEREAS ten meter propagation is highly variable and will diminish as the sunspot cycle fades; and

WHEREAS communicating via text messages is a preferred medium by today’s youth and there is great similarity with amateur digital communications; and

WHEREAS allowing limited HF digital operations to encourage both existing and future Technician class licensees to expand their knowledge and skills, eventually leading to their upgrading to higher class licensees with greater knowledge and skills, is desirable for the amateur radio service;

THEREFORE the ARRL Board of Directors directs staff to prepare and submit a petition to the FCC requesting the following rule changes:

Create a 10 KHz Technician Digital Subband with a limit of 200 watts in the 80m, 40m, and 15m bands. Digital modes would be limited to RTTY and PSK. The subbands would be 3.600-3.610 KHz (moving the bottom of the Extra phone band to 3.610 KHz), 7.115-7.125 KHz, and 21.190-21.200 KHz.