Thanks, Chris.

The comments file on this proposal include the record of an interesting exchange between the FCC and the Free Software Foundation   In it, the FCC states, “In 2014, 47CFR15.407 was updated to include rules that would require manufacturers to put in place mechanisms that would restrict a user’s ability to control or modify the software that controls the radio.”   Do we know – or can we find out – whether that 2014 rule change went through the public exposure and comment process?  It would seem that, as far as U-NII devices, that’s when the alleged damage was actually done.  If it did not go through the NPRM process at that time, that may explain why interested users (and, perhaps, some manufacturers) are only now learning about the limitations that Mesh ops find concerning.  If it did not go through the NPRM process at that time, should it have?

73,

Marty N6VI

From: arrl-odv [mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org] On Behalf Of Chris Imlay
Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2015 3:20 AM
To: Brian Mileshosky
Cc: arrl-odv
Subject: [arrl-odv:24714] Re: Draft agenda for October 3 EC Meeting

It seems to me that the issue that the EC will address on Saturday is whether the new rules actually change the situation now with respect to modifying network equipment. It is not at all clear that they do. However, there is obviously confusion about the rules on this subject and we have dealt with it before in the SDR docket. The rule with respect to modifying amateur equipment is old and was created precisely to deal with linear amplifiers and doesn't address the widespread concern Marty and others raise. I think it likely that the EC will decide to address flexibility in commercial equipment modification by radio amateurs for their own use in the comments due a week from tomorrow.

73, Chris W3KD