I don’t like the language, “Because Winlink is being severely criticized for allowing US client and gateway operators to violate US amateur radio third-party traffic rules.” This wording would make one think that they are only complying because they are being criticized for their operators breaking the rules rather than out of genuine interest in complying with the rules as being good part of amateur practice. This may not have been their intention but it came off that way. I can currently run 3kW in my station but I don’t do so because I respect the rules. It’s not because I will be criticized. It’s because I understand and follow the terms of my license privileges and accept them as the condition of being allowed to use the wonderful natural resource that is radio spectrum. This is the mindset that I’ve had that I pass on to others. Do the right thing even when others aren’t watching. However, I do commend them for addressing this issue. 73 Ria N2RJ On Sat, Jul 20, 2019 at 11:44 PM Michael Ritz <w7vo@comcast.net> wrote:
I just received this e-mail. I'm sure of those that have Winlink accounts also received it, but I'm sure there are some on this reflector that are not Winlink users.
It appears they are making an effort to clean up some of the issues.
73; Mike W7VO
---------- Original Message ---------- From: W3QA@winlink.org To: W7UMX@winlink.org, W7USR@winlink.org, W7UWC@winlink.org, totalham_5@msn.com, W7VFD@winlink.org, w7vfd.w7ver@gmail.com, W7VFQ@winlink.org, W7VGI@winlink.org, pauljohnbaker@gmail.com, W7VKG@winlink.org, W7VMC@winlink.org, W7VMI@winlink.org, W7VO@winlink.org, w7vo@comcast.net, W7VOX@winlink.org, micritz@comcast.net, W7VPA@winlink.org, W7VQ@winlink.org, w7vqrm@gmail.com, W7VXS@winlink.org Date: July 20, 2019 at 3:18 PM Subject: US THIRD-PARTY MESSAGES RULES NOW ARE ENFORCED BY CMS
All,
If you are a US-licensed station that routinely connects to a foreign gateway, or a non-US-licensed station that connects with a US gateway, you may be affected by new CMS behavior. The Winlink CMS now will enforce US Third-Party Message rules.
Because Winlink is being severely criticized for allowing US client and gateway operators to violate US amateur radio third-party traffic rules, we are today starting to test automatic enforcement of these rules. Part 97.3(47), 97.115 and 97.117 apply.
If you attempt to send or receive a third-party message between a US-licensed station and another station the US does not have a third-party communication agreement with, you may receive a service message saying the message will violate the applcable rules and that the message is refused (if you're sending) or being held at the CMS (if you are receiving). Alternative means to successfully send or receive the message will be explained. The US has treaties with most countries in the North and South America, but not most European, Asian and Pacific countries.
If you are a US-licensee, you should have no trouble sending and receiving to/from internet addresses if you connect with another US-licensed gateway, or one licensed in Central or South America — as long as the US has a third-party agreement with the licensing country.
If you are a non-US licensee, you should have no trouble sending and receiving to/from internet addresses if you connect to non-US licensed gateways.
We wish this was not necessary, but we have relied on US client and gateway operators to know the rules and obey them—and most have ignored them, unfortunately for all of us. In order to clean up the violations we are taking these measures to keep US Winlink operators legal. All licensees have an obligation to study, know, and obey the Amateur Radio Rules.
New monitoring and enforcement measures are coming into play with the establishment of a new Volunteer Monitor Program, now being set up by the ARRL at the request of the US FCC. We're doing this to make it easier for US operators to avoid loosing their licenses!
We will be tweaking the behavior of this new mechanism to make it as friendly and informative as it can be. Please bear with us as we make changes.
Thanks and 73,
Lor W3QA Winlink Development Team
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