Greetings. One of the concerns heard repeatedly from opponents of the ARRL Petition to rescind the symbol rate restriction for HF data emissions is that the membership was not notified of the proposed rule changes. I asked Dan Henderson to please aggregate the publicity given to this issue by ARRL PRIOR to the filing of the petition in mid-November. Dan quickly did this and the results are below (not in date order). It is apparent that this issue was discussed in ARRL media frequently between January and October, 2013. Of these citations, the most thoroughgoing discussion of the rationale for the filing was Dave Sumner's QST editorial in September, 2013, at page 9. Perhaps this will assist in addressing concerns about the Petition. 73, Chris W3KD Christopher D. Imlay Booth, Freret, Imlay & Tepper. P.C. 14356 Cape May Road Silver Spring, Maryland 20904-6011 (301) 384-5525 telephone (301) 384-6384 facsimile W3KD@ARRL.ORG Web citations: ARRL Executive Committee Okays Filing Symbol Rate RuleModernization Petition - Oct 15, 2013 http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-executive-committee-okays-filing-symbol-rate-r... ARRL CEO Explains Board's Action on Symbol Rate Regulation -July 25, 2013 http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-ceo-explains-board-s-action-on-symbol-rate-reg... ARRL Board Names Award Winners, Okays LoTW Initiatives -July 23, 2013 http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-board-names-award-winners-okays-lotw-initiativ... Symbol Rate Rule Modernization - On the motion of ARRL WestGulf Division Director Dr David Woolweaver, K5RAV, on behalf of the Ad HocSymbol Rate Rule Modernization Committee, the Board directed ARRL GeneralCounsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, to prepare a Petition for Rule Making with the FCCseeking to modify §97.307(f) to delete all references to symbol rate. ThePetition would ask the FCC "to apply to all amateur data emissions below 29.7MHz the existing bandwidth limit, per §97.303(h), of 2.8 kHz." The committee determined that the current symbol raterestrictions in §97.307(f) "no longer reflect the state of the art of digitaltelecommunications technology," and that the proposed rule change would"encourage both flexibility and efficiency in the employment of digital emissions byamateur stations." The Ad Hoc Symbol Rate Rule Modernization Committee wasdissolved with the thanks of the Board. (In his September 2013 QST "It Seems toUs" editorial, ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, explains the Board's action on symbol rateregulation.) ARRL Letter July 25, 2013 http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter?issue=2013-07-25 ARRL Board of Directors Convenes in New Orleans for 2013Annual Meeting - Jan 31, 2013 http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-board-of-directors-convenes-in-new-orleans-for... Symbol Rate Rule Modernization Committee ad hoc Committee:Since 1989, when the FCC's rules concerning symbol rate limitations werecodified, digital communications techniques have rendered these limitationsobsolete , As such, the Board voted to create the Symbol Rate Rule Modernizationad hoc Committee. This committee has been tasked with evaluating potentialmodifications to the Amateur Service rules to permit and facilitate the use anddevelopment of high symbol rate digital communications techniques. The committeewill recommend modifications to the ARRL Board at the 2013 Second Meetingin July. ARRL Board Minutes for July Meeting - posted August 5, 2013 http://www.arrl.org/files/file/About%20ARRL/Board%20Meetings/2013_Second_Mee... ARRL Committee Reports for July Board Meeting http://www.arrl.org/committee-reports http://www.arrl.org/files/file/About%20ARRL/Committee%20Reports/2013/July/Do... QST Citations: QST - September 2013 (Page 9) QST - September 2013 (Page 73) QST - April 2013 (Page 76) QST - April 2013 (Page 77) QST - March 2013 (Page 9)