[CW] FCC Requests Comments on CW Allocation at 5 MHz

[N2EY@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/3/02 2:03:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time, k4kyv@hotmail.com 
writes:

> I think we may be shooting ourselves in the foot if we make a big issue 
over 
>  subbands in the proposed 60-metre band.  First of all, from their remarks 
at 
>  the Dayton FCC Forum, the rulemakers DO NOT appear to be enthusiastic 
about 
>  the idea at all - preferring to let hams "work it out for themselves".

Don & group,

If that's the case, why are they asking for comments? I think it's best that 
we state our case in a straightforward and civil manner - otherwise, it can 
rightly be said that we had our chance to speak our piece and ignored it.
>  
>  To me, the most significant reason (not my idea; I read this from the 
>  comments already posted) to think twice about subbanding is that 60m. is 
to 
>  be a shared band with amateurs enjoying only the status as secondary 
users, 
>  on a non-interference basis with ship-to-shore and gov't fixed  services.  
>  Subbands by mode or licence class would limit our flexibility to QSY in 
>  order to dodge primary users of the band and avoid harmful interference, 
>  which would be a legal conditioun for our use of those frequencies.

A good point. I don't think there should be any limitation by license class - 
treat it just like 30, 17 and 12 metres.

But are there so many primary users there now that 50 kHz for CW/digital and 
100 kHz for 'phone will cause problems? I don't think so.
>  
>  Once we get our foot in the door, and maybe achieve primary or at least 
>  co-primary status, we might then consider subbands if they seem desirable 
at 
>  that time; at present I think this is a trivial point. 

I think that will be a difficult if not impossible task. Look at the problems 
on 160 metres. 

>  We need to make the 
>  case for amateur use of the band as strong and unanimous as possible, 
>  without unnecessarily giving the opposition any ammunition to use against 
>  us.

I really don't think that subbands by mode will be a problem if presented in 
a reasonable fashion.

73 de Jim, N2EY