On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 15:48:38 CST, LA4RT Jon Kåre Hellan
wrote:

Our regulations are very short - less than 2 1/2 pages when printed
by Firefox. http://www.lovdata.no/ltavd1/lt2004/t2004-1-10-65.html, if
anybody is curious.

I am. Are they available in English?
--
Phil Kane
Beaverton, OR

On Mar 18, 10:03?am, Steve Bonine wrote:

Because amateur radio is supposed to be self regulating.

Where is that written in the rules? I can't find it anywhere.

Perhaps my impression is wrong, in which case I hope that someone will
correct me, but don't most countries treat the regulation of amateur
radio more like "here are your allocations"?

Many countries outside the US do not have the specific
subbands-by-mode that the USA does. What they do
instead is to define the bands available to amateurs
and the modes their amateurs are allowed on each
of those bands. Where in a band that
amateurs choose to use a particular mode in a
particular band is left up to gentleman's agreements.

Before applying this idea to US amateur radio, however,
remember these points:

1) The US regulations in terms of subbands-by-mode are
not much more complex than those of any other country.
Above 30 MHz, most of the US amateur bands do not have subbands-by-
mode at all. Same for 160 meters. The bands below 30 MHz (except 30
meters) are divided into two
parts, with the lower part devoted to data modes and the upper part
devoted to voice and image. CW (Morse Code)
is allowed almost everywhere but is very rarely found in the
voice/image subbands. 30 meters does not have a voice/image subband
because it is only 50 kHz wide.

2) The number of amateurs in the USA who are authorized
to operate non-QRP HF/MF transmitters is much
greater than the number in any other country - or continent.

3) If the USA were to eliminate subbands-by-mode
completely, the real-world effect would be to allow
data modes all over the band instead of just the lower
end, and voice modes all over the band instead of just
the upper end.

I would like to think that there are enough gentlemen in ham radio that
gentlemen's agreements and voluntary bandplans would be sufficient.

So would I. But the reality may be somewhat different.

Based on what I hear on the air, that's a rather silly hope.

I think it depends where you listen.

Nonetheless, it reflects badly on our hobby that an agency needs to
stand by with a big stick to make us do what we should be able to do on
our own.

Part of the problem is lack of enforcement by FCC of
other rules of the ARS for a considerable number of
years. This situation has improved in recent years, but
it's not perfect by any means.

It should also be remembered that the requirements for
an amateur license, and the enforcement of rules, is
usually quite different in other countries. (Compare
the written-test requirements in the UK and US, for
example). There are also considerable cultural
differences.

73 de Jim, N2EY

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 17:31:46 CST, wrote:

The bands below 30 MHz (except 30 meters) are divided into two
parts, with the lower part devoted to data modes and the upper part
devoted to voice and image. CW (Morse Code) is allowed almost
everywhere but is very rarely found in the voice/image subbands.
30 meters does not have a voice/image subband because it is only 50 kHz wide.

Do not forget 60 meters which is SSB specified-bandwidth voice in
prescribed channels.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

On Mar 18, 2:11 am, wrote:


This doesnt' work with other radio services very well. Why would
it be appropriate for Amateur Radio?



Other radio services have distinct markets with distinct needs that
they are chartered to serve.

Amateur Radio is unique in that it is chartered as a playground for
tinkerers and experimenters. It seems ironic to tightly regulate
modes/bandwidths/modulation schemes in an environment where
experimentation is officially encouraged.

73, de Hans, K0HB

On Mar 22, 1:18�am, wrote:
On Mar 18, 2:11 am, wrote:

* * This doesnt' work with other radio services very well. *Why would
it be appropriate for Amateur Radio?

Other radio services have distinct markets with distinct needs that
they are chartered to serve.

Amateur Radio is unique in that it is chartered as a playground for
tinkerers and experimenters. *

That's one of the reasons for amateur radio. But not the
only one! A lot of different activities have to share the bands.

But I like the playground analogy.

All the playgrounds I've seen are carefully designed to
support a variety of different activities. There are
designated areas for various sports, for example. And
there are rules to keep order, permitted and prohibited
activities, etc. Certain activities need special permission,
others are informal.

IOW, there's a structure to a playground. And the structure
is most important when the playground is small and the
number of people who want to use it is large.

There was a time when 99% of ham radio activity was
either CW/Morse Code or plain AM voice. Back then, a
simple structure was all that was needed.

Those days are long gone. We need a lot more structure
than before, IMHO.

It seems ironic to tightly regulate
modes/bandwidths/modulation schemes in an environment where
experimentation is officially encouraged.

Amateurs are much less regulated in that regard than
any other radio service. IMHO

73 de Jim, N2EY

On Mar 22, 5:11 pm, wrote:


All the playgrounds I've seen are carefully designed to
support a variety of different activities.


Must be boring to explore in such a playground with all that structure
and rules. One of my favorite playgrounds is the Superstition
Mountain Wilderness, a playground completely disorganized except for
the boundary around it.

You can go hiking there or ride your horse, prospect for gold (the
"Lost Dutchman Mine" hasn't been found yet), camp for a night or a
week or a month. You can follow trails which have been blazed by many
hikers or horsemen before you, or be an explorer and leave the
established trails to the timid. The only rules here are don't burn
the place down, and don't trash the place for others. Explore without
rules and structure.

Kinda like I'd like to see the amateur bands, open for the explorers
and visionaries (so long as they're polite to the other children).

73, de Hans, K0HB

On Mar 13, 11:01 am, Michael Coslo wrote:
What is the process of modifying the gentlemen's agreements?
Specifically, I would like to explore the idea of adding a new PSK31
segment or two.


It strikes me that we've beat this subject into oblivion without
actually answering Mikes original question.

Actually, the ARRL bandplans (for whatever weight they carry) are
pretty much silent on the topic of PSK31. The mode settled by
convention into a small spot on each band, and the original small
number of players fit nicely into a fairly narrow slot by convention
of usage. Since it's gained in popularity, I think the next logical
step is for the users to start a discussion 'in-band' about annexing
additional nearby territory. I'm not into that mode, but it's my
impression that there's room in most of the data segments for you to
spread out a bit without any particular resistance.

In other words, let the 'market forces' come to bear.

73, de Hans, K0HB