ARRL Petitions for "Symbol Rate" Change

The ARRL has filed a petition with the FCC, asking that it replace current limitations on "symbol rate" for digital modes on HF with a simple bandwidth limitation of 2.8 kHz. According to the League, this would permit the use on HF of any digital mode whose signals are no wider than a single-sideband voice signal. It says the current rules were designed for 1980s technology and are impeding technological progress by hams today. At press time, the FCC had not assigned the petition a rule-making number or opened it for comments.