ARRL Might (or Might Not) Want Your Views on HF Digital for
Technicians
The ARRL Board of Directors will be taking up a proposal at
its January meeting from Southeastern Division Director Doug Rehman, K4AC, who
wants the League to petition the FCC for expanded HF digital privileges for
Technician Class hams. Rehman wants to see these privileges extended to 80, 40
and 15 meters as well as the current allocation on 10 meters.
The League's Executive Committee debated the proposal at its
October meeting and recommended that the full board in January consider
soliciting input from members on adding digital privileges for Technicians only
in the current 15-meter Novice/Tech subband. According to the ARRL Letter, ARRL
CEO Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, emphasized that this is still very preliminary.
"This is not a proposal that the Board adopt data
privileges for Techs and Novices on 15 meters as an objective, and it is most
definitely not an ARRL proposal to the FCC," Sumner stressed, adding
"(t)hat would come later, if at all, after the Board has had an
opportunity to weigh membership input."