Bruce, The ARRL is not generally going to ask other groups for input. It would really be a bit unethical if my organization bypasses me and goes to another organization for input. The input clearly needs to come from the membership. So the ARRL acted appropriately.
What seems to be coming out of all this is that SMIRK did not act in their members best interest and ignored the FCC proposal. You do this at your own risk. So I would talk to them about this and how you can use the organization to further your interests, just like the other groups do. Just so you know, I certainly would never support any wide band modes beyond what we now have on 6 meters or 2 meters. And that includes SS techniques which destroy the noise floor over too wide an area. However, I would like to see 6 meters used a LOT more than it is. It is frustrating to me that after all these years, with many, many, more hams with Technician Class Licenses, and with all the new amazing rigs with 6 and sometimes even 2 and 440 SSB added on, very few hams are working these bands for "local" contacts. The equipment (the really pathetic equipment) I had in 1964 to work 6 meters (and could never get it to work) is a far cry from what we have now and yet you just do not find many operators. I call every so often on 52.525 FM and 50.125 SSB with almost no contacts. Sure, when the band opens up, you can then work many stations. I know that there are very weak signal modes such as some rare EME work and more common meteor shower work so you don't want to jeopardize those areas. By the way, since I moved about 30-40 miles away from my former QTH which was centrally located to our club's Wednesday night chat net, we have tried many different HF frequencies to see what works the best for voice. We initially started on 28.400 for the last year or two but the reason for selecting 10 meter phone was so that the Tech + and Novices could be part of the group. Guess what? At no time have we ever had any of them come to the well publicized net. So recently we have been trying other bands, and 80 tends to go long and you get too many distant stations wanting to contact us, 40 and 20 are outside the NVIS range and have a weaker ground wave. Unfortunately same for 6 meters:( We thought that might work OK for direct/skywave, but very mediocre results with our mediocre antennas. The bands that really work the best are: 160 if the other stations are willing to install an antenna ... and ... 15 meters was the best "ground"/direct wave of all the bands we tried. Even with Butternut and R7 type verticals. I still can not quite figure out the reason. I sure wish I could get some of the stations to try digital, especially on 6 meters and 160 meters, but it seems nearly impossible out of 150 + hams in the greater area, we have very few that will even try digital modes at all:( 73, Rick, KV9U bruce mallon wrote: >They were not asked .... THAT'S THE POINT ..... also >how many members of this commity are long time 6 meter >users? How many are active on 6 meters? >If newer modes like digital are to catch on you cannot >call others " LEGACY " modes and work around them to >seze frequencys and thats EXACTLY what was done here >....... it is not in your best intrest. > >--- KV9U <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > >>Perhaps the lesson might be that unless we come to >>the meeting and speak > up, our voices will not be >> >> >heard. Actually, special > interest groups such > > >>as SMIRK, SWOT, etc., should position themselves as >>advocates for their > members point of view. I >> >> >assume that they did this? > > > Need a Digital mode QSO? Connect to Telnet://cluster.dynalias.org Other areas of interest: The MixW Reflector : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup/ DigiPol: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Digipol (band plan policy discussion) Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
