It doesn't exist "legally" but does in function. When a Ham, or the ARRL, flips a switch and begins essentially unattended operation without regard to QRM consequences something mid-way between truly attended-local and/or attended-remote operation and 100% unattended automatic/2-way broadcasting is occuring.
This type of operation includes an element of "broadcasting" as a human is not actively involved in checking for QRM nor in detecting efforts to join the conversation. Perhaps we need a new term because "automatic" has certain specific meanings and "broadcasting" is one-way. What is happening is that automatic/2-way broadcasting operations are being mislabeled attended-local and/or attended-remote operation when they are *not* human attended. What shall we label this format of operation we definitely need a proper label so that we may then debate the proper boundaries. > The FCC carefully defines what "control" of an amateur station > consists of. They then go on to define control operator and > automatic control and what is required for exerting control. There > are only two catagories, a "live" station control operator (either > local or remote) and automatic control. That's all there is. Under > the definitions, another station CAN NOT control a station unless it > exerting commands that can adjust a transmitter. In this case the > station is being operated remotely. Consequently, the term > semi-automatic control just does not exist! -- Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E Personal: http://bibleseven.com/kd4e.html Ham QTH: http://mysite.verizon.net/kd4e/
