On 8/2/2010 9:37 AM, Jeff DePolo wrote: > >> Florida Repeater Coordinator proposes narrowbanding: >> >> http://www.florida-repeaters.org/FRC%202meter%20narrowband%20p > olicy%20released%207-18-10.pdf > > Apparently Carson's Rule works different in Florida than it does everywhere > else. > > --- Jeff WN3A
Wow-how...well...just wrong...As Jeff is alluding to, an analog FM signal that is deviated at +/-2.5 KHz occupies slightly less than a 12.5 KHz channel. (11.0 and 11.2 are common narrowband emission bandwidths in Part 90). Not 6.25. Then there's the comment that "Most if not all of the newer Amateur Radio equipment available on the market today in the 144-147 MHz and 430-450 MHz range is capable of using 6.25 KHz (2.5 KHz deviation) channels." Well, besides the gross bandwidth error, you pretty much have to buy Icom to get narrowband. Kenwood's have a toggle in the menu, but it's all or nothing. You can't program NB on a per-channel basis. And I doubt Yaesu is much different. That makes it unusable to me. And let's not forget that while Part 90 users can find ways to buy new radios, and indeed need to not use old radios that are unreliable, hams are footing the bill out of their own pocket, and can't afford to just go out and buy all new gear just to satisfy a few people who think we need more repeaters on 2M (which we don't, by the way. Not around here.) A group that WANTS to VOLUNTARILY narrowband their repeater is welcome to do so, and should notify the council when they do it. But what they propose here is just foolish and completely unnecessary. My advice to anyone in Ohio, and I have to believe FL will be the same, who wants to put up a new repeater is to look at UHF, then either 900 or 220. Unless you can knock a 'paper repeater' off the list, forget 2M. Besides, I'll give up my Heath dual-bander, and my Yaesu FT-270 mobile, and so on, when it dies and becomes unrepairable...not to mention the Micor repeater(s). Jim
