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<H2><A NAME="s12">12.</A> <A HREF="FBB.html#toc12">How to make better ham radio rules?</A></H2>
<P>2003-10-26</P>
<P><EM>Notice: Gentle folks, here I am going to discuss some
rules'n'regulations issues that we, radio amateurs, face to
every day. These problems make rather significant obstacles
for this nice alternative way of communication to be more
developed and more widely used.</EM></P>
<P>First of all, anybody who might be interested in
running Linux amateur radio software, as a way of
using radio amateur stations on the international
HF waves, in a <EM>digital</EM> manner, has to learn
<B>manual <EM>analog</EM></B> Morse telegraphy and
pass the similar <B>manual</B> Morse skill test. For a long
time now, I have been trying to explain myself, why manual
Morse telegraphy is still being kept as the legal requirement
without an amateur is not allowed to use HF radio frequencies
under 30 MHz, in order to contact Linux and other remaining
<B><EM>digital</EM></B> radio amateurs world-wide. I still
have no answer to that question, except that all of those who
have wasted lots of time learning Morse, now don't want to
allow newcomers to use the same capabilities - but without
the same (useless) test!</P>
<P>You all know, there are so many Linux enthusiasts world-wide
(including myself) who have been fighting against all types
of <B>monopols</B> (like a company from Redmond, USA).
The Morse obligatory test is the same: just another type of a
<B>monopoly!</B></P>
<P>That's why I have been trying to persuade all relevant
authorities to <B>remove</B> such outdated regulatory
principles, that make more and more obstacles for not
only Linux users, but for other kinds of computer users
- when it comes to the modern ICT technologies. I hope,
all of you, readers of this mini-HOWTO, can understand
now what does it mean to use outdated rules and regulations
endlessly . For example, I often contact various people from
the academic world, either students or scientists,
in order to motivate them to join amateur radio wireless
activities. They mostly refuse to think about the amateur
(also called <EM>"ham"</EM>) radio, as soon as they hear they
have to pass the Morse test, as the legal requirement
<EM>before</EM> they become allowed to connect to
remote <B>computing</B> radio users world-wide, using
the HF radio bands and devices. </P>
<P>What I am sure, the absence of those high educated people within
the digital ham radio is one of the most negative consequences in the
ICT areas today!</P>
<P>I have been thinking what to do since the early ninetees,
when I was the secretary of <EM>YU7</EM> (Vojvodina
province in Serbia) amateur radio union. It seemed to
me that it was a very hard task to persuade the people who govern
the amateur radio organizations, to remove such outdated rule.
When I realized that removing the mandatory manual Morse
test seemed to be almost impossible to be expected in a short period of
time, I decided to suggest the implementation of another regulatory
principle. It should be a major innovation: To make a new type of the
amateur radio license, a <B>H</B>am <B>D</B>igital <B>L</B>icence
(the <B>HDL</B> in short). The HDL licensees would be allowed to use
<EM>all</EM> amateur radio frequencies, including <EM>all</EM>
international HF bands under 30 MHz. But, they rather should be allowed
to use <EM>only</EM> <B>digital</B> sub-bands and types of the
amateur radio emissions a.k.a. "modes", including the usage of computers,
equipped with the LinFBB packet radio software. Besides that, the HDL
holders may only use modified and/or dedicated radio transmitters,
without the capability for both voice microphone and Morse key
connections, in order to avoid possible misuse of unwanted amateur
activities (like voice SSB operations).</P>
<P>All HDL candidates should have to learn topics like computer hardware
and software in general (operating systems and system software
configuration, amateur radio software setup etc), connecting the amateur
radio stations to the computers (connecting radio modems to the
transmitters etc), building simple antennas (like 1/2 wave wire dipole for
20m that I used long ago), the English language (or German etc) in the
written exam etc. The Morse requirement would not be used anymore,
as well as some other obsolete tests, like highly complicated radio
circuits or skills needed for building home-brew radios from the scratch
(instead of buying modern factory manufactured devices). Of course,
the regulatory issues should also be tested (like band plans - in particular
recognizing the sub-bands dedicated for <B>digital</B> ham radio). Next
are RFI issues and how to avoid them etc.</P>
<P>I believe that amateur radio <EM>digital</EM>
activities have their future only if we all do
our best to improve the regulatory principles that
govern this fine hobby. You should also know that,
besides the telegraphy skill requirement for an HF access,
here in Serbia we have some further restrictions: we all
have to be the members of the national amateur radio
unions (SRV union in YU7 province and SRS union in Serbia in whole),
as the legal requirement, <B>before</B> we become allowed
to use <EM>any</EM> type of the amateur radio activities.
Such a nonsense does not exist elsewhere! </P>
<P>Should you want help us to adopt internationally known
principles, that do NOT require to join <EM>any</EM>
type of the amateur radio organizational system, i.e. the
amateur radio society (that only wants to get our membership
money), you are invited to lobby for us. Our conservative
amateur society leadership also has their email address:
yu0srj@eunet.yu (I suppose they may have more than
one email address, but you may try to use this one).
You may also use an Internet search engine and scan for
information related to "Savez radio amatera Jugoslavije" and
"Savez radio amatera Srbije". Your help would be highly
appreciated. Case you need more info regarding our national
legal issues, do not hesitate to contact me.</P>
<P>If you find yourself interested enough in making
amateur radio rules and regulations better and more
updated (say to spread the idea of liberalize the whole
ICT areas and make them free of any kind of monopols),
I would suggest you to look for your national radio
amateur society and/or national telecommunication
regulatory agency (like FCC in the USA). Lobby to them
in order to remove the obsolete manual Morse proficiency
test. In addition, should you have some opportunities to
attend to some ICT meetings and conferences or
something like that, you are also invited to let me know.</P>
<P>Case we all do our best to remove obstacles mentioned above
and allow the new people, who may wish to enjoy the amateur
radio digital and Linux-related operations, to do so, the technology
would become the part of more homes. I hope you, the readers,
may help. So I look forward to hear from you soon!</P>
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