In article , "Carl R. Stevenson"
writes:

The FCC and Congress see the ARS as a valuable national resource.

I hope they remember that BPL. FCC seems to require a reminder now and
again...

The "money" I'm talking about is that represented by all the OTHER
commercial radio services administered by the FCC.

Oh ... why didn't you say that?

This is where the FCC's true mission exists,

The FCC has a Congressional mandate to regulate all of the radio
spectrum "in the public interest, convenience, and necessity" - that
includes the ARS.

Included in that "public interest, convenience and necessity" are economic
concerns. Some perceive that broadband access to the 'net is somehow a big part
of economic recovery, regardless of what other services get trashed. See Comm.
Abernathy's remarks on the "Road To Enlightenment" and "Wideband Nirvana" being
BPL. As if!

and to a far greater extent than in what
is now primarily a hobbyist service (amateur radio).

YOU view it as primarily a hobby ... and it is a hobby, but the
FCC and Congress look at it as a public service *provided
for free to society* by folks who do it as a hobby. They also
value the educational opportunities it presents in a society that
increasingly requires people who are trained in radio/electronics.

Exactly. And it goes in all sorts of directions. Maybe every ham doesn't become
an EE like I did, but many have gone in related engineering and science
directions because of exposure to technology via amateur radio.

73 de Jim, N2EY