In article k.net, "KØHB"
writes:

"Brian Kelly" wrote

So BPL at this point is *all* a
political and legal problem.

If that's true, then the money we've spent on lobbying by Hainie,
Sumner, and Imlay has been wasted, and any more spent would be further
waste. Here, from the FCC R&O, is what that money bought us:

"We similarly do not find that Amateur Radio
frequencies warrant the special protection afforded
frequencies reserved for international aeronautical
and maritime safety operations. While we
recognize that amateurs may on occasion assist
in providing emergency communications," it described
typical amateur operations as "routine communications
and hobby activities."

Face it, Brian, we've been marginalized, and for years the FCC has been
trying to get our attention. Way back in June of 2000 FCC'er Dale N.
Hatfield (W0IFO) Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology made these
comments in a speech to AMRAD:

"I would urge you to continue shifting towards more
spectrally efficient communications techniques - especially
digital techniques. Such a shift has a number of benefits:

"- First of all, it demonstrates to POLICYMAKERS and REGULATORS
that you are good stewards of the public's airwaves even without
direct economic incentives.

"- Second, by using what you have efficiently, it strengthens
your case when you need to ask for additional spectrum.

"- Third, by allowing more users to access the available
allocations simultaneously, it improves the amateur experience and
ultimately increases the attractiveness of the service to new and
old users alike."

Then a couple of weeks later FCC Special Counsel for Amateur
Radio Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, made some
chillingly similar comments in a public speech.

"Take nothing for granted. Bill Gates can't, and you can't either."

"You're at a crossroads now. An old Chinese philosopher (or my
grandmother--I can never remember which!) said, "Be careful what
you wish for. You may get it." Seize the moment, and make this
your finest hour. Ham radio has been at a crossroads before and
has thrived. Continue that tradition."

"Make sure that, on your watch, Amateur Radio never becomes
obsolete."

From those two FCC speeches, it ought to be clear to all of us that
Amateur Radio does *not* have a "free pass" to spectrum, not will our
current allocations be "protected" when other applications come looking
for a place to operate.

The handwriting is on the wall --- the FCC isn't much interested in what
we used to do, but is intensely watching our current stewardship of the
resources that are so highly coveted by other services. Regretably I
think we've been found, in Riley's words, "obsolete", and financing a
rearguard legal and political maneuvering by Haynie and Imlay is pretty
much ****ing money down a rathole.

A good summation of the scene, Hans.

Regardless of the high opinion so many hobbyists have of their
rank/status/nobility of amateur radio, it is still only ONE radio
service among MANY others. It must therefore compete with all
the others...but won't if the approach is based on old, half-century
old "reasons" for existance ('raison d'etre' in French).

Too many of the old-timers concentrate solely on HF bands as
the end-all, be-all of ham radio. The government and commercial
users have already staked out their claims on HF long ago and
maintain them...plus adding the newer data modes as required.

It is the spectral territory ABOVE 30 MHz which so many other
radio services covet...and that is where the radio action IS and
worldwide. The number of items in regards to HF were very few
at WRC-03 and they've been getting smaller and smaller in
number since WARC-79...while the VHF-and-up spectrum area
items at World Conferences have been getting more and more
numerous.