Intervention by RSGB Wins Reprieve in UK Deregulation Spat
 

Newington, CT, Apr 13, 2005

The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) says its intervention with
Ofcom--the UK telecommunications regulatory agency--apparently has prompted
Ofcom's Board to revise its anticipated "Future Licensing Consultation
Document"--essentially a rule making proposal. The RSGB is on record as
being "strongly opposed" to any steps by Ofcom to deregulate Amateur Radio
in Great Britain, fearing that it could lead to the elimination of amateur
licensing altogether. The RSGB says it believes the revisions to the
proposal have to do with deregulation.

Publication of the consultation document has been put off until after the
general election in the UK, possibly around the end of May, the Society has
announced. But RSGB General Manager Peter Kirby, G0TWW, says the Society
remains wary about Ofcom's intentions.

"Ofcom have assured us that deregulation is not an option that they are
considering at the present time or in the future," Kirby told ARRL, adding
that he remains unconvinced. "Deregulation of Amateur Radio has appeared in
three separate Ofcom documents in the last four months. I think they speak
with forked tongue!" The RSGB has expressed concerns that Ofcom is planning
to propose a free lifetime license for radio amateurs to entice them into
accepting general deregulation down the road.

An RSGB delegation that included RSGB President Jeff Smith, MI0AEX, and
Kirby met with Ofcom officials March 24. Ofcom Deputy Chairman Richard
Hooper chaired the session, and the Ofcom Board had been set to review and
approve the consultation document April 5. The RSGB says it also hopes that
Hooper's announced departure by year's end will not affect Ofcom's thinking
on the issue. The Society says it was encouraged by Hooper's personal
assurances that the deregulation of Amateur Radio was not on Ofcom's agenda.

The Society says an earlier draft of the consultation document stated that
Ofcom was proposing to reform Amateur Radio licensing to reduce the
regulatory burden on radio users. The RSGB has vowed to fight any moves to
deregulate Amateur Radio in part because that would altogether eliminate
training, examinations and the need to get a license or a call sign. In such
a deregulated environment, the RSGB maintains, anyone could buy radio gear
and operate on the ham bands, leading to widespread interference problems.
Perhaps most important, the Society says, deregulation would disenfranchise
UK amateurs from the rest of the Amateur Radio world.

"The RSGB agrees that the Amateur Service in the United Kingdom is
over-regulated but strongly believes deregulation is not the answer," the
Society said in a statement following the March 24 meeting with Ofcom. The
Society said Amateur Radio Service has been a breeding ground for technical
innovation and development. "To deregulate would be to amputate the hand
that feeds industry with those needed engineers and scientists," it
concluded.

The RSGB says the best option would be a renewable five-year license. It's
also indicated to Ofcom that it's willing to take on the role of issuing
amateur licenses and assuming the administrative costs and burden of doing
so.

ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, has said the level of deregulation the RSGB
fears would fly in the face of the International Telecommunication Union
(ITU) Radio Regulations, which oblige administrations to license radio
stations--including amateur stations--and to verify the operational and
technical qualifications of amateur operators.
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/04/13/100/?nc=1

Those AssHoles in limeyland "Deregulated" the brits Firearms Away from
them.Crime in limeyland shot wayyyy up! Some places in "Deregulated"
limeyland,you can see the imprints of their Firearms in the sidewalks,in
the sides of some of the concrete buildings over there,it makes pretty
good Rebar! How do I know? Because that lady over there told me so! And
she is strictly Honest,she would never lie about anything. What's next?
cuhulin

That is why the Brits were afraid of the Gerries landing in Britain during
WW II because they had no small weapons to fight off the tanks, rocket
launchers, and missle attacks from the planes like the US can with their
pistols, six shooters, shotguns and pea shooters.

wrote in message
...
Those AssHoles in limeyland "Deregulated" the brits Firearms Away from
them.Crime in limeyland shot wayyyy up! Some places in "Deregulated"
limeyland,you can see the imprints of their Firearms in the sidewalks,in
the sides of some of the concrete buildings over there,it makes pretty
good Rebar! How do I know? Because that lady over there told me so! And
she is strictly Honest,she would never lie about anything. What's next?
cuhulin

Mike Terry wrote in message
...
Newington, CT, Apr 13, 2005

The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) says its intervention with
Ofcom--the UK telecommunications regulatory agency--apparently has
prompted
Ofcom's Board to revise its anticipated "Future Licensing Consultation
Document"--essentially a rule making proposal. The RSGB is on record as
being "strongly opposed" to any steps by Ofcom to deregulate Amateur Radio
in Great Britain, fearing that it could lead to the elimination of amateur
licensing altogether. The RSGB says it believes the revisions to the
proposal have to do with deregulation.

Yea... the RSGB only had to see what is happening in the US to prompt their
concern.

RG

wrote in message
...
Those AssHoles in limeyland "Deregulated" the brits Firearms Away
from
them.Crime in limeyland shot wayyyy up! Some places in "Deregulated"
limeyland,you can see the imprints of their Firearms in the
sidewalks,in
the sides of some of the concrete buildings over there,it makes
pretty
good Rebar! How do I know? Because that lady over there told me so!
And
she is strictly Honest,she would never lie about anything. What's
next?
cuhulin

I often wonder why the US has 4 times the per-capita murder rate
of the UK. It's probably been mentioned on shortwave.......

Of course, the overall crime rate has increased in the UK
recently. But I would put that down to stupidly weak punishments like
woefully short jail terms and laughable fines imposed. Justice is
failing here!

The overall crime rate in U.S.A.has gone down.MORE GUNS,LESS
CRIME.F..K!!!!!!!!!!!! limeyland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cuhulin

"-=jd=-" wrote in message
. 21...
On Fri 15 Apr 2005 08:11:19p, "Ian Smith"
wrote in message
:

wrote in message
...
Those AssHoles in limeyland "Deregulated" the brits Firearms Away
from
them.Crime in limeyland shot wayyyy up! Some places in
"Deregulated"
limeyland,you can see the imprints of their Firearms in the
sidewalks,in
the sides of some of the concrete buildings over there,it makes
pretty
good Rebar! How do I know? Because that lady over there told me
so!
And
she is strictly Honest,she would never lie about anything. What's
next?
cuhulin

I often wonder why the US has 4 times the per-capita murder
rate
of the UK. It's probably been mentioned on shortwave...
{Snippage}


Have you wondered why the UK has a far higher per-capita murder rate
than
Switzerland? I think it might be because Switzerland is far more
boring
than the UK -AND/OR- there are societal differences that may account
for
it. Perhaps the answer to your question is that the UK, in turn, is
far
more boring than the US...


-=jd=-
--
My Current Disposable Email:

(Remove YOUR HAT to reply directly)

Lol!

Perhaps the UK has lower moral values than Switzerland, and the
USA has lower moral values than the UK? You may be right about
societal differences.

wrote in message
...
The overall crime rate in U.S.A.has gone down.MORE GUNS,LESS
CRIME.F..K!!!!!!!!!!!! limeyland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cuhulin

You seem a little agitated there. I wasn't trying to start a flame
war.

Swiss moral values? During World War Two,the swiss were building and
repairing equipment for both,the Allies and the Axis.How about Sweden
moral values? During World War Two,U.S.A.lost over four hundred and
fifty U.S.Army Air Force Soldiers bombing a ball bearing factory in
Schweinfurt,Germany and another smaller ball bearing factory in
Germany.Volvo (the name means,I Roll) in Sweden took up the slack
supplying ball bearings to the nazis.British moral values.During World
War Two,the brits had a White Paper,no more than five thousand Jews
allowed in England per year.The Brits have two different vaccines,one
for the brits,one for the Irish.Not long ago,The brits were considering
throwing all of the Irish out of northern Ireland.
Who do y'all think some of MY Worst Enemies! are? I am Scotch Irish by
Ancestry.
cuhulin

On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 07:39:35 -0500, wrote:

During World War Two,U.S.A.lost over four hundred and
fifty U.S.Army Air Force Soldiers bombing a ball bearing factory in
Schweinfurt,Germany and another smaller ball bearing factory in
Germany.

I suspect you are talking about the Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission of
17th August 1943.

Regensburg was the home of Bayerisch Flugzeugwerke, where the Bf (or
Me) 109 fighter was produced.

Schweinfurt was the location of three ball-bearing factories, KGF, and
VKF 1 and 2. The latter were Swedish-owned.

142 long-range B-17s took off for Regensburg, 122 bombed their primary
target; 24 aircraft were reported missing.

230 B-17s not fitted with the long-range tanks took off for
Schweinfurt, 184 bombed their primary target; 36 were reported
missing.

From the Regensburg group, 34 were killed, 133 taken prisoner, 13
evaded capture, 20 were interned, and 40 rescued from the sea.

From the Schweinfurt group, 68 were killed, 248 taken prisoner, 25
evaded capture, none were interned, and 60 rescued from the sea.

The Regensburg force flew from airfields at Bury St Edmunds, Horham,
Thorpe Abbots, Great Ashfield, Knettishall, and Framlingham. The
Schweinfurt force flew from Bassingbourn, Alconbury, Chelveston,
Thurleigh, Polebrook, Kimbolton, Ridgewell, and Grafton Underwood.