[amsat-bb] Re: OT: Universal Text Messaging and Pagers (WAS Re: Re:dream)

[W4ART Arthur Feller]

"Whenever you get in bed with the Federal government, you often get  
more than just a good night's sleep."  Ronald Regan.

Translation:  Don't ask for a ruling unless prepared to hear something  
you won't like.

Better to proceed in good faith and sort out the matter only if needed.

I hope this helps.

73, art.....
W4ART/4  Miami FL


On 7-Jul-2009, at 11:42 AM, kd8bxp at aol.com wrote:

> Ben, I agree we need a ruling on this I think part 97 is vauge and  
> vauge for a reason
>
> What we need is to setup a confrance call or something so we can get  
> a well written letter together and get it off to someone who can  
> make a ruleing at the FCC
>
> Skype, echolink, dstar or something where those that are interested  
> can all join in -
> Define a system and descuss the possablities of doing call sign  
> routing, sending the pages up to a satellite ect ect
>
> But before "we" put a lot of time and effort and money into this
> I think we need a ruleing
>
> I know for a fact that our local repeater is cabable of doing 2 tone  
> paging - and was in use back when I was very young and not a ham -  
> the elders of the local club say it was able to send alerts for  
> weather, pages for people to get on the radio, ect. It was all done  
> with tones at the time - "our" pagers are far more advanced and can  
> display the text of whatever
>
> No one in the club can tell me why they stopped using pagers - a  
> couple of the guys thought it was because cell phones became small  
> and able to be carried in your hand.
>
> But at around the same time they stopped paging, kantronics also  
> stopped modify pagers for 2 meters, and I think they stopped making  
> the tncs that were able to do POCSAG - so my thinking was that a  
> rule had changed making pagers illegal in the ham bands. Or at very  
> least questionable.  From the kantronics point of view the may not  
> have been selling many of them and just didn't want to put the time  
> and resources into making them anymore.  But something happended -
> As I said our local repeater is cabable of doing two tone - it was  
> built like that from the beginning
>
>
> We need to setup something and get as many people as we can write up  
> a well written paper and get a ruleing.  That is bottom line on it -
> I am on the fence as far as if it is legal or not - on one hand an  
> agrument can be made for telemetery - which is aloud - on the other  
> hand pagers can be used to send one way personal pages which is  
> where I am unclear
> I think as we see here agurements can be made on both sides. Which  
> is why we need a ruleing. When rules are written this vauge some one  
> needs to decide and stand by the decision
>
> LeRoy, KD8BXP
> http://www.HamOhio.com
>
> ------Original Message------
> From: Ben Jackson
> To: Bob Bruninga
> Cc: kd8bxp at aol.com
> Cc: amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Subject: Re: OT: Universal Text Messaging and Pagers (WAS Re: [amsat- 
> bb] Re:dream)
> Sent: Jul 7, 2009 11:20 AM
>
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> Bob Bruninga wrote:
>
> *snip*
>
> We'll agree to disagree regarding your take of the rules as almost
> everyone else did on APRSSIG. ;)
>
>> There is no reason to nit pick rules.  When one is broadcasting (one
>> way) to the general public or using amateur radio inappropriately, I
>> think everyone can tell when it is blatanly illegal.  I just don't
>> see the FCC cares one nit about some of these debates when any one
>> can see that hams are taking initiative to better their use of the
>> radio art.
>
> Considering that they've recently ruled on whether contesters should
> give blanket "5-by-9" signals, I'd think they'd be glad to rule on
> something interesting and relevant. :)
>
>>>> You just have to ignore the curmudgeons who have nothing better
>>>> to do than nit-pick ways to prevent other hams from developing
>>>> useful applications of technology.  A pager is simply the
>>>> text-to-user device integrated into the normal local 2-way
>>>> amateur radio communications system.
>>> The issue is that, according to Part 97, it can't be used beyond
>>> QSTs, telemetry, or "necessary" emergency communications.  Could I
>>> get away with setting up such a system? Likely. Do I foot to stand
>>> on when my local OO comes knocking? Not so much.
>>
>> Some OO's are part of the problem, not the solution...
>
> Then the solution has presented itself. Get a ruling from the FCC
> regarding the use of transmissions to receive-only devices such as
> pagers. Then we can finally put this issue to rest and if anyone comes
> knocking regarding the legality of these transmissions, we can have
> something concrete to cite.
>
> Again, I'd love to set up something like this, but I'd be hard pressed
> to spend a chunk of money on a system that could be taken down if
> someone files a complaint to the FCC.
>
> Let's take any further discussion about this offline.
>
> - --
> Ben Jackson - N1WBV - New Bedford, MA
> bbj <at> innismir.net - http://www.innismir.net/
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>
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>
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