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Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!rutgers!bellcore!faline!karn
From: karn@faline.bellcore.com (Phil R. Karn)
Newsgroups: rec.ham-radio.packet,comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: John Gilmore switches feet!
Message-ID: <1301@faline.bellcore.com>
Date: Thu, 20-Aug-87 03:19:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: faline.1301
Posted: Thu Aug 20 03:19:31 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Aug-87 09:20:26 EDT
References: <171@ers.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Inc
Lines: 45
Keywords: stupid stupid stupid
Summary: 56kbps *is* legal in the US
Xref: mnetor rec.ham-radio.packet:454 comp.dcom.modems:833



I will have lots more to say about the Public Digital Radio Service vs ham
radio stuff that has been going on in comp.dcom.modems and is now spilling
over into rec.ham-radio.packet, but I wanted to correct one misconception
quickly: 

There is absolutely nothing illegal about running 56kbps amateur packet
radio in the United States. At least I *hope* not, I have two beta-test
units designed by WA4DSY in the final stages of construction here, and a
number of other units are already on the air in the Atlanta area.

When in doubt, check the FCC rules. 97.69 gives you two options for running
digital communications:

1. Conventional Baudot, ASCII or AMTOR "RTTY-style" operations at speeds up
to 300 baud below 28 Mhz, up to 1200 baud between 28 and 50 Mhz, 19600 [sic]
baud between 50 and 220 Mhz, and 56kbps above 220 Mhz.  You can do this
either domestically or internationally.

-OR-

2. For domestic communications ONLY, you can run ANY digital code and
modulation method you want, as long as it's intended to facilitate
communication rather than to hide it from others.  In order to encourage the
development of bandwidth-efficient modems, under this option you are
restricted by bandwidth rather than signalling speed,  The limits are: 20
Khz between 50 and 220 Mhz, 100 Khz between 220 and 902 Mhz, and UNLIMITED
above 902 Mhz (assuming you stay within the band, of course). If you can
make a megabit modem that operates in only 20 Khz of bandwidth, it is
entirely legal to run it on 2 meters (although I'd suggest you talk to your
patent attorney first). You are also allowed to run spread spectrum (with
one of several standard linear polynomials) above 420 Mhz.

Once again, for US domestic digital communications you can do ANYTHING you
want above 50 Mhz within the bandwidth (not signalling rate) limits. So
basically there are NO arbitrary FCC limits on the technology we hams can
use on the air, as long as it meets the bandwidth limits and you operate it
according to the rest of the rules.

I suppose a Canadian can be excused for not being familiar with American
rules, but a licensed American ham who expresses strong interest in the
development of digital radio is another story...

Phil