[Dstar] FW: ACMA rules Foundation licensees cannot use digital voicemodes

[Richard Hoskin]

Hello,

This has just been released from the WIA.

It appears that the ACMA has decided not to allow Foundation licensees to
operate D-Star.

Cheers
Richard
VK3JFK
Australian National D-Star Coordinator

-----Original Message-----
From: news-bounces at lists.wia.org.au [mailto:news-bounces at lists.wia.org.au]
On Behalf Of news at lists.wia.org.au
Sent: Sunday, 21 October 2007 7:21 PM
To: news at lists.wia.org.au
Subject: [WIA-NEWS] ACMA rules Foundation licensees cannot use digital
voicemodes

Believing it desirable that Foundation licensees embrace the new the 
modes with the emergence of digital technologies, the WIA has sought 
clarification fro the ACMA, requesting a number of changes to the 
Foundation conditions.

Schedule 3A of the Amateur Licence Conditions defines the modes that may 
be used by Foundation licensees, and does not include the appropriate 
emission mode designator for digital voice modes such as D-Star. D-Star 
requires the callsign to be embedded in the transmission stream to use a 
voice mode.

The WIA formed the view that requiring the callsign to be embedded to 
enable voice communication essentially no different from other permitted 
voice modes was not a difference the should exclude Foundation licensees 
from using these new modes, and did not change the character of the 
licence as an entry-level licence. Accordingly, the WIA approached the 
ACMA seeking a further amendment to the LCD to permit such use.

The WIA argued that as the Foundation licensee can only use a 
transmitter that has "been manufactured commercially" the programming of 
the necessary identification is no more difficult a task than 
programming a mobile phone, and that the additional information required 
for qualification was minimal.

The WIA proposed the addition of an appropriate emission mode designator 
for Foundation licensees in the 144.000 to 148.000 MHz and 430 to 450 
MHz bands, with the additional provision in paragraph 29 of the LCD to 
permit, if the emission mode was digital voice, any data necessary to 
enable the use of the voice mode.

ACMA has now responded to the WIA's approach, rejecting the proposal.

ACMA argues that the entry-level licence is meant to be easy to obtain, 
the amendment proposed to permit digital voice mode "would require 
expansion of the current syllabus and add a level of complexity to the 
qualification."

http://www.wia.org.au/news/2007/20071021-01.php



ACMA also contends that adding digital voice modes would erode the 
difference between the Foundation and the other higher levels of 
licence, and that the digital voice mode would require the transmission 
of digital data, incompatible with the Foundation licence and finally, a 
further amendment as requested would create further delay in the 
implementation of the outcomes announced 2003.

The WIA is surprised by the response from ACMA.

Unfortunately, there will be no amendment at this time to Schedule 3A of 
the LCD to permit digital voice modes by Foundation licensees.

Wireless Institute of Australia -  http://www.wia.org.au