[Dstar] FW: ACMA rules Foundation licensees cannot use digitalvoicemodes

[Alan Wills]

Same sort of mentality that cost us 10,000 or so (my estimate) foundation 
licences from the wireless LAN fraternity.
Never mind , onwards and upwards.


Alan VK4YAR



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Hoskin" <vk3jfk at amsat.org>
To: "'Dstar Digital Radio Mail List'" <dstar at lists.wia.org.au>
Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2007 7:41 PM
Subject: [Dstar] FW: ACMA rules Foundation licensees cannot use 
digitalvoicemodes


>
> 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
>
> _______________________________________________
> Dstar mailing list
> Dstar at lists.wia.org.au
> http://lists.wia.org.au/mailman/listinfo/dstar
>