IP: FCC'S HATFIELD TELLS HAMS TO "WALK THE WALK"

[Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

>
>Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2000 20:43:44 -0400
>Subject: FYI
>From: Gary Johnston <ki4la@arrl.org>
>To: Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>
>
>
>FCC'S HATFIELD TELLS HAMS TO "WALK THE WALK"
>
>The FCC's Dale Hatfield, W0IFO, predicts a bright future for Amateur Radio.
>But the Office of Engineering and Technology chief says that amateurs "will
>be under a certain amount of pressure" to justify their free use of the
>radio spectrum. As a result, he said, it will be more important than ever
>that hams actually fulfill their service, good will and educational
>roles--not just talk about them.
>
>Hatfield offered his observations as keynote speaker for AMRAD's 25th
>anniversary dinner June 17 in Virginia. Hatfield told the gathering, "the
>key issue for the amateur service is maintaining access to an adequate
>amount of spectrum." While emphasizing that he was not suggesting any
>immediate threat, Hatfield said hams will have to do a better job of
>justifying their current allocations.
>
>Hatfield said hams should actually engage in experimentation to advance the
>state-of-the-art, provide communication and train operators for emergencies,
>encourage international cooperation and good will, and offer an important
>technical educational outlet. "Or, to use a bit of slang, it seems to me
>that it will be even more important for all segments of the amateur
>community to 'walk the walk' not just 'talk the talk'," he said.
>
>Hatfield encouraged his audience to explore advanced techniques that
>conserve spectrum, especially digital techniques. As the rest of the
>telecommunications world transitions to digital techniques, Hatfield said,
>"the amateur service will look antiquated if it is not making progress in
>that direction as well."
>
>Hatfield also said software defined radios could facilitate "a new era of
>amateur experimentation" and, in many ways, represent  "a final merger" of
>radio communications and computers.
>
>The text of Hatfield's prepared remarks is available on the FCC Web site at
>http://www.fcc.gov/Speeches/misc/dnh061700.html
>
>...sent by IP list member...
>
>+-------Gary L. Johnston KI4LA---------+
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>|      ARRL Great Lakes Division       |
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>|    http://www.nku.edu/~johnston      |
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