From: coleve@cc.uvcc.edu
Subject: BBS via Amateur radio content restrictions -- ACT NOW
Organization: Utah Valley Community College
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 19:59:20 GMT

I am cross referencing two threads here.....
There is one thread in r.r.a.packet about the poor performance of the 
present packet network... I don't know who made the first comment...
> 
> |> > The ham radio packet bbs network is really nothing more than a toy.  It
> |> > is far too limited as far as restrictions on content, bandwidth, and
>                                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> |> > reliability to be used in a production BBS environment of the type that
> |> > land-line-based BBS users have been accustomed to seeing for more than
> |> > a decade.
> 
> And there's very important point which you chose to ignore:
> RESTRICTION ON CONTENT. Don't you think it counts?

Yes!  It counts a lot, because it is precisly the content restrictions which
keep us from carrying the data which a high speed network thrives on.
We need content rules which will permit NetNews to be carried "live" on ham
radio.   

The answer is NOW before us!

Please refer to article <pschleck.714803051@cwis>.  It is the text of a Notice 
of Proposed Rule Making:  "Ammendment to Part 97 of the Commission's Rules to
Relax the Restrictions on the Scope of Permissible Communications in the
^^^^^!
Amateur Service.

The proposed rule modifies 97.113(a)(2) to read: [no amateur station shall
transmit:] Communications in which the station licensee or control operator
have a pecuniary interest...

This will make it possible for my station to transmit "business" traffic 
provided I do not profit from it.  It is a necessary step which must be
applauded and supported.  

The problem is that the rule changes in other areas do not go far enough...

We can transmit notification of ham gear for sale or trade "provided that such
activity is not conducted on a regular basis". This would prohibit a
rec.radio.amateur.forsale newsgroup -- since newsgroups operate on a "regular
basis."  Other .forsale groups would seem to be legal provided all traffic was
third party -- no ham can post his own stuff.  (The language also seems to
prohibit a regular "swap net" on 2 meter phone.)

The prohibition against transmitting music is still unclarified.  The direct
problem of music in space shuttle re-broadcasts was considered and rejected, 
however, the FCC did suggest that "Interested parties ... may comment regarding
whether transmissions of music should be allowed."  I firmly believe that the
wording should permit incedental transmission of music.  The point here would
be that the trasmission of audible music in real time is not the direct intent
of the station.  If I get music on hold during a phone patch or am working near
a marching band in a parade I should not be required to shut down
communications.  On the other hand, I should not be sticking the mic up to
the speaker on my stereo so that a ham buddy can hear the latest record. 
Digitized music, computer programs which produce music, or images of sheet
music should by no means be forbidden.

Another sticky point is the proscription against "obscene, indecent, or profane
language."  Does the phone company have a similar restriction on their
microwave radios?  If so, do they monitor every long distance call to ensure
compliance?  I agree that radio operators should not initiate obscene traffic,
and I would prefer that alt.sex not appear on the amateur bands.  Unfortunatly,
the rule requires that every bit of traffic forwarded through an automatic
station be filtered for possible profane language!  This is an impossible task
for the operator of a news link. The rule should contain language to the effect
that operators of stations in automatic forwarding operation should make a
"reasonable effort" to block transmission of such morally objectionable
traffic.

May I suggest that everyone interested in a high speed packet network get out
their word processors and start letting Uncle Charlie know what we need?

Complete instructions on how to make comments are included in Paul Schleck's
origial article (in rec.radio.amateur.packet or by ftp from /pub/ham-radio on
ftp.cs.buffalo.edu) or in the September QST. 

Comments must be filed by October 1, 1992.
-- 
-- Vern Cole -- Systems Manager -- Utah Valley Community College -- KF7XM
-- 
-- Vern Cole -- Systems Manager -- Utah Valley Community College --