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---------+
> |            Vice Director             |
> |      ARRL Great Lakes Division       |
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> |     Association for Amateur Radio    |
> |           ki4la () arrl org             |
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> |    http://www.nku.edu/~johnston      |
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>
> "I am only one, but I am one.  I cannot do everything, but I will not let 
> what I cannot do interfere with what I can do."
>                                       - Edward Everette Hale
>
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