Bulletins from the Pacific Packet Radio Society - page 091

6. It is incumbent on the Commission, pursuant to Section 303(g) of the Communications Act of 1934, to "study new uses for radio, provide for experimental uses of frequencies and generally encourage the larger and more effective use of radio in the public interest." Perhaps the best medium for study of such new uses a nd experimental techniques is the Amateur Radio Service, due to its large number of innovative, technically oriented members. Thus, responsive to the above mandate of the Communications Act, the Commission has recognized as a basis and purpose of the amateur's proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.,, 4/ In the Radio Regulations promulgated by the International Telecommunication Union, the Amateur Service is defined 5/ as "A service of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried on by amateurs, that is, by duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest. 6/

7. On January 30, 1980, the Commission adopted a Third Report and Order in Docket 20777, 7/ providing for and establishing rules governing the use of ASCII, 7/ providing for and establishing rules governing the use of ASCII, thus amending Section 97.69 of its Rules. Therein, at paragraphs 5 and 7, it was stated that:

5. In other comments, amateur operators expressed interest in using radio teleprinter codes other than Baudot or ASCII. Frequently cited examples were the Binary Coded Decimal (BCD), Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC), Moore and Correspondence (IBM Selectric codes). It was also felt that the Commission should allow the use of various "computer" or "machine" languages for computer- to-computer communication; and that the rules should provide for experimentation in the use of "packet switching" techniques.

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7. Our intent in this proceeding was simply to expand the operating capabilities available to amateur radioteleprinter operators by providing for the use of ASCII. We find, however, that the comments generally go beyond our proposal and seek more or less total deregulation in the area of radio teleprinter operation. We are no t necessarily opposed to such extensive deregulation; and we agree that it would be in perfect harmony with the basis and purpose of the Amateur Radio Service as articulated in Section 97.1 of the Rules ....

8. The deregulatory action proposed herein would be a further step toward removing unnecessary regulatory burdens on amateur experimentation which presently inhibit fulfillment of the amateur's obligations set forth in Section 97.1 of the Rules. The Commission charted the deregulatory course advocated herein in Docket 20777, and has continued to the same in Docket81-699,

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