UK Ham Radio Reg Plans to Drop 15min Callsign Interval And Allow Encryption

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/co...dium=email&utm_campaign=amateur-radio-licence

I hope this isn't a re-post and that this is the right forum.

 

I'll defer to others with more familiarity with British licensing to opine, but a quick look through the document suggests that OFCOM is soliciting feedback on whether amateurs should be granted permission to communicate with non-amateurs in emergency...er, public service situations, and if so, whether encryption would be acceptable strictly within that context.

It's an interesting variation on the idea that was proposed a year or two ago in the US.

I'm personally not opposed to the idea (and I realize that I'm in the minority there)...although my opinion has evolved to prefer the AEC model, which (among other things) creates a path for "volunteer communicators who can use encryption" without messing with the principle of open communications on amateur spectrum.

I do wonder, however: is whackerism more or less common in the UK than in the US?

 

(whackerism) is definitely an american thing and those S.E.R.T's! should be. ;-)

 

A summary of the changes is at http://www.essexham.co.uk/news/licence-changes-ofcom-consultation.html

 

ref 15 min callsign voice , group , a sensible time not time spent on callsigns time spent on callsings is time waised frm G0tlz (jim)

 

Got no idea what whackerism means.

The really bad thing in the consultation is that they want people to sign the prefix for the home address and not the one for the DXCC entity that you are in at the time. For example, as G8VUK if I am mobile in Wales I would now sign GW8VUK/M, but they would have me sign just G8VUK/M, which would indicate the wrong DXCC entity. Really bad news for awards and contests. I would encourage everyone to submit a response that says no to question Q7, even if you ignore all the other questions.

And yes, the /M part would be optional, as it already is in the US, but that is not particularly important one way or the other.

73 de Alun, G8VUK aka N3KIP

PS: I am a Brit in the US, but responded from a UK e-mail address and used my UK callsign. Probably hams from any country could file responses, as names and callsigns are optional.

 

You know, I have to agree with you there. My theory is that we owe the bullying and marginalization of people that drive this whacker-ism to advertisers. American TV adds push "cool" as something attainable through product purchases, and model it on certain types and shapes of people.

Some kids are shy, chubby, regular looking, geeky and don't fit in. In amateur radio, the outlet for this insecurity is a badge, orange vest, and HT. It is the cause of kids becoming school shooters to get on TV. Can you imagine what the world would be like if we glorified citizenship and intelligence rather than droopy pants and simian walking?

 

So what's whackerism?

 

It does state that the regional prefixes can still be used.

 

I cannot see why the regional prefix shouldn't be added before the standard call for the home address as in GW/G0DGF. At least this way the call can be looked up on QRZ.com and is a system that seems commonly used elsewhere.

 

I'm using it as a term to describe those who are perhaps a little too gung-ho in their seeking involvement in emergency...er, public service communications.

There's a time and a place for volunteering to assist; there are times and situations where reflective vests, lightbars, etc. are appropriate. Then you have those who perhaps take the trappings of such volunteerism a bit too far. Those folks are called "whackers" by some.

The dividing line between a "public-service oriented, prepared ham" and a "whacker" is probably a point of some debate, or is in the eye of the beholder.

I raised the question, partly with tongue in cheek, wondering on the extent to which the prevalence of those hams who take their perceived service "too far" is an American vs. international phenomenon.

 

I agree. The time it takes to say or send "This is WA7DU" has caused me to miss dinner more than once, and even to miss important doctor's appointments. One year I missed the tax filing deadline because I was burdened with having to utter those 10 syllables or send those 11 characters every 10 minutes (U.S.). It is another instance of governmental over-reach and burdensome over-regulation.