ORIGINAL: Rebsix
Against the notion is correct to a point. In the case of the club Abel mentions the solution would be obvious and fortunately now 2.4, errr SS, would be the clear solution.
But for an established club (over 30 years in my case) it would be a bad idea due to the problems I've mentioned above. We have no problems with interference (although some claim we do...
) and it would be pointless to separate people, or revoke memberships simply for a frequency. A lot of the older guys don't want to change out 40-50 years of gear for no reason other than the fear of someone turning a radio on.
I fully agree with you on this. I don't think OP ever intended that SS-only would be for established clubs (or so I have presumed, he can speak for himself and does so capably). All my replies on the topic assume the motivation for a club to so restrict themselves to SS would be to obtain club charter from AMA for a flying site within 3 miles of an existing club, while bypassing the need to obtain an agreement for frequency sharing with said existing club.
To be "allowed" by the AMA to be chartered as a SS club only, seems like a moot point. If a club wanted to do such a thing wouldn't they just be an AMA chartered club as usual and make the SS only part of the club field rules or even by-laws? Why would I have to ask the AMA to allow me to do it when all the legal frequencies are still legal? Do glider clubs have to ask the AMA if they can be glider club only? I don't really know because we are a RC club and we let anything fly that any of the guys bring to the field on whatever type system they have as long as there is a current card on the board. What happens if someone is caught at the SS field using a 72 mhz radio, does the charter get revoked?
Paragraph in reply above addresses why; it isn't a moot point.
As for what happens if someone is caught using a radio on a frequency not allowed by the club charter, I think the Safety Code addresses this. Local safety rules (and the SS-only restriction addresses a safety issue) are incorporated into the AMA SC by reference: AMA SC General heading
"3. I will abide by this Safety Code and all rules established for the flying site I use. I will not willfully fly my model aircraft in a reckless and/or dangerous manner."
Violation of the SC is often included in club bylaws as a reason for expulsion; it is cited by AMA as reason for voiding insurance coverage - effectively same as revocation of charter.
Abel
[/quote]