The consultation on the future of Winlink closes on 28th April. If enacted this would rob those that depend on SSB/Pactor of their data access. I would urge our US members to register their protest by using this link https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/filings?proceedings_name=RM-11831&sort=date_disseminated,DESC

I have just lodged a protest on behalf of the OCC. You may want to use this as a template.

The proposal before the FCC IN RM-11831 should rejected.

I am writing in my capacity as Commodore of the Ocean Cruising Club. This is a global offshore sailing club with around active 1,000 American cruising members. We are very concerned that our American members may come to harm as they will be robbed of reliable offshore data communications. They rely on these communications for weather forecasting and other essential services.

Amateur radio operators use the amateur bands for both voice and digital communications. This proposal will substantially cripple these useful tools without any significant benefit for security. RM-11831 would eliminate Pactor 2, 3 and 4 only from the US amateur bands but have little effect elsewhere. 
Cruising US Sailboats use Pactor to send and receive digital messages via PACTOR to Winlink when off-shore and beyond the range of cell and VHF communications. This is critical for safety of life and property — critically useful in emergencies as well as for obtaining vital weather information while at sea.
Cruising sailboats offshore also use the technology which this proposal would cripple to relay emergency messages on behalf of vessels in distress and also to aid and pass on US Coast Guard and other security forces information. 
The interruption to continued digital communications by amateur radio operators this will cause will negatively affect national security. Amateur radio operators (hams) have provided needed rescue communications using this very means that would be interrupted by adopting this proposal. Hams transmitting data is essential during natural disaster and other emergency events that disrupt traditional means of communication. Sailing vessels that use this technology are self-sufficient for power generation and signal transmission and can operate when other general power and communication lines are out of service.
Please DO NOT adopt RM-11831.

Dr Simon Currin
Commodore
Ocean Cruising Club
Commodore@oceancruisingclub.org