Reservation of IPv6 Address Block 44::/16 for Amateur Radio Digital Communications (44Net)
draft-ursini-44net-ipv6-allocation-01
| Document | Type |
Expired Internet-Draft
(individual)
Expired & archived
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Preston Louis Ursini | ||
| Last updated | 2026-05-06 (Latest revision 2025-11-02) | ||
| RFC stream | (None) | ||
| Intended RFC status | (None) | ||
| Formats | |||
| Stream | Stream state | (No stream defined) | |
| Consensus boilerplate | Unknown | ||
| RFC Editor Note | (None) | ||
| IESG | IESG state | Expired | |
| Telechat date | (None) | ||
| Responsible AD | (None) | ||
| Send notices to | (None) |
This Internet-Draft is no longer active. A copy of the expired Internet-Draft is available in these formats:
Abstract
This document proposes the reservation of the IPv6 address block 44::/16 for use by the global amateur radio community. The allocation would serve as the IPv6 successor to the legacy IPv4 network 44.0.0.0/8, historically known as AMPRNet or 44Net, which has provided a unified, non-commercial address space for amateur radio digital communications for more than four decades. The goal of this proposal is to maintain global cohesion and routing consistency for amateur radio networks as they transition to IPv6, while preserving the service's unique social and regulatory context. Amateur networks operate under national licensing frameworks and are limited to educational, experimental, and public-service purposes, distinguishing them from commercial Internet use. The proposed prefix would remain part of the global unicast routing table, enabling interoperability, research, and gateway connectivity between amateur systems and the wider Internet. This document outlines the historical rationale for an amateur radio IPv6 allocation, describes the technical and governance considerations for maintaining a contiguous and hierarchically managed address space, and specifies the IANA action required to reserve 44::/16 as a special-purpose global IPv6 prefix for amateur radio use.
Authors
(Note: The e-mail addresses provided for the authors of this Internet-Draft may no longer be valid.)