



Network Working Group                                       P. L. Ursini
Internet-Draft                    Paducah Internet Exchange (Paducah IX)
Intended status: Informational                           19 October 2025
Expires: 22 April 2026


  Reservation of IPv6 Address Block 44::/16 for Amateur Radio Digital
                         Communications (44Net)
                 draft-ursini-44net-ipv6-allocation-00

Abstract

   This document proposes the reservation of the IPv6 address block
   44::/16 for use by the Amateur Radio Digital Communications network
   (44Net, also known as AMPRNet). 44Net has historically used IPv4
   network 44.0.0.0/8 as a globally-unique space for amateur radio
   digital communications.  We present the rationale for an IPv6
   counterpart, detailing the unique technical and social
   characteristics of 44Net that distinguish it from the commercial
   Internet, and the global public service it enables.  While 44Net
   operates under amateur radio licensing and usage policies (non-
   commercial, experimental use by licensed operators), the proposed
   IPv6 block will be part of the global Internet routing table to
   facilitate interoperability, gateways, and research.  This document
   includes background on 44Net, justification for the 44::/16
   allocation, technical requirements (routing and DNS considerations),
   and the IANA action requested to reserve 44::/16 for Amateur Radio
   use as a special-purpose IPv6 prefix.

Note

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

   Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
   Task Force (IETF).  Note that other groups may also distribute
   working documents as Internet-Drafts.  The list of current Internet-
   Drafts is at https://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.

   Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months
   and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any
   time.  It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference
   material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."



Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                 [Page 1]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   This Internet-Draft will expire on 22 April 2026.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2025 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents (https://trustee.ietf.org/
   license-info) in effect on the date of publication of this document.
   Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights
   and restrictions with respect to this document.  Code Components
   extracted from this document must include Revised BSD License text as
   described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions and are
   provided without warranty as described in the Revised BSD License.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Problem Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   3.  Rationale for an Amateur Radio IPv6 Allocation  . . . . . . .   5
     3.1.  Historical Significance and Community Needs . . . . . . .   5
     3.2.  Technical and Social Distinction from Commercial Internet
           Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
     3.3.  Technical Considerations for 44::/16 Usage  . . . . . . .   8
       3.3.1.  Routing and Connectivity  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
       3.3.2.  Reverse DNS and Naming  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11
       3.3.3.  Addressing Plan and Prefix Utilization  . . . . . . .  11
       3.3.4.  Operational Security and Abuse Prevention . . . . . .  12
     3.4.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13
   4.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14
   5.  Conclusion  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  15
   6.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  15
   7.  Informative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16

1.  Introduction

   In 1981, a block of IPv4 addresses (the Class A network 44.0.0.0/8)
   was assigned for use by licensed amateur radio operators worldwide.
   This allocation, known as the Amateur Packet Radio Network (AMPRNet
   or 44Net), provided over 16 million IPv4 addresses dedicated to
   amateur radio digital communications.  The foresight of early amateur
   digital pioneers like Hank Magnuski (KA6M) ensured that "internet-
   style networking would be the future" for amateur radio, and they
   wanted the emerging packet radio networks to participate.  Since its
   allocation in the mid-1980s, 44Net has been used by amateur radio
   operators for scientific research and experimentation with digital



Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                 [Page 2]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   communications over radio, advancing the state of the art in amateur
   networking and educating operators in these techniques.

   Unlike typical commercial ISPs, 44Net is managed by the nonprofit
   Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) and operates under
   amateur radio regulations and community governance.  Any licensed
   radio amateur can request an address in 44Net for experimental use,
   but commercial use is prohibited and the addresses are provided
   solely for amateur communications and technical experiments.  The
   social contract of 44Net aligns with amateur radio’s non-pecuniary,
   public-service ethos, and all usage must comply with applicable radio
   regulations (e.g. identification, no obscured or encrypted
   communications except as allowed by law, etc.).  These distinctive
   usage policies and the oversight by the amateur community set 44Net
   apart from the general Internet.  At the same time, 44Net’s IP
   addresses are "public, globally routable, and static, no NAT, no
   CGNAT... IP as it was meant to be."  In other words, 44Net is an open
   network that interconnects with the global Internet, not a closed
   intranet.  When one accesses a 44Net host, they know "it’s provided
   by a fellow ham in the spirit of amateur radio", yet the packets are
   carried over standard Internet infrastructure.

   Today, IPv4 addresses have become scarce and IPv6 adoption is
   widespread.  ARDC has noted that "IPv6 is the future," and that the
   amateur community will eventually no longer need the entirety of 44/8
   for IPv4.  Indeed, a portion of the 44/8 space was sold in 2019 to
   fund grants for amateur radio innovation , leaving about 12 million
   IPv4 addresses in 44Net for ongoing use.  As the Internet moves to
   IPv6, there is a clear need to designate an equivalent IPv6 prefix
   for amateur radio so that the global 44Net community can continue its
   activities seamlessly in the new protocol.  However, under current
   policies, IANA and the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) have no
   mechanism to allocate IPv6 space directly to an organization like
   ARDC for a worldwide amateur network.  The result is that no IPv6
   range has yet been set aside for ham radio, unlike the legacy 44/8 in
   IPv4.















Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                 [Page 3]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   This document proposes to reserve 44::/16 in the IPv6 address space
   as the dedicated prefix for amateur radio digital communications
   networks (the "IPv6 44Net").  We choose 44::/16 to symbolically align
   with the IPv4 44.0.0.0/8 network number "44", while providing ample
   address space for the growth of amateur radio networking.  The
   following sections outline the rationale for this allocation, the
   technical considerations for its use (routing, DNS, etc.), and the
   public benefits it will bring.  By formally reserving 44::/16, the
   IETF and IANA would recognize and enable the continuation of amateur
   radio’s proud history of contributing to Internet technology and
   serving the public through independent, yet interconnected, digital
   networks.

   Background and operational details of 44Net and its governance are
   further described by the Amateur Radio Digital Communications
   organization and community documentation ([ARDC-44Net],
   [AMPR-IPv6-Wiki], [Stroh-IPv6], [ARDC-FAQ], [ARDC-TOS], and
   [ARDC-Emergency]).

2.  Problem Statement

   Despite the growth of IPv6 across the Internet, no corresponding IPv6
   address space exists for the amateur radio community.  As a result,
   individual operators and organizations must obtain IPv6 space through
   Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) or commercial Internet service
   providers-processes that are often incompatible with the amateur
   radio service’s non-commercial, volunteer nature.  In many regions,
   small amateur operators do not qualify for IPv6 allocations under
   current RIR policies, or they must rely on temporary address
   assignments that cannot be globally routed under their own control.

   This absence of a unified IPv6 prefix fragments experimental amateur
   networks, prevents smooth dual-stack operation with 44Net IPv4
   services, and complicates coordination of routing, DNS, and research
   initiatives.  It also inhibits transition planning as IPv4 address
   space becomes increasingly constrained.

   This absence of a unified IPv6 prefix fragments experimental amateur
   networks, prevents smooth dual-stack operation with 44Net IPv4
   services, and complicates coordination of routing, DNS, and research
   initiatives.  It also inhibits transition planning as IPv4 address
   space becomes increasingly constrained.









Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                 [Page 4]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   Therefore, there is a need for the IETF and IANA to formally
   designate a globally routable IPv6 address block for use by amateur
   radio digital communications networks.  This allocation-analogous in
   spirit to 44.0.0.0/8 in IPv4 would ensure continuity of operations,
   enable cohesive experimentation, and recognize the long-standing
   public-service role of amateur radio within the Internet ecosystem.

   Under current global number resource policies, the Regional Internet
   Registries (RIRs) are authorized to allocate IPv6 address space only
   to organizations operating within their respective geographic regions
   and meeting defined eligibility criteria, such as being an Internet
   Service Provider (ISP), Local Internet Registry (LIR), or end-user
   institution with demonstrated operational need.  These policies are
   described in regional documents (for example, ARIN NRPM §6.5 and RIPE
   Policy RIPE-738) and summarized in [RFC7020].  The Amateur Radio
   Digital Communications (ARDC) network, however, is a global, non-
   commercial community that spans all five RIR regions and does not fit
   within those regional allocation models.  Because there is no
   existing mechanism for an RIR to issue a single, globally coordinated
   prefix for such a community, only IANA can establish an address block
   reserved for worldwide, non-commercial use through the Special-
   Purpose Address Registry process defined in [RFC5156].  Accordingly,
   this document requests an IANA reservation of 44::/16 to ensure
   global coordination for amateur radio digital communications.

   Amateur radio is a globally regulated service under the International
   Telecommunication Union (ITU), with licensed operators active in
   every region of the world.  Because Regional Internet Registries
   (RIRs) allocate resources only within their own geographic
   boundaries, per their charters defined in Section 2.2 of [RFC7020],
   creating separate regional IPv6 allocations for amateur radio would
   be impractical and inconsistent with the service’s worldwide scope
   and cooperative coordination.  Only IANA, acting at the global level,
   can designate a single cross-RIR address block for this purpose.
   Accordingly, an IANA-reserved prefix is the sole mechanism by which a
   unified and globally routable IPv6 44Net space can be established.

3.  Rationale for an Amateur Radio IPv6 Allocation

3.1.  Historical Significance and Community Needs

   The amateur radio community has a demonstrated need for dedicated IP
   resources to conduct its activities.  The success of IPv4 44/8 over
   four decades of use shows that having a unified address space greatly
   facilitates amateur radio networking on a global scale.  Tens of
   thousands of amateur operators and clubs worldwide have used 44Net
   addresses to link radio-based networks, develop and test networking
   protocols, and interconnect with academic or public networks for



Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                 [Page 5]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   research.  This experimentation under real public Internet conditions
   has been possible because 44Net addresses are globally unique and
   routable, allowing ham-run networks to exchange traffic with the
   broader Internet when appropriate.  Reserving 44::/16 ensures that
   the next generation of amateur radio networking can transition to
   IPv6 without losing this global connectivity.

   Critically, an amateur radio allocation in IPv6 prevents
   fragmentation of address space and routing.  If no common prefix were
   available, each amateur radio group or individual might approach
   different RIRs for IPv6 subnets.  At best, large national- level
   amateur radio organizations could qualify for IPv6 allocations from
   RIRs, but this would result in many disparate prefixes (one per RIR
   or per country/region).  That approach is undesirable for the global
   routing system, since one goal of IPv6 design was to reduce BGP table
   fragmentation via hierarchical addressing.  A single /16 prefix for
   all amateur radio use can be aggregated (or at least kept within a
   narrow range) in routing announcements, maintaining a cleaner global
   routing table than dozens of separate amateur prefixes would.  The
   alternative of using IPv6 ULAs (Unique Local Addresses) was
   considered by amateurs, but was rejected because ULA space (fc00::/7)
   is not globally routable.  Amateur radio networks must be able to
   reach the global Internet, and vice versa, to be useful.  ULAs would
   confine ham networks to isolated pockets, undermining one of 44Net’s
   key benefits interoperability with public networks through gateways
   and collaboration in open research.

   It is important to note that individual amateurs cannot realistically
   obtain IPv6 space under current RIR policies in many cases.  RIR
   qualification rules for IPv6 allocations (e.g., needing to be an ISP
   or have a plan for thousands of addresses in use) are burdensome for
   hobbyist experimenters.  As one analysis noted, despite the vast IPv6
   address supply, "there doesn’t seem to be a way for an individual to
   obtain a dedicated block of IPv6 addresses" under normal RIR
   processes.  By contrast, ARDC’s stewardship of 44/8 has enabled any
   licensed ham to get a small block of public IPs for free, without
   needing to be an ISP or corporate entity.  An IPv6 44Net block would
   likewise be managed by ARDC (or its successors) to provide IPv6
   addresses to operators who could never get them otherwise, empowering
   individuals to innovate at the network edge.  This lowers the barrier
   to entry for digital experimentation, much as 44/8 did in the IPv4
   realm.









Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                 [Page 6]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


3.2.  Technical and Social Distinction from Commercial Internet Use

   The proposed 44::/16 would be governed by the same usage policies and
   norms that have guided 44/8.  These policies ensure the address space
   is used in the service of amateur radio’s mission, which is technical
   experimentation, education, and public service, not profit or private
   gain.  For example, ARDC’s Terms of Service for 44Net explicitly
   state that addresses "are not permitted to be used for commercial
   purposes, nor in a manner detrimental to the AMPRNet or to Amateur
   Radio."  Addresses are licensed to individuals (not sold or
   permanently transferred) and remain ARDC’s property to ensure they
   aren’t monetized or misused.  This governance model will carry into
   IPv6: the 44::/16 space would be reserved specifically for amateur
   radio use under amateur radio regulations.  This means only holders
   of an amateur radio license (in any country) and organizations
   supporting amateur radio would be eligible to obtain sub-allocations,
   and they must adhere to applicable laws (for instance, identifying
   their transmissions with call signs, and observing content
   restrictions such as no obscene or encrypted communications, per
   national rules).

   These constraints differentiate 44Net services from the general
   Internet, providing a self-regulated "community network" flavor
   within the larger Internet.  Much like amateur radio spectrum
   allocations come with eligibility and usage rules, the IP network
   allocation is a parallel construct in the Internet number space.  The
   social contract yields benefits: 44Net users have a shared
   understanding and purpose, and often coordinate to avoid interference
   or abuse.  The network carries traffic that is, by rule, related to
   amateur radio activities (e.g., remote station control, radio
   telemetry, VoIP links between repeaters, digipeaters and gateways,
   etc.), as opposed to general public Internet traffic.  Nonetheless,
   it is crucial to stress that we are not creating a dark-net or a
   closed garden, 44Net in IPv6 will be fully capable of exchanging
   traffic with any other Internet hosts, subject to the discretionary
   interconnection agreements of network operators.  In practice, many
   44Net sites connect to the Internet at large, and services like
   radio-to-Internet email gateways (Winlink), ham radio mesh chat
   portals, and propagation data streams rely on bi-directional
   connectivity.

   The global public service enabled by 44Net is a strong motivator for
   keeping the network interoperable with the broader Internet.  Amateur
   radio networks frequently provide backup and emergency communications
   when conventional systems fail or are overloaded.  For example,
   regional high-speed ham networks have been used to support emergency
   operations during wildfires and disasters in the United States,
   carrying email, voice-over-IP, and even live video for incident



Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                 [Page 7]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   response when normal infrastructure was down.  Mesh networks like the
   Bay Area Mesh (BAM) in California use amateur IPv4 addresses to
   deliver communications to served agencies during disasters,
   emergencies, and large community events.  Similarly, the Rocky
   Mountain Ham Radio network spans multiple states with microwave links
   and has provided backup communications during wildfires and public-
   service events.  In all these cases, the ability to interface with
   the Internet (for example, to deliver an email to a recipient on the
   public Internet, or to pull weather data from an online API) is
   essential.  Reserving 44::/16 ensures that amateur radio’s emergency
   and public- service digital networks have a stable, well-known
   address range in IPv6, facilitating rapid integration with municipal
   and Internet-connected resources in times of need.  Network operators
   will be aware that traffic from 44::/16 may be originating from
   volunteer-operated emergency networks, and thus can be handled
   appropriately (e.g., not mistakenly filtered as illegitimate).

   Finally, from a research and development perspective, a dedicated
   IPv6 block for amateur radio opens opportunities for globally
   coordinated experimentation.  Amateur networks have pioneered or
   incubated ideas that later influenced mainstream networking, for
   instance, early TCP/IP over radio links, packet radio protocols like
   AX.25, and wireless mesh routing techniques.  Having a common address
   space where experimental services can be deployed by volunteers
   worldwide, under real-world conditions but with less risk to
   commercial operations, is a boon to Internet research.  Projects can
   deploy across the 44::/16 range knowing that the IPs are globally
   reachable and uniquely tied to the ham community.  This sandbox-like
   environment (with full Internet connectivity) can foster innovation
   in areas like delay-tolerant networking for telemetry, novel routing
   schemes, or even embedding call sign information into addresses.  The
   technical distinction of 44Net is that it is an Internet microcosm
   run by hobbyists and volunteers, which encourages creative solutions,
   reserving an IPv6 block continues this tradition into the foreseeable
   future.

3.3.  Technical Considerations for 44::/16 Usage

3.3.1.  Routing and Connectivity

   The IPv6 prefix 44::/16 will be designated as global unicast address
   space, intended to be routed on the public Internet.  Network
   operators and Internet Exchange Points should accept and propagate
   routes for sub-prefixes of 44::/16 in the same manner as any other
   provider-assigned IPv6 space.  (In particular, operators should
   update any prefix filters that assume all valid global unicast space
   is under 2000::/3.  The 44::/16 block lies outside 2000::/3 and, once
   reserved by IANA, must be treated as legitimate globally-routed



Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                 [Page 8]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   space, analogous to how 2002::/16 was reserved for 6to4 traffic in
   IPv6.)  Entities announcing 44::/16 space will be subject to normal
   Internet routing policies, they will need to adhere to BGP best
   practices and obtain an ASN, etc., just as with 44/8 in IPv4 where
   many amateurs negotiate with their ISP to announce a 44Net subnet via
   BGP.

   It is expected that ARDC (or a designated successor operator for
   44Net) will coordinate the assignment of sub-prefixes within 44::/16
   to amateur radio operators, clubs, and networks.  Likely, this will
   involve a hierarchical delegation (for example, ARDC may allocate
   /48s or /56s to individual stations or regional groups, and possibly
   larger blocks like /32 to national-level networks or large
   organizations).  The exact allocation plan is outside the scope of
   this document, but the key point is that all such assignments will be
   made under the umbrella of amateur radio usage and through a
   centralized registry (much as ARDC’s portal manages IPv4 44Net
   allocations today).  This central management will help ensure that no
   two amateurs inadvertently use the same address space, and that each
   allocation is backed by a valid amateur radio callsign or
   organization.

   In terms of routing architecture, there are a few possible models,
   all enabled by reserving this single large prefix:

   *Distributed Announcements*: Individual amateurs or radio clubs, who
   have obtained a 44::/L (some length) assignment, may convince their
   local Internet service provider to route that prefix via BGP to them
   (for connectivity to their home or club network).  This mirrors the
   current IPv4 practice where hams either use a worldwide IP-in-IP
   tunnel mesh (historically via amprgw.ucsd.edu) or arrange for direct
   BGP announcements of their 44/8 subnets.  With IPv6, direct routing
   is more feasible since IPv6 is readily available on many residential
   connections.  We anticipate numerous small BGP announcements globally
   for 44::/L sub-prefixes (e.g.  a /48 per ham who negotiates it).  The
   impact on the global table should be acceptable if those are
   aggregatable to some degree (for example, possibly one per country or
   region if coordinated).  Network operators should not automatically
   filter out longer prefixes under 44::/16, as legitimate announcements
   (even as long as /48) may originate from this space.

   *Regional or Distributed Announcements*: Unlike the historical IPv4
   model, ARDC will SHALL NOT originate or announce the entire 44::/16
   prefix globally.  Instead, only the organizations or licensed amateur
   operators who have received specific sub-prefixes (e.g., /32, /40, or
   /48 allocations) SHOULD announce their own routes directly or through
   their local Internet service providers.  This decentralized model
   aligns with current Internet routing best practices and ensures



Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                 [Page 9]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   scalability.  ARDC or regional coordinators MAY announce limited
   aggregate prefixes on behalf of groups of clubs, regional networks,
   or emergency-service consortia to improve reachability where
   practical, but there will be no single, global 44::/16 announcement
   from a central gateway.  The large size of the IPv6 space makes it
   feasible for each club or regional grouping to manage its own
   aggregate without fragmenting the global routing table, while
   maintaining routing autonomy for individual amateur networks.

   *Internal Ham Mesh Routing*: Within the 44Net community, there may be
   overlay routing (VPNs or mesh networks over RF) interconnecting
   sites.  These can continue to use protocols like RIP44 or new
   mechanisms to exchange reachability of 44::/16 subnets among
   participants, analogous to how the IPv4 AMPRNet uses an encapsulated
   mesh today.  The existence of an IPv6 allocation does not mandate how
   the traffic is carried; it simply gives a consistent addressing
   scheme.  Hams may tunnel IPv6 over existing IPv4 links, or vice
   versa, during the transition.

   A crucial consideration is that 44::/16 remains fully open for
   traffic exchange with any other Internet host.  No special handling
   (like 6to4 relay processing or NAT) is required, packets to/from
   44::/16 will be native IPv6 packets routed normally.  Network
   administrators should be aware that although 44Net hosts adhere to
   amateur radio rules at the application level, they are standard
   Internet hosts at the network level.  Thus, security or policy
   devices (firewalls, intrusion detection, etc.) should treat 44::/16
   traffic similarly to traffic from any other ISP, aside from perhaps
   recognizing its source as an amateur radio network for traffic
   engineering or quality-of-service purposes if desired.  We discourage
   any blanket filtering of 44::/16 simply because it is a "special"
   allocation, unlike IPv6 link-local or ULA addresses, this prefix is
   intended to carry real, globally-addressable traffic.

   Some network operators may initially filter 44::/16 as "bogon"
   (unallocated) space until it appears in the official IANA IPv6
   Special-Purpose Address Registry.  This behavior is expected during
   the early transition period.  Once IANA formally reserves and
   publishes the block, those filters will need to be updated to permit
   routing of 44::/16 and its sub-prefixes.  Community outreach and
   best-current-practice (BCP) updates-similar to those that followed
   the introduction of 100.64.0.0/10 for Carrier-Grade NAT (CGN) will be
   required to ensure rapid propagation of the new allocation and
   prevent inadvertent reachability issues.  To assist this process,
   *network operators, IXPs, and transit providers SHOULD proactively
   whitelist 44::/16* once the IANA registry entry is published,
   treating it as standard global unicast space.




Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                [Page 10]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   *Distributed Announcements and Registry Role*: ARDC will function
   solely as the *registrar and coordinator* of address assignments
   within 44::/16 and SHOULD NOT operate as a network provider or
   originate global BGP announcements for the prefix.  Each licensed
   amateur, club, or affiliated organization receiving an allocation
   (for example, /32, /40, or /48) MAY announce their own sub-prefix
   through their local Internet service provider or upstream network as
   appropriate.  Regional or national amateur organizations MAY choose
   to advertise aggregated sub-prefixes covering multiple local
   allocations to improve reachability, but there will be no single
   worldwide advertisement of 44::/16.  This model keeps ARDC in its
   proper administrative role maintaining the allocation registry and
   ensuring uniqueness while leaving routing control entirely with the
   independent operators who use the space.

3.3.2.  Reverse DNS and Naming

   IANA should delegate the reverse DNS zone corresponding to 44::/16 to
   the ARDC or its designated DNS operators.  In IPv6, reverse lookups
   are under the .ip6.arpa domain.  For a /16, the delegation will be
   somewhat unusual because it is on a nibble boundary.  The 44::/16
   prefix in hex is 0x0044::/16, i.e., addresses start with the 16-bit
   value 0x0044.  The reverse DNS zone could be considered as
   4.4.ip6.arpa (representing all addresses with the first two hex
   digits "44") and be delegated to ARDC name servers.  ARDC already
   manages forward DNS for the ampr.org domain and the in-addr.arpa for
   44/8 (delegated through ARIN’s legacy processes).  For IPv6, ARDC can
   similarly manage PTR records for any assigned addresses within
   44::/16.  This will allow reverse DNS resolution of amateur radio
   hosts.  Typically, 44Net hostnames are under the ampr.org domain
   (often incorporating call signs or location identifiers), and we
   expect the same practice to continue.  Proper reverse DNS is not only
   a convenience; it also prevents misconfigured reverse lookups that
   some services use for security checks.

3.3.3.  Addressing Plan and Prefix Utilization

   While the detailed addressing plan will be developed by the amateur
   community, we note some technical guidelines and possibilities:

   *Size of End-User Assignments*: It is anticipated that end-user
   networks (e.g., a ham’s home station or a club’s network) will
   receive at least a /64 (as that is the IPv6 subnet size required for
   SLAAC autoconfiguration).  However, more likely a /48 per user may be
   standard, as is common in IPv6 for giving ample subnet space.  A /48
   allows 65,536 subnets for the user, effectively unlimited for any
   foreseeable amateur radio station’s needs.  Even if every individual
   assignment were a /48, the 44::/16 block can accommodate



Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                [Page 11]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   approximately 4.3 billion /48s, far exceeding the number of amateur
   radio operators on the planet.  In other words, 44::/16 is extremely
   generous in size, which is appropriate to ensure no shortage and to
   mirror the "large swath" philosophy of the original 44/8.

   *Hierarchical Structure*: The high-order bits within 44::/16 could be
   subdivided geographically or by administrative region if desired.
   For example, the amateur community could decide that 44:0000::/24
   goes to Region 1 (Europe/Africa), 44:0100::/24 to Region 2
   (Americas), 44:0200::/24 to Region 3 (Asia/Pacific), etc., aligning
   with IARU or ITU regions.  Under each region, country-based sub-
   allocations could be made (similar to country coordinators who
   handled IPv4 44Net allocations in the past).  Alternatively, ARDC may
   manage it as a flat space and allocate sequentially as requests come.
   These decisions will be made by the amateur community governance.
   The IETF’s concern is only that such structuring is possible and
   facilitated by having a large contiguous block.

   *Interoperability with IPv4 44Net*: During transition, many amateur
   systems will run dual-stack on both 44.x.x.x addresses and 44::
   addresses.  Gateways will likely be set up to bridge IPv4-only radio
   nodes to IPv6-only nodes via protocol translation or tunn translation
   or tunneling.  One foreseeable mechanism is to use NAT64 or SIIT
   translators on the border between IPv6 44Net and legacy IPv4 44Net,
   allowing, for example, an old packet BBS on 44.1.2.3 to communicate
   with an IPv6-only station at 44:abcd::1.  Because the addressing
   shares the "44" prefix conceptually, operators can implement simple
   rules (perhaps mapping the IPv4 44/8 space into a subset of 44::/16
   for translation).  While not strictly required for IANA to reserve
   the block, the alignment of numbering (44 in both families) is
   mentally convenient and can ease documentation and tooling.

3.3.4.  Operational Security and Abuse Prevention

   Although primarily a policy matter, it is worth noting technically
   that ARDC and the amateur community will likely maintain filters to
   ensure that only authorized (licensed) users announce or use 44::/16
   addresses.  Currently, for IPv4, there is an "encapsulation gateway"
   and registration system; a similar approach could be taken where
   unregistered use of 44::/16 is deterred.  From the perspective of the
   wider Internet, however, the security considerations are
   straightforward: treat 44::/16 like any other customer IP range.  If
   a network sees traffic from an apparent 44::/16 address that is not
   also properly announced in BGP by an authorized ASN, that traffic
   could be spoofed (as with any prefix).  Network operators should
   apply BCP38 (ingress filtering) at their edges, and if an ISP is
   providing transit for an amateur station announcing 44::/L, they
   should ensure the announcement is authorized (perhaps ARDC will



Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                [Page 12]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   publish routing objects or an RPKI ROA for the allocations to assist
   in validation).

3.4.  Security Considerations

   Reservation of 44::/16 does not introduce new vulnerabilities to
   Internet protocols; it simply earmarks an address range for a
   specific community.  The addresses in this range should be considered
   as normal global IPv6 addresses from a security standpoint.  That
   said, some characteristics of their use are notable:

   *Open Access vs. Authorized Use*: Only licensed amateur operators
   will be authorized to use 44::/16 addresses, but there is no
   technical enforcement of this at the IP level.  In theory, a
   malicious party could spoof or squat on 44:: addresses.  This is no
   different from misuse of any unallocated or special-purpose prefix.
   Best common practices like filtering non-routed prefixes and source-
   address validation mitigate this risk.  Once IANA allocates 44::/16
   to ARDC, any route originating from that space should be from ARDC or
   its designees; others can be viewed as rogue.

   *Amateur Traffic Content*: Due to amateur radio regulations, much of
   the traffic on 44Net may be in the clear (unencrypted) or contain
   identifying information like call signs.  Attackers on the Internet
   could potentially eavesdrop on or target ham radio nodes knowing they
   might have less hardened services (since many are run by volunteers).
   The community should remain mindful of general cybersecurity
   practices (firewalls, patches) even while operating in the spirit of
   open experimentation.  The reservation itself does not exacerbate
   these issues-rather, having a known prefix might even allow network
   defenders to more easily recognize and monitor 44Net traffic patterns
   if needed.

   *Emergency Communications*: During emergency use of ham networks,
   confidentiality of certain traffic might be a concern (e.g., personal
   information in an email over Winlink).  Amateur rules typically
   forbid encryption, so sensitive data is sometimes sent in plaintext
   out of necessity.  Users should be cautious about what data they
   transmit.  Again, this is a general caution and not created by the
   IPv6 allocation; the allocation simply extends the environment where
   these longstanding amateur radio practices apply.










Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                [Page 13]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   Overall, the security posture of 44::/16 will depend on the
   operational security of those who use it.  By keeping the space
   identifiable and managed (via ARDC), it may actually aid incident
   response, for example, abuse complaints about a 44:: address can be
   forwarded to a well-known team in the amateur community.  The
   cooperative nature of that community is such that security issues
   (intrusions, misuse) are likely to be resolved quickly through out-
   of-band coordination (mailing lists, etc.).

4.  IANA Considerations

   IANA is requested to reserve the IPv6 address block 44::/16 and
   register it as follows:

   This document uses the terminology and conventions defined in
   [RFC2119], [RFC8174], and [RFC5156].

   *  *Address Block:* 44::/16

   *  *Name/Description:* Amateur Radio Digital Communications Network
      (44Net - AMPRNet)

   *  *Reservation Purpose:* Globally unique IPv6 prefix for amateur
      radio networks, to be managed by ARDC for use by licensed Amateur
      Radio operators and organizations worldwide.  This is the IPv6
      counterpart to IPv4 network 44.0.0.0/8, which has been used for
      amateur radio digital communications since the 1980s.

   *  *Routability:* Yes - This prefix is intended to be routed on the
      global Internet.  It is not private or local-use; network
      operators should treat it as they would any allocated unicast
      space.

   *  *Reverse DNS:* IANA is requested to delegate the corresponding
      .ip6.arpa zone (e.g., 4.4.ip6.arpa) to name servers specified by
      the Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), which will manage
      PTR records for this space.

   *  *Administrative Contact:* Amateur Radio Digital Communications
      (ARDC) - contact information to be provided to IANA, for example,
      the email contact@ardc.net, which is already used for inquiries.

   This reservation will be recorded in the IPv6 Special-Purpose Address
   Registry maintained by IANA.  The allocation SHOULD be announced to
   the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) so that they do not
   accidentally issue any overlapping allocation.  Given that 44::/16 is
   outside the current 2000::/3 range, RIRs normally would not allocate
   from it unless global policy changes.  After reservation, ARDC will



Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                [Page 14]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   work with IANA and the RIRs as needed to ensure WHOIS and routing
   databases reflect that 44::/16 is assigned for Amateur Radio use (for
   example, ARIN’s WHOIS might include a record for this block noting
   ARDC as the registrant, similar to how the legacy 44/8 is noted).

   No other IANA services or registries are affected by this document.
   In particular, no code points or protocol parameters are requested
   aside from the IPv6 address prefix itself and its reverse DNS
   delegation.

5.  Conclusion

   By allocating 44::/16 to amateur radio, the IETF and IANA will help
   bridge the past and future of experimental networking.  The 44Net
   community, born in the era of IPv4, can continue to innovate in IPv6
   without barriers, maintaining a globally coherent network that is
   separate in purpose but connected in infrastructure.  This proposal
   honors the legacy of amateurs’ contributions to networking
   recognizing that, as one amateur noted, "forward-looking Amateur
   Radio operators worked within the IETF to reserve 44.0.0.0/8" decades
   ago, and now it is time for the next generation to have their
   "44-space" in IPv6.

   The allocation of 44::/16 is a proportionally small ask in the vast
   IPv6 address space, but it carries significant symbolic and practical
   value.  It demonstrates that the Internet has room for non-
   commercial, volunteer-driven networks that serve education and the
   public interest.  It ensures that amateur radio’s digital renaissance
   will be IPv6-ready, enriching the global Internet with a diverse
   community of experimenters.

   The author and the amateur radio community urge the IANA and IETF to
   implement this reservation expediently.  This will enable a smooth
   transition for 44Net services to IPv6 and encourage continued
   collaboration between amateur radio and Internet technologists for
   years to come.

6.  Normative References

   [RFC7020]  Housley, R., Conrad, D., and E. Kuerbis, "The Internet
              Numbers Registry System", RFC 7020, August 2013,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc7020>.

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", RFC 2119, March 1997,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc2119>.





Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                [Page 15]

Internet-Draft                    44v6                      October 2025


   [RFC8174]  Leiba, B., "Ambiguity of Uppercase vs Lowercase in RFC
              2119 Key Words", RFC 8174, May 2017,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8174>.

   [RFC5156]  Hinden, B. and S. Deering, "Special-Purpose IPv6
              Addresses", RFC 5156, April 2008,
              <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc5156>.

7.  Informative References

   [ARDC-44Net]
              Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), "What is
              44Net? (Frequently Asked Questions)", OTHER Web Resource,
              <https://www.ardc.net/apply/44net/>.

   [AMPR-IPv6-Wiki]
              44Net Community Wiki, "44Net Wiki - IPv6", OTHER Web
              Resource, <https://wiki.ampr.org/wiki/IPv6>.

   [Stroh-IPv6]
              Stroh, S., "No 44Net within IPv6", OTHER Newsletter,
              December 2023,
              <https://zeroretries.substack.com/p/zero-retries-0127>.

   [ARDC-FAQ] Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), "ARDC FAQ -
              History of 44/8 Allocation and IPv6 Planning", OTHER Web
              Resource, <https://www.ardc.net/apply/faq/>.

   [ARDC-TOS] Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), "ARDC Terms
              of Service", OTHER Policy Document,
              <https://portal.ampr.org/tos>.

   [ARDC-Emergency]
              Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), "Building
              Infrastructure in the Rocky Mountains and the Bay Area",
              OTHER News Article, <https://www.ardc.net/news/building-
              infrastructure-rocky-mountains-bay-area/>.

Author's Address

   Preston Louis Ursini
   Paducah Internet Exchange (Paducah IX)
   1212 Helen Street
   Paducah, KY 42001
   United States
   Phone: +1 833-701-7823
   Email: preston@paducahix.net




Ursini                    Expires 22 April 2026                [Page 16]
