St. Helena Is - 11 meter

[Captain Kilowatt]

I can Understand that Captain, but I've never heard of a CB'er turning in one of his Cb'er brethren because he was out of band. There are some very heated, even threating talk almost daily. Maybe they do turn them in. I personally have never heard of that. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen I reckon. it's usually all aired out over the air waves and an hour later there talking to each other again. See that's how it should be. IMHO of course.

Here's a true story that happened to me two days ago, and when I read this thread I couldn't help myself.

I was sitting in the VA hospitals parking lot in my pickup about 15 minutes early for my appointment listening to my radio on Ch 38 Lsb (27.385), and I seen this rather well dressed older gentleman come up from behind my truck looking at my antenna array on my rig. Then he slowly walks up to my window with a very deadpan face (real good poker face if you will). I roll down my window and asked him if I could help him. He was looking right at me and said I work with the FCC.

My heart sank to the bottom of my gut. I wasn't doing anything illegal , and I wasn't transmitting. He looked inside my cab, and asked what kind of radio I was running, and what I was listening to. I mean he looked right at my radio's. Stryker radio are not known for being bashful about their radios with all the bells, whistles, bright back lighting, and it says in bold letters on the faceplate 10 meter amateur mobile radio . The inside of my pickup looks more like an F-18's cockpit with the 2m/440 radio and antenna, the Stryker 955 hp, my Sat radio,the Bullydog fuel controller and screen, and whatnot how could he not have known what I was running.

I told him I was listening to SSB. Then he started talking about Ham radio, and maybe I should try and get my license, and how I could listen and really get out there and talk. The whole time (10 minutes) this guy's face was totally serious. I thought he was just building up a case about me. I said I would look in to the Ham radio license and got out of my truck.

I asked him if he was a Ham operator, and he said he was a amateur Extra non-code. I told him that I had to go, as I was already late, and I said I didn't know that the FCC had an office up in these parts.

He looked at me and said he wasn't really with the FCC, but seen my antenna's and wanted to see what I was running. Then he said isn't it funny how radio operator's REACT when someone mention's the FCC.

Holly mackerel, this guy is killing me. I was freaked out all day. Then I thought about what a good joke he pulled on me. Then after reading this post I have to wonder.

Lot's of folks have claimed to be with the FCC especially on the air. The first thing I would have said is "Show me some ID" and then watch the expression on HIS face. LOL

So you don't have a ticket? What's the 2m/440 rig for? With a ticket even that Stryker would have been 100% LEGAL BTW.

Oh, by the way. Here's some light reading for you. Want to join?Amateur Auxiliary

OK That's the first time I have heard the OO program called the amateur aux program. I guess it makes the ARRL feel more important about it. LOL Same thing as I said above however.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Nope he was hurting no one, my only point of contention was as a ham why would someone purposely work "out of band". Now as has been pointed out maybe 27.670 is a legal freq there. Sure I buy that, but anyone from here, especially a ham, would be doing something illegal.

Get used to it. As the exams get easier and more people move from the "freeband" into amateur radio the more it's going to happen. Most hams who have never been a CBer have no problems staying in band however most CBer/freebanders that become hams find it hard to leave 27.410-27.999 alone. I am not shitting on anyone BTW but stating facts. The past ten years or so has seen an incredible increase in freebanders moving into amateur radio and bringing the old habits with them. If someone wants to be a ham and also a CBer then that is fine with me but just respect the ticket a little bit and use the appropriate operating procedures in the proper places. I can't fathom why someone would jeopardize their ticket for a few QSO's on 27.555.

 

[fogdog]

Is that being directed at me?

Nope , not at all. I had the name wrong in my post. Captain Kilowatt said there wasn't a Ham Aux. He's right, it's the amateur auxiliary, that is part of ARRL I guess. Thought some people would like to see it.

73

 

[Road Squawker]

...
I received a letter via registered mail last month from our friends at the FCC...

The letter was signed by Laura L. Smith of the Enforcement Bureau of the FCC.
She claimed that I had already received 'several OO cards'; and thus the warning letter.
I never received one card - at all. ...these recent FCC actions throw the warning process in disrepute and have made Laura Smith look like a joke...

...End rant

jus something for you to keep "in your back pocket"

I read this info (twice, just to be sure) Amateur Auxiliary

and nowhere does it give any OO's any legal standing to operate outside the amateur bands.

perhaps the actual memo of understanding between the FCC and the ARRL may have words to that effect.


YMMV

 

[fogdog]

Lot's of folks have claimed to be with the FCC especially on the air. The first thing I would have said is "Show me some ID" and then watch the expression on HIS face. LOL

So you don't have a ticket? What's the 2m/440 rig for? With a ticket even that Stryker would have been 100% LEGAL BTW.

OK That's the first time I have heard the OO program called the amateur aux program. I guess it makes the ARRL feel more important about it. LOL Same thing as I said above however.

Yes I'm a Technician class. The 2m/440 is a HT that I have connected to a dual band antenna. I got it because it was cheap , and could get me started in Ham Radio with the locals. I still use it every now and again.

Your right I should have asked for ID. As for the Stryker, I'm not so sure. It's not certified by the FCC. Of course you can legally listen , but not transmit I believe.

 

[Robb]

jus something for you to keep "in your back pocket"

I read this info (twice, just to be sure) Amateur Auxiliary

and nowhere does it give any OO's any legal standing to operate outside the amateur bands.

perhaps the actual memo of understanding between the FCC and the ARRL may have words to that effect.


YMMV

Don't know if they having legal standing or not. I think they do - IIRC. Anyone can observe the freeband - including amateurs. Sure didn't use my Ham call on the freeband - lol - that is for sure.

But this is precisely why it all points back to Madam Smith. She 'claimed' I had received a few OO cards, but in fact I received none at all. Did she use the ARRL/OO program as an excuse? After all, the OO program is expressly for Hams in order to keep them out of trouble in circumstances such as these in particular.

She said she could not disclose the OO who sent me those cards - that sounds like she is playing the favorite gov't bureaucrat game here called "cover your a$$".

Even if an errant OO claimed to have sent out OO cards when he didn't and told Madam Smith that he did, she still covered up her actions with that lie. Someone is lying. Perhaps she found out that there were no OO cards after the fact; but her own statement attempted cover up her own mistaken actions - just the same.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Yes I'm a Technician class. The 2m/440 is a HT that I have connected to a dual band antenna. I got it because it was cheap , and could get me started in Ham Radio with the locals. I still use it every now and again.

Your right I should have asked for ID. As for the Stryker, I'm not so sure. It's not certified by the FCC. Of course you can legally listen , but not transmit I believe.

OK I thought you had a ticket of some level. As a licensed ham don't worry about the legality of any so-called export or 10m radio. As long as it meets spectral purity requirements for harmonics and IMD performance it is 100% LEGAL and do not let anyone tell you differently. If would be legal if it was a modified toaster as long as you made sure the toaster did not emit to high a level of harmonics.

 

[fogdog]

So, you can operate an export radio on 10 meters, even though the same radio can transmit on 11 meters? The way I read it, if an export radio has been converted it really can't be used by anyone. If a ham used it on 10m it would be illegal. If he used on 11 m same thing, because it puts out more than 4 watts, and that export radio is not certified by the FCC. I know a lot of people are confused about the export radio side of things.

 

[Road Squawker]

Don't know if they having legal standing or not..

well, I had to really do some searching. here is the LEGAL authority

(BOLD is mine)

U.S.C. 154 "(f)(4)(B)(i)

The Commission, for purposes of monitoring violations of
any provision of this chapter (and of any regulation prescribed by
the Commission under this chapter) relating to the amateur radio
service, may -
(I) recruit and train any individual licensed by the Commission
to operate an amateur station; and
(II) accept and employ the voluntary and uncompensated services
of such individual.
(ii) The Commission, for purposes of recruiting and training
individuals under clause (i) and for purposes of screening,
annotating, and summarizing violation reports referred under clause
(i), may accept and employ the voluntary and uncompensated services
of ANY AMATEUR STATION OPERATOR ORGANIZATION.
(iii) The functions of individuals recruited and trained under
this subparagraph shall be limited to -
(I) the detection of improper amateur radio transmissions;
(II) the conveyance to Commission personnel of information
which is essential to the enforcement of this chapter (or
regulations prescribed by the Commission under this chapter)
relating to the amateur radio service; and
(III) issuing advisory notices, under the general direction of
the Commission, to persons who apparently have violated any
provision of this chapter (or regulations prescribed by the
Commission under this chapter) relating to the amateur radio
service.
Nothing in this clause shall be construed to grant individuals
recruited and trained under this subparagraph any authority to
issue sanctions to violators or to take any enforcement action
other than any action which the Commission may prescribe by rule."



in other words,............. they (the ARRL OO's) have no legal standing outside the Amateur bands.

if you want to get really picky,.... the ARRL entire OO program does not comply with the first requirement :"(I) recruit and train any individual licensed by the Commission to operate an amateur station;" due to the fact that the ARRL will not allow persons that do not and have not belonged to the ARRL for 4 years to join the program.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

So, you can operate an export radio on 10 meters, even though the same radio can transmit on 11 meters? The way I read it, if an export radio has been converted it really can't be used by anyone. If a ham used it on 10m it would be illegal. If he used on 11 m same thing, because it puts out more than 4 watts, and that export radio is not certified by the FCC. I know a lot of people are confused about the export radio side of things.

You are thinking about the dual use clause. An 11m radio may be converted to operate on 10m however it may not be able to operate on 11m also meaning that it is fine to use on 10m but not 11m after modification. An export or 10m radio converted to operate on 11m is NOT legal to use on 11m HOWEVER it IS LEGAL to operate on 10m regardless if it can also operate on 11m or not. Many older ham radios had 11m operational in them because 11m used to be a ham band at one time. Many older Yaesu's have 11m on the band switch as do the older Swan or Siltronix 1011 series radios.

 

[AudioShockwav]

Long story short, one of the guys here simply called the FCC and asked them if it was legal to use a export radio on the bands he was licensed for.
The answer was yes it is legal to use.
If you use the search function here on the forum, you can find the phone number and the case number of the question.




73
Jeff

 

[fogdog]

You are thinking about the dual use clause. An 11m radio may be converted to operate on 10m however it may not be able to operate on 11m also meaning that it is fine to use on 10m but not 11m after modification. An export or 10m radio converted to operate on 11m is NOT legal to use on 11m HOWEVER it IS LEGAL to operate on 10m regardless if it can also operate on 11m or not. Many older ham radios had 11m operational in them because 11m used to be a ham band at one time. Many older Yaesu's have 11m on the band switch as do the older Swan or Siltronix 1011 series radios.

Got it. Great info. Thanks!

 

[fogdog]

Long story short, one of the guys here simply called the FCC and asked them if it was legal to use a export radio on the bands he was licensed for.
The answer was yes it is legal to use.
If you use the search function here on the forum, you can find the phone number and the case number of the question.




73
Jeff

OK, Roger that.

73