KD8DVR
Elitist Ham
The audio relay is a nice function (especially on the 50 PRO mobile) Good to check your coverage area without having to dig up another ham for testing.
FCC enforcement
- Thread starter mmckenna
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mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
If it smells like a whacker, talks like a whacker, and whacks like a whacker, then it's a whacker.
Unlike many whackers, it does sound like he worked with the FCC on this. Hopefully the whacking will cease.
As for learning the rules, I'm not going to give hams a pass on this.
When rule changes happen that benefit hams, like updating the 60 meter band allocations, the word spreads like wildfire and hams embrace it.
Proof that hams will pay attention to the FCC when it benefits them. That should work both ways.
100%, the rules really need to enforce this is ONLY in regards to amateur radio frequencies.
NOBODY should have TX frequencies / CTCSS / DCS tones programmed in for ANY frequencies they are not licenced for. Treat it like a loaded gun, the risk of you accidently hitting the PTT or somebody else using the radio is just too high.
Listen, I already know that average civilian, whether they're licensed Amateur Radio Operator or GMRS Operator has absolutely no legal authority to transmit on a Public Safety Frequencies unless handed a radio and directed to so by the agency.
I refuse to say that I was completely wrong about transmitting on Public Safety frequencies during an actual emergency situation. However, I will agree that an average civilian has no true reason to use a Public Safety Radio, since there are a number of tools for getting assistance if and when need.
Very minor pet peeve, but a "civilian" is anyone without a Geneva convention ID card (or equivalent). (There is no pet peeve forum
)
Problem I have with all these Chinese radios is most market them for scanners to make a sale which most suck anyway in any scan function. Then you get people buying bulk items to save money like legit businesses with pre programmed frequencies using whatever frequency the batch comes with. I know this occurs as I've heard a lot lately on UHF various businesses or people in general buying the same type that has defaults in them which tend to land on in un used un licensed public safety frequencies. Then I've heard arguments get off our channel to another using the defaults they come with for testing in China.
OkieBoyKJ5JFG
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Using a radio on public safety/government frequencies is a bit like exceeding the speed limit rushing someone to a hospital -- it's never actually legal, but the circumstances will determine whether any action is taken. It's not legal for most people to use the radio frequency of their local law enforcement agency, but if someone is shooting at you or breaking into your house and the radio is your only means of communication, the probability that you'll be in any trouble for using it is exceedingly low. One way to think of it is to say, "Is this situation so dire that I'm willing to pay $25,000 to get some help right away?" If so, then go ahead and do it. The worst that will happen is you get fined $25,000. You probably won't get fined, but even if you do, you did the risk/benefit analysis and concluded it was worth it. They can't fine a dead person.
I probably own at least one radio capable of transmitting on some public safety frequencies. I don't really know; I haven't tested any of them. I do have one that's capable of transmitting in the 350 MHz band, which is mostly government frequencies, but I don't have anything programmed in that band. Even if I had public safety frequencies programmed into a mobile or portable radio, the possibility that I would be (a) in a life-threatening situation, (b) without a cell phone or signal, and (c) close enough to some agency's repeaters/radios to reach them is so remote that I don't even bother to look them up. Everywhere I normally go has cell coverage and anywhere I don't normally go won't be programmed into my radio if I need it.
When I lived in Alaska, it wasn't uncommon for citizens to have radios capable of communicating with local public safety agencies. It wasn't even particularly uncommon for them to use that radio. However, in many parts of Alaska, cell service didn't exist and satellite phones were prohibitively expensive. That was one of the situations where it isn't technically legal, but there was no other way to contact the police or fire department, so nobody got burned over it. Most of the towns and villages in Alaska now have cell coverage, so I don't know if that's still common. Things like Garmin InReach have made radios mostly redundant even for people in the true wilderness.
I probably own at least one radio capable of transmitting on some public safety frequencies. I don't really know; I haven't tested any of them. I do have one that's capable of transmitting in the 350 MHz band, which is mostly government frequencies, but I don't have anything programmed in that band. Even if I had public safety frequencies programmed into a mobile or portable radio, the possibility that I would be (a) in a life-threatening situation, (b) without a cell phone or signal, and (c) close enough to some agency's repeaters/radios to reach them is so remote that I don't even bother to look them up. Everywhere I normally go has cell coverage and anywhere I don't normally go won't be programmed into my radio if I need it.
When I lived in Alaska, it wasn't uncommon for citizens to have radios capable of communicating with local public safety agencies. It wasn't even particularly uncommon for them to use that radio. However, in many parts of Alaska, cell service didn't exist and satellite phones were prohibitively expensive. That was one of the situations where it isn't technically legal, but there was no other way to contact the police or fire department, so nobody got burned over it. Most of the towns and villages in Alaska now have cell coverage, so I don't know if that's still common. Things like Garmin InReach have made radios mostly redundant even for people in the true wilderness.
You make some great points, BUT the "risk" of having the frequencies programmed, with the correct CTCSS tones and so on is that:
1. You might accidentally TX, which is clearly an issue.
2. Somebody else (maybe not as good with radios as you) uses your radio and TX on one of these frequencies.
Having a radio which is programmed with TX frequencies and CTCSS tones for frequencies which you are not licensed for (no matter what these frequencies are) is like opening your front door with a loaded gun in your hand everytime, the chances of actually having to shoot somebody is VERY low but the chances of shooting the postman, your partner or best mate is MUCH higher.
Question:
How often has somebody had to use a radio on PS frequencies, to raise help, when no other method was possible?
1. You might accidentally TX, which is clearly an issue.
2. Somebody else (maybe not as good with radios as you) uses your radio and TX on one of these frequencies.
Having a radio which is programmed with TX frequencies and CTCSS tones for frequencies which you are not licensed for (no matter what these frequencies are) is like opening your front door with a loaded gun in your hand everytime, the chances of actually having to shoot somebody is VERY low but the chances of shooting the postman, your partner or best mate is MUCH higher.
Question:
How often has somebody had to use a radio on PS frequencies, to raise help, when no other method was possible?
Very recently, I heard an elderly female's voice on my county's EMS channel (700 MHz digital trunking system), "hello, hello? can anybody hear me?" County replied, "Yes, we can hear you". The lady said "Your guys just left my house but someone left this radio here". County said "Thanks, we will send them back". Very rare case of someone not authorized to transmit on a public safety channel, but did. I bet the EMT who was the culprit, still gets ribbed about it.
This, exactly this. The problem however is how some people interpret the rule about that.
One night in the early 80's while on duty at a small county Sheriff's department I heard a call "XXX county units, check your holsters"...I for the life of me couldn't immediately figure that out, turns out one of the neighboring county units had left his gun at the office. Back then 3 of our neighboring counties were all on 39.5 MHz. This. call actually came from dispatch, but still funny.
MTS2000des
5B2_BEE00 Czar
None of this whackerism matters. The one cited in the NOUO wasn't "in a life or death emergency", he is a whacker idiot who's UNAUTHORIZED transmissions created harmful interference to AUTHORIZED public safety licensee users. End of story.
For those who choose to have UNAUTHORIZED transmit capabilities on conventional or trunking or any kind of RF generating device, remember these words:
IT'S ALL GOOD, UNTIL IT ISN'T.
For those who choose to have UNAUTHORIZED transmit capabilities on conventional or trunking or any kind of RF generating device, remember these words:
IT'S ALL GOOD, UNTIL IT ISN'T.
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