FCC enforcement

[JDKelley]

Say it again louder for all the mouth-breathers in the back!

Hey now...

I'm in the back because I try to listen more than I talk (not always, sadly - although I'm happy to be proven wrong.)
I'm only a mouth-breather because my sinuses are terminally boned from shattering my face in 2005.

Apart from that, I try to not be too screwy about things. . .

 

[OpSec]

Hey now...

I'm in the back because I try to listen more than I talk (not always, sadly - although I'm happy to be proven wrong.)
I'm only a mouth-breather because my sinuses are terminally boned from shattering my face in 2005.

Apart from that, I try to not be too screwy about things. . .

This topic gets me all wound up like when a certain bunch of Troopers in VT drink containers of maple syrup

 

[mmckenna]

Here is another example of how the FCC is more than capable of codifying this if they want to.
This is for Part 90 only, NOT amateur radio:

§ 90.407 Emergency communications.​

The licensee of any station authorized under this part may, during a period of emergency in which the normal communication facilities are disrupted as a result of hurricane, flood, earthquake or similar disaster, utilize such station for emergency communications in a manner other than that specified in the station authorization or in the rules and regulations governing the operation of such stations. The Commission may at any time order the discontinuance of such special use of the authorized facilities.​

​

This is what hams 'think' they have. But they do not. If FCC wanted hams to do this, they could copy this section into Part 97, but they didn't.

 

[JDKelley]

This topic gets me all wound up like when a certain bunch of Troopers in VT drink containers of maple syrup

Nah, I read you. I don't even have my ticket and it bothers me.

In an emergency, as a private citizen, I'll do whatever I have to do to get attention (that includes the six pop-flares I keep in the truck, right next to the VS-17 signal panels. The signal mirror is in the glove box, and I have several ways to start a fire - I can spark up something with a lot of smoke during the day, or something hot & bright for the night, it's just the selection of fuel.

And if I upgrade phones anytime soon (currently Samsung Galaxy S20, need S21 or later,) I'll activate the satellite paging I can get through T-Mobile for the off chance I'm somewhere I can't get a cell signal. Cheaper than a satellite phone, and doesn't involve another device.

Multiple layers of redundancy for critical systems. . .

 

[mmckenna]

"Some people" (I'm looking at you, NotARubicon) have filled so many heads with useless crap and we keep seeing the result.

I don't blame him. I blame the people that will believe anything they see on YouTube, or QRZ, or even RadioReference.

I had a high school drafting teacher. His favorite line was "Engage brain before engaging hand". That seems to be something that is commonly missing in society.

I don't care how many people have ham licenses, but I absolutely care that everyone with a ham license isn't a no-skill putz.

Yeah, I agree. I don't even really care if someone is on the ham bands without a license, just as long as they behave. Better they do stupid $h!† on the ham bands where they won't interfere with the professionals/public safety users.

 

[mmckenna]

In an emergency, as a private citizen, I'll do whatever I have to do to get attention

And that is cool, even if it involves a radio. The problem is the hams that think they have some legal authority or mandate to hop on public safety frequencies any time they feel slightly scared or threatened.

Problem is that there are plenty of legal tools to get help in an emergency. Problem is, people don't want to pay for them. They want everyone else to bow to their cheapness and authorize them to use their $20 Baoturd. It ain't going to happen.

 

[pb_lonny]

I am really glad this sort of thing is not "as much" of an issue here in VK land.

An amateur radio licence gives you access to use amateur radio frequencies, that is it.

 

[JDKelley]

And that is cool, even if it involves a radio. The problem is the hams that think they have some legal authority or mandate to hop on public safety frequencies any time they feel slightly scared or threatened.

Problem is that there are plenty of legal tools to get help in an emergency. Problem is, people don't want to pay for them. They want everyone else to bow to their cheapness and authorize them to use their $20 Baoturd. It ain't going to happen.

The problem there, as I am seeing it, is that the definition of "emergency" has become horribly flexible recently. Wife needs milk at home - "emergency." No, that's not an emergency, and that's also why you have your own vehicle.

You've seen my definition of emergency - it really boils down to "anything that requires immediate handling that I can't handle myself" (which doesn't leave a lot of open ground, admittedly. My psychologist called me "compulsively competent" - I just say I'm always learning. Whether I learn from a book, from a class, or on the job, I'm always learning. Because what else do I have this overclocked ape brain for?) When you stop learning you start dying, and I'm not ready for that yet. . .

 

[N4DES]

Here is another example of how the FCC is more than capable of codifying this if they want to.
This is for Part 90 only, NOT amateur radio:

§ 90.407 Emergency communications.​

The licensee of any station authorized under this part may, during a period of emergency in which the normal communication facilities are disrupted as a result of hurricane, flood, earthquake or similar disaster, utilize such station for emergency communications in a manner other than that specified in the station authorization or in the rules and regulations governing the operation of such stations. The Commission may at any time order the discontinuance of such special use of the authorized facilities.​

​

This is what hams 'think' they have. But they do not. If FCC wanted hams to do this, they could copy this section into Part 97, but they didn't.

That would be correct!

 

[N4DES]

This might have been in 1995, but this intoxicated guy took the ride to CJ and Florida Statutes were utilized by the State Attorney.

 

[mmckenna]

You've seen my definition of emergency - it really boils down to "anything that requires immediate handling that I can't handle myself" (which doesn't leave a lot of open ground, admittedly. . .

Risk of life and limb, is what you'll often hear.
That means someone is going to die, bleed out, lose a limb, grave danger.

Not, "I got a flat tire and don't want to wait for someone to drive by who can assist."
Not, "I don't want to walk a 1/4 mile to find a place where my cell phone works."
Not, "I want to go 30 miles into the back country carrying $2,500 worth of fancy backpacking gear, but don't want to spend $250 on a Garmin InReach or similar device because I'm a lazy, ignorant SOB and everyone owes me the right to use my $20 Baoturd on USFS frequencies.".
Not, "I passed a 35 question multiple choice test. I'm 'practically' a first responder".
Not, "I was too lazy to take a first aid course."
Not, "My feet are tired, send EMS/S&R to carry my lazy azz out off the nature trail.".
Not, "My ham radio license means I don't have to go through triage with the 911 call taker and I can call directly into the first responder radio system and take priority over all the other emergencies that I'm blissfully unaware of."

Entitled jackwagons with a cheap radio think the rules shall be bent to meet their immediate desires and maintain their comfort.



Kind of going into the territory of this thread getting locked. Probably needs to be. But hams/hobbyists need to hear this time and time again. I've spent enough time in our PSAP to know that this is NOT the way to get help, and they will NOT appreciate your ignorance.

 

[JDKelley]

Risk of life and limb, is what you'll often hear.
That means someone is going to die, bleed out, lose a limb, grave danger.

Not, "I got a flat tire and don't want to wait for someone to drive by who can assist."
Not, "I don't want to walk a 1/4 mile to find a place where my cell phone works."
Not, "I want to go 30 miles into the back country carrying $2,500 worth of fancy backpacking gear, but don't want to spend $250 on a Garmin InReach or similar device because I'm a lazy, ignorant SOB and everyone owes me the right to use my $20 Baoturd on USFS frequencies.".
Not, "I passed a 35 question multiple choice test. I'm 'practically' a first responder".
Not, "I was too lazy to take a first aid course."
Not, "My feet are tired, send EMS/S&R to carry my lazy azz out off the nature trail.".
Not, "My ham radio license means I don't have to go through triage with the 911 call taker and I can call directly into the first responder radio system and take priority over all the other emergencies that I'm blissfully unaware of."

Entitled jackwagons with a cheap radio think the rules shall be bent to meet their immediate desires and maintain their comfort.



Kind of going into the territory of this thread getting locked. Probably needs to be. But hams/hobbyists need to hear this time and time again. I've spent enough time in our PSAP to know that this is NOT the way to get help, and they will NOT appreciate your ignorance.

Brother, I've spent enough time sitting in emergency room lobbies as a caretaker to know that people just have no bloody patience. The ED is the one place where the longer you wait, the better off you area! (I usually get brought in by wagon, as a trauma case. My mother-in-law was a lunger - emphysema/COPD - so we usually went back fairly quickly. My wife is a lunger - PF - so here we go again. So, I'm a trauma medic with concentrations in pulmonology, cardiology, and orthopaedics overall. And enough of an understanding of the term "emergency" that I've had the pulmonologist give me his direct and personal mobe number 20 years ago - which I have yet to use - and most of the specialists I deal with, the front office staff will route me right through if I ask, which I rarely do.

 

[EAFrizzle]

...people just have no bloody patience...

Not just that, but the sense of entitlement as well. "How dare you tell me to wait in line! The rules don't apply to me, anyway." And they say exactly that to cops and judges!

It's like a more narcissistic version of the SovCit delusion.

 

[JDKelley]

Not just that, but the sense of entitlement as well. "How dare you tell me to wait in line! The rules don't apply to me, anyway." And they say exactly that to cops and judges!

It's like a more narcissistic version of the SovCit delusion.

I dunno - but if I'm at the ED and they tell me I've got to wait, I feel pretty good about it - I'm apparently in better shape than I thought I was!

Although the longest I had to wait was with my mother-in-law, because I always stayed until she was admitted and roomed. That stay? 14 hours. And people wonder why I've always owned a laptop. . . (Flipside of that is that we did get past triage in about 20 minutes.)