RadioBanter - View Single Post

November 9th 04, 11:02 PM

On 09 Nov 2004 12:26:50 GMT, PAMNO (N2EY) wrote:

In article , Leo
writes:

On 5 Nov 2004 17:31:32 -0800, (Brian Kelly) wrote:

snip

Here, from the FCC R&O, is what that money bought us:

"We similarly do not find that Amateur Radio
frequencies warrant the special protection afforded
frequencies reserved for international aeronautical
and maritime safety operations. While we
recognize that amateurs may on occasion assist
in providing emergency communications," it described
typical amateur operations as "routine communications
and hobby activities."

Oh oh. We've been caught. The FCC said the dreaded "hobby" word.

Then we should grab that ball and run with it!

Run with what? To paraphrase Orwell, the FCC sees all license holders
as equal, but some are more equal than others.....amateur radio
apparently being on the 'less than equal' side of the
equation......non-essential, per se.

Most of what goes over the internet is "routine communications and hobby
activities" isn't it?

....which has what relevance to the topic of amateur radio and BPL?

Jim, it looks like your "it's an avocation, not a hobby" arguement
didn't work - they seem to have seen right through it and figured out
what Amateur Radio is anyway! Nice try, though.

I say we go forward on all fronts - hobby, avocation, public service,
education, emergency comms, tinkering, advancing SOTA, etc. If they're gonna
call us hobbyists, then make it a badge of honor, same as was done with the
title "ham operator".

Nice flag waving, Jim, but is there a strategy behind that lofty
statement? Go forward how, with what, to whom, and to what goals and
objectives? Or was that just a "one for the Gipper" thing that you
thought sounded real cool?

The regulatory folks have made it pretty clear - do you have a plan to
have them overruled somehow? By whom? - the decision on BPL is
entirely within their sphere of control.

And this goes beyond the BPL battle. Take CC&R struggles - would they try to
ban other "hobbies"?

CC&Rs are outside the jurisdiction of the FCC, I believe.....

I like the term "antenna-hugger" myself.

Great! Just wait until the FCC helps the ARRL complete the sequel to
their most popular book (entitled "2 Meters And Down - Amateur Radio
In The 21st Century"). The little antennas for our only remaining
bands will be much easier to hug!

---

The phrase I object to is "*just* a hobby" - which denies the components of
public service, education, etc.

Which, unfortunately, is what the FCC R&O quoted above boils down to -
no special protection warranted, it's just a hobby activity. The
emergency communications aspect was dismissed pretty neatly in their
statement.....the condescending "while we recognize..." line.

73 de Jim, N2EY

73, Leo