Tsk. Poor frustrated Avenging Angle.
I was transmitting RF on HF, VHF, UHF, and microwaves in the
1950s. Again in the 1960s, then in the 1970s (including LF and
VLF), and in the 1980s and 1990s. Earlier this year (which
includes the 2000s) I was talking on HF from a sailboat.
I've done it in the military, in civilian life, for the U.S. government
and for private business (a little of which includes my partner-
ship in a private business), and with local utilities...not to mention
on land, in the air, and on water.
Not a single second of "operating" time...Just another Uncle Sam Green
radio mechanic.
"Logs" are only required by lumber companies.
The only non-amateur "logging" required is in radio broadcasting (which
I've been doing for WREX-TV, WMCW, WRRR) and (formerly) for
certain communications conducted by corporations (RCA EAS Division).
Those have been duly noted on the back of my First Class Radio-
Telephone (Commercial) Radio Operator License and signed off by
the Chief Engineers or responsible Staff Engineer...and witnessed by
an FCC Field Office when the License was up for renewal.
Thus Len should have enough smarts to handle the amateur
writtens, up to extra. And spend a few weeks to learn 5wpm code,
and he could get the ham license. Otherwise he's an amateur
troll... :-)
Amateur radio is basically a HOBBY activity, engaged in for
personal pleasure and not for pecuniary compensation. As such it
is NOT any sort of "life saving" or "emergency" radio service.
It, like most any other human activity, CAN be used in emergencies
but the Basis and Purpose as outlined in Part 97.1 Definitions
does NOT establish itself as either an "emergency service" nor as
some kind of vital radio communications activity needed by the
nation. Really.
Emergency comms is listed as one of several reasons the FCC
does ham radio licenses and allocates the bandwidth for us.
No all hams will have working equipment in a regional
disaster, but some will. And ham radio doesn't require
infrastructure (like cell phones do) to work. Power?
A car that survived will provide 12V power, which most
rigs are designed to run off of. And you also need hams
outside the disaster area to talk to.
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