On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 18:22:00 -0400, "Ralph Mowery"
wrote:

But by the way, you need to get your Ham license before you get one.
Reputable Ham dealers will NOT sell you a transceiver unless you furnish
your call sign that matches the address you want them to mail it to.

There are not very many reputable ham dealers if that is the case. Many
will sell without asking if you are a ham. There is no US requirement that
you have a license to buy a transceiver , just to transmitt on one.

Probably, but is it a good idea to have something that is illegal to
use in most cases? Most hams are quite protective of their band
allocations and spend a lot of time tracking down illegal users.

Same thing happened here when UHF CB was introduced. CB sets on HF
and UHF had to be licensed at the time. Most people who went on UHF
when it was introduced were former users of HF Citizens Band and were
determined to keep the idiots and children off UHF.

Those who didn't use registered call signs, or otherwise didn't stick
to regulations found that those with call signs would simply refuse to
answer their transmissions. Having seen the 27 MHz service in cities
deteriorate to the point where it wasn't useful most of the day,
users of the new UHF service were determined that it didn't go the
same way.

Unlicensed operators were usually quickly reported to Department of
Communications, which is Australian equivalent of the F.C.C.

There were even viligantie groups doing transmitter hunts for illegal
operators. These were often persuaded to sell their sets and go back
to the 27 MHz "chicken band" if they couldn't bother to get a license
or use proper procedure.

Sometimes their equipment was sabatoged. However, am not about to
give advice how this can be done, of course. Not that I would stoop
to such activity, but some users enjoyed it. :-)

If really interested on using amateur radio equipment for emergency
use, should know at least some theory and practice. ....And as long
as going to do this, why not learn the regulations as well and get a
license?

erniegalts