"Corwin, Prince of Amber" wrote in message
...
New user. I know I may (hopefully not) get 9 angry replies and 1 who
understands my ignorance and will provide an articulate reponse, but
I'll take my chances.

So what if I invent my call sign, learn the lingo, and start using my
2M radio without jumping through all the hoops to get licensed. Does
anyone *really* care? Is 'big brother' really going to bust through
my front door with a SWAT team? Of the 1+ million HAM operators, how
many are actually fined each year for doing what I'm considering?

If I stick with it instead of packing the radio up and putting it next
to my photography equipment, I will get licensed, I promise.

Also, even if I *really do* need a license to transmit, I don't need a
license to turn the radio on and listen, do I?

To answer your questions, yes, you really do need a license. When it come
to the ham bands, the hams themselves are Big Brother, and they will turn
you in to the enforcement division of the FCC, who can fine you up to
$12,000 for a first offense (they usually don't, but they do have that
option).

It's extremely easy for them to find out if you're legit, and they always
have someone who runs the calls for any newby through sites like
www.arrl.org or www.qrz.org

As for listening, no, you don't need a license for that.

To get a ham license to operate on 2m is so simple that it's almost funny.
You can buy the question pool at Radio Shack, study it for a week or so, and
go to your local VE and plonk down a few bucks, take the test, and you're
there.