"nana" wrote:


The IRLP CANNOT be accessed by others. It is STRICTLY designed for radio to
radio access only.
ECHOLINK can be accessed by others and is NOT the topic of conversation.


Just for the record, everyone on Echolink (links and individuals
alike) have been validated by one of the Echolink validation team. I'm
not sure that it is really necessary, but it happens. So, like it or
not, there's very little chance of a non-licenced person using
Echolink.

.... and (lest we forget) what does it really matter anyway? ...

This is a hobby. There are authorities whose job it is to ensure only
those with licences transmit. We are just end users of the service.

I for one don't really care whether the chap at the other end actually
has a licence or not providing he sounds and behaves like a radio
amateur. I will not hesitate to talk to someone who gives a callsign
and sounds like an amateur. I pay my licence, and leave it to the
authorities to sort out if he is bona fide or not.

Here, we pay to renew our licences every year. How is someone supposed
to know whether someone who was a bona fide amateur has paid for the
forthcoming year. Of course, we don't know, but if he behaves like an
amateur, we assume he is licenced.

73,
--
Chris