N9OGL wrote:
From the FCC Rule Book: Complete Guide to the FCC Regulations Governing
Amateur Radio; edited by Norm Bliss,WA1CCQ, Published by the ARRL

Chapter 4, Page 4-2 Direct and Indirect Payment


"You must never accept any money or other consideration for operating
your station [97.113(a)(2)]. this is consistent with one of the prime
directives of our serice:

Specifically:

(2) Communications for hire or for material compensation, direct or
indirect, paid or promised, except as otherwise provided in these rules;


Never? Who said "never"?


What is compensation? How about the public service event support where
the volunteers are expected to wear a hat or t-shirt? And the sponsors
give all the volunteers that piece of clothing. Must the Hams refuse?
What if the sponsors says "sorry, if you don't abide by our rules, we'll
have to do this some other way"?

Is accepting that glass of water compensation?

Better yet, during field day, I drank a lot of soda provided by some
club members. Is that compensation?

"Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service
to the public as a voluntary, noncommercial communication service,
particularly with respect providing emergency communication" (emphasis
added) [97.1(a)]


Of course.

If you club is providing communications support to the town of Needham
for a parade, you cannot accept their offer of payment for your work.
You are volunteers, providing a community service on a non-commercial
basis, period

No money should ever change hands.


You should never accept anything for your Amateur Radio operating.
The FCC prohibits operation of an amateur station "for hire, or
material compensation, direct or indirect, paid or promised"
[97.113(a)(2)] This includes direct payment (money, goods, food, and so
on) and indirect payment (publicity, advertising, and so on)."

What if one of the people in that parade gives you a ride home? We get
thank you letters all the time, and mentioned in these groups
newsletters. Is this in violation?


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It rather funny that K1MAN get's fined $21,000 for Pecuniary Interest
and the ARRL is allowed to do this. What go for one person should apply
to all. The ARRL should be fined by the FCC for doing this!

There is a significant difference between compensation (which the FCC
allows in some circumstances, and having expenses covered. For me to
move a station down to one of these states in trouble for a week or two
is going to put considerable expense on me. A kilobuck for a plane
ticket each way), a weeks worth of food, (probably around 150 if I'm
careful) and hotel expenses (say $700). Plus a weeks worth of vacation
means I'm giving up around 3-4 kilobucks depending on how you add it up.

Vacation isn't a compensable item IMO, but we simply aren't going to
get many people to help on-site during these disasters if there isn't
some form of compensation.

- Mike KB3EIA -