RadioBanter - View Single Post

October 1st 03, 01:03 AM

wrote:

I can't really afford cell phone bills. I live near 5 families of
relatives in South Carolina USA, each within 1 mile of me. Each
morning and evening, I travel a long 40 mile road with no cell phone
tower in sight -- zero coverage, even if I bought a cellphone. I would
love to have a device that each of us keep in our cars, always turned
on, as well as in our homes, and it would only provide communication
among myself and my relatives. I would prefer to have something that
could not be eavesdropped very easily, but I would take whatever I
could get.

Get a CB radio.

- hmmm... that's cynical, isn't it?

Why would that be cynical? The CB band is a perfect fit for what he
needs. And cheap and effortless, to boot!

mike - get everyone licensed! study one day, then put the family in the
car, go to the local VEC test, get 26 questions out of 35 multiple-choice
questions correct, then go to Denny's and celebrate! a couple days later
everyone's license will appear in the FCC's ULS and you can set up a base
station and 2M comms in each car! doesn't have to cost a whole lot, either!

Yeah, that's what ham radio needs: more people with no clue what ham
radio is, no desire to use it for amateur, technological, dxing or
emergency service purposes, and whose only motivation is to save on
cellphones. There's already a band in place for such purpose and it's
called CB.

- but maybe, just maybe, someone who gets involved with ham radio just
might, and this is just a supposition, just might want to be more
involved, develop new skillsets, learn CW, and become a responsible
radio operator?

Maybe... who cares? Maybe, just maybe, if we gave away amateur radio
licenses on street corners, some of the new licensees would do all that
stuff that you mention. That is beside the point. He's not looking to
become a ham radio operator - he's looking for a cellphone substitute.
Ham radio ain't it.

- of course, if i had run into you when i first started getting involved,
i might, and i say just might, think that ham radio was populated
with ignorant, cynical, sarcastic, unfriendly, non-elmering,
un-educated losers?

I don't see where you get the idea that I am against newcomers and
novices in ham radio (not to mention how you deduct that I am all that
you mention). But this guy is neither a newcomer, nor a novice! He has
no clue what amateur radio is and he's looking for a radio communication
service that would replicate cellphones as the means of communication
with his family EXCLUSIVELY. To recommend ham radio for this is
ludicrous and ridiculous. Give it up already, you're wrong on this:

=== === ===
FCC rules: §97.113 Prohibited transmissions.

(a) No amateur station shall transmit:

(5) Communications, on a regular basis, which could reasonably be
furnished alternatively through other radio services.

=== === ===

Is this clear now, once and for all?

73 (yea, right, like you mean it?)

Why wouldn't I mean it? Just because I disagree with you over what ham
radio is or is supposed to be?

73 .... WA7AA

--

Anti-spam measu look me up on qrz.com if you need to reply directly