From: Cecil Moore on Mon, Jan 22 2007 9:07 am

AaronJ wrote:
Cecil Moore wrote:

From Webster's: "service - an administrative division,
as of a government"

From the Noah Pro definition of hobby:
"avocation, by-line, sideline, spare-time activity, an auxiliary activity"

Which of our definitions better fits ham radio, service or hobby...

It is by law, Part 97, the "Amateur Radio Service".
That part cannot be argued. The "service" that is
performed is by the federal government for the
benefit of US citizens.

Welp, putting dictionaries aside, I rather prefer
the FCC's own definition of the word "service" in
regard to ALL of Title 47 C.F.R. (of which Part 97
is one of the smaller Parts):

"The word 'service' is a regulatory term, denoting
a type and kind of radio activity being regulated."

All throughout Title 47 is found the word "service"
such as Private Land Mobile Radio SERVICE, Aviation
Radio SERVICE, and (gasp!) Citizens Band Radio
SERVICE! :-)

It also meets the definition of "hobby". It is not
a choice of either/or. It is both.

Ahem, that's an interpretation. I prefer what the
FCC itself uses in regards to definitions...and also
note that the FCC is chartered by Congress to only
US civil radio. Military SERVICE is governed by the
Department of Defense and military radio use is done
in cooperation with the NTIA. By law, the FCC
cannot regulate military radio service.

One problem with so many amateur licensees is their
imaginations leading them to believe (wrongly) that
their (defacto) hobby is a form of "national service"
just by being federally licensed. That imagination
makes them think they are more than just hobbyists.
They reinforce that by boastfully pointing to their
volunteer efforts in helping their communities. In
truth, ANY citizen can volunteer to help their
community (in or out of emergency situations)
without any "license" of any kind. That's called
"civic duty," sometimes "civic responsibility."

I've nothing against anyone pipe-dreaming or doing
the wish-fulfillment dreaming. However, such
fantasy role-playing should NOT be codified in law
NOR be some kind of "definition" which is really
a grossly-distorted interpretation. Politicians
are constantly reinforcing such pipe-dreaming and
fantasy role-playing by proclaiming the "goodness"
and "nobleness" of ALL KINDS of activities. But,
those proclamations are just the usual political
bull**** done to favor certain groups and get the
politicians' names into public media.

US amateur radio is basically a HOBBY, a radio
activity of NON-pecuniary compensation, forbidden
by law to be a broadcasting service. It is
regulated by charter of the Congress due to the
nature of laws of physics and the propagation of
electromagnetic waves...something that applies to
ALL radio, not just amateur radio.