On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 09:16:59 -0600, Harv nelson stood up and said:

The power companies know all about the Part 15 rules. They will never
attempt to prosecute you or harass you via the FCC or Federal Courts.

You WILL find yourself in a LOCAL court room, before a LOCAL judge, and
a LOCAL District Attorney. You will be prosecuted as a ?Public
Nuisance" under the same laws used to protect the public from dogs
running at large, kids who squeel their car tires, and people who leave
piles of garbage laying about.

The judge will likely issue a "cease and desist" order. If you ignore
it, and fire up your rig anew, the LOCAL sherriff will be ordered to
take possesion of your equipment and probably take down your antennas
(at your expence), as well.

You can appeal these actions ... and you will very likely win your case
on appeal. But, only after two or more years of gut wrenching
legalistics and an expenditure reaching the $100,000 range ... probably
several hunderd thousand dollars. Each and every ham like you, will
likely have to fight this same battle, over, and over again ... for
himself, by himself, in each and every jurisdiction. The ARRL doesn't
have the money or staff to help you.

If you think its not possible, ask the guys from New York, who were
prosecuted under the "scanner laws", if their rigs have been returned to
them, yet. They won their cases.

You're going to get BPL, in one form or another. The reasons have
nothing to do with an advance in technology. They have everything to do
with MONEY and POLITICS. You're going to get BPL. And, quite frankly,
you deserve it.

The FCC, The US Congress, The US Court systems ... are the very best
that MONEY can buy. The Commissioners of the FCC are NOT technologists
... they are bookkeepres, accountants, would-be/failed politicians (or,
their sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters), and lobbyists. They are
NOT your "friends-in-high-places". They've been bought and paid for.
They "take the king's coin, and do his bidding".

Why? You, Amateur Radio as a group, are mostly old, mostly fat, selfish,
lazy ....and, you don't VOTE regularly and knowledgeably. When you do
vote, it is on issues having little to do with your own self interest,
your community, or your hobby.

At present, the FCC records some 900,000 licences for the Amateur
service. Of these, at least 15% are dead people. That leaves about
800,000 "living" hams. Of those, less than 20 % vote regularly. So,
you have a total influence with the US Congress of aproximately 160,000
votes .... scattered across 450 odd districts. Not much for political
"Clout".

You are selfish. Your promote your hobby as an exclusionary fraternity.
You are NOT, at this date, an inclusive, accepting, welcoming union
of like minded and interested individuals. Rather, you link your hobby
to additional exclusionary protocols ... religious belief (I throw
"morse" and Christianity in the same pot), sexual orientation (or just
gender), language, race, and social origin. If you doubt me, you
haven't been listening to much of the chatter on 20 and 75 meter SSB.
On my local 2 meter repeater, there are "extras" who won't even chat
with a "no-code tech" or "queer CB'er". Heaven help you if they hear
you practicing your Spanish with someone from Cuba.

What the hobby needs to force a repeal/reconsideration of BPL is an
infussion of about 10 million kids each of whom has 2 parents and 4
grand-parents ... all of voting age. 60 million votes ... thats CLOUT!

But, given the history of such things as 'Incentive Licensing", the
"Save Eleven" fiasco, and the religious "Rite of Morse", there is little
chance of seeing any such infusion before the entire hobby is history.

You are going to get BPL!

In short, don't invest in a new Icom rig, or that fantastiic Orion.
Instead, buy fishing gear ... find a new hobby, 'cuz this one is all but
dead.

Harv Nelson, AI9NL
Washburn, WI

Hammer, meet the head of nail. Nice job.