Fellow hams,

Like many others, I occasionally use AM on both 160 and 80 meters. My
reasons for doing so are probably typical: I do it because it reminds
me of the first transmitter I owned, and of other rigs and earlier
times, before I had the money to buy new equipment and linear
amplifiers. I also have many good friends who operate AM, and I like
to talk to them as well as to my friends who use CW or SSB.

I'm writing this to ask that hams who don't favor AM make allowances for us:
it seems that the "AM Window" on 80 meters is being taken over by hams
operating SSB, sometimes with blunt, on-the-air comments to the effect that
those running AM aren't entitled to use the space. There have been skirmishes,
complaints, acrimonious debates, and even outright jamming lately, and I'm
afraid it will escalate to the point that FCC action will be needed.

I'm going to be blunt he I'm not a psychologist, but I think those who
oppose AM are making a big mistake by not treating AM operators with the
same standard of on-air behavior that they show to other hams. I'm not sure
why this "range war" has started, but it's only logical endpoint is with
reduced privileges for ALL hams, not just those who use AM.

Our hobby is at a crossroads: with young technophiles gravitating to the
Internet, and military forces needing neither CW operators nor technicians,
the future we face at the frequency-bargaining table and in the public's mind
is no longer in the hands of benevolent government agencies eager for
trained personnel who can be pressed into service quickly. In fact, the
future of the hobby is now in OUR hands, and unless we start working together
and stop sniping at each other over minor things like the modes we use, we're
going to fade away without anyone noticing.

FWIW. YMMV.

73, Bill W1AC

(Filter qrm for direct replies)

Bill Horne, W1AC wrote:
Fellow hams,

Like many others, I occasionally use AM on both 160 and 80 meters. My
reasons for doing so are probably typical: I do it because it reminds
me of the first transmitter I owned, and of other rigs and earlier
times, before I had the money to buy new equipment and linear
amplifiers. I also have many good friends who operate AM, and I like
to talk to them as well as to my friends who use CW or SSB.

I'm writing this to ask that hams who don't favor AM make allowances for us:
it seems that the "AM Window" on 80 meters is being taken over by hams
operating SSB, sometimes with blunt, on-the-air comments to the effect that
those running AM aren't entitled to use the space. There have been skirmishes,
complaints, acrimonious debates, and even outright jamming lately, and I'm
afraid it will escalate to the point that FCC action will be needed.

I'm going to be blunt he I'm not a psychologist, but I think those who
oppose AM are making a big mistake by not treating AM operators with the
same standard of on-air behavior that they show to other hams. I'm not sure
why this "range war" has started, but it's only logical endpoint is with
reduced privileges for ALL hams, not just those who use AM.

There is an element on 75 meters that just seems to hate the idea of
Hams having fun, and want to spoil it for others.

I suspect that they don't really have all that much against AM'ers, or
at least no more than they have against anyone else in the hobby. Though
no doubt they bring up the mode as a wedge to "justify" their harassment.

I believe that we are at a good point in the timeline of Amateur radio
that we need to have the amateurs who are being interfered with to start
documenting the interference, and sending it off to the F.C.C.

RDP - Record, Document, Pursue


Our hobby is at a crossroads: with young technophiles gravitating to the
Internet, and military forces needing neither CW operators nor technicians,
the future we face at the frequency-bargaining table and in the public's mind
is no longer in the hands of benevolent government agencies eager for
trained personnel who can be pressed into service quickly. In fact, the
future of the hobby is now in OUR hands, and unless we start working together
and stop sniping at each other over minor things like the modes we use, we're
going to fade away without anyone noticing.

You're pretty much right there Bill, although I would not quite agree
on tekkie folks going to the internet. I don't think we're producing
many tech folks at all. But that's another issue.

I am convinced that what we need a

Kind and friendly folk who are willing to take the newbies under their
wing and teach them.

Folk who do not judge other Hams by their favorite mode of operation.

Folk who are willing to go after the jammers and riff raff and follow
through with that RDP.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

On Jun 11, 1:20 pm, Michael Coslo wrote:


There is an element on 75 meters that just seems to hate the idea of
Hams having fun, and want to spoil it for others.

There are a lot of cbers on the ham bands who happen to have ham
licenses.

cmdr buzz corey wrote:
On Jun 11, 1:20 pm, Michael Coslo wrote:

There is an element on 75 meters that just seems to hate the idea of
Hams having fun, and want to spoil it for others.

There are a lot of cbers on the ham bands who happen to have ham
licenses.



I would respectfully note that the problems cannot all be laid at the
feet of those who use/used Citizen band radios. It is a kind of
convenient word to generalize with, but in the end can add to the problems.

But more importantly, what are we going to do about it? Somewhere
between the world of "You will not say the word "roger" lest ye be
banned from my repeater", and the Dodge City of 75 meters is a middle
ground that needs explored.

Basically, Hams need to accept that there are some of us who have
different accents from us, and may talk differently.

We need to not get spun up when someone says "My handle is...". Or
Roger, or whatever. People who speak Q-signals and give 5 of 9 reports
should not berate others for silly language.

On the other hand, people who interfere with others communications need
dealt with, and dealt with harshly once found.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

On Tue, 12 Jun 2007 09:53:34 EDT, Michael Coslo wrote:

Somewhere
between the world of "You will not say the word "roger" lest ye be
banned from my repeater", and the Dodge City of 75 meters is a middle
ground that needs explored.

"Roger that, 10-4...good buddy...." g
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

"Phil Kane" wrote

"Roger that, 10-4...good buddy...." g

Yeahhhhh, the personal here is Howard....

And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

N7SO

On Jun 12, 7:53 am, Michael Coslo wrote:
cmdr buzz coreywrote:
On Jun 11, 1:20 pm, Michael Coslo wrote:

There is an element on 75 meters that just seems to hate the idea of
Hams having fun, and want to spoil it for others.

There are a lot of cbers on the ham bands who happen to have ham
licenses.

I would respectfully note that the problems cannot all be laid at the
feet of those who use/used Citizen band radios. It is a kind of
convenient word to generalize with, but in the end can add to the problems.

But more importantly, what are we going to do about it? Somewhere
between the world of "You will not say the word "roger" lest ye be
banned from my repeater", and the Dodge City of 75 meters is a middle
ground that needs explored.

Basically, Hams need to accept that there are some of us who have
different accents from us, and may talk differently.

We need to not get spun up when someone says "My handle is...". Or
Roger, or whatever. People who speak Q-signals and give 5 of 9 reports
should not berate others for silly language.

On the other hand, people who interfere with others communications need
dealt with, and dealt with harshly once found.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

I will rephrase that...there are a lot of cbers and cb types who have
ham licenses.

I would respectfully note that the problems cannot all be laid at the feet
of those who use/used Citizen band radios. It is a kind of convenient word
to generalize with, but in the end can add to the problems.

In my experience the bulk of "problem" operators were on air before CB
became a popular hobby.

Using the term "CBer" as a derogatory remark can only lead to pointless
arguments. A tactic some very successfully use as a means to divert debate
away from the fact that bad operators are bad operators regardless of their
other interests, and focus on those newer to the hobby than themselves.

Can we use the term "CBer" to describe people who use CB radio? And accept
that CB is really off topic for this group so why are we talking about these
guys anyway?

--
Jack VK2CJC / MM0AXL
Mid North Coast Amateur Radio Group
www.mncarg.org

Jim Higgins wrote in
:

On Tue, 12 Jun 2007 09:53:34 EDT, Michael Coslo wrote:

cmdr buzz corey wrote:
On Jun 11, 1:20 pm, Michael Coslo wrote:

There is an element on 75 meters that just seems to hate
the idea of
Hams having fun, and want to spoil it for others.

There are a lot of cbers on the ham bands who happen to have ham
licenses.

I would respectfully note that the problems cannot all be laid at
the
feet of those who use/used Citizen band radios. It is a kind of
convenient word to generalize with, but in the end can add to the
problems.

But more importantly, what are we going to do about it? Somewhere
between the world of "You will not say the word "roger" lest ye be
banned from my repeater", and the Dodge City of 75 meters is a middle
ground that needs explored.

Basically, Hams need to accept that there are some of us who have
different accents from us, and may talk differently.

We need to not get spun up when someone says "My handle is...".
Or
Roger, or whatever. People who speak Q-signals and give 5 of 9 reports
should not berate others for silly language.

On the other hand, people who interfere with others communications
need dealt with, and dealt with harshly once found.

I like your approach, Michael.

That last suggestion, if successful, would go a long way to ward
cleaning up 75M! ;-)

Not sure what rock I've been living under, but I've never heard that
"Roger" wasn't kosher on a repeater. Do you maybe mean "10-4?"


Nope. A few months ago, I did a little investigation on repeaters.
Surprisingly enough to me, a lot of the repeater pages had guidelines of
"how to speak" Roger was in a few.

Keeping in mind that that is quite legal - a repeater owner can
bring down the repeater or kick someone off it if s/he doesnt want anyone
to say "Chewbacca", it isn't a freindly sort of thing to do.

Some of the best - friendly, courteous, etc. - hams I know were former
CBers. They may not be all very technically inclined, but all have
well set up stations - good effective antennas, proper grounding, etc.
- and they did it themselves. And more importantly they treat their
fellow hams decently on and off the air. All the ones I know deserve
the respect and tolerance you suggest above and when you get down to
it don't really need it because they don't stand out as former CBers.

My experience has been the same. A local Ham who is a truck driver
just happens to be an excellent ham, in all ways. We're bringing him up
on the technical end too. He does occasionally say "roger that". Big
deal. I'll take ten of him for every grump.


And if a new ham does happen to say "10-4" or "my handle is" it's easy
enough to privately Elmer him on the sensitivity some have to that
lingo. Those who refuse that simple courteous approach might do well
to look for another hobby. We have enough grouchy old men as it is.
;-)

Right! We can lead by example, and if need be, I can make a mention
of it if it is egregious. Mention it off the air, and in a constructive
way. I wouldn't browbeat anyone for saying roger, or even first personal,
but would make an exception if people were delving into the
"avoidance/defeat" of law enforcement activities that I've heard on 11
meters.

My personal pet peeve comes from reading the FCC enforcement letters.
If it's not an Extra class licensee involved then it tends to be
someone who has been licensed for 20+ years. It's definitely not the
newcomers. They make their occasional mistakes, but they don't do
anything wrong with malicious intent. If everyone just met that one
simple standard the bands would be an entirely different place, esp
75M.

Seeing the enforcement letters, I read much the same. There is the
occasional Technician that is operating beyond their priveliges, but
unlicened operation, repeater jammers, and plenty of hams who have been
licensed for a very long time.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

On Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:30:26 EDT, Jim Higgins
wrote:

And if a new ham does happen to say "10-4" or "my handle is" it's easy
enough to privately Elmer him on the sensitivity some have to that
lingo. Those who refuse that simple courteous approach might do well
to look for another hobby. We have enough grouchy old men as it is.
;-)

This really not-too-grouchy old man remembers the use of "my handle
is...." or "handle here is..." on HF as "good amateur practice" even
before CB was invented.

Of course the use of "first personal is...." still grates on my ears
but give them time....they'll learn eventually.

My two electrons....
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net