Dreamer
Regular Member
I am thinking about getting my amateur radio "General" license this summer, and I wondered if there were any folks out there who were "hams"? I've got a lot of questions...
Wait, you need a government permission slip to use a ham radio? What is the penalty for using a ham radio without a permission slip? From where does the Federal Government derive the authority to regulate ones non-commercial radio communications?
Penalties can include seizure of your equipment, fines (typically from $7,000-$10,000, depending on how much power you are running, and how many people complain), and even jail time...
The relevant Federal Code is "Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934", as amended by the The Telecommunications Act of 1996:
http://transition.fcc.gov/telecom.html
http://www.criminalgovernment.com/docs/61StatL101/ComAct34.html
They claim authority to regulate amateur radio transmissions because it constitutes "interstate and foreign commerce in communication by wire and radio". Yet another dubious application of the "Commerce Clause", IMO...
However, in a true SHTF situation, using an amateur radio without a license to call for help in an emergency is allowed under the law.
Another fun thing about amateur radio is the 'homebrew' possibilities. I built a "copper cactus*" for my 2M rig, it works just as well as any commercial antenna.
Thanks for that link--interesting project!
I'll admit that even though I am VERY interested in the new, high-tech gadgets like SDR, I have a soft spot for "old tech" to. There is something inherently cool and romantic about spark gaps, glowing glass tubes, and tapping out dits and dahs as a method of long-distance communication...
So while I'll probably be using some relatively high-tech gear when I start, when I'm done with school, and have a little more spare time, I'll probably get into some of the more "retro" parts of the hobby...
Operating HF should be very interesting in the next few years due to increasing solar activity...
Ok, I'll raise you one more, have a look into QRP rigs ... long distance low power code based communication with very small 'spy' radios that will typically fit in an altoids tin sized enclosure ...
I'm a moderator on a science forum focusing primarily on astrophysics. While increased sunspot activity is what's supposed to happen, it's also preceded by various telltales, strangely absent at the moment. As a result, scientists are currently estimating this cycle's peak will mostly be a dud. In addition, they're estimating very little activity for the next 30 years.
So maybe you can explain to me (and all the hams on here who are wondering) why NIST's "WWV" and "WWVH" stations are dropping their geophysical weather reports from their transmissions in September...