Radio Stuff

[CraginS]

In the past few months I have had more than one conversation with PG pilots about the need to obtain proper amateur radio (ham) licenses if they wish to use 2 meter radios. There seems to be an attitude among at least some of that community that the FCC rules requiring those licenses do not apply to them. They see the situation as one in which they, just as in flying, are willingly assuming a risk, and are willing to face the consequences should they get caught.
As an aside, I wish to point out that the FCC requirement for licenses to operate in the amateur bands are driven, among other things, by U.S. obligations under international communications treaties.
Well, the OZ Report has offered another commentary on the issue of unlicensed radio operators. I am placing it below in its entirety, for those too lazy to click on a link and jump to
http://ozreport.com/blog.php#2006-11-13_1:29:50pm_PST

Now, PLEASE, all radio operators still without a ham license, get off your tail, abandon your scofflaw attitude, and go get your dang license. It is free. It is easy. If you use Ralph's study program you are certain to pass.
When you operate without a license, you embarrass all local HG and PG pilots. Your actions reflect on us all.
Be a contributing member of the flying community, and a good memebr of the ham commmunity, too.

Thanks, all.


Cragin
-----------------------------------
Ham Radio

Hams

They are listening N28+31.982',+W081+50.800',+Quest+Air(Quest Air)

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/11/06/100/

Loaded for Bear: FCC Issues Warnings Regarding Unlicensed Use of Ham Bands NEWINGTON, CT, Nov 6, 2006 -- The FCC has warned several individuals that unlicensed use of Amateur Radio transmitting equipment on 2 meters to facilitate their bear hunting activities is illegal and may result in substantial fines. FCC Special Counsel in the FCC Spectrum Enforcement Division Riley Hollingsworth warned seven individuals in Grand Marais, Luzerne, Warren, Shelby Township and Newberry, Michigan, on October 19.

"While many hunters use Citizens Band radio or Family Radio Service equipment, the use of Amateur Radio equipment requires a license," Hollingsworth advised. He also sent an Advisory Notice to the Michigan Bear Hunters Association with the suggestion to post it on the Association's Web site.

In a similar situation, the Commission attempted to enlist the aid of a Florida soaring center in spreading the word that glider pilots using its facility also need to avoid unlicensed operation on 2 meters. Hollingsworth asked Quest Air Soaring Center in Groveland to advise its participants that unlicensed use of airborne radio equipment not only violates federal law but causes widespread interference to licensed stations. He suggested the soaring center post the Advisory Notice on its Web site as well.

Thanks to UltraSport.
====================

[CraginS]

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Enforcement Bureau
Spectrum Enforcement Division
1270 Fairfield Road
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325-7245

October 14, 2006

Quest Air Soaring Center
6548 Groveland Airport Road
Groveland, FL 34736

Subject: Advisory Notice -- Unlicensed Radio Operation

Dear Sir:

Information before the Commission indicates that glider pilots using your facility have been using Amateur Radio Service transmitting equipment on the Two Meter frequency band without licenses. Operation on those frequencies requires a license from the Commission.

While we would encourage all glider pilots to use communications equipment of some kind, such as Family Radio Service units, we would appreciate your advising your participants that unlicensed use of airborne radio equipment not only causes widespread interference to licensed stations, but is a violation of Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. Section 301, and will subject unlicensed operators to enforcement sanctions including monetary forfeitures (fines). Monetary forfeitures normally range from $7,500 to $10,000.

Thank you for any cooperation you can provide in this matter and please call me at 717-338-2574 if you or your glider pilots or staff have any questions about licensing matters. Feel free to post this letter on your website.

cc: FCC South Central Regional Director
---
source: http://www.arrl.org/news/enforcement_lo ... .html?nc=1

[Flying Lobster]

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Enforcement Bureau
Spectrum Enforcement Division
1270 Fairfield Road
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325-7245

October 14, 2006

Quest Air Soaring Center
6548 Groveland Airport Road
Groveland, FL 34736

Subject: Advisory Notice -- Unlicensed Radio Operation

Dear Sir:

Information before the Commission indicates that glider pilots using your facility have been using Amateur Radio Service transmitting equipment on the Two Meter frequency band without licenses. Operation on those frequencies requires a license from the Commission.

While we would encourage all glider pilots to use communications equipment of some kind, such as Family Radio Service units, we would appreciate your advising your participants that unlicensed use of airborne radio equipment not only causes widespread interference to licensed stations, but is a violation of Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. Section 301, and will subject unlicensed operators to enforcement sanctions including monetary forfeitures (fines). Monetary forfeitures normally range from $7,500 to $10,000.

Thank you for any cooperation you can provide in this matter and please call me at 717-338-2574 if you or your glider pilots or staff have any questions about licensing matters. Feel free to post this letter on your website.

cc: FCC South Central Regional Director
---
source: http://www.arrl.org/news/enforcement_lo ... .html?nc=1

I've been at Quest when some of those complaints were lodged--in some cases its some local yahoos who object to their conversations about used engine blocks and which cantina has the best grits in town being stepped on by pilots in the air on "their" frequencies--legal or otherwise.

Alot of this has to do with max power being used in the air which can broadcast far--and as simple as not broadcasting call sign on open and close and during required time periods--and which leads them to automatically assume unlicensed operation (duuuh, I think every 15 minutes while transmitting??).

There are guys who have nothing better to do than track short wave transmissions--just ask Tad what happened to him one fateful day at Woodstock many years ago when the FCC boys surprised him.

marc

[theflyingdude]

Unlicensed ham radio operation is very common amongst many HG and PG pilots in the U.S. Considering how easy it is to "get legal" now that you don't have to learn Morse code to get a Technician license (like we did in the old days), I have no sympathy for those who get popped by the FCC. Besides large fines and the possibility of jail time, I think a public flogging and perhaps water-boarding, would be an appropriate punishment.

JR, N3IWI

[hang_pilot]

There seems to be an attitude among at least some of that community [PG'ers] that the FCC rules requiring those licenses do not apply to them. They see the situation as one in which they, just as in flying, are willingly assuming a risk, and are willing to face the consequences should they get caught.

Thanks for HAM license reminder, Cragin, but in the future I would personally appreciate if you'd please consider avoiding sweeping statements about one community or another. THANKS! ~Daniel

[bustedwing2]

Got a link to Ralph's course info?Took A sample test once,using old memory from 30 years ago,passed it,it was easy. RichB

[Flying Lobster]

There seems to be an attitude among at least some of that community [PG'ers] that the FCC rules requiring those licenses do not apply to them. They see the situation as one in which they, just as in flying, are willingly assuming a risk, and are willing to face the consequences should they get caught.

Thanks for HAM license reminder, Cragin, but in the future I would personally appreciate if you'd please consider avoiding sweeping statements about one community or another. THANKS! ~Daniel

I think Craigin's statements were pretty much on target--though I would go a little further to say free-flight pilots of all stripes can be found with the same attitude. What really gets me is when they hijack someone else's callsign.

marc

[markc]

In the educational section of the website:

http://www.chgpa.org/Education/education.html

There is a link to Ralph's online test program:

http://ham.sickinger.net/

As well as some other Ham resources and such.

MarkC

[mcgowantk]

I went to the FCC website to check the status of my call sign to see that it expired! You can renew your HA license a couple of months before it expires or up to two years after it expires. In my case, it expired very recently, and I have already filed the renewal form on line. It took about 5 minutes to accomplish.

Tom McGowan

PS At Big Spring, 90% of the pilots reported having HA licenses. I hope the problem is not as bad as some may think.

[CraginS]

[quote="hang_pilot"][quote="CraginS"]There seems to be an attitude among at least some of that community [PG'ers] that the FCC rules requiring those licenses do not apply to them. They see the situation as one in which they, just as in flying, are willingly assuming a risk, and are willing to face the consequences should they get caught.[/quote]

Thanks for HAM license reminder, Cragin, but in the future I would personally appreciate if you'd please consider avoiding sweeping statements about one community or another. THANKS! ~Daniel[/quote]

Daniel,
In ten years in the club, I have never once heard a HG pilot feign ignorance of the requirement for a license, or say flat out that they did not intend to get one but continue using a ham radio. (I have seen HG pilots continue to use their radios while studying to get their licenses, but in the cases I recall, they each did obtain licenses within the year.) However, I have had both such conversations several times with local PG pilots. I don't know why my experience gives evidence of a difference between the communities, but it does. Nationally, I agree with Marc that ther are pockets of free flight pilots of both persuasions who assume the scoffllaw attitude. The fact that FCC needed to write to Quest as they did proves that observation.
I'll sweep when and where I see dust on the floor.

Craign

[deveil]

sticking my nose in where it don't necessarily belong...
perhaps what was intended, was that while yours was a valuable message, and that all in the flying community would benefit by heeding it, nothing necessary, or additional to your main message, was gained by segregating one group. you know, just one way to look at it. i believe this post states things most diplomatically:

Unlicensed ham radio operation is very common amongst many HG and PG pilots in the U.S. Considering how easy it is to "get legal" now that you don't have to learn Morse code to get a Technician license (like we did in the old days), I have no sympathy for those who get popped by the FCC. Besides large fines and the possibility of jail time, I think a public flogging and perhaps water-boarding, would be an appropriate punishment.

JR, N3IWI

garyD

[charlieg]

I took my Ham test this past Saturday morning and passed -- missed only one question after studying the Technical study manual (several months of "casual" reading in my spare time). One only needs to answer 25 or 26 correctly out of the 35 questions.
Now that I'm "legal," I'd appreciate a little guidance regarding how I should use the radio while I'm flying. My interpretation of my readings is that every 10 minitues I have my radio on I need to repeat my call sign. Is this correct, or is it just if I'm having continuous communications? If just continuous, then I believe I need to announce my call sign every time I stop talking (assuming I won't talk again for 10 minutes). Is there more (or less) to it than this? In my "monitoring only" status up to this point I don't think that I've ever heard one of us - PG or HG - announce their call sign. Maybe not necessary??
Charlie

[brianvh]

I'm no expert, but I'm reading and am bored enough to post my 'for what it's worth' reply.

'Continous transmission' is an ill defined concept. If you are having a conversation, you go in and out of transmission. Most of us give our call sign the first time we transmit, then if we continue a conversation off and on during a flight we repeat the call sign every few minutes, usually at the end of a 'paragraph'.

Or if someone else posts their call sign and guilts us into it.

Or if we feel we're starting a new conversation, we may remember at some point to give a call sign.

It's an intuitive thing. Once you have a call sign you feel official and studly using it. You tend to use it more often if there's friends or cute wuffos around.

[brianvh]

oh, you don't need to give your callsign if you don't transmit. Listening's free and unlicensed. Knock yourself out. You don't need a callsign to listen to your car radio, do you?

[charlieg]

Oh -- I forgot to thank Cragin for his previous rantings on this topic -- they prompted me to pursue my license, something I likely would have not done otherwise, or even know that I should. During my P-2 instruction I was handed a radio that was included in my lesson package, but never told I should get licensed. I just assumed that it was like using the internet (e.g., this forum). So thanks Cragin - I'll endeavor to carry it forward.
Charlie

[hanging3]

Yes,
The rule is: at the beginning of your transmission. then every 10 min during,and at the end of your broadcast/listening. So if you turn on your radio and say how's the weather then plan on listening, you should finish that with your call sign. Otherwise, you need to broadcast every 10. If you only listen no sign needed.....
dang I guess some of that book learning sunk in!

[heaviek]

Just to keep the facts straight. It was not PG pilots who generated the attention. It was most likely HG pilots, myself in particular. The real irony of the suspect situations in the "Quest Complaint" is that no one was ever asked to identify themselves on air. Ironic because the pilots I know of on that frequency, at the time of one of the complaints....were licensed.

There seems to be a long history of local conflict between suspicious monitors and HG pilots in Florida (at all flight parks). A simple request for call signs would have resulted in that information being willingly repeated and relayed for any pilots with radio trouble.

Every pilot should get their ham license. It is the responsible thing to do. And know the band plan for 2M!

Kev

Daniel,
In ten years in the club, I have never once heard a HG pilot feign ignorance of the requirement for a license, or say flat out that they did not intend to get one but continue using a ham radio. (I have seen HG pilots continue to use their radios while studying to get their licenses, but in the cases I recall, they each did obtain licenses within the year.) However, I have had both such conversations several times with local PG pilots. I don't know why my experience gives evidence of a difference between the communities, but it does. Nationally, I agree with Marc that ther are pockets of free flight pilots of both persuasions who assume the scoffllaw attitude.

***The fact that FCC needed to write to Quest as they did proves that observation. ***

I'll sweep when and where I see dust on the floor.

Craign

[bustedwing2]

You'll need a big broom if you come to my house. RichB