It needs to be left in place to keep it from turning into CB.
CB had a lot of potential and still would have if the FCC had done it's job and slammed a few people with fines it would likely still be a useful utility. Unmonitored it rapidly became a sewer and while for that reason it had quieted down somewhat because the idiots have destroyed it.
I hear a lot of 'freedom of the airwaves' bull$hit going around these days. The bands are restricted with damned good reason.
While I run a basic libertarian position I am not an anarchist. I do not want to find myself on an airplane with the pilot trying to get organized only to not be able to communicate with the tower because some Billy-Joe-Bob is trying out his new 10K watt linear amplifier on the air band.
The test itself serves a purpose. It makes people invest in the hobby.
Someone said the test is too heavy on engineering and it probably is. My test had Smith chart questions on it and I have never even seen one since the test. I don't need to know a whole lot about slow scan TV other than it's an option for a ham.
(Someone asked me why anyone would have an interest in SSTV and as usual I gave them a straight faced reply. I said there was usually some pretty good porn being sent these days. That drew a wide-eyed interested "Really?")
I think the test should be more aimed at procedure, band plans and the legal issues to keep an operator out of hot water and insure he runs a fairly clean show.
Still, I think there should be a test before you are issued a license. The test is the investment needed to get the license and the license is something that could be taken away from you if you abuse the airwaves.
When you test your are making an investment is something that you can lose.
If you're too lazy or stupid to learn proper procedure and which bands to use when and where then you have no business being on the air.
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Before someone jumps in here trying to use the exception to prove the rule, as it should be any form of communication can be legally used in the case of an emergency to save life or property.
Some people think that means that after the fire is out that non licensed transmission ceases immediately. I don't. In the case of a disaster give it a rest and permit those beleaguered people a chance to get on their feet. If an emergency net pops up somewhere with a mission of supplying food and medicine to the people than let it be until things settle down. Incidentally 'pick up a loaf of bread and a quart of milk on your way home is NOT an emergency situation.
The reason I post this is because a couple of Sad Hams tried to tell people in the recent flood areas that they were using the bands illegally. Clearly they were not. Even if they technically were than so what. It gave us ALL a lot of really bad press.
This is the same argument that most would use to say that licensing and training should be a prerequisite for owning a firearm.
ReplyDeleteNot so. Firearm ownership is a Constitutional right. The airwaves are a finite utility. Look up 'The tragedy of the commons' It explains the situation rather well.
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