Nope ... not if it is an emergency ... especially medical, possible bodily harm or loss of life ....
Common sense does come into play in HAM operations ....
Just purchased a baofeng, do I really need a license?
- Thread starter Michael Vincent
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Nope ... not if it is an emergency ... especially medical, possible bodily harm or loss of life ....
Common sense does come into play in HAM operations ....
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
I'm not sure that most people would consider (as probably the most popular example) that the Midland 75-882 is huge.
6.2 ounces and smaller than your hand. Easily fits in every glovebox i have. Works pretty well, and easily adaptable to an external magnetic mount antenna to help your range.
Information here http://www.amazon.com/Midland-75-822-Channel-CB-Way-Radio/dp/B00000K2YR should you want to check it out.
Michael Vincent
Banned
Already got the baofeng don't need a CB... I take back saying it was depressing. The local repeater next to me is RENEGADE REPEATER pretty funny stuff. 147.4350 and uncensored. Discovered the station on a scanner APP.
The problem being what constitutes an emergency?
Its not defined by the FCC and it will be up to some ham guy to decide.
IMO a breakdown/stuck out of cell service would qualify but the ham nazi may not see it that way. I'd bet on the FCC being more reasonable.
proper4wd
Expedition Leader
I also agree with the sentiment that a lot of the ham culture is obnoxious. I wish it wasnt, because its all very interesting stuff.
I have 2x of the UV5R and use them mostly on GMRS/FRS frequencies (yes I know thats technically illegal) and to listen to my local law enforcement channels. I programmed the law enforcement channels to be receive only, so theres no chance of accidentally transmitting.
I do not have my license. I may get it in the future, but I'm just not concerned about it to be honest.
I have 2x of the UV5R and use them mostly on GMRS/FRS frequencies (yes I know thats technically illegal) and to listen to my local law enforcement channels. I programmed the law enforcement channels to be receive only, so theres no chance of accidentally transmitting.
I do not have my license. I may get it in the future, but I'm just not concerned about it to be honest.
FordGuy1
Adventurer
Has there ever been a case of a fine to a single individual for using a ham in a vehicle.....NO
CaliMobber
Adventurer
Just get the license, you dont really have to transmit your call sign every 10 min. People do on repeaters sometimes but ive never done it offroad. I wish people would push for change in the Ham radio community. It does not have to be old folks and boring dull talk thats just hows it been.
Get the license, its easy and it covers your but and helps the community. nothing more frustrating than meeting someone who bought a china ham and thinks its a CB.
its also a great thing to have for emergencies. we just had a 5 day power outage and everything was down, cell towers and all.
Yes people do get fined, but its normally continued use, just ask the .435ers like mentioned earlier they say every swear word possible and never say their call sign. They talk about getting fined by the fcc but they dont care. they pay and keep talking lol
Get the license, its easy and it covers your but and helps the community. nothing more frustrating than meeting someone who bought a china ham and thinks its a CB.
its also a great thing to have for emergencies. we just had a 5 day power outage and everything was down, cell towers and all.
Yes people do get fined, but its normally continued use, just ask the .435ers
like mentioned earlier they say every swear word possible and never say their call sign. They talk about getting fined by the fcc but they dont care. they pay and keep talking lol
FordGuy1
Adventurer
I think the test has valuable info, but nobody cares from the FCC unless you are really causing problems. If you go out to a off-road race like the Parker 425 there will be a couple thousand people using the upper commercial bands for three days. That also require a license, not one person I know even knows what a HAM license is! The FCC has never done anything.
fredgoodsell
Adventurer
Google MURS (multi-use radio service). It is an unlicensed set of frequencies in the VHF range that you can easily program into the Baofeng. No test, no license.
Herbie
Rendezvous Conspirator
I know of at least two individuals who have been given the choice between a fine or destroying their equipment. One was a Tech licensed HAM using a rig modified to spectrum outside his license. The other was unlicensed entirely.
DaveInDenver has it right though - the point of getting licensed is mostly about learning the (very few) key pieces of information one needs in order to operate without causing problems for others, and the point of THAT is to not give anyone at the FCC an excuse to further reduce the spectrum available to amateurs. We WILL lose the airwaves if we do not prove ourselves to be good stewards.
Seriously, if you have half a brain and passed high-school algebra, it'll take you maybe a week (max) of running through the practice tests and $15 before you can pass your exam and not have to worry about it.
Herbie
Rendezvous Conspirator
The FCC actually explicitly defines an emergency for these purposes:
§97.403 Safety of life and protection of property.
No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur
station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to
provide essential communication needs in connection with the
immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of
property when normal communication systems are not available
An out-of-cell stuck doesn't qualify unless your truck is teetering on a cliff or you're running out of food/water. If you're that worried about the "HAM Nazis", spend the $15 and a few evenings of your time...
AFSOC
Explorer
Back to the original question, "do I really need a license?"...the laws say Yes. Considering how easy and inexpensive it is to get licensed I don't understand why you wouldn't?
As Dave said, the amateur radio hobby is what you make it. I myself am licensed and hardly ever turn a radio on. It's my observation that you (and a group) essentially need to create situations in which to use amateur band radio. It's a just another tool to have in the toolbox for those few and far situations where it's capabilities make it the "right tool for the job".
I am not a big fan of ARRL, I think it is a dinosaur. I understand what they're trying to accomplish as a form of private regulatory organization but don't detect any vision or spirit of innovation. It's pretty hard to identify which decade or even century you're in when you deal with ARRL. For the sake of perpetuating the hobby and expanding participants, I'd like to see a shake up at ARRL. They just seem to be content to protect their mid 20th century view of the world and stand pat as though time is standing still. Hell, just look at their organization's logo...ever see anything more in need of a refresh?
All ranting about ARRL aside, it is the law to obtain a license to operate in specific frequencies. Just because the laws aren't aggressively enforced on individuals isn't a valid reason to disregard compliance. It's easy and cheap, why not just do it and be done with it?
As Dave said, the amateur radio hobby is what you make it. I myself am licensed and hardly ever turn a radio on. It's my observation that you (and a group) essentially need to create situations in which to use amateur band radio. It's a just another tool to have in the toolbox for those few and far situations where it's capabilities make it the "right tool for the job".
I am not a big fan of ARRL, I think it is a dinosaur. I understand what they're trying to accomplish as a form of private regulatory organization but don't detect any vision or spirit of innovation. It's pretty hard to identify which decade or even century you're in when you deal with ARRL. For the sake of perpetuating the hobby and expanding participants, I'd like to see a shake up at ARRL. They just seem to be content to protect their mid 20th century view of the world and stand pat as though time is standing still. Hell, just look at their organization's logo...ever see anything more in need of a refresh?
All ranting about ARRL aside, it is the law to obtain a license to operate in specific frequencies. Just because the laws aren't aggressively enforced on individuals isn't a valid reason to disregard compliance. It's easy and cheap, why not just do it and be done with it?
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Robert Bills
Explorer
Yes, it is necessary for you and your friends using the Ham bands to be licensed with valid call signs.
No, you will not be "all good" even if you stick to simplex transmissions and avoid repeater frequencies.
Disrespect for FCC rules regarding Citizen's Band radios in the late 1970s ruined that band, rendering CB useless for emergency communications. For example, there used to be REACT (Radio Emergency Associated Communication Teams) throughout the U.S. to monitor CB channel 9 in order to render assistance in emergencies. Almost none exist today. Freebanders and unlicensed operators can and will do the same damage to the Ham bands, hence the vigorous self policing of the Ham bands by licensed operators. (As for the comments above about ARRL being an anti-innovation dinosaur, bear in mind that one of the primary purposes for the organization is to lobby against Ham bands from being taken away from "the people" and assigned to commercial use.)
EMrider said:
Not exactly. The emergency use clause states that one may use any means of communication in "connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available." There must be a true life or death emergency and no other available method of normal communication. That means no one within range of a cell phone, CB, or any other form of communication not requiring a license. It also means that simply being temporarily lost, stuck or broken down would not trigger the exception to the licensing rule.
Frankly, I do not understand the aversion to becoming properly licensed and following the rules. Its simply the price of admission to the Ham bands. If you don't want to do that, then use another form of communication.
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craig333
Expedition Leader
I did a big group snow run last weekend. We used CB's for the group. We were out there far from services. No cell coverage. Being able to talk amongst the group is nice but if we'd needed emergency help it wasn't going to come from the CB's (group leaders did have ham radios). FRS, CB MURS are fine for use amongst your group but if you need more thats when you'll be glad to have a service that actually does work. Getting stuck or broke down is exactly when I'd use ham. FRS etc won't work and I certainly don't want to fire up the PLB. To me thats even more preferable than using the cell phone. I'll likely get someone local who is familiar with my location, knows who/what to call and may even get me some free help.
Michael Vincent
Banned
Pointless to have just in case of a breakdown. HAM nazi's sounded pretty harsh to me but now I think it totally fits. Man what a stuck up community. I even went to the HAM RADIO OUTLET in Burbank to check things out, guy working didn't even acknowledge me, too busy talking to some other old geezer while I was in there so I just left. A test book was $30 so I didn't buy anything because you can get stuff on the internet for free.
I hope more people buy these damn Baofengs and ruin the whole HAM spectrum. Haha JK but seriously why y'all always so mad. And to not help someone stranded is kinda weird to me. I might be over this HAM license. Just gonna listen when I'm at home, and annoy people when I'm in my car.
I hope more people buy these damn Baofengs and ruin the whole HAM spectrum. Haha JK but seriously why y'all always so mad. And to not help someone stranded is kinda weird to me. I might be over this HAM license. Just gonna listen when I'm at home, and annoy people when I'm in my car.
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