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1827163 | 2 years ago
He wanted to use the Baofeng radios on license-free FRS frequencies and got so much shit for that. He very much sums up how I feel about it. As long as it's programmed for the correct frequencies, who cares?
It's not just some operators, it's a large part of the ham community that's bent on policing "intruders" like that. I don't really care what other people think about my actions here. We can all have different ways we protest this issue, as long as it's lawful.
I'm just hoping that there's a tiny chance that idea might spread. As one of the many ways of fighting back against these draconian measures, without breaking the law. And I'll continue to come up with more entirely legal ways of countering this.
While I don't personally think it's hazardous to health, some people do believe that having a multiple hundred watt transmitter in the neighborhood might have health effects, and it could be especially harmful to small children. Lots of people used to complain about smart meters, and those are only 1 Watt at most, which is tiny by comparison.
Or even better, refuse to participate in the ham community and find something else to do, as the guy in the YouTube video does.
1827163|2 years ago
That there might be enough people out there, once they are aware of the very high power levels used by amateur radio operators, that might absolutely not want this going on, because they have children around, and they don't want these extreme power levels inside their homes.
These hams are so willing to police people potentially intruding on their bands, but that's there's a chance that their very high powered signals, which are intruding onto nearby homes, are putting peoples' children at risk. I think we don't really know the full risk of it is right now, that the debate's out on it?
And it's worse than 5G microwave signals, because those are dramatically attenuated by the walls of the home. Which is not the case for amateur radio, which uses much lower frequencies, especially HF.
In the UK they have already passed legislation regarding EMF safety for amateur radio stations.
https://www.icnirp.org/en/differences.html
1827163|2 years ago
High power ham radio has also been found to interfere with medical equipment, such an insulin pumps, apparently a ham got shut down over this. Although it's somewhat the fault of the pump manufacturer there. Another potential reason to prohibit it.
Just have a look at the comments in the video, that says everything about the ham radio community. Not all of them of course, but there are so many individuals with that mentality.
The video shows him having an Ameritron AL-811H, which is an 800W linear amplifier. I'm not surprised at all it's affecting her insulin pump, with those power levels being emitted just 3 doors down.
By the way, it's really worth watching the ending of that video... My God.
And unrelated, this is how the amateur community reacts if you talk about running an unlicensed station, this is so common: https://old.reddit.com/r/shortwave/comments/gv7r64/stupid_qu...
" The FCC has an automatic fine of $19,000 for getting caught on a single occasion and upto $149,000 for repeated infractions "
unknown|2 years ago
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PhasmaFelis|2 years ago
I understand that your argument is "some hams are jerks, therefore all hams deserve to be punished." It's not the "some hams are jerks" part that I'm doubting, nor the intensity and unfairness of their jerkiness. It's the "therefore..." part. No amount of anecdotes proving the former is going to make the logic work in the latter.
And no amount of secret jamming is going to change any laws or influence anyone's attitudes. If you want to protest, stand up in public and protest. If you want to get petty revenge on a stranger for sharing a hobby with some obnoxious assholes, you can do that instead. But don't tell yourself that you're just like sit-in protestors. It's embarrassing.
1827163|2 years ago
And we have the right to freedom of speech, to get emotional, angry, and even irrational when we see outrageous punishments being dished out by the government, for people being persistently rude on the radio. Especially so when we hear of other people supporting such draconian punishment.
And even more so when large parts of the amateur radio community agree with these punishments and also behave like they are the radio police and have the right to threaten those who might break the rules. When I see other people threatened in that manner it really strikes a nerve with me, and I vent publicly on the forums in response, as I'm doing here.
And if I want to think it's like a sit in protest then it's my right to do so. Under human rights, freedom of conscience and freedom of thought. I might be wrong about thinking that way, but I have the right to be wrong, to be incorrect. As long as I don't break the law.
It's like sit in protesting climate change, or a particularly bad corporation who pollutes the environment, the blockades are going to cause a nuisance for other people not involved in it, but again these protests are legal. This is how change happens.
Many of these amateur radio stations might pose a health and safety hazard to nearby homes. Having thousand watt power levels in residential neighborhoods, while legal, might not be safe for people, especially children. And the amateur community in general turns a blind eye to that. So yet another reason for protesting. Actually, in that case I feel lobbying to get that prohibited might have a better chance of success.
And if it does become prohibited, we don't need to fine offenders $24,000, the FCC can get a warrant, and come in and seize their equipment instead, if they don't stop when requested.