[AMRadio] AM power

[lee]

I was an OO but gave it up a couple years ago.  The idea sponsored by the 
ARRL was to help hams and help them not get into trouble.  Yes, the FCC has 
asked the League to help them out from time to time and the ARRL asks their 
local OOs to do just that.  I have gone to some ham's homes as a "friend" to 
see if I could determine what was going on and if I could help.  I certainly 
would not be pushy nor risk some sort of fight.  If a ham would be hostile, 
I would just walk away and send in a report as to what happened.  To be 
honest,  I never was in a situation where the contacted ham was hostile.  In 
most cases I was his friend.  As an OO I was asked a couple times to monitor 
non Ham transmissions which had nothing to do with Ham radio.

In short, an OO is a volunteer with some knowledge.  They work for free and 
pay for stamps and mileage out of their own pockets.  Yes, sometimes, I am 
sure they have made a mistake.  (I once heard a guy got a OO report for 
having too much carrier and the guy was running AM)!  So OOs are not 
perfect.  The ARRL screens the applicant and also has him take a knowledge 
test before they sign him up.  They are there to help and not be some kind 
of Radio Police.  All the OOs I knew were decent guys with calm tempers who 
were very stable kind of individuals.  Believe me, to be a good OO, you put 
in a lot of time nobody ever sees and spend some money doing it.  Looking 
back,  I hope I helped some as an OO and was looked upon as someone willing 
to be a friend when help was needed and wanted.  I certainly hope I could 
never be accused of being an adversary.  If you could defuse a situation 
before it became a major problem,  I think you did a good job as an OO.

Lee, w0vt
Houston, TX

-----Original Message----- 
From: Bernie Doran
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 9:32 PM
To: Discussion of AM Radio in the Amateur Service
Subject: Re: [AMRadio] AM power

Ok, I went to the ARRL site and looked at current duties of OOs. It looks to
me like some OOs have assumed a lot more that they were supposed to do if
they are were reviewing stations and dealing with neighbors..   Not
surprising. If an OO arrived here and said he wanted to see my station, I
would tell him to get the h--- off of the property.  It was clear to me at
the time that contact should be limited to a mail notification  in nearly
all cases.  The concept of a ham going to a neighbors home and telling that
person that his TV is junk and that the other ham is not causing a problem
is simply wrong.   IE potential conflict of interest, not an independent
party, etc etc.    I have some knowledge of what I am saying here, I am a
forensic engineer.   please do not be stupid and say I must have something
to hide or I would let an OO in.      yes, I also had the FCC contacted when
I operated 15 m back at the big cycle in the 50s.   as I recall they sent me
a copy of the letters and asked if I would consider operating at times that
would have a minimal impact, IE other than prime TV watching time.  never
came out and no other communication from the FCC.---- Original Message ----- 
From: "BILL GUYGER" <bguyger at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Discussion of AM Radio in the Amateur Service"
<amradio at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 9:58 PM
Subject: Re: [AMRadio] AM power