[Boatanchors] 11 meter amps ?

[Drew P.]

Ian wrote:

"As the sunspot cycle improves propagation we will likely again have the
competition of the illegal operation by CBers on the 10 meter ham band."

During the last sunspot cycle I heard only occasional incursions by "freebanders" into the bottom end of 10 meters. Though such operations are illegal, those that I heard did not seem to be interfering with legitimate users (but it is still illegal).  When the sunspots are up, that whole region of 24 to 30 MHz provides some very interesting listening.  I've heard freebanders running CW and FM, for example, along with international shortwave broadcasters, broadcast relays, telemetry and control signals, Tijuana Taxicabs, and all manner of other signals that defy categorization.

"By the way, has anybody else who reads this list ever operated on 11
meters AS A HAM LEGALLY??"

Not as a ham on 11 meters, but as a legal CB'er who happens to hold a ham license. I have occasionally used legal CB radios to communicate with my non-ham friends when driving or boating.  With our legal CB operations, one friend became interested enough in radio communications that he got his ham ticket.  

CB can serve as a gateway to amateur radio and these days we need all the new blood we can get.

Drew