[Boatanchors] Illegal tx in OZ ??

[Geoff Roberts]

Thanks for clearing that up Pete, that was pretty much my understanding of
the situation, though I couldn't quote the reference from memory.

A ham can modify anything to operate in the ham bands quite lawfully.  IF
you have no license, you must not possess a transmitter 'for the purpose of
operating the device' (as I understand it, having it plugged in and mostly
ready to go is considered evidence of 'operating') other than as authorised
by a license be it spectrum, apparatus, or class.

As Pete points out, it would be unlawful for a ham to own a commercial ham
transceiver, fitted with a general coverage receiver that he had modified to
transmit outside the bands it was designed for.  Many commercial ham rigs
have this ability, often with no more than a snip of a diode or two to make
them gen coverage transceivers.

 

Pete, I'd actually go further and say that it's unlawful for an amateur to
build or modify ANY equipment, commercial, ham or homebuilt, to operate
outside the ham bands.

 

Advertisers sometimes attempt to muddy the waters for their own benefit,
absolutely so, this guy was suggesting that the (unmodified) radio was
unlawful to own because it could transmit out of band, not by design or
modification, but simply because it could go (I assume) a little out of band
at each end.  I would consider that an extreme interpretation of the rules
for a ham owner at best.  At a minimum, I'd expect the modification clause
to cover it.

 

Regards

 

Geoff

VK5GDR