[Boatanchors] 813 grid to filament short

[Glen Zook]

I realize that, in a practical sense, accurately reading the peak power output with an extremely high level of accuracy, is, not going to be possible by the vast majority of operators.  However, with equipment commonly available, it is certainly possible to read peak power within a +/- 10% accuracy.
Having worked with the FCC, on a professional basis, for well over 40-years, I am convinced that such an accuracy would definitely meet any requirement by that agency.
The Amateur Radio Service has been charged, by the FCC, to be "self-policing" and, to a large degree, this "self-policing" is why the Service has been granted a wide range of privileges when compared to all of the other Services administered by the FCC.  "Self-policing" includes a mandate that each individual amateur radio operator needs to make sure that he/she is, to the best of their ability, obeying the regulations contained in 47 CFR, especially those contained in 47 CFR Part 97.  However, there are other regulations, that pertain to all Radio Services, not just the Amateur Radio Service, that appear in other Parts of 47 CFR especially 47 CFR Part 2.

This means that amateur radio operators need to seriously attempt to keep the peak power of any AM transmissions so as not to exceed 1500-watts peak output.  Allowing for the system, used to measure peak power output, to have a tolerance of +/- 10%, that would definitely allow for the actual power output to be as high as 1650-watts when the measuring device is indicating a maximum of 1500-watts peak output.  Since the operator is making a definite attempt to measure the peak output, there is no reason, at all, for the FCC to be concerned.
As I pointed out before, and has been mentioned by others, running less than 100% modulation allows a carrier power of more than 375-watts and still not exceeding the 1500-watts peak output.
I sincerely believe that most amateur radio operators are definitely trying to obey the FCC regulations.  Unfortunately, there are a number of operators who have absolutely no regard for the regulations and blatantly break those regulations on a regular basis.  In my mind, those operators place no value on their license and could not care less if they lose their license.  Many of those operators would just go "freebanding" if not already operating in such an illegal fashion.  I have held an amateur radio operator's license for over 56-years and a commercial radiotelephone operator's license for over 53-years.  Frankly, I definitely place a high value on both of those licenses!
By the way, in early 1989, shortly after President George H. W. Bush took office, I was nominated, by Senator Phil Gramm (R. Texas), for appointment as one of the FCC commissioners.  This was in recognition for work in the commercial two-way and microwave radio arena, not because I was an amateur radio operator.  I made it through several elimination rounds until the final round.  That final round consisted of Washington, D.C., lawyers.  Even though I did not get the appointment, I am certainly proud that I was even considered! Glen, K9STH 
Website: http://k9sth.net
      From: Rob Atkinson <ranchorobbo at gmail.com>
 To: Glen Zook <gzook at yahoo.com> 
Cc: Boat Anchors List <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net> 
 Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2015 11:51 AM
 Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] 813 grid to filament short
   
Glen you can go on to your heart's content about "present FCC
regulations" but it doesn't mean doo doo to any real AM operator who
isn't all wrapped up in slopbucketese.  I expect you to immediately
notify FCC and come clean if your carrier is 375.01 watts or more.  By
the way, I don't want you exceeding the speed limit on our public
roads either.

I'm now hearing ops say things like "I run X watts peaking at such and
such PEP."  How sad.
I wonder why I never hear of power limits for AM broadcast stations
expressed in PEP.  Oh, maybe it's because they haven't been bsed the
way hams have after most went to slopbucket, watt meters (that are
just diode driven meters) and the FCC one size fits all appliance
operator assumptions.

Let's hope at least some AM ops have not been brainwashed and think
they can precisely measure 375 watts, 100% modulation and all the rest
of the nonsense?