[KYHAM] Right To Know?
Randy Carter
[email protected]
Fri, 11 Jan 2002 22:19:58 -0800
Hi Ron-
It's a legitimate concern..... a license is not required to listen,
just to transmit. However, store personnel should be knowledgeable
about what they sell. The determination of what a customers needs
are.... and meeting said needs appropriately is good customer service.
Ensuring that a customer is aware of any special requirements, such as a
license to fully utilize a given product may mean that the customer
spends less money or even none at all. However, it serves the
customers' best interest and ultimately can generate good will toward
the store.... both of which are good for business. Personally, I think
that the ARRL and its staff can be much more influential when dealing
with a company of any size, and with considerably more weight than a
relatively few well written letters from individual hams.
Human nature, being what it is, guarantees that the problem is quite
common. Store personnel should not assume that a customer has seen the
catalog. And, definitely should not recommend the purchase of a ham
radio to a customer looking for a two-way radio when the customer
doesn't ask specifically for a ham radio. That's usually a dead give
away that the customer cannot fully utilize a ham radio, legally. I've
gone into a Radio Shack to pick up a copy of one of the license study
guides by Gordon West for someone else. The clerk asked what I was
looking for and when I told him, he retrieved a copy of the "Short Wave
Listeners Guide" and asked if that was what I was looking for. Mind you
the man appears to be in his mid to late fifties and had no idea what I
was talking about.... or about ham radio. Although the customer is
ultimately responsible for the operation of a ham radio, the store
employee has an ethical obligation to appropriately meet the customers
needs.
73,
Randy KG4AFK
Ron Dodson wrote:
> I had an interesting talk earlier today with some of the
> folks at the local Radio Shack store. Twice in 2001 we had
> people in possession of and using 2 meter equipment in
> this area who were unlicensed and did not apparently even
> realize they needed one.
> Luckily, both were eventually handled with a minimum of
> complication.
>
> While buying some connectors etc. for a project today, I
> asked the local RS folks if they ever asked to see an
> amateur radio license before they sold someone one of the
> Amateur Radio transceivers that they sell. The two workers
> looked at me and said, " No, If they got the money, they can
> buy anything they want. What they do with it is their
> problem." I then told them that I felt that they at least
> should TELL the buyer that a license was required and they
> did not seem to agree as they again did not feel this was
> their problem. Has anyone else ever tried asking this
> question??? If so, where your results favorable or more on
> the order of mine? I realize that they might not be Legally
> required to do this, though as I tried to tell them, I felt
> it would be in everyone's best interest if they would. An
> uniformed person may well buy either a two meter, ten meter
> or dual band rig thinking it is CB or FRS and unknowingly
> open the Pandora's Box of trouble for everyone. Yes, the
> manuals generally have a caveat about licensing, but how
> many HAMS read the manual first ! ;^) Maybe it is me, but I
> think a buyer has the right to know what he/she is buying
> and of any license requirements for the use of the
> equipment. To amateurs BUYING the gear this may not be a
> big issue, but to the uniformed, it could save us all a load
> of grief.
>
> Most dealers who advertise in amateur magazines ASK FOR A
> CALL SIGN or verify license possession before a sale, just
> to keep everyone straight. Perhaps we need to start asking
> my earlier question more of our local vendors who sell
> consumer market goodies and amateur rigs as a sideline.
>
> Just a thought.
>
> 73 all,
>
> Ron
>
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