[Lowfer] 49MHz

[Bruce - KB6LWN/rcc]

Hi Tom,

I can think of one reason...  Licensing.
From what I know, the 49MHz spectrum, at
least the part of it that's being considered
here is 'public access, unlicensed', right ?

That would mean a much broader userbase if
anyone succeeds <sp?) in generating interest
in their areas.  And maybe in all, an intro-
duction that might garner some new Amateurs.

Since the little 'Space Patrol' talkies can
be gotten for a 'dime-a-dozen', that makes
for a very reasonable/low entry cost for the
average person that might be tempted to try
some experimenting.  No hassle of going out
to get licensed to operate.

Of course, us Amateurs, have it good!
We can tune up the spectrum just a tad and
make use of the allocated 6-meter band freqs
at higher power levels and various modes :)

It's good to be a 'ham'!

As for the Cordless folks that have no idea
that they have an audience...  I know what
you're talking about all too well...

I heard this female giving out all kinds of
personal and possibly damaging info on that
service, so being the good samaritan and a
concerned Amateur considering the good of
the local community and it's residences,
I decided to politely let her know that her
signal was being heard by more than she might
want to be heard by, and that if she wanted
to stay hidden from her ex- then she should
probably use a more secure line (hardline)
instead of the cordless phone.

Guess what!?  A Sheriff showed up at my door
accusing me of committing a crime by making
contact with her, until I was able to make
the point that had I wanted to commit a crime
the info I heard could have been used for my
gain, but instead I made the effort to help
her out...  And that I had NOT passed this
info (heard in the call) to ANYone other than
the 'supplier' of that info, and thereby did
not show any malace or intent to harm.

On this note, he (the Deputy) left, hopefully
to inform her that if she didn't want her con-
versations heard, she should use other means
to communicate :)  Goal accomplished!

It's amazing how many technologically ignorant
people there are in the world, but I guess as
Amateurs, this will always seem strange.

73 4 now,
            Bruce

PS: no hackles up here :)

On Mon, 4 Mar 2002, WA2BPE wrote:

> Uh, don't mean to be a spoil sport, but why not just
> operate six meters?  It offers CW, SSB, AM, FM
> (including repeaters), PSK31, etc.  I often monitor the
> 45-50MHz region for video and commercial links as prop
> indicators and as I tune thru, I am amused at the number
> of portable telephone users who are completely naive as
> to "privacy" (not to mention the baby monitors that
> "hear" everything in the house).  I am also appalled at
> the large number of trashy signals that are there too -
> unstable, overdeviated, etc, etc.  I *have* found the
> portable 49MHz VOX headsets useful for tower work, etc.
> but I too have had to live with QRM there at times (back
> to shouting out what you need).

> Fbs1050@aol.com wrote:
> 
> > I was just wondering if anyone else was interested in
> > 49MHz, it's a new hobby