[Lowfer] LowFer IDs

[John Davis]

>Part 15 rules because they are not using their calls. (snip)
> I read about some hams too proud to have their calls involved
> some how with part 15 VLF activities.  What is that all about?

I think you missed the point of my comment.  What we do under Part 15 as
LowFERs is only LF, not VLF.

> Anyway, should you hear KIJL6 some day around 178 kHz, it shouldn't take a
rocket scientist to figure out where the beacon is located.

Depends.  Should that be interpreted as K6ILJ, or KI6LJ?  There is a member
of this list who provides a real-world illustration of the inherent
ambiguity.  Would you translate "WEH0" as W0EH, or WE0H?  I do happen to
know both of those are valid, current amateur calls.  But unless you were
already aware that the one involved in LowFERing is Mike Reid, WE0H, you'd
only have a 50/50 chance of QSLing the right one.  (Actually a little less
than that, as callbook listings are not totally reliable or up to date these
days.)

> I thought the purpose was to provide easy location.  Hmm.
> Stupid me!  Lets keep it a secret so no one can figure out
> where the beacon is.

Well, the actual reason for LowFER identifiers is more to distinguish one
operator's signals from someone else's.  Locating the operator is a
secondary issue.  But it has already been provided for.  That's why we
publish full contact information periodically in The LOWDOWN, and enough
data to find almost any known beacon operator online, through the Operator
Info page via the LowFER/MedFER link at the lwca.org Web site.

If an operator doesn't avail himself of these methods of being listed before
the whole LowFER community, it seems only reasonable to assume he's on the
air for some reason of his own, and doesn't care whether everyone else knows
who he is or not.

73,
John