[Packet] Re[2]: OT: Ham rules

[Miroslav Skoric]

Hello Rolly,

Sunday, April 20, 2003, 12:00:02 AM, you wrote:

RWSG> FEES

RWSG> The FCC has a fee of around $12 for both the initial and renewal of the license.
RWSG> The license is good for 10 years. The VE�s are allowed to charge a fee for
RWSG> expenses also. I believe that fee is around $10.00 also.

If I understood you properly, You have some initial fees (FCC and VE)
and every 10 years FCC for renewing the license. Is it matter of how
many radios do you have (ex. what if you have 5 radios or not at all)?

RWSG> The qualification requirements are being able to pass the exam, be a United
RWSG> States citizen, or a qualified foreign national. NO MEMBERSHIP IN ANY
RWSG> ORGANIZATION IS REQUIRED.

So, membership in the national amateur radio union is NOT needed.

RWSG> Proof of citizenship for the most part is assumed. However go get into the
RWSG> system, a U.S. Social Security number and a valid mailing address are required.
RWSG> You may be asked for your driver�s license (especially if you pay the fees by
RWSG> check or credit card), which has a picture of you, thus providing photographic
RWSG> identification and mailing address verification.

Do you have to submit the Proof of citizenship or U.S. Social Security
number or anything else when your license void, i.e. when it comes to
renew it every ten years?

RWSG> The VE�s collect the exam, and grade the exam immediately.
RWSG> The person taking the exam is notified of his pass or fail status.
RWSG> If the person passed the exam, the VE�s mails the exam answer sheet, and the
RWSG> license application form to the FCC.

So, does it mean that a candidate has nothing to do with both the FCC
and the ham union, after successfully passed the exam? The VE�s -
examiners do the paper work for the first time for the candidate?

RWSG> ===================================
RWSG> EQUIPMENT

Do you get any type of a 'radio station license' (don't mix with a ham
personal license)? Here we have a station license for any particular
radio station, ex. 5 radios = 5 separate licenses for each of them.

RWSG> You may build any receiver or transmitter for personal use without any agency
RWSG> approval. There are plenty of articles available here (especially in the ARRL
RWSG> archives and publications) on how to build transmitters that meet good
RWSG> requirements.

So, the US law says there is no need to carry home-built radio to an
approval at all? Here we must bring our radios to be checked.

RWSG> Commercially built equipment must have FCC type approval. That is not just
RWSG> limited to transmitters, but to any device that might radiate radio frequency
RWSG> signals.

So, the US law says there is no need to carry factory-built radio to an
approval at all? Here we must bring our radios to be checked.

RWSG> Any radio frequency signal not up to standards may result in complaints by fellow
RWSG> amateurs and / or citations by the FCC. Usually the fellow hams will let you know
RWSG> of problems and in many cases provide advice and other help to fix the problem.

That's ok.

RWSG> The FCC is lenient toward one-time infractions of rules and equipment
RWSG> malfunctions, providing they were not deliberate and did not interfere with
RWSG> emergency communications. Major monetary fines and imprisonment can occur for
RWSG> repeated and / or malicious infractions.

That's ok. But, prior to any transmission you don't have to carry your
radio(s) to be officially checked by a special service in order to get
a 'radio-license'

RWSG> I wish you good luck in your endeavors to provide a fair adequate amateur radio
RWSG> rules.

Thanks for help!

RWSG> I might point out that many national governments support and encourage amateur
RWSG> radio. The some of the reasons are stated in the first section of the FCC Part 97
RWSG> rules.
RWSG> (c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which
RWSG> provide for advancing skills in both the communications and technical phases of
RWSG> the art.
RWSG> (d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of
RWSG> trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts.

May  I  suggest that modern ham radio include not only the "classical"
wireless  radio  modes,  but  the  modern computer communications like
packet,  pactor,  PSK and others that advance computer and informatics
-related  sciences  too.  In  the  time  of  the Internet and the cell
telephony,  the  digital ham radio is one of the great ways to explore
computer  related  activities.  Seems  that  ham  radio  is          a
multidimensional   activity.  That's  why  I  suppose  that  not  only
'wireless  parts'  of  the  government are supposed to support amateur
radio.

Rolly, hope you will be able to add some more explanations.

-- 
Best regards,
 Misko YT7MPB                           mailto:skoric@ptt.yu