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

[Miroslav Skoric]

Hello Ken,

Wednesday, April 30, 2003, 4:01:54 AM, you wrote:

KS> I do not have to obtain permission to own and operate
KS> my station. I am free to choose my equipment and
KS> operate within my priviledges. We are required to
KS> prove we are qualified to make our own decisions about
KS> the nature of our station.

Ok,  I  understand  that.  Here  in  Serbia  we  have  to  obtain BOTH
permissions: a)  to BUY a station, b) to OPERATE it. Those who are not
going  to  buy  their  own radio, so to run a club's stuff (as well as
others who  have  their own stuff), they satisfy with c) an OPERATOR's
paper. So there are 3 papers in sum. Boring ...

KS> I have one paper from the FCC. It is my
KS> station/operator's license and it has my assigned call
KS> sign as my identy before the licensing authority.

Ok. I get it now. You have only ONE paper, regardless you run club's
radio, friend's radio, your own first, the second ... etc. Only one
paper for that all. Seems great.

KS> We have various license classes that convey various
KS> levels of priviledges. I hold the highest class of
KS> license (Amateur Extra). I was required to pass a 20
KS> WPM code examination and a tough technical
KS> examination. This class, now, only requires a 5 WPM
KS> code examination and the same tough written
KS> examination.

That's ok. Here we also have several ham classes. I am the no-code
because I am not interested in Morse. My areas of interest are packet
and similar things.

KS> Here in the states, we get a driver's license that
KS> permits us to operate a vehicle of the class for which
KS> we are licensed. The vehicle requires a registration,
KS> insurance, and an inspection that requires the car to
KS> meet specified safety and emissions standards.

What you have as a 'driver's license' that is the same as ours.
What you have as a 'driver's license' that is the same as our 'ham
operator' ticket. They even think to put a ham photo in it, HI.
What you listed for a vehicle, the same we have here for our vehicles.
What you listed for a vehicle, the same we have here for our ham
radios, except insurance, HI.

KS> Miro, our regulations are simple. We pass the test,
KS> get our license and operate whatever equipment we wish
KS> to operate.

Yep, I see that is simple.

KS> The license is good for 10 years and then
KS> we renew it. The license itself is free from the FCC.
KS> You only pay to take the examination.

And it seems to be much cheaper than here, too.

KS> The issue here for your authority seems to be two (2)
KS> fold. The see the use of amateur radio as a natural
KS> resource that they must maintain control over and use
KS> as a source of revenue.

Seems to be just like that.

KS> our laws. Your country has yet to develop this type of
KS> tradition and you the people of the Union should
KS> insist on this type of trust and freedom.

Well, the 'Union' is another issue. Maybe I forgot to mention that the
membership  in  the  union  is  MANDATORY here (all their fees too, of
course).  That  is  a legal requirement in the law, so you can't apply
for  any  of  all  those  complicated  papers mentioned if you are not
member of the union first! And the hams who govern the union are doing
NOTHING  to  stop  with  that.  They  like all of us to pay obligatory
member fees again and again.

For  several years, I keep fighting to remove those idiotic rules, but
it is a hard work. There are 'hams' like Hrane YT1SM, Sasa YU7AL, Voja
YU7AV    (all    of   them   actual   or   ex   leaders   of   several
federal/republic/provincial  ham  unions existing here) who are always
likely  to  make  themselves  as  very  great hams, even like national
heroes,  but  who  don't  do a simple thing to improve the rules. When
somebody  vote for rules improvements, they are ready to accuse you as
a  'union's  enemy'  (I felt that on my own for several times). In the
same  time,  they  seem  to  have some influence in the national FCC's
leadership,  so  I  don't  see  a  way  things to change. Now, I don't
operate my station anymore, don't pay the union fee etc.

KS> This will
KS> only happen when you use your vote to select like
KS> minded officials. We, here, grew up with this freedom.
KS> You will have implement it and bring future
KS> generations up with it.

Sure, but that's the hard work to do.

KS> Best Wishes from me to you and may God Bless you and
KS> your people.

Thanks.  I prepare for the ICT conferences coming this summer. Foreign
regulative  experiences  will be part of my papers. So any suggestions
are welcomed.

You  may  see  my  page, http://tldp.org/HOWTO/mini/FBB.html including
that tasks.

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