[ScanIndiana] RE: ScanIndiana Digest, Vol 98, Issue 1

Fri Sep 16 22:13:37 EDT 2005

Well, as long as others of us in ScanIndiana gave you
what you need, that's what counts.  I am happy to have
been of some service to you.

You and I might have been "contemporaries" on the 11 meter
band.  I was on there from somewhere around 1970 (running as
a family member under my Dad's license, KET8490 which I still
use today even though not required) until I got my Amateur
Novice (or as we called it in those days, the "No-Voice"
license because at the time you had NO voice privileges
on ANY band and trying to run slow Morse you got NO respect
from anybody!) in 1974.  I quit active CB when the whole
"Convoy" craze hit and all the channels went to hell.  Our
local roundtable who were all legal ops/stations couldn't
keep up with the sudden and massive influx of illegal linear
amplifiers and over-height antennas.  I think a lot of guys
quit, and a few of them did what I did - get a ham license.

Nowdays, I do get back on CB from time to time since it has
quieted down.  My main rig either base or mobile is a Uniden
Grant XL.  I wouldn't mind having an actual base rig but try
actually finding one that has sideband on it that hasn't
already been illegally monkeyed with.  Rotsa ruck.  But, on
a good power supply here at home the Grant XL does a bang-up 
job.  Just as good mobile although I did replace the stock
microphone with one of the Cobra HighGear mics, which I get
good reports on for audio quality.  I also have a bunch of
HT's that are full legal 4 watts but none have SSB on them,
all AM.  They're a bit easier and more compact to deal with
on the road since the Grant XL isn't permanently installed.
The Midland HT's I have the speaker/mic for which is a big
help; and, the mic part of the speaker mic sounds better than
the built-in mic does.  :-)

Mobile I just run radio shack mag-mount although I do have a
nifty antenna matcher that gets my SWR down to nearly 1:1
from ch 1 to ch 40.  Makes the most out of that 4 watts and
this is, of course, also better for the transmitter too. Some
guys pay NO attention to SWR and wonder why they blow up radios
all the time.

So, that's pretty much the short version (short?!?!?) of my 
11 meter story.

Duane
WB9OMC Amateur
KET8490 CB
WPWX735 GMRS
and maybe some I don't even remember.....  :-)

-----Original Message-----
From: scanindiana-bounces+wb9omc=nlci.com at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:scanindiana-bounces+wb9omc=nlci.com at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
Terry Hoover
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 7:17 PM
To: Indiana Scanning
Subject: RE: [ScanIndiana] RE: ScanIndiana Digest, Vol 98, Issue 1

X-SpamKiller-AcctId: 1
X-SpamKiller-MsgId: 1121399709.4577

Duane,

Thanks for the good information, I was a good old (legal beagle) CB'r back
before the CB craze hit, it got really U-G-L-Y for a while I got agravated
and 10-7 for a few years I still have one I think it's in the garage next to
the fuzzy dice LOL.

This information and the link supplied from jweller helped a lot, I wanted
to know the who what and why if I go GMRS I to will get licensed, my luck I
would get busted somehow besides I don't like hassles.

Thanks

Terry

-----Original Message-----
From: scanindiana-bounces+tghoover=iquest.net at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:scanindiana-bounces+tghoover=iquest.net at mailman.qth.net]On
Behalf Of Duane Mantick
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 7:21 PM
To: 'Indiana Scanning'
Subject: RE: [ScanIndiana] RE: ScanIndiana Digest, Vol 98, Issue 1

I'll see how much I can get right from memory in the way of providing a
direct answer to your question - but I will add that the reference to the
FCC rules for GMRS is a MUST READ.

That is because the *law* requires you to have a LICENSE to use GMRS.  Not
that more than maybe 1% of GMRS radio buyers pay any attention whatsoever to
that technicality, but it is the (now nearly unenforceable) law.

You have 22 channels, a number of which overlap with FRS channels.  FRS is a
lower-powered, unlicensed service which has been overrun with rug rats and
scumbuckets for quite some time now.  Fortunately, unlike the 11 meter
Citizens Band, neither FRS or GMRS up in the 460 MHz area propagate over
long distances every time a sunspot farts.  :-)  This limits the
foul-mouthed scumbuckets and untamed rug-rats to being able to screw up
personal communications over a fairly limited area.

It is now getting impossible to buy an FRS-only radio; they all come as GMRS
equipped which only encourages illegal unlicensed operation.  I expect the
FCC will eventually be forced by their own stupidity to eliminate the GMRS
license as they had to do with CB licenses simply because there is no way to
arrest/prosecute/fine half of the entire US population.
(or more!)

Do I have a GMRS license?  Yup - WPWX735.  I got it because I am an Extra
Class Amateur Radio licensee as well, and with over 30 years of continuous
Amateur licensing I am not about to risk losing my privileges over an
unlicensed GMRS rap in front of an overzealous FCC hearing. (they do that -
if you're an Amateur, you better NEVER get caught breaking any other FCC
rules because they will rule that you are unfit to hold an Amateur license
and yank that one even though you may not have broken any Amateur rules in
the process).

That's probably an earful (er, screenful?  :-)  ) that you weren't counting
on, and I apologize for being slightly in rant mode but it irritates the
hell out of me that I got GMRS for serious uses and paid $$$$ for the
license only to have to fight for channel space against a lot of unruly
teenagers or even younger who either don't know what they are doing OR know
damned good and well what they are doing and are getting their little rocks
off interfering with legitimate communications.

Too many parents handing out GMRS radios without reading the fine print.....

Duane
Lafayette

-----Original Message-----
From: scanindiana-bounces+wb9omc=nlci.com at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:scanindiana-bounces+wb9omc=nlci.com at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
tghoover at iquest.net
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 12:51 PM
To: Indiana Scanning
Subject: Re: [ScanIndiana] RE: ScanIndiana Digest, Vol 98, Issue 1

X-SpamKiller-AcctId: 1
X-SpamKiller-MsgId: 1121399709.4501

Don,

Forgive my asking but what is:

GMRS Radio?

Do you need a license for GMRS?

How do you get licensed?

I have a couple of little radios I bought at Wal-Mart for use in or around
shopping trips and in large gatherings they have a range of a mle or so.

Thanks in advance

Terry

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