On 05/05/15 05:57, amps-request@contesting.com wrote:
Given that the rule at the time was based on input power to the final
stage, it begs the question of how could they possibly know without being
in your shack? Granted, enforcement then was a far cry from now with
station audits not unusual.
FCC in your shack? Did they have a signed court order? The only way
anyone comes into my shack, is a mate for a coffee/tea/beer/dinner.
Anyone else brings documents with a signature from a magistrate. I aint
got stuff to hide, but it's the principle of it.
Today it's hard enough to get the FCC to enforce rules against
deliberate interference.
The user manual of the neighbours plasma TV says it *WILL* interfere
with Ham Radio. *WILL*, not "might". That's deliberate.
I can think of a very fine reason, to prove to the authorities,
should the need arise, that you are not in violation of the rule.
And to prove that you are in command of the facility to maintain
your output power within your limit.
It is their business to prove you are in violation, not he other way
around. And if you are legal custody of a thing, then you are command
of it - that is a legal principle, unless of you waive your rights - but
I do not.
When they suspected someone of cheating, they would park their van
outside his house and measure field strength. Then they would go inside
and measure plate voltage and current (I presume with their own
instruments). So if the guy reduced power they could compute how much he
was running beforehand by the difference in field strength.
Go... inside... Can they DO that? I do not think so. Just don't go to
the door.
As to how they knew whom to check, I believe that they got tips from
other hams. As I recall, many of these spot checks were during contests.
I remember one guy busted for running 5 kW.
Just don't go to the door. It's not an offence to not go to the door.
What if you were on the shitter and you couldn't go to the door?
I find there are people in society who are preoccupied with rules and
regulations, and while I value that society has order and structure, I
do NOT value the overt self-policing that our hobby has endured. This
self-policing either comes at our own hand - where we very cautiously
and fearfully I might add - mind our own actions to such an extent that
metering every single input, output, and action becomes the entire
hobby, and I think that's daft. The other form of self-policing, comes
from "tips" (read - complaints) to the regulatory authority from other
Hams.
For myself, the hobby is far too interesting to get tangled up in all
that sort of bickering, except for some whom I have come to think are
actually in ham radio exactly for that reason - I bet their hobby makes
their life harsh - it doesn't for me, it makes my life awesome!
Steve
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