On Wed, 7 Feb 1996, Stan Griffiths wrote:
> Bill,
>
> I am glad you were able to solve this telephone interference problem, but
> you solution is do a disservice to the rest of us. Think of the poor guy
> who lives a stone's throw from 100 appartments, all with bad phones. At $80
> a crack, it will cost him $8000 to implement your solution!
>
> You may not think so, but you are helping to set a very UNDESIRABLE
> precedent. You TOLD your neighbors it was not your responsibility to fix
> their phone (you are correct, of course). But then you ACTED like it WAS
> your responsibility by buying them a phone. ACTIONS speak louder than
> WORDS. Any of their friends who have a similar problem will now expect a
> similar solution, ie: a free phone paid for by the poor ham involved.
>
> I have to admit that I, too, have provided bullet proof phones at no charge
> to my neighbors. The BIG difference is that I bought my bullet proof phones
> from local garage sales for $2 each. They are old, heavy dial phones made
> by Western Electric and don't have any of the bells and whistles that cause
> all the trouble. MY nieghbors have a much lower expectation of me when it
> comes to fixing their phone interference problems. You could fix 100
> appartments with my solution for $200.
>
> Bill, you are not alone in fixing your interference problems that way. I
> just think it is a bad idea for any of us to assume that responsibility
> because not all of us can afford to do it. It would not surprise me to
> eventually see the telephone interference burden placed squarely on hams by
> the legal system, especially since we sometimes act like it is our
> responsibility anyway.
>
> Stan W7NI@teleport.com
>
>
Stan: I also provide my complaining neighbors with bullet-proof phones.
But I don't just give phones away without proof that there is a problem.
So far it has cost me two phones to one complaining neighbor, and a
voluntary gift to my own tenants in the house next door which I own.
One neighborhood kid asked for one and I tuned him down, figuring he
would only sell it to get "walking around" money.
It's not like I have been deluged with requests for phones, so the
hypothetical case you use is probably not that close to reality.
By the way, any neighbor who complains about interference of any kind
gets a registered letter from me afterwards giving my account of the
conversation and asking whether he agrees with the account. The letter
is cc'd to my attorney and the FCC. This is usually the last I ever hear
from that neighbor.
Very 73,
Fred Laun, K3ZO
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