[AMPS] 811H's on CB

[Martin Gary]

That was OUTSTANDING! I couldn't agree more. Finally someone with some
common sense!

Martin - N3HRT







Hello Tom and the group,

    I am reading your e-mail a few days late so I may have not seen most or
even any of the replies yet but here is my nickels worth of thought on the
subject.
    During the "70s I was employed by several different retail and
commercial electronic sales companies.  Rat Shack, Lafayette Radio,
Motorola Comm.,C.W. Electronics and a CB shop all in the Denver area.  That
was about the time the rules in Ham Radio manufacturing changed and we saw
the -40 dB harmonic rules as well as the new rules for amps come into play.
(No 10 Meter position, higher drive requirements, lower gain, etc.)  I
spent some of my time making "house calls" for service on various equipment
and discovered some interesting things.  About half of my CB customers had
an amp or two either in the mobile or the house or both.  Most of them were
not above 150 Watts output.  The key word is most.  Usually the sweep tube
variety but there were several solid state amps out by 1975 at the 100 watt
level. Most of the amp owners I knew of back then also didn't use the amp
routinely, it was intended to get the message thru when the conditions were
difficult.  Were there users who had the BIG amps? Yep.  Saw my share of
SB200-SB220-SWANs-DRAKE-Henry-Loudenboomer(anyone remember them?)
HunterBandit-etc. amps in service regularly on CB.  Saw my share of big Ham
transmitters on the air as well.  The old Johnsons, Globe,  B&W, Collins,
etc were just as popular with the 10-4 Good Buddy set as they were with
hams, and most of them didn't need any modification because they were made
when we hams had 11 meters.  I even saw a few home brew amps that back then
would have made any ham pleased to have in his shack.  That was then, 30+
years ago.
    Having been recently exposed to a lot of new hams who came from the CB
ranks of today I can tell you some things haven't changed and quite frankly
they won't change.  There are still those who own and use amps on CB of
various power levels but the difference is the average amp you see today is
not 100 watts out with 4 watts in.  Today they run 500+ watters and drive
them with a 4 watt radio OR they just go out and buy a Ham transceiver and
drive Ham amplifiers on the CB bands with it.  There are ALWAYS
shops/individuals who will do the work of the modifications to the rig and
amp to make it work where it shouldn't.  Look at how many rigs are on Sail
Boats/Power Boats that are not FCC approved for Maritime service. No matter
what the manufacturer does to keep the amp off the 11 meter band they can
still be used there with a little work.  Its been that way since the
beginning.  My point is simple; we the Amateur Radio Community paid a price
to do what the FCC couldn't and can't do today.  Police the CB bands.  Sort
of like gun laws.  Don't enforce the laws we have that already punish the
person who breaks them, lets ban the guns/amps/radios that can be made to
operate in 11meters/etc.  Yea, that will do it.    NOT!
    Quite frankly Tom, we will just have to live with the fact that some of
the sales of Ham radio related equipment ends up being illegally used much
the same way a gun store owner has to understand that even though he
follows the rules and tries his best not to let it happen, sometimes his
product is used illegally.  Who's fault is it?  The person who uses and
possess the product in question with an expressed illegal intent/use.  NOT
a legal user, owner, or manufacturer. ENFORCE THE RULES WE HAVE NOW!  Don't
punish a legal user or manufacturer.
    I know what I am about to say is going to be just preaching to the
choir but here goes.
    If every one of us who thinks the current rules DO NOT in fact
seriously impact the number, type and ability of the average CB operator to
gain access and use an illegal amplifier, were to send a roll of Toilet
Paper in protest to the FCC saying something like "you know the rules about
amateur amps is FOS so end the punishment of Ham Radio and start punishing
the guilty users." along with a letter expressing which rules we want
killed or modified, perhaps we might just get their attention.  Now I know
this looks like I have lost a marble or two but, if you consider just how
FEW made any comments regarding the recent changing of the license
structure (less than 9000), I figure even less would respond to change the
rules about amps so, use a larger indicator of displeasure than just a
letter or QSL card.  IF WE RELAY WANT TO GET THE RULES CHANGED WE MUST MAKE
OUR VOICES HEARD AND OUR PRESENCE KNOWN!  Can I get an amen?  ;>}
    Ok, so it struck a tender nerve with me.  Those FCC rule changes from
30 years ago still piss me off to no end.  They didn't work then and they
still won't work to fix the problem.  It takes a new Sheriff in town with a
much bigger gun to sometimes clean up a bad bunch. I would gladly go back
to paying $25 for my license if I knew that the money went to enforce the
rules and help get the CB idiots out of the bottom end of 10 meters.  Too
bad you couldn't use the RICO laws with truckers using illegal CBs..Impound
a few semi trucks or someone's home because they flagrantly and repeatedly
broke the law with their radio and see what attention it draws.  Yes guys,
the rules would apply to us as well.  No more KW drivers for your 2 tube
with handle amps.  Amps that big wired to a run of #2 wire and a 75 amp
breaker that are only used at 1500 watts?  YEA, RIGHT.
    Ok enough ranting from me.  Now its your turn.  Put on your thinking
cap and see what you can come up with.
    Best 73
    Mike Baker  K7DD




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