Swearing

[kb7lth]

Out of the 14 years I have been a Ham Radio Operator I have never heard anyone swear on the radio until now. With in the last month I have heard two QSOs where one of the operators began swearing. "I THOUGHT FOUR LETTER WORDS WERE FORBIDDIN WHILE OPERATING A HAM RADIO" How did CB Radio become so degraded??? Did it start with just a little swearing here and there??? I enjoy Ham Radio and the people I meet on the radio. It would be a shame to have Ham Radio taken down the same path as CB Radio has been. Fellow operators let us operate as we should. We have been given the privilege to hold the coveted Ham Radio License let us not abuse it. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[kf7qq]

I agree with you about how things are. I have been a ham for 21 years, and have seen it from day one. What can you do? Sink to those levels, or turn the knob. Its a sad, sad, world nowadays.

[KA8NCR]

It's a societal problem mostly. People have little regard for anyone but themselves.

It used to be that swearing in public was unthinkable, and programming on radio and TV simply didn't allow that type of material, even if it was "bleeped" out. Now days, you can purchase alleged music where the only lyrics are pretty much Carlin's Seven Dirty Words.

The one memorable incident that I heard was on a local repeater when a well respected amateur (and incredibly intelligent person) came off his medication and slipped into episodes of extreme paranoia on the air (thought the CIA wanted him -- a real parallel to the movie "A Beautiful Mind" because this guy was genius). I've also heard it on other bands, but dismissed it as morons with a mic.

I really think that if there is one area where the self-policing abilities of the amateur community can help is in dealing with these jokers. I'm not certain how the FCC responds to complaints via email, but I'm pretty sure that if you fire off a letter to the FCC complaining about ALL participants in the QSO, it'll get noticed.

Peer pressure does wonders to correct those who fear FCC enforcement. For those that don't fear it, the only way to deal with it is to complain to the FCC and hope something gets done.

[kd5scg]

god bless freedom of speech

[KA8NCR]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (kd5scg @ Mar. 22 2003,09:53)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">god bless freedom of speech[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
God bless the misinterpretation of the right of free speech.

It certainly doesn't apply here, since accepting and operating an amateur radio station implicity gives your acceptance of Part 97 rules. We all know the lines in there about profanity. Yet far too many amateurs think they have it covered by their rights of free speech.

Far too often people assume freedom of speech is a &quot;get out of jail card&quot; when they've run their mouth too long or infringed upon the rights of others. Freedom of speech is your right to stand on a soapbox and spout your views, political or otherwise in a manner which does not slander those of opposing opinion.

It doesn't allow you to do it with a 2,000,000 watts of audio amplification so I can't sleep, and it doesn't allow you to do it if the soapbox sits on my front door. In short, the rights of speaker stops where my rights begin.

Too bad the telemarketers and spammers play that free speech card and no one is listening to my rights not to have to deal with them.

[wb6bcn]

A recording and filing a complaint has invoked action on more than one foul mouth. This is good. Poeple hear this stuff and take no action. This is bad. If you can identify the source, and document it, then follow up with an official complaint, the offender will be notified and possibly prosecuted.

Since two other areas were brought up, I'll climb on the soap box:
When you receive telemarketers on the phone, you have the right to tell them not to call your number again. If they persist, and you have a record they called after being told not to, they are in court.
Now is the big pain in the butt, Spammers. By law they are supposed to have a valid link for removal. Most don't. There also should be some way to keep unsolicitated porn adds out your email. They have no idea if they are sending it to a responsible adult or a minor. Most don't even have a link, good or bad for removal.

[VE6VPD]

Off topic post

Get rid of spam. Most spammers don't want bad email addresses. Make them think you have one.

Great software (http://www.mailwasher.net)

I use this stuff, and I make no money for promoting it. While my email address is up on my webpage, and is regularly harvested, I get less than 10 pieces a month. It works like this:
-Mailwasher checks your mail BEFORE your email client (Eudora, Outlook, Netscape, whatever) and can create a false &quot;bounce&quot; message that the spammers then get and clear their databases.

[kd5jxu]

if you ever listen to 40 and 80 meter you will here talk that will make a sailor blush. Where I am from the locals on VHF and UHF will call you down if you are heard cussing or CB talking.
Here in North East Oklahoma we don't stand for it. I sometimes wonder if I really want to upgrade and get on HF for all of the 4 Letter Words..
Rich

[k3sam]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Too bad the telemarketers and spammers play that free speech card and no one is listening to my rights not to have to deal with them. [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

If you have some spare time, play with their minds. #They don't like it. #Give them false info, cough, hack, burp, you can swear if you like, after all, they called you !http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif.

On the topic of swearing, I heard on 40 just this afternoon &quot;You son of a ditch&quot; and &quot;puck you&quot;. #I guess with a letter change it makes it all ok ? #

Gotta go walk the log.

-Sam

[n7wsb]

Maybe they do it because they know it tweaks us all out.

What are the laws concerning this in other countries?

In some languages what we would term a swear word is just a change in accent - its the same word though.

Frankly I'm against the kind of class of people who feel they need to swear all the time - I feel in many ways we give these words way too much meaning though.

[W4CGP]

The FCC forbids it. While they have no written list of words you can't use, cussing or anything else indecent is a violation of the FCC's regs. We do have freedom of speech, but not when it's our privilege to operate on the &quot;FCC's&quot; RF spectrum.

I've never heard anyone cuss on HF before (I haven't listened to too much on HF for that matter) and the VHF groups around here are great and don't put up with any of that nonsense.

[n8zux]

Well Part 97 says not to, unfortunately it's going to people who are very much using profanity in private and public, somehow I ask is it because of Habit, Free Speech, or maybe the real reason just don't care !? I don't use it myself, thats the key, some will respond with their thoughts, it's the same as Smoking in a No Smoking in a State Owned Building issue I had the other day Question would you do like that one woman last day on Earth with a Can of Gasoline down by your legs in a car ? she cannot tell you anything anymore cause she is no where around except she cannot tell you anything. same intelligent thought here I can say same for Profanity, some towns they do enforce the issue.

Get my point ?

[ei5ja]

Profanity is the last word in a lost argument. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif