If they can't operate a radio legally now, what makes you think they will comply with any rules and regulations once they should get a license? Not exactly the kind of recruits I am hoping for.
I've heard of the FCC "grounding someone", as I've been around for a very long time, but never "grounding" in this way. I must say, over the past 5 5 years I've been in the hobby, people in general have gone down hill. Hope that doesn't make me sound like a "grumpy old man," but even young people will admit it, when comparing their friends to their Grandparents.
I tend to be a bit more forgiving. People enjoy the camaraderie and structure ham radio offers, rather than merely treating the HT like its a point to point walkie talkie. But there are TWO problems here---1) ignorance of the law (and I presume an easy access to knowledge of what ham radio is and isn't); 2) absence of activity on 2M. I have several radio capable of 2M use. They sit. That's because the culture changed about 10 years ago; it became foul, disgusting, and exclusionary. Of COURSE there are still exceptions, but the days of roaming mobile with a 2M rig seem historical, because no one is on, and when you do hear stuff on, its still often as above. 73 Chip W1YW
Well first of all when I fly, I'll make sure I have an aircraft handheld radio in case I do have problems, I can contact somebody when I'm in a remote area, you can always contact an airline flying overhead on 121.5. I know a lot of people are flying under 103 and they use aircraft handhelds . But just like balloons now some of them do use family mobile radios to communicate but this is a chance to get them converted to amateur radio with a real license. In by going days, many Pilots were amateur radio operators, we just need to introduce these people to the Hobby. And by the way they're flying under part 103 they are not unregulated and they have to abide by the rules and regulations that the FAA has set forth. Most of the guys I know that are flying powered gliders or powered wings are really concerned about safety.
2 meters never open anyhow, worst interference for me on HF bands is the contesting. Don’t bash the CB ers more of them than Hams & no stupid contest..
Because you can show them the benefits of being part of a community instead of outside of it. If you start going off about CB they won't have one clue what you are talking about, likely never having touched a CB in their lives, and will decide hams are a bunch of senile old farts yelling "Get Off My Lawn" and best ignored. * This was done with the flying part years ago. Part 103 operators were once considered, by both themselves and licensed pilots, as rebels that didn't need no stinking FAA rules. That resulted in a lot of dead pilots and being distinctly unwelcome at any airport. They all got over that a long time ago for the most part.
The sad thing is, you really can't distinguish these guys from licensed hams on 2 meters. VHF/UHF ham bands are the new CB bands licensed or not!
Where does this happen? I remember from the early-mid 80s a raucous crew on some repeaters, but now it is mostly dead air. I can say I have NEVER heard anything like "Breaker 146.76, this is Big Rod, anyone got their ears on".
Would figure you could distinguish them by call sign are they making up their own call signs? Most of the problem here on 2 meter simplex is not following the rules for station ID. Can't speak much about 2 meter repeaters rarely use them. Do use a wide area repeater network from time to time on 440 where the occasional "banana" shows up .
No, it's illegal. Hunters using marine frequencies is apparently another common problem. I haven't noticed anything around here, since we do have a lot of hunters, but I don't often monitor the marine frequencies, being a fair bit inland.
