FCC Cracks Down on Uncertified VHF/UHF Gear, With Hams Caught in the Middle

I'll just say that the cheap baofeng radios suck anyway. I know because I bought a few of them. They don't receive well compared to a high quality radio, they pick up tons of interference that a good radio will not, and many of them sound cappy in the audio. But hey, they're el cheeeepo! So if you loose one or break it, you're only out $31! Lol. But for God's sake don't hook them up to a brick amp and transmit that crap all over the place!

 

It's all about money. Just like with anything the government does. FCC doesn't get their piece of the action, so it's a problem. It's only a problem when it affects them. Do they go after chronic repeater jammers..nope. Doesn't affect their pocketbook.

Governements are all the same. Why do you think prostitution,drugs, etc are illegal? Because they are bad for you? So are cigarettes and alcohol. Can't say it's the addiction factor. You get addicited to alchohol and nicotine. No it's because they haven't figured out a way o TAX it properly and it's too far gone with people selling it and themselves on the street level. If the feds could reign it in and regulate and TAX it then it would be legal. FCC is no different. If they can't get their $$ then it'sillegal or a problem.

 

As with most chest pounding government officials spouting this or that, the best want to handle them is to smile, nod, ignore.

 

What about home brew HF transmitters? Will my old Globe Chief Deluxe pass?
Rich K8UV

 

Yeah, you certainly never see any "export" CB's for sale any more...

 

Are you suggesting we should tax... thingy?

 

Good article, but speaking for myself, I just don't see hams "caught in the middle" of this problem. Time was when the FCC considered amateurs to be in "direct contact". That is, we are both the users and the responsible party for all our emissions. Time was when commercial users had a go-between in the form of a certified engineer (or technician) who ran the "programming software" and set up the emissions he was responsible for. What the chicom rigs have done is put the "programming software" in the hands of anyone who had the 20 bucks to spend on one of their radios. This changed the whole model. Now, any 10-4 good buddy can program a Baofeng and wreak havoc on things like Chicago police' legacy repeater system (for one example) ... and any other legacy (non-P25 or non-verified subscriber) system, including repeaters and simplex operations of licensed amateurs. So for me, hams are less "caught in the middle" and more like another victim. In a recent conversation with a retired FCC engineer, I learned that this is their take on the "Baofeng problem" - To the FCC, amateurs are "allowed" to pretty much run any equipment that will generate a signal .... but they'd better by golly be in compliance with Part 97. Perhaps if "Baofengs" as well as all other amateur transmitting equipment - were only sold to people with a bona fide amateur license - - and perhaps if it became illegal for a bona fide amateur to transfer his equipment to anyone other than another bona fide amateur, we could enjoy these inexpensive transceivers .... because we'd be on the hook for their Part 97 compliance. As things are now, we're probably the only user of such equipment who *is* in compliance with the rules of the radio service he operates under. But since the cat is out of the bag, so to speak, we're past that point and what KC8VWM said is the logical tool of choice for the FCC.

 

Am I allowed to take it to pieces and use the parts to build a homebrew transmitter and use that on an amateur band?

 

The question becomes is anyone allowed to legally import, market and sell the equipment to any person in the United States ?

So how does one buy and legally acquire the equipment to take apart and use for your stated purpose?

I guess you can't do anything with them if you're not able to purchase any in the first place.

 

YES. Build your tranmitter, OM.

 

being a ham, it is your responsibility to know the law and keep up with changes.
if you buy something that is not legal, don't cry if it's confiscated.
it IS your responsibility to know the regs.
""IT'S AN UNDOCUMENTED RADIO"" ;-)

 

There are cases when you really do get what you pay for and I think that it definitely applies to the Baofeng HT. I use a Kenwood TH-K20A. It's an analog HT that is built really well and works very well. It also simple to use. I paid $122 for it.

 

I would assume that they were legally imported at some point. I doubt they just poofed into existence here, and they certainly weren't manufactured here.

 

Wow man! What a whole lot of dramatics , embellishment, misinformation and just plain ignorance and not knowing......
Or perhaps maybe my understanding of what I believe to be the facts are skewed.
Nobody is going to be busted operating nontype accepted gear on the ham bands. The supposed technical merits of the skills and technical knowledge of radio that you have demonstrated passing our ham exam to qualify for a license is why you can legally operate or operate on or build your own gear in the first place. What you cannot do is take any radio and import it or offer for sale as being designed for use in any particular service without type acceptance. Commercially sold ham gear or any gear imported from abroad must conform to certain rules for their specific service. This includes ham gear. Ham gear is given alot of leaway but isnt exempt.
For many years marketers importers, and sellers of many "grey" or "black" market comunications products have used the guise as ham radio to sell unscrupulous rf products to the demand of scofflaw consumers. This has led to ham radio licensees having bare the consequences such as type acceptence designed to prevent the usefulness for unlicensed illegitimate services. Again we hams lose. A big consequences was obvious the 11mtr debacle and likely why many hams look at upcomming radio enthusiasts coming up from the ranks of CB in less than welcoming ways. CBers cost hams alot. Same goes for illegal ATV transmitters or RC control on ham freqs especially with popularity of FPV racing.
So you drama queens take a chill while some hams continue to build their monster legal limit plus headroom LDMOS amps.
ADDED....
IF YOU ARE BUYING THESE RADIOS ON THE INTERNET AND THEY ARE BEING SENT DIRECTLY FROM ABROAD YOU ARE THE IMPORTER AND HAVE COMMITED THE VIOLATION. I dont know what the implicarions are if you purchase from a stateside entity that has the product already here in a wharehouse. Obviously they could intercept your merchandise for confiscation . However once you own it,,, you own it..... so make sure you can prove youre not the importer!

 

Or "use" the radio...



Part 302 of the Communication Act...

The Commission may, consistent with the public interest, convenience, and necessity, make reasonable regulations (1) governing the interference potential of devices which in their operation are capable of emitting radio frequency energy by radiation, conduction, or other means in sufficient degree to cause harmful interference to radio communications; and (2) establishing minimum performance standards for home electronic equipment and systems to reduce their susceptibility to interference from radio frequency energy. Such regulations shall be applicable to the manufacture, import, sale, offer for sale, or shipment of such devices and home electronic equipment and systems, and to the use of such devices.