Here is my take on the whole thing those radios are crap to begin with, poor engineering, poor signal if they were intended to operate on 10m legitimately they would all have a freq counter (95% only have a 2 digit "channel display") if they were intended to operate on 10m they would all have am/ssb/cw/fm (most do not, and the ones that do have FM are not capable of operating the 10m repeaters. if they were intended for amateur use on 10m they would have a real VFO, not a clicking channel selector that stops on the exact same steps as the 11m band does. As far as buying a new one, by the time you pay for the extras, you have spent enough money to buy a decent HF rig that does ALL the HF bands not just 10m. So why would any amateur really care about them anyway? If I want to talk on 10m I'll use my 706. Who cares if the FCC says they are illegal. If people want to talk on the amateur bands, buy a real amateur radio thet does everything a amateur radio is supposed to bo. If they want to talk on 11m, they can buy a Cobra, Uniden, ratshack etc 11m radio.
This situation bears some similarities to certain firearms regulations. The standard of whether something was classified as a "fully automatic weapon" had to do with the concept of whether or not the weapon was "readily convertible" to fully automatic function. The problem, obviously, is the definition of "readily convertible." An M2 carbine has a selector switch for semiauto or full-auto fire. There is no question that it is a fully automatic weapon even though it has a semiauto mode. It is "readily convertible" because all the operator has to do is flip a switch. At one time the BATF tried to say that virtually any legal semiauto was "readily convertible" to full-auto function because, they asserted, if someone with a machine shop and access to parts wanted to invest a few hours on a major modification, he could "readily" convert the weapon to full-auto fire. Fortunately that bogus interpretation of "readily convertible" didn't survive. Courts ruled that "readily convertible" had to do with the ease and speed with which the "conversion" could be accomplished. The mere fact that it is possible (but not necessarily practical) to convert a semiauto to full-auto is not sufficient to define "readily convertible." We have a similar situation here with so-called "export" radios. Clipping the ubiquitous Yaesu brown wire would be analogous to "readily convertible." Unsoldering and swapping out a 64-pin CPU is not "readily convertible" by most people's definition. So, since conversion to 11M or "all-band transmit" (i.e., CAP/MARS) was so easy, why weren't all Yaesu products with brown wires on the banned list? "Export" radios that are obviously intended for 11M use are, almost by definition, easy to convert. They have to be or the CBers wouldn't be interested. If you look at the list the common theme is that stuff on the list either works on 11M right out of the box or is laughably easy to convert to do so.
We still don't have any exemption from the prohibitions listed by the FCC though. You can modify all the 'legal' radios you like, but the FCC is sticking to their guns when they say no selling, marketing, advertising for sale, etc. There's no "except for ham radio operators - they're OK" part in there. Just because you intend to use it legally or modify it legally doesn't make it OK in their eyes.
What one convict asked the other convict, ''what are you in for''? The 'con' replied, "armed robbery". When he asked the same question back, the other 'con' said, I had an RCI-2950.. hahahaha, Maybe the FCC will do something about the sale of FT-101ex's. I say whatever.. tax me some more..
The FCC has stated: The devices cannot be marketed in the United States by any person. The RCI 2970 and the RCI 6300F150 can easily be modified to operate on the CB band. That is why the Commission has not allowed them to be certificated and that is why the FCC does not permit the "marketing of these devices by any person. Certification is the key phrase. Selling of un-certified radios I believe is against the law...for law abiding citizens that is.
As a guest, I can see all of the forums. I can contact sellers directly, bypassing QRZ.com. So that pretty much defeats any locks that are are in place.
Yes, I'm sure the FCC will never catch on. I mean, they didn't see right through the manufacturers marketing them as "10 meter amateur radios"... /forehead For the rest of it, hire an attorney and go convince a judge that the FCC is wrong. Let us know what your bill added up to when you finally lost. The FCC may be doing a bad job of writing the regulations or implementing them, but as they say, "it's what we got".
Fred please ! Fred evidently you should wander to 10m ---- anywhere from 28.000 and on up and beyond to hear what THESE TYPE RADIOS are doing to our bands . It appears one way for the Fcc to fight the problem is to do what they are doing banning the sale ! It isn't MUCH but it is something ! And it isn't just 10m anymore many of these radio's when MODIFIED can get to 12m ... yes the FREEBANDERS are coming to there ! So let's forget about the money ,if that be the case -- sometimes folks think hey if I don't do it the next guy will --don't be that GREEDY please ....and if it's the free speech thing ...then PLEASE PUT the HOBBY above all that and do the right thing here !! Checkout 28.085 in the AM mode when the band comes open -- it sounds like channel 19 on the CB radio --and then Fred ask yourself "Is this what I want for my hobby OR could I do something to make a difference ?" And then there is the 2 meter radio's that the FREEBANDERS have already started invading that band with (it's FM --- better audio , greater distance and so much better than their AM CB radio's) ------- so is that OK too ? Just my thoughts here Fred ,where are WE going to draw the line ?
Its already being done on Ebay. People take radios apart and sell them to people like me who put them back together. I have many many Heathkit radios I bought a piece here, a piece there. I put them all back together and made wonderfullly working rigs out of them!! SO, just take apart the RCI rig, sell the knobs, the case, the switches, the pots, the dial, the power cord, the circuit board and all the hardware in separate sales. NO law in the world against selling "PARTS". And a reasonably competent technician can put it back together. It might teach alot of new hams how to solder too, which I heartily endorse! And how to use test equipment and troubleshooting techniques. I am ready to buy a HR-2510 motherboard and final secton right now, just as a spare for my wonderful radio. Lets see the FCC try to enforce a rule against selling PARTS!!!
So many opinions so little time I used to own a RCI2950 many years ago when I was a tech. plus and they were very easy to modify as I recall.. Just move a jumper or two and out of band you could go.. Used it as a 10m mobile and as an exciter for 6m and 2m transverters.. They were sold at ham radio stores all over the place as long as you had a valid license.. As it was pointed out in a previous post lots of gear was and still is tweekable to go out of band.. Was there a point in time when they were legal to be sold to ham operators?? Pre banned radios?? Or were they all bootleged into the country and sold at large retaillers illeagally?? I am no fan of people who take privlidges they have not earned aka freebanders but the cat has been out of the bag for a lot of years now..
So who's going to pay the legal fees? Fred, I can sympathize with your position, but nobody's going to get Uncle Charlie to reassess his legal opinion without going to court. Now you can either take Charlie to court or you can get him tee'd off enough and let him take YOU to court. Either way you get to have your say. The only problem is: "Who is going to pay your legal fees?" Now if the donations you would get from passing the hat among us gas bags was proportional to the hot air we've all expelled discussing this topic you mignt be OK, but whadda you think?
