N4UJF writes... "Did you ever wonder why almost every amateur radio made today is capable of being modified for expanded band coverage? It is simply because it makes it easier to sell a radio if it is capable of doing more than just operate on amateur bands. This value-added feature sells more equipment and keeps prices lower for amateurs. The FCC could require that all radios not be capable of being modified beyond the intended limits but they don't. They know that most radios will be modified and that they will be used in a responsible manner. I recently wanted to purchase two radios from a major amateur radio manufacturer because I wanted to be able to modify them for coverage of commercial frequencies 2 MHz higher. My motivation was price. These radios sell for a mere $169.99 from any amateur dealer while the lowest price for a type accepted unit is over $600. I was not able to get the information for the modification and did not buy the radios. I did manage to find some radios on e-bay at a reasonable price to meet my needs. The bottom line is that the manufacturer and the dealer lost sales. I wouldn't mind paying for type accepted equipment if I used it for full time business use. I didn't really need another rig crowding my car or another antenna for the wife to complain about. Like most other things, modifications are good when used responsibly and we shouldn’t get upset about them."
