Abraxas3d W5NYVSep 22, 2023

#RATPAC is working on a presentation about #ARRL insurance offerings.

Most members don't know a lot about the insurance offered by #ARRL, and we want to fix that.

#RATPAC reached out to #ARRL about this, and the presentation is moving forward.

Show threadjoe n8cnSep 23, 2023

@abraxas3d are things better now? I know my Dad (ex n8cn) had it back in the day. When I inherited all his gear I wanted to transfer it to myself and it was nothing but issues so i kinda just gave up.

I know there have been some recent refreshing at ARRL so hopefully good things :)

Show threadAbraxas3d W5NYVSep 23, 2023
@n8cn would you be willing to talk about the issues to me so that we can ask the right (gently worded) questions during this insurance meetup? I'm [email protected]
Show threadjoe n8cnSep 23, 2023
@abraxas3d TBH I just spent a year being NOT an ARRL member due to at least 4 major issues that have come up since 2020, not the least of which was basically ignoring a local member reporting harmful interference from a business. FCC basically responded that the Amateur service is not a revenue center so they won't enforce type acceptance. Meanwhile we see news of lawsuits over webcams messing up a neighbor's SiriusXM. Anyway things looked better this year so I renewed.
Show threadAbraxas3d W5NYV
@n8cn what a coincidence - I just referenced this exact Sirius radio case last week in another context regarding the inconsistency of enforcement from the FCC.
Sep 23, 2023 at 3:27pmWeb
Show threadjoe n8cnSep 23, 2023
@abraxas3d yep. consistency in enforcement completely depends on how profitable to the FCC the industry being affected is. Ham Radio is a "service" but I'm sure its the lowest peg on their list. I mean there's definitive evidence in my friend's case where a consumer product being used by a business is making spectrum swaths unusable. but the impact is to a ham, so they basically wrote it off.
Show threadjoe n8cnSep 23, 2023
@abraxas3d The funniest part (and most offensive IMO) is that the FCC field agents acknowledged there was an issue and their "answer" was to ask the ham who reported the issue to work with the business to determine "hours of operation" for the businesses' devices so that my friend could "enjoy HF radio" during hours when the business wasn't going to be using their devices. The devices in question? Grow Lamps. 4 years ago a dispensary growing-plant moved into a warehouse near him.
Show threadjoe n8cnSep 23, 2023

@abraxas3d basically legally acknowledging that the grow lamps were a violation, were not type accepted, were interfering with most HF bands, and actively choosing to not enforce it, and telling my guy "we encourage you to come to amicable terms of grow lamp operation so you can use your radios during times when they are not on."

unbelievable.

Show threadjoe n8cnSep 23, 2023

@abraxas3d to make matters worse, my friend feels abandoned entirely and now considers himself a freebander, laughs at the licensing structure "because why?" and laughs at discourse around improving enforcement and proper licensing.

And know what? I don't blame him. I can't offer him ANY reason to think otherwise. By acting this way, the FCC is encouraging people to not bother with the process. Because there is no support for licensees, and no consequences for the unlicensed.

Show threadAbraxas3d W5NYVSep 23, 2023
@n8cn strongly concur.
Show thread12 Freya it/its๐’€ญ๐’ˆน๐’ ๐’ŠฉSep 23, 2023
@n8cn @abraxas3d jumping in here on freebanding... there is on support for disabled hams wanting to get licensed that isn't "go meet up with a bunch of scary old dudes in a place you don't know". So.... yeah. Nope
Show threadAbraxas3d W5NYVSep 23, 2023
@12 @n8cn well said.
Show threadjoe n8cnSep 23, 2023
@12 @abraxas3d true. An acquaintance of mine was relegated to GMRS for this very reason. I cannot say I'm particularly proud of the inclusivity tenets of the licensing structure.
Show thread12 Freya it/its๐’€ญ๐’ˆน๐’ ๐’ŠฉSep 23, 2023
@n8cn @abraxas3d we just don't even give a fuck. We have a callsign, of sorts, and we're well-behaved on 2m and 70cm
Show threadjoe n8cnSep 23, 2023
@12 @abraxas3d makes sense. I mean I would always encourage everyone to do things the correct way. But when the system is broken, there are few benefits to doing it the right way and no real consequences for not, then yeah I got nuthin lol