Hams: Which bands/modes do you like best and why?

[Kommander]

I've been doing some research on that and predictably the answers range from "Yarrrr! I be a proud pirate!" to assurances that the FCC SWAT team is currently just outside my door waiting for me to make a mistake.

[Weetabix]

Me, too. Of course, neither of us would knowingly do that, I'm just thinking, if I'm listening in on some other service (FRS, GRMS, MURS, etc), and I accidentally key, how much risk is there?

[Kommander]

From what I can actually tell they are having enforcement issues right now. Between the bubble pack pirates on GMRS and the low cost Chinese radios the entry barrier has dropped significantly recently. The tech is certainly there to quickly ID and locate unauthorized signals but do they have the men and equipment to chase down the guy who's using a UV-5R at 5W on GMRS from UBRS? I'd rather not find out the hard way.

[Weetabix]

Again, me, too. A guy w/in 50 miles of me recently got a $10,000 fine for operating on a ham band without a license. It was reduced to $500, but still - they found him.

[randy]

Again, me, too. A guy w/in 50 miles of me recently got a $10,000 fine for operating on a ham band without a license. It was reduced to $500, but still - they found him.

Bootlegging an amateur call is specifically foolish as that is the one band that is self policing and it usually becomes fairly obvious you aren't there legally pretty quickly.

Most times the evidence is collected by local amateurs and presented to the FCC Enforcement Office all wrapped up and requires little work for the Commission types other than holding the administrative hearings, so they get pretty quick action (relatively speaking).

[randy]

Oh, and while waiting for the FCC to take action, hams can be pretty creative in making bootleggers lives miserable.

In the NYFC area some years ago, some cab companies were using modified CB radios running the amateur 10 Meter band for their operations. While waiting for the FCC process to move through, local amateurs started having CW practice nets on those frequencies.

Perfectly legal as unlicensed users have no protection from operations taking place legally.

As one cab operator found out when he called the FCC to complain about his business being hurt by the nets.

[randy]

Any thoughts on the Baofeng UV-82?

Whenever considering purchase of amateur radio gear, check out the reviews on e-Ham.net

yeah, opinions are like assholes, but e-ham reviews collect over the years and you can get a feel over time for the average experience.

Personally, have never dealt with one of the Baofengs, but I know several folks, both new hams looking to get in cheap and experienced ones wanting a low end expendable/loaner radio to hand out that seem to like them.

[Kommander]

After discovering all of the BaoFeng UV-5Rs are the same except for the case I went ahead and got the $30 model to just use as a scanner for now. It arrived today and I am in the middle of programming it. Using the scanning function I was able to pick up an exciting conversation about the current weather between a few hams.

Got it programmed with a bunch of stuff but I'm hearing noting from the various 2 meter frequency repeaters when I dial those in. I read something about Tone but I am not sure what that is and I certainly don't want to broadcast anything.

[Jered]

I've got a Baofeng, and I managed to get the USB software to work, which was a pain in the ass. And handy.

[randy]

I read something about Tone but I am not sure what that is .

Some repeaters require a sub-audible tone to open up, usually to mitigate interference problems. You can also use tone squelch on receive so that you don't hear signals that don't have the proper tone embedded.

Neither of which you need to worry about until you're licensed and and ready to start transmitting.