NOTICE: Possible FCC Activity in the "window"

[KF1Z]

Yeah, my receiver has an ssb button!

the transmitter don't though     

[k4kyv]

How many here are all AM and have no SSB gear?

I for one.  Have operated AM since 1959, and never switched to SSB.

Technically, I do have a SSB rig.  Back when 10m was open last time, I bought a little Radio Shack AM/FM/SSB transceiver (basically a modified CB rig) that runs 7 watts AM, 20 watts FM and about 20w peak on SSB.  I got it on sale at RS as the band was fading fast and they were trying to get rid of them while they could, mainly so I could copy the FM up on the top end.

I may have had half a dozen FM contacts on it and fewer than that on AM.  I could count the times I fired it up on SSB on one hand.  Once I could clearly monitor the FM signals, I found 10m FM about as exciting as talking on a cell phone.  The  same goes for SSB.  The thing puts out space shuttle audio quality on AM, so I stuck with my modified Eico 720/730 for 10m AM.  The thing is collecting dust on a shelf somewhere in the shack.  I would have to search for it before I could even put my hands on it.

One of the reasons I never changed over to SSB was that I strongly resented all the high pressure tactics exerted on all hams back in the 50's and 60's to "go sideband" whether they wanted to or not.  If SSB had merely been presented as an available option,  take it or leave it, I probably would have eventually included SSB along with AM as part of my station capability. And the famous AM vs SSB wars of the 60's probably never would have occurred.  One of the legacies of those "wars" that plagues the amateur bands to this day is the widespread practice of deliberate interference.

[WB2YGF]

Most so called AM'ers I know also operate SSB. They finish their AM fix and then go to their SSB net "handling traffic" fooling themselves into thinking they are providing a community emergency service. How many here are all AM and have no SSB gear? Very few I bet. So how do we determine what makes one an AM'er or a slopbucketeer?  Is it the flipping of the switch on a ricebox that divides these adversaries? 

I think many who pride themselves on being AM'ers are suffering serious BI-Polar disorder and some borderline schizophrenic. They whine about the SSB'ers while in the sacred AM window, then when they go down frequency to their SSB group, they whine about the AM'ers coming down there interfering with their group that has used that frequency since Moses parted the red sea. "Why don't they stay in the AM window," they cry.

Jeez.  Get a life.  It's OK to operate both AM and SSB, and NO, just because somebody has both, doesn't mean they HAVE to play one side against the other.  Who are you to paint all hams with both capabilities with the same broad brush?  If MOST AM'ers you know behave like that, you're hanging with the wrong crowd.  Your vitriol would go to better use confronting them on the air or in person.

I operate AM at home and SSB (if at all) in the mobile.   (Pissweak AM in the mobile is more of a challenge than I want to bother with.)  My ratio of AM to SSB operation over 30 years is probably 98% AM, 2% SSB.  Given a choice, I'd rather operate CW than SSB anyway. There is at least a billion things I'd rather do than join a SSB net to complain about AMers.

"So called AM'ers" K1JJ and HUZ operate a lot more SSB than I do.  Do you SERIOUSLY think they turn into AM bashing slopbucketeers at the flip of a switch? 

[ka3zlr]

Enter-

      More Babble....    Do you SSB often....how many days a week...hours on...  

Ah my God...LOLOL.....

73
Jack.

[Tom WA3KLR]

Jack,

You have to be on the air to cause interference.  Werk U sumday sune?

[ka3zlr]

Hi Tom,

 Yea Maybe....don't know fer sure though...there's a lot a heat comin in..LOL...SSB users you know...


I need a tranny Tom i'm down to that afterwards....we get through the next 5 Chemo treatments...I survive
that then we'll see....

73
Jack.

[WBear2GCR]

I'm a bit puzzled by this report of a complaint.

It's been quite a while, maybe some years since I have noticed anything in particular coming out of the Marconi group that was discernable during my normal AM or SSB operation in that part of the band.

Things seem rather calm.

In fact it does seem that when on the very extremely rare occasion when I bothered to listen to them, that they have cleaned up their act considerably since times some years ago when what was typically heard was not very nice.

What is relevant is that someone or some people (who, I have no clue) apparently are alleged to have made a formal complaint to the FCC regarding another group.

If anything the 4 land bunch that gets on 3887 quite regularly and ignores the ongoing AM activity is more of an issue.

Complaints of this sort can backfire - and I wonder if that might not have been the true intent - the complaintant alleges one thing, but brings scrutiny to another resulting in negative outcomes to the other?

And once again people, by insisting on operating ONLY on 3885 and vicinty all the time you have lost and continue to loose the opportunity to gain de facto acceptance elsewhere on the expanded 75m band!!

In the immortal words of the 3 Stooges: SPREAD OUT![size]  "BREAK THE WINDOW"

                   _-_-WBear2GCR

[Bill, KD0HG]

What Moe said.

"Spread Out!!"

"I'm surrounded by idiots!!"

[Jim KF2SY]

Wow...

calm down everybody.
Listen to HAL....

http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~elf/pub/au/2001/stresspill.au


 

[Tom WA3KLR]

The 75/80 meter phone window is 3600 - 4000 kHz.  Save your box tops and upgrade to Extra.  Get out of the ghetto.  Lots of fresh air below 3700.

[W7XXX]

Don says it like it is and was. There is nothing new about deliberate interference and those that dislike a mode based on the conduct of inconsiderate or vindictive operators. I agree with Don that the SSB/AM wars of the 60's were fueled because SSB was being promoted as a superior mode. Many wanted the old AM to go ... exterminated ... because they claimed it had no valid purpose in modern communications, especially for emergency services. The truth is most operators liked the convenience of SSB, especially when transceivers hit the market. It had little or nothing to do with emergency services.

YGF, I agree there is nothing wrong if one operates both SSB and AM. It is a personal choice. My point was what criteria has been established that labels one as a SSB'er or an AM'er? What makes one evil and the other good? It is all about the operator and not the mode. As far as your statement, "get a life," you might be surprized that I don't get all worked up anymore when interference starts. If it bothers me, I just shut down the station and find something else to do. Making a contact or being in on a roundtable isn't all that important to me anymore and certainly not worth suffering stress over. Getting a life at my age and disability isn't as important to me as holding on to the unimpressive one I have.

I started building shortwave receivers in 1956 and wasn't licensed until 1964 when I got the bug to transmit and started building transmitters, all AM and CW. The only SSB I ever operated was in the mid 80's when I lived in the mountains without conveniences, such as phones, electricity, indoor plumbing, etc. I bought a small SSB, CW, and AM transceiver so I could keep in contact with my mother via SSB phone patch and get a daily report on my dad who underwent brain surgery to remove cancerous tumors. My dad was a ham most of his life and operated CW only. He was never on phone, except when I lived nearby and we experimented with "beam of light" communications. I sold the rice box after he died. Later sold off all FM and had vintage AM/CW gear only. Then about 3 years ago, I was finally all homebrew AM with all gear designed and built by me. I sold off all other gear, even homebrew if I hadn't made it. What did I prove? Nothing and no one cared. It was a personal accomplishment and that is it.

Back to the original topic that the FCC is monitoring the "AM window" to catch the SSB net that is deliberately interfering with an AM qso in progress, is doubtful in my opinion. I have heard these rumors over the years and have never seen anyone punished. The last people to get scared are the offenders.

[W2PFY]

Last week while up at camp I was listening to the Marconi net. On guy was moaning about the use of AM on 40 meters.Fearless Fred was defending anyone's right to run AM on any band where it is allowed.

He said and I Quote " I am against people who home brew transmitters and think they have more privileges than others" End of quote.

I don't know where he got that idea but it appears that on the night I was listening, he has softened his attitude toward AM in general.

Stay tuned for future updates as they become available.   

[WB2YGF]

YGF, I agree there is nothing wrong if one operates both SSB and AM. It is a personal choice. My point was what criteria has been established that labels one as a SSB'er or an AM'er? What makes one evil and the other good? It is all about the operator and not the mode.

Well, if that's how you feel, I take take what I said and apologize for the misunderstanding.   Fundamentally, I am not an AM'er or a SSB'er, I am a HAM who has operated many modes.  Labels serve to divide us, not unite us, when used negatively.  Do we really need to start a discussion about who is a "real" AM'er?

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

I'm a real imitation AMer. But at least I'm not a child raper.

http://w2dtc.com/w2dtc-sound-bites/2004-1207-w2vjz-child-rapers.mp3

[WB2YGF]

What if you say "excuse me" after belching? 

[flintstone mop]

The other side of the coin could be this.......What would stop a Ham op, who wants to cause problems, to flip his radio to the A.M. mode and make it appear that it was someone from the A.M. community doing this?
Get the DF equipment out!


Phred

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Polite child raper?

What if you say "excuse me" after belching?