Maximizing and Preserving AM Spectrum!

[Herb K2VH]

"Now if we just give them a little breathing room, this conflict will get resolved once and for all."

3891 is a very popular AM frequency in the mid-west.  Why don't THEY give US a little breathing room, and go five or more KHz above 3891 or five or more KHz below 3870?  It's a big band.  Must they snuggle up to the AMers?  Strikes me that they're still only trying to cause trouble, even with the revised protocol.

2VH

[Glenn NY4NC]

Unless a net is a real emergency traffic net, its a no-net. That's the way I operate. Period!.. If a frequency is not in use, I call to make sure... "is this freq in use?" if no answer, then I use it. Pardon my english but these "squatter's nets" are bullshit plain and simple. No one owns a freq, net or not. The OO can stick his OO notice in his O-hole. Interfering with valid emegerncy communications is another issue entirely.

...this action of people just stinks...i was home last week,listening on 7290-95,abt 11am. i was werking away in the shack. i heard no activity.this was well before the hurricane,so there was no emerg. traffic happening...not a sound out of the receiver..ok,grabbed the switch,asked if the freq was in use.no answer. starting calling cq. ok,it may have been a  l o n g  cq,but never the less,i did call,maybe 2-3 times..nothing. called again,and suddenly out of nowhere,a ssb station came on the freq.,and told me the freq was in use. that i should have regard to "net" operations,and that i am lucky that an "OO",was not present,to inform me of my "infraction"...huh? ...sk..

[ve6pg]

...glen,i agree..what i like is when these meatheads actually attempt to get the fcc,or an "oo"on my tail...i love it when they are told they have no business interfering with the communications of a foriegn amateur radio operator....me! ..sk..

[kc2ifr]

Hi Brent,
I think this is a good start. Lets see what happens.....

[W2VW]

      Unfortunately Brent, IN MY OPINION, you are dealing with a socially and emotionally retarded individual. He is an opportunist and a backstabbing bully. Only problem is that he is severely lacking one very important tools to have when behaving as he does.
     The only thing that has changed is that he and his dees and dose followers know that they will not be allowed to squat on 3872 during the emergency down South. He is simply kissing your ass hoping that you will influence others to make room for him and his empire elsewhere. BTW he owes me a face to face apology which WILL happen sooner or later. I looked the other way before. Not going to happen again.
    You are a very tolerant person offering this slug more than one olive branch. Good for you. Now let him deal with the dozens of other AM people whom he has has defamed in public.
    Some of the ragulars in that group would be lost if they knew that they weren't interfering with or preventing AM activity.
     No Phredophiles
     No Oasisissys
     No G5RV's.   

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I had a long conversation with Fred KB2IXT and extended the olive branch. I came to the realization that we need to come to a productive solution in regards to the "Marconi Net" and the conflicts resulting from operating on 3872 khzs.............

Great to see things trying to move in a positive direction. Maybe you should invite him to the AM Forum.

[WA1HZK]

Strange, I have known about this since the 60's? If you never heard of this unwritten agreement then I can only assume that you do not operate AM. As far as I'm concerned I intend to operate wherever my license says I can. I usually stick to the window because that's where the AM'ers that I want to talk to always hang out. If your not in the window but running AM I'll fire up the VFO and move alright, right to wherever you are and I'll call you. Sideband "Nets" that have value and talk about all kinds of pasta only exist in the window to cause problems. The guys that run that net know that they are in the window and choose to operate there to cause as much stink as possible. Well OK, you run SSB nets in the window, don't complain if all you can hear is AM stations. The band is large. Take note of where 99.9% of the SSB operators live. We try to stay away from those channels in order to peacefully coexist with SSB stations but when they crap in our yard, don'y piss and moan when we sic the dogs on ya. PS, your jamming us with piss weak carriers is appreciated. It keeps the noise down on the channel. Thanks.
Keith
WA1HZK

[W2VW]

I had a long conversation with Fred KB2IXT and extended the olive branch. I came to the realization that we need to come to a productive solution in regards to the "Marconi Net" and the conflicts resulting from operating on 3872 khzs.............

Great to see things trying to move in a positive direction. Maybe you should invite him to the AM Forum.

Hey Pete,

     Why not disconnect your lawn sprinkler timer from the transmitter and get on with us during the week? Might be a little different than SWLing. You are supposed to be semi-retired no?

[W1IA]

"Now if we just give them a little breathing room, this conflict will get resolved once and for all."

3891 is a very popular AM frequency in the mid-west.  Why don't THEY give US a little breathing room, and go five or more KHz above 3891 or five or more KHz below 3870?  It's a big band.  Must they snuggle up to the AMers?  Strikes me that they're still only trying to cause trouble, even with the revised protocol.

2VH

I understand the squeeze, but since he had been operating there it provided at least 3885 and 3875 as possibles. It is still an improvement over 3872. Dave I don't know the circumstances under which Fred caused you problems and perhaps it can be resolved. I have had less aggrevation with Fred than some of the Marconi net cling-ons.

I have been threatened by a couple of his net members and have resisted the temptation to respond. I am trying to bite my tongue; but maybe hope springs eternal. This doesn't mean that I will tolerate these actions, just that I am approaching things differently. I am relying on help from others too provide recordings and informaton to submit to Hollingsworth as needed.

I am open to suggestions....as I said to Fred "..its going to be a long winter and we need to resolve these issues.."

Brent W1IA

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Hey Pete,

     Why not disconnect your lawn sprinkler timer from the transmitter and get on with us during the week? Might be a little different than SWLing. You are supposed to be semi-retired no?

Generally of late when I do get on 75 in the evening, I've been diddling with PSK 31 down the lower end or I'm up on 40 SSB with the NCX-3 or 5. Besides these bands, you can generally find me on 6 meters. 75 AM during the evening hours doesn't excite me. I can "work the locals" and  get QRM free transmissions on the audio/visual or audio forums. Don't believe all the stories you might hear that retired people have lots a spare time to play radio.

[W3LSN]

In the interest of full disclosure I'll mention that I used to work with Fred, KB2IXT in the mid-1980's when I was the chief engineer at a large broadcast station in Albany. I'm not sure if he was licensed back then, but I knew he had an interest in Ham radio. Generally speaking, I found Fred to be suffering from an inferiority complex, and he was obstinate and a bit opinionated, but definitely not malicious. In those days he was a nerdy kid, and kind of looked and sounded like Henry Gibson from the old Rowan & Martin Laugh-in show.

I hadn't thought about Fred for many years, but the personality type described here sounded familiar. So when I googled his callsign and saw Fred Thumbhart mentioned, I said to myself...yep, same old Fred! Apparently Riley wrote him up a few years back for causing interference on 75-meters. It doesn't sound like time or maturity have mellowed out Fred yet.

BTW, if you really want to get his goat, call him "Thumper" (the rabbit from Winnie-the-Pooh) That's the nickname he earned while he worked for us.

73, Jim
WA2AJM/3

It has become clear that as we are all gentlemen and we operate in accordance with the A.M. gentlemen's agreement; I am calling to all to make full use of the A.M. broken window 20 KHZ from 3870-3890KHZ.

A sad trend is being set with further disregard and contempt for those of us that hold A.M. to our hearts. Yes we all know that legally all phone modes (specifically SSB) can operate within the set aside 20 KHZ, but does this make it right?

I have made attempts to talk with a couple of the NET controls of the groups operating in the window, only to be met with cold and disdainfull animosity.

I purpose that groups operate every 5-6KHZ from 3871 to 3889KHZ. Perhaps not as comfortable as we would like, but affording enough room to make a decent round-table with minimal side-channel interference.

Take the time and dust off that transmitter and join me with the "No-Net Net" anywhere within the A.M. window. I have made it my goal to maximize the enjoyment of our beloved mode and preserve this small corner of the band by simply turning on the transmitter and operating.
If there is 4 or more ops on the same A.M. freq...lets split up and move around the window and OCCUPY this spectrum. This makes it easier for some of the lower power stations to get in on a QSO without SSB interference and have a chance to operate.


Your Inquirer Admin,

Brent(Tina) W1IA

I had a long conversation with Fred KB2IXT and extended the olive branch. I came to the realization that we need to come to a productive solution in regards to the "Marconi Net" and the conflicts resulting from operating on 3872 khzs.

The operation of the "No-Net Net" will be operated with positive topics, and I will no longer spoof Fred's Net.
Fred said that he will make an effort to find a better location for his net I suggested that 3892 may be a better choice. Fred also agreed to address a few of the members who have moved the net around the AM window to spite.

Please try to respect Freds net and I will do the same and set a positive example.

Humbly,

Brent W1IA

[ve6pg]

..hi from tim...'just finished a qso with phil,k2pg on 1885. i thought we were going to have a good qso,his signal in toronto is always strong..half-way thru our qso,(and i know they can hear us),a group of over-processed ssb operators starting a qso,just above us. this is the kind of thing that drives me nuts. i tuned around after phil and i finished,and there was lots of space on 160 fer these guys to go.this kind of operation is uncalled for.deliberate interference. i do have a question about 160 operations in the u.s. i know you guys are restricted by where you can go,because of your class of ticket,but is this the same on 160? ..sk..

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

KA3ZLR wrote:

"Hmmmm, Interesting... the question is put forth to the group...

I'd like to hear the answer Again about How the Gentlemens AM agreement came into being."


I don't think anyone answered your question Jack. As best I can tell, the idea of a gentlemen's agreement for an AM Window is a myth.  In my nearly 30 years of involvement with AM on 75 meters, the AM Window has never been observed by SSB stations. I think most never heard of the mythical gentlemen's agreement, so they can't really be blamed for anything.

Maybe there was some informal agreement reached by a few back in the 60's, but most of those people are gone. Regardless, the utility of an AM Window has passed, if it ever was a good idea. The AM Window on 75 meters is as follows.

3850-4000 kHz for the General Class
3775-4000 kHz for the Advanced Class
3750-4000 kHz for the Extra Class.

Use those VFOs.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

3850-4000 kHz for the General Class
3775-4000 kHz for the Advanced Class
3750-4000 kHz for the Extra Class.

Use those VFOs.

3850-4000 kHz for the General Class3775-4000 kHz for the Advanced Class3750-4000 kHz for the Extra Class.
Use those VFOs.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

The top one is cool. I see Trio on it. Got any more info?

The bottom one looks like an automated milling machine.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

The top one is cool. I see Trio on it. Got any more info?

The bottom one looks like an automated milling machine.

Trio unit is VFO-1:  http://home.catv.ne.jp/dd/te21c/vfo1.htm

It was also branded as the Lafayette HE-74:
http://homepage3.nifty.com/ja1vbn/radio/lafayette/he74.jpg

[W2VW]

..hi from tim...'just finished a qso with phil,k2pg on 1885. i thought we were going to have a good qso,his signal in toronto is always strong..half-way thru our qso,(and i know they can hear us),a group of over-processed ssb operators starting a qso,just above us. this is the kind of thing that drives me nuts. i tuned around after phil and i finished,and there was lots of space on 160 fer these guys to go.this kind of operation is uncalled for.deliberate interference. i do have a question about 160 operations in the u.s. i know you guys are restricted by where you can go,because of your class of ticket,but is this the same on 160? ..sk..

The second this starts, zero beat and tell them that they are too close to your existing QSO. Ask them to move up some. Maybe suggest 2 or 3kc. Lots of operators don't know how to figure proper spacing. This includes many AM people also. Usually, these guys start talking when some weak station is buzzarding away. When the stronger AM station starts his transmission the ssb guys get the impression that the AM has just moved in on THEM.

Some of these people are malicious and some are just plain ignorant. You can almost always tell the difference as the malicious ones are the guys who have nothing interesting to say. They are usually on EVERY night and are bored.

If the same group of operators decides to make a habit out of interfering with you then I suggest following Riley Hollongsworth's advice about sandbox squabbles.

Never get off the air when being intentionally interfered with unless the power goes out. You just can't tell who might be recording or direction finding.

[W2VW]

In the interest of full disclosure I'll mention that I used to work with Fred, KB2IXT in the mid-1980's when I was the chief engineer at a large broadcast station in Albany.

The truth always comes out in the wash sooner or later. It's obvious that someone has really given this poor fella the business in the past. He is acting out by being a jerk on the air.

[ve6pg]

... i don't know much about mr. hollingsworth,and he doe'snt have to answer to me. i did send him an email,and he did reply,although it was short. i'm not sure he can do any good,i do know one thing about the man,he certainly can't spell...sk..

[Pete, WA2CWA]

... i don't know much about mr. hollingsworth,and he doe'snt have to answer to me. i did send him an email,and he did reply,although it was short. i'm not sure he can do any good,i do know one thing about the man,he certainly can't spell...sk..

There are tines when we could use a spelll checkker on this board too.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Doesn't your computer operating system provide spell checking?

[WA1GFZ]

I remember the early '60s. The deal was AMers strapped the mush mouths
to above 3900 and below 3840 if they were good boys. The only thing you heard in the am picture bow window was audio and tones from the beating of carriers....strong carriers....Is anyone around this is W1TJX

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Doesn't your computer operating system provide spell checking?

What does the computer operating system have to do with writing/editing/spell checking on this board?

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Everything.

I don't know about yours, but the OS on my computer automatically spell checks any text I type, in any application (e.g. web browser on this board, in a text editor, in a word processor, in a email app, in a friggin chat room). It's been around for over a decade. It's called system wide spell checking. I'm surprised you haven't heard of it.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Everything.

I don't know about yours, but the OS on my computer automatically spell checks any text I type, in any application (e.g. web browser on this board, in a text editor, in a word processor, in a email app, in a friggin chat room). It's been around for over a decade. It's called system wide spell checking. I'm surprised you haven't heard of it.

Ah, forgot; A Mac user is like a computer OS bible beater.