Question for hams AND CB guys

[C W Morse]

Bigger is better when it comes to amplifiers, right----at least in the CB world. So let's discuss this just for kicks.

We know that hams may legally use up to 1500 watts on most amateur bands. SO. IS it OK to run 1500 watts all the time? Some hams do this.
SHOULD he---even when it is OK? If not, WHY?

SHOULD one run maximum power as a matter of course?


Is it actually LEGAL to do so?

Can a ham get into trouble for running ANY real power (beyond barefoot)?
After all, it says one may run up to 1500 watts, right? Can he get into trouble for running his strictly legal radio at the 100 watt level?


What do YOU think?

CWM

 

[EDUK8TR]

We know that hams may legally use up to 1500 watts on most amateur bands. SO. IS it OK to run 1500 watts all the time? Some hams do this.
SHOULD he---even when it is OK? If not, WHY?


Best practice indicates that one uses the power (up to legal limit where its allowed) necessary to make and maintain a contact. Of course as you are pointing out, not every one follows best practice.

Can a ham get into trouble for running ANY real power (beyond barefoot)?
After all, it says one may run up to 1500 watts, right? Can he get into trouble for running his strictly legal radio at the 100 watt level?

Again, back to best practice. Of course if you are splattering over more than the acceptable bandwidth then someone might take issue.

 

[AudioShockwav]

Good Pratice requires that you use the MINIMUM amount of power required to mantain the contact.
The key word is
MINIMUM.
If you can carry on the QSO with 10 watts, good pratice says you should do so.
If the station you are talking to tells you that you are un-readable, then you can increase power to a level that will enable you to make the contact, and mantain it, within the limits of the band/Lic you are working with, not to exceed 1500 watts in the US ( or lower depending on band and Lic requirements ) maximum power.

73
Jeff

 

[W5LZ]

Can a ham get in to trouble for using more than about 100 watts? Yes he can, just depends on where he is, what band, and the circumstances.

Should a ham always use the maximum allowed power? No. Not unless it's needed and allowable. Use what's necessary.
- 'Doc

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

no disrespect intended but.........what has this got to do with CB'ers ? legally , us cb'ers are limited to 4 watts am and 12 watts ssb . more than that at any time for any reason is against the law/rules . export (10 meter) radios are illegal for cb use .

 

[Highlander_821]

I think it is funny when you hear a Ham turn his amp off and ask his buddy if he still copies him. The friend says yes, I hear you fine, and then the guy turns his amp back on!

You can lead a horse to water.....

 

[SR385]

Spend time on your antenna and it will nearly eliminate the 'need' for an amp I would say 75% or more of the time. As I've increased my antenna system performance, the 'need' for an amp in my eyes has drastically fallen.

My remaining 'need' is for 75m and 160m only and it's so I can bring my signal up enough for comfortable copy on nights with horrible atmospheric noise, but with decent propagation at the same time.

Those nights are becoming more and more rare. I have almost equally copyable signals running 100W as guys running 500W many nights simply because I have a fair amount of wire in the air now.

 

[C W Morse]

no disrespect intended but.........what has this got to do with CB'ers ? legally , us cb'ers are limited to 4 watts am and 12 watts ssb . more than that at any time for any reason is against the law/rules . export (10 meter) radios are illegal for cb use .

The question was posed simply for discussion. We all know that many CB operators are constantly asking about more power, more power, more power. The assumption seems to be that this is the DO-ALL, BE-ALL for radio and is the ONLY way for a station to be adequately heard---which is NOT true. Unfortunately, there are hams that feel this way, too, and constantly seek to be the loudest thing on the air. It becomes an EGO thing rather than best practice.

So while a CB operator can get into trouble for exceeding the allowable power, so can a ham. The difference is, HE is supposed to be able to determine what constitutes adequate power and use ONLY that amount necessary to establish and maintain his contact. IOW, if he is running 1000 watts and everybody else is making that DX contact with 100 watts, it's going to raise a question as to WHY he has to do that, thus creating interference to other stations.

The question is here just for discussion.


73

CWM

 

[Sonwatcher]

I was on 75 over the weekend and a few ops decided to turn their high power off and try to copy each other on 5 watts. Everyone was 5/9 on my end at 5 watts. Each one still copied each other. And, as Highlander said, later they went back with higher power. At that point they were back at 20 over on my end.

 

[KingCobra_CDX882]

many ham bands allow a properly licensed ham to use up to 1500 watts
for those that allow up to 1500 watts
it is taught that you should use as little power as possible to keep the contact

those bands that do not allow 1500 watts it is as allowed
but still always using least power needed (up to at most the legal power allowed)

can a ham get fined or arrested if he/she uses more then 1500 watts you ask
You bet you
can get heavy fines
can lose license
(so is not worth the risk)

 

[grasshopper1031]

We know that hams may legally use up to 1500 watts on most amateur bands. SO. IS it OK to run 1500 watts all the time? Some hams do this.
SHOULD he---even when it is OK? If not, WHY?<<


Because they can!!!

 

[park]

We know that hams may legally use up to 1500 watts on most amateur bands. SO. IS it OK to run 1500 watts all the time? Some hams do this.
SHOULD he---even when it is OK? If not, WHY?<<


Because they can!!!

 

[freecell]

standard amateur policy is to use the least amount of power necessary to establish and maintain the contact. of course this does not apply to dx contests and the like.

 

[AudioShockwav]

Look here
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/...s.gpo.gov/cfr_2007/octqtr/pdf/47cfr97.313.pdf
97.313

Sec. 97.313 Transmitter power standards.

(a) An amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power
necessary to carry out the desired communications.
(b) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 1.5
kW PEP.
(c) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 200 W
PEP:
(1) On the 10.10-10.15 MHz segment;
(2) When the control operator is a Novice Class operator or a
Technician Class operator who has received credit for proficiency in
telegraphy in accordance with the international requirements; or
(3) The 7.050-7.075 MHz segment when the station is within ITU
Regions 1 or 3.
(d) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 25 W
PEP on the VHF 1.25 m band when the control operator is a Novice
operator.
(e) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 5 W
PEP on the UHF 23 cm band when the control operator is a Novice
operator.
(f) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W
PEP on the UHF 70 cm band from an area specified in footnote US7 to
Sec. 2.106 of part 2, unless expressly authorized by the FCC after
mutual agreement, on a case-by-case basis, between the District Director
of the applicable field facility and the military area frequency
coordinator at the applicable military base. An Earth station or
telecommand station, however, may transmit on the 435-438 MHz segment
with a maximum of 611 W effective radiated power (1 kW equivalent
isotropically radiated power) without the authorization otherwise
required. The transmitting antenna elevation angle between the lower
half-power (-3 dB relative to the peak or antenna bore sight) point and
the horizon must always be greater than 10\o\.
(g) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W
PEP on the 33 cm band from within 241 km of the boundaries of the White
Sands Missile Range. Its boundaries are those portions of Texas and New
Mexico bounded on the south by latitude 31[deg]41[min] North, on the
east by longitude 104[deg]11[min] West, on the north by latitude
34[deg]30[min] North, and on the west by longitude 107[deg]30[min] West.

73
Jeff

 

[park]

Lighten up guys, we know the rules.

73,
AC5PS