And as for the power issue putting the cb band between the 10meter and the 12 meter bands with all the ham amps around well what idiot thought up that one?
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Twelve meters was not allocated to hams when CB was introduced. The bands (as you likely know) were 160, 75/80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 Meters.
There were a lot of factors involved that makes the issue not so simple.
1. Attitudes changed over 40 years which made the public more
"ME" oriented. IOW, they are more likely to ignore or break rules because they don't CARE about happens to others so long as they fulfill their own agenda.
2. FCC underwent a fundamental change in funding starting in the Reagan years as it became popular (and sometimes necessary) to downsize government. We had also just gone thru a period of hyper-inflation when home mortgages were up to as high as 18%. Attitudes both within government and in the civilian population changed as a result.
3. Technology was accelerating faster then we could absorb it, too. After the surge of popularity of CB radios fueled by the gasl "shortage" of 1974, the first VCR's and computers came to be something the public could embrace. Then came the cellphone. CB radio usage dropped. Email and IM rapidly took its place. The FCC adminstrations of the 80's thought, 'hmmmm, them CB guys are losing their punch and the public is going to cellphone, etc, so we can relax! .....Good thing,too, since Congress is in 'cutworm' mode".
4. But there was left that hard-core CBer that probably didn't change his ways a bit. He was there in the beginning with his
bootleg amp, his illegal ham rig, and his "extree" channels. He was going to "freeband" then, and "freeband" now; he just added his cellphone to his arsenal along with Windows and AOL!
5. As to the rules that were in place, the particulars were that
a. It was perceived that CB would gradually become less
popular and that the public would go to cells and com-
puters.
b. Congress was in a fund-cutting mood.
c. FCC admistrations became lax in enforcement because
of a change in philosophy; once a "lax attitude towards
enforcement was in place, it tended to remain in place.
What "lobby" group puts money in Congress' pockets? The voting public for the most part doesn't CARE about CB radio and, indeed, may regard it as a toy, an amusing hold-over from the "Smokey & the Bandit" era---even thinks it is DEAD. In some ways it IS when you look at the total picture of communications resources and hobbies that the public has at its disposal. Even ham radio is sometimes regarded that way, but got some really good press after 9/11 and Katrina.
The "fuss" boils down to one issue: right and wrong. The CB radio was/is for local, point-to-point communications for personal convenience. The rules are set up to facilitate this. Sure, you can use it as a 'hobby' and people certainly DO! It still doesn't make it right because there is an avenue provided in the law for hobby radio. CB radio just is not IT legally! The argument about "well, they put it on a band where there is 'skip' so it is OK for us to violate the 155 mile rule. Just because it is THERE doesn't mean you HAVE to answer it. Just because your car will do 90 MPH, you don't have to run 90, either. I have equipment that would operate beyond Part 97. It doesn't mean I HAVE to operate one of my transmitters at 2000 watts. It's called personal responsibility to follow the rules of the service whatever they may be. If I don't like the 1500 watt limit, then I can submit a petition to get it changed, not simply DEFY that rule because *I* think I am just SOOOO important that rules don't apply to me!
Hams WILL object to people just showing up where they don't belong. There doesn't NEED to BE a fuss. Just follow the rules of your particular radio service, stay OUT of where you don't belong, and all is well!
CWM