I never new of any restrictions on forty meters and I have always just ignored any foreign BC stations. As for measure of power, it was 1KW DC input MAX as measured by the product of plate voltage and plate current meters with a time constants of .25 sec. As long as the product of the two meters did not exceed 1KW then you were legal. Typically, when these conditions were properly monitored, the max output obtainable by a legal SSB station was about 1500 watts PEP. I jokingly say, "the manufactures of SSB desktop equipment were sore about the AM stations that could get 750 to 800 watts of carrier and modulate it to 3000 watts PEP output (SINE WAVE) with out their plate current moving". Not joking, by the use of natural asymmetrical audio I was able to get about 7 KW PEP output with no plate current increase. Also there seemed to be a lot of dummying down of folks about that time.
I think that the ARRL and others that supported the power rule change were convinced that ham radio should be a desk top hobby only (FCC type acceptance if they could have had it that way), and that the average user should not have to worry about proper measuring and multiplying the meter readings together. Plus, they could make cheaper desktop crap with cheaper metering and put in limiting circuits to prevent overpower output. So, 1500 watts PEP output is about the same as ever for a SSB station but was a kick in the teeth for big iron home brewers of AM stations. As some one else said here earlier the rules are driven by economics. People that partake in the hobby have little say in what will make a difference. But it does make some difference some time. So keep trying. Our hobby is not like any other. It is many hobbies in one house, so some one is bound to get into someone's way once and in a while. John, WA5BXO -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Wilhite Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 8:34 AM To: Discussion of AM Radio Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Web page appears in opposition to RM-11306 John, are we allowed use of 40 meters on a secondary basis? Wasn't this one of the reasons the FCC under Johnson reduced output power to 1500 PEP rather than 2 KW PEP. That showed the overseas broadcasters we were cooperating. I know many years ago they complained mightily about the hams in Region 2 were over riding the broadcast stations. 73 Jim W5JO ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Coleman ARS WA5BXO" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "'Discussion of AM Radio'" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 8:25 AM Subject: RE: [AMRadio] Web page appears in opposition to RM-11306 > Just get on 40 meters and consider it a challenge to communicate over > the broadcasting stations. You have as mush right to be there as them. > Start up talking to you neighbor running as much as you can to a low > angle radiator. Be sure your not zero beat. Don't think for a minute > that the heterodyne you cause won't be heard over seas. That should > start an inquiry. Then again, they would probably just take 40 meters > away from us. > > John, > WA5BXO ______________________________________________________________ AMRadio mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:[email protected] AMfone Website: http://www.amfone.net AM List Admin: Brian Sherrod/w5ami, Paul Courson/wa3vjb
