Originally Posted By: dougwalkabout
I suspect HAMs regulate themselves individually and as a culture the same way we regulate ourselves individually/culturally in this forum. We do not have the right to do as we please; we have the privilege of participating. We give each other a kick under the table if we're pushing the boundary. And if we overstep, there is that giant Monty Python foot, poised to thin the herd.


Attracting the attention of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau seems to take a lot of concentrated foolishness. Those who have done so are best advised to cooperate fully. The fines leveled can be staggering, and they're far worse if you're uncooperative -- they call that "willful" violation.

Circling back to what happens on ham bands during an emergency, EMCOMM is one of the primary purposes of the Amateur Radio Service and most hams seem to remember that. Professionalism is highly valued. I suspect that as a group we're better at EMCOMM than many public safety agencies.