why do ham operators act like they are so darn special and act so stuck up

My favorite was when I'd park at the Knight yard in Fontana, CA. There's some tool with an OP radio who just spouts all kinds of stupid BS. You know why? Because he can. Because he over-powered his radio and he can sit there and walk all over everything in a 5 mile (maybe more) radius.

He had to be close, though. His bleedover was pretty bad on the other channels.

It's sad that most of the people that run illegal power on their CB just make noise to watch their meter swing. All dressed up and nowhere to go!

I'd say the penny arcade blackboard is a good description of what happens to some people when they think they have anonymity.

 

The latest rift between CBers and hams has been the proliferation of so-called "10 Meter Radios" where "bands" of channels permit unknowing people to go onto the amateur (ham) bands. Mostly they end up on 28.085 AM because it is channel 19 "2 UP" on many of the illegal radios. Truckers are looking for a quiet channel to get away from the racket and foolishness on CB, the hams get mad because they are getting interferred with by overpowered and ILLEGAL signals on their frequencies. I don't doubt the hams talk s*** about these illegal operators, and thus *some* hams ridicule and mock CBers for their activities, the lingo, and the misguided "knowledge" of electronics. After all, the CBers are not supposed to be UP there on 10 meters; how can you blame them for getting a little peeved. OTH, its funny to add a little "juice" (which is LEGAL for hams) and run some Morse Code right smack on top of a truck that isn't supposed to BE there to start with. You oughta hear 'em fuss about that *&^&$%^ beep-beep stuff, or the teletype/pactor (digital data) interferring with THEM for a change! But it IS perfectly legal for a ham to operate on his assigned bands with up to 1500 watts. However, few actually do that: its not necessary anyway. And so it goes. Most hams don't even GO onto 11 Meters, so how can anyone "know" hams are "stuck up" or "think they're special"? Was someone chased off the ham bands because they were illegal? Is that why someone thinks hams are "stuck up"? If that's the case, then unlicensed stations are NOT welcomed. Bear in mind that CB is the ONLY radio service that is not tightly regulated and must follow reasonably strict rules. The resentment and ridicule from hams comes as a result of the reckless, wild, undisciplined nature of CB and it's penchant for ignoring rules. Likewise, most hams hold great disdain for hams that create strife and discord ON the ham bands themselves. The whole idea of Amateur Radio is to Advance the Radio Art, create goodwill among nations (which is why they are allowed to talk to foreign lands freely), and to aspire to create a gentlemanly atmosphere and accord amongst the hobby. OTH, CB often operates on the opposite premise: it contributes little to the radio art, its operators violate the very laws that were created to make it better for all, and seems to try to be "King on the Hill". It is an impression, I'm afraid, is well-earned, not from just hams, but from the public as well. None if this is meant to be derogatory, but the question was asked. It can't be answered without bringing forth facts.

GF

 

How do CBs get into the Ham frequencies? Still learning. Is it because they amplify and bleed over? Or do the buy the wrong radio?

 

Both.

Those 10 meter radios that have the "band" switch....as Gadfly put it, you go a few clicks above whatever the CB frequencies are on the band switch, and you're in the ham frequencies. What's worse is when you don't realize it and there you are gabbing away on 10 meters in the non voice portion.

Also, yes some of the 10 meter amps can 'bleed" on adjacent frequencies, but also cause spurious emissions on other frequencies.

 

Most Hams do not pass a 50 question test. Most only pass the 35 questions these are the Technician and General Class. Only the Extra take the 50 question after passing both the Technician and General test. You must score 26 right on both the Tech & General. And 37 on the Extra.

Now as for Hams being better than CBer's. (It like saying because I have a Class A /TPX CDL. Makes me better than other Drivers. Again I think not). Most Hams don't think so! Most started in CB. I've been a CBer since 1968. And a Ham since 2006, Amateur Extra since 2009. I and most Ham that I know are Radio Operators. We use both types in all of my vehicles and home. All I did was pass a few test that anyone can pass. The youngest Ham is the USA was 4 years old. And I've tested a 9 year old that pass the Extra test. I and got my Ham ticket to get around the Export radio laws. (I was running a RCI-2950 at the time). The Scales in Maryland was hitting Drivers with a $7,500 fine for having an Export/10 meter radio. So it was cheaper to pass a Technician test. So that I could show a License if needed.

Some other Driver should think about doing the same. It could keep you some money in your pocket.

 

I'll put my 2cents in

The ones that are going to get snobby about it are likely the ones that have a sizable investment into their kits.

I am talking $10,000 for an antenna and another $5000 for a radio. These guys don't play games when it comes to DX competitions. You have some guys that are running 2500 watt radios and pumping them into a beam antenna to squeak that little bit extra out.

So when you dump that stupid CB linear and take off the limiters to make it sound like a big radio and splash the airwaves with garbage, it's gonna piss em off when they are looking for that missing nugget on contest day.

want to get a better picture of it...

Come out this weekend and check it out and see what they do a lot of the time.

http://www.arrl.org/field-day

 

So you finally acknowledge it....

 

If you really want to know why, study, take a test and talk to them on the radio.

The problem with ham radio is that people get into for different reasons, I for one had been involved since the mid-70's but because I could not learn code because of a hearing issue so I never was licensed but I collected, repaired, bought and sold ham equipment that I now use. I was getting involved when the old timers where going away and the newbies were getting them mad because of the changes they wanted to make.

There are people on the radio (ham bands) who act as if they are on the CB and even in one or two of the forums, they write like they talk ... sometimes it is funny but sometimes they can't figure out why they get slammed when they talk about ham stuff like it is a CB (one example is saying pill for transistor, they need to learn this is a turn off.)

Sure that's a little stuck up but we don't live in a grey electronics world with made up words, to many of us we have a set science that we had to learn about and it gets frustrating for some to deal with these types of things.

 

There are a couple of guys like that in Houston. ON the east side, near I-10 and 610. They love to step on everybody at the truckstops on McCarty.

If I had a directional wattmeter, a pair of linesman's gloves, and a straight pin...

 

I took the ham radio general license test just so that I can have a cool vanity call sign. I'd show it to you but that would mean that I'll have to give up my anonymity. Doh!