From: kludge@grissom.larc.nasa.gov (Scott Dorsey)
Subject: Re: Power, signal surges in home...
Organization: NASA Langley Research Center and Reptile Farm
Lines: 41
NNTP-Posting-Host: grissom.larc.nasa.gov

In article <DRAND.93Apr20150701@spinner.osf.org> drand@spinner.osf.org (Douglas S. Rand) writes:
>In article <randall.735251839@woof> randall@informix.com (Randall Rhea) writes:
>
>   Hams can legally run up to 1500 watts.  It is very unlikely, however,
>   that a ham would be running that kind of power from a car.  Ham rigs
>
>Not possible either.  You'd need about a 300 amp alternator for
>just the amplifier.  I can just see it.  You need to slow
>down on a downgrade,  so you hit the push to talk button.

Now, that indeed is possible.  A good friend of mine is running about 1 KW
PeP from his car.  Yes, he does have a second alternator.  Yes, he calls
the rig an "electronic brake" since the engine noticeably slows when the
key is down.

My car, unfortunately, has so much computer junk under the hood that it's
astonishingly sensitive to RFI.  If I key a 2W HT over the engine with
the hood open, the car loses timing due to the RF leaking into the 
distributor pickup.  Very poor design.

I will, however, point out that ham radio operators are usually quite willing
to help when interference is detected.  Remember that any interference is
wasted power; if I put out 1W in the TV band, that's 1W that I am not putting
out in the band I am trying to transmit on, and 1W can often be the difference
between a nice card hanging on the wall, and nothing.  CBers, however, are
usually not as helpful.  Most illegal CBers, however, will stop operation
when you inform them of a problem.  The rest of them will stop operation when
you inform the local FCC office of the problem (in writing, and giving details
and addresses).

>Last, you can usually tell ham radio vs. CB.  Ham operators are
>required to declare their call (sign) every so many minutes (no more
>than 10).  So if you hear "This is WA1QT" or some other call starting
>with A, W or K and no more than 6 total characters, you heard a ham.
>CB'ers probably won't sign (I don't know that they're even required
>to) and fire/police have other private ids.

Good advice.  Hams will frequently give their call, and will never use
a "handle."  They are less apt to use immense amounts of profanity as well,
but that's not to say that they don't from time to time.  
--scott
