Quote:
Originally Posted by Cadillac Kid
It is from a local thrift store. Thanks for the comments everyone!
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It's interesting, to me, that a piece of ham radio gear would turn up in a thrift store; most of the time, these only appear at hamfests. There is a danger involved in selling these radios in ordinary thrift stores, in that the radio will be purchased by a non-ham who is not aware that unlicensed operation on the amateur bands is illegal. The problem often is that non-hams mistake a 2-meter rig for a CB radio; since CBs no longer require FCC licenses, and because 2m rigs look so much like CB radios, the chances of something like this happening are good -- almost too good. I'm surprised the FCC doesn't have more trouble than it has with illegal 2-meter operation by kids and others who think a 2m rig is a CB.
I would think, however, that one look at the frequency display of a 2m rig would be the tipoff; as we hams know, 146.94 is not a CB channel, but to an uninformed, nontechnical, unlicensed person whose only experience with radio has been CB, the number could suggest a channel in a new, expanded Citizens Band. The FCC will come knocking at their door (or the person will get a violation notice from them), or they get an Official Observer notice from the ARRL. In the latter case, it is only a warning, but if the FCC comes calling or a citation arrives in the mailbox, the person can and will be in big trouble.