WEAK-AM

Although I have puttered around with Part 15 AM for more than 20 years, it wasn’t until last year that I really got serious about it. I spent well over $1,000 on equipment during the past 12 months, and I was planning on making further investments. However, in view of recent FCC rule “clarifications”, I am wondering whether it’s time to just give up and sell all of my gear on e-Bay while I can still get something for it. What do you gentlemen think?

I own several FCC Certified transmitters. Because one of the posters on this board went to the FCC and hounded them for interpretations of the FCC rules, all of these transmitters are now apparently illegal since they all contain internal matching networks (“loading coils”). If I modify the transmitters to remove the impedance matching networks, the output power will drop to an unusably low level, there will be no harmonic suppression, and the certifications will be voided.

Besides that, apparently I must now install my transmitter within a few inches of dirt, and in addition I can’t use a ground screen to improve the poor ground conductivity in my area. I would have to site the transmitter in a very poor location. Even if I somehow figured out how to match the antenna without the use of a “loading coil” (probably impossible), the signal would only go a few feet under those conditions.

I don’t want to start a technical debate on these “clarifications” but I am wondering what some of you think– Is it time to give up? I can’t afford the possibility of having to pay a big fine. What are you going to do?

I also worry that this is going to put the few Part 15 equipment manufacturers that have supported our hobby out of business.