The "HAM way to go" is a GREAT way to go RC flyin'...
Dear Frisk151:
The PIPE here once more...and a LONG time Ham licensee, ever since 1978!
So far as I know I've NEVER been "hit" on six meters, and in the time I flew on 53 MHz (from late in 1978 through to 1986) no problems were EVER observed! One crash I DID have while flying on 53 MHz was traced down to a bad Royal Mini Titan servo (no longer made, thank goodness!) locking up my entire airborne pack...but NEVER a "shoot-down" from a fellow Ham, of ANY sort!
Nowadays, though, with 53 MHz HAM REPEATERS sprouting up like dandelions in a huge lawn...depending on WHERE one is in the USA...the 50 MHz narrowbanded Ham channels, numbered "00" through "09", and ranging from 50.800 MHz for Ch.00, upwards to 50.980 MHz for Ch.09, are what are being sold and used for radio frequencies on the 50 MHz Ham band by the "big three" of Futaba, Sanwa (Airtronics) and JR here in North America. For SOME reason, the Canadians aren't allowed to use Ch.09 as yet (check at
http://www.maac.ca/committees/docume...ncy_chart.html for the Canadian frequencies) but all ten of them on 50 MHz are certainly used here in the USA...the AMA's listing is at
http://www.modelaircraft.org/comp/frequency.htm for us Americans!
And at
http://www.artscipub.com/repeaters/ (one of my MOST repeated links here in my posts concerning Ham RC flying!!!) is THE place to check for "possibly OFFENDING" six meter (50-54 MHz) Ham repeaters in the USA, and even in CANADA...I found two in Southeastern MA that made me GLAD that my new MicroStar knobby single-stick radio, chronicled in my LONG running thread at
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_302053/mpage_2/tm.htm (for the page, with Post No. 57 there, with PHOTOS of my new scratchbuilt computer transmitter!) is going to be on the 50 MHz band...on one of the ODD numbered channels!
If you're interested in getting yourself going on getting your Technician class Ham license, you'll ONLY need to pass a multiple-choice test, administerted by a local Ham radio club near you, and get at least 26 out of the 35 questions right ON that test to pass it, you'll get your Technician Ham license...NO Morse code test is required any longer for the "basic" Technician class Amateur Radio Service license in the USA!
For info on ANYTHING having to do with getting your Ham license, you've only to head for...
http://www.arrl.org/
...the main website for the AMERICAN RADIO RELAY LEAGUE, which is the "AMA for Ham Radio"! You can find the actual FCC "Part 97" Amateur Radio Service rules there (at
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/reg...s/news/part97/ ), find a Ham club to study for the test with-and to TAKE it at one of their "volunteer examination", or "VE" test sessions, at
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/clubsearch.phtml ...that ARRL site has a WHOLE LOT of info for you to check out!
Here's hoping you can go for a Ham license of your very own...then the 50 MHz skies can "open up for you", with NO waiting for a clear frequency to go RC flying!
Yours Sincerely,
The PIPE!