Frustrating!!

[Tritium]

Tennessee is FULL of "Ham's". Many will travel to your location to "train and test" applicants. When I took my test for Technician and passed it I was immediately offered the General test and passed it as well. I went back a month later and passed my Amateur Extra test which gave me access to ALL Amateur Radio Bands (lesser licenses are restricted in what frequencies they can use but Technician opens the higher "regular" FPV and Long Range RC Control Frequencies). I then applied to the ARRL for my VE (volunteer examiner) certificate and can now administer the test and testing process. It takes 3 VE's on site to do a testing session. Ham's like company, so contact any nearby Ham's and I bet they would be more than happy to make you one too.
Test session cost is usually $15. All the material and questions on the test are available via many internet sites for free so you don't even have to buy any books if you don't want to. Certainly you don't need any equipment first since it is not legal to use it without your license OR under the direct observation and instruction of a Licensed Ham who then bears responsibility for the transmissions falling within regulations. (Yes you can do it without a license under the mentioned circumstances).

Well that got kind of long winded.

Thurmond

 

[xuzme720]

Well that got kind of long winded.

Thurmond

Maybe, but it sure was informative! Thanks for the write-up!

 

[earthsciteach]

Can we safely say that, with a HAM operator's license and following proper protocol, no one should be able to give anyone a hard time about flying fpv?

 

[xuzme720]

At least as far as the freq's are concerned. You might still have problems if people think you're spying on them or their property. But I guess that's where proper protocol comes in...

 

[aiidanwings]

At least as far as the freq's are concerned. You might still have problems if people think you're spying on them or their property. But I guess that's where proper protocol comes in...

One thing a lot of us forget is where we should and should not fly. Especially with fpv. An aerial view of your neighborhood is nice, but how you get that shot probably wasn't proper.

If I saw a quad hovering over the lawn, someone would be getting lunar images. Or maybe a quad duel...

Someone who watches too much TV would probably panic.

 

[xuzme720]

If I saw a quad hovering over the lawn, someone would be getting lunar images.

Thank you, man. I needed a good chuckle!

 

[tramsgar]

One thing a lot of us forget is where we should and should not fly. Especially with fpv. An aerial view of your neighborhood is nice, but how you get that shot probably wasn't proper.

If I saw a quad hovering over the lawn, someone would be getting lunar images. Or maybe a quad duel...

Someone who watches too much TV would probably panic.

A handful of gravel should do most rotor thingies in...

The other month I walked through a local park where a guy was hovering around a quad with fpv. I thought of myself as very tolerant to R/C fpv, of course, and was surprised how irritated I was at him. It felt very intimidating even though he was very careful and stayed high and out of people's way. A good lesson on others possible perspective to our hobby.

 

[RoyBro]

A handful of gravel should do most rotor thingies in...

The other month I walked through a local park where a guy was hovering around a quad with fpv. I thought of myself as very tolerant to R/C fpv, of course, and was surprised how irritated I was at him. It felt very intimidating even though he was very careful and stayed high and out of people's way. A good lesson on others possible perspective to our hobby.

I work for the local newspaper. I'm not a reporter or photographer for the paper. I work in IT. But we are encouraged to snap photos of public interest whenever possible. I took my daughter sledding at the local park and was snapping pictures (distant shots) of kids sledding. An irate father got into my face because I was taking photos near his kids. The encounter really put a damper on the afternoon, so I don't even try anymore.

But that was before everyone had a camera/video-cam in their pocket in the form of a cell phone. I'm not sure if that shift has made more or less accepting of the idea that they may be being photographed/videoed.

 

[tramsgar]

...An irate father got into my face because I was taking photos near his kids. The encounter really put a damper on the afternoon, so I don't even try anymore.
But that was before everyone had a camera/video-cam in their pocket in the form of a cell phone. I'm not sure if that shift has made more or less accepting of the idea that they may be being photographed/videoed.

"Before" I remember being flattered if someone took my picture. Getting it into a newspaper was "great news" and cheers all around. I think that went for most people. Nowadays... Maybe I'm just the paranoid one, but I try to stay as low as possible. Just because. The impression I get generally is that the opinion is more polarized now - either you hate it or you love being seen. Not long ago I stumbled upon a local newspaper's news clip that had one of my kids in it. I had no idea... I'd been quite ok with it had I known, but would have appreciated if they'd at least asked. Maybe it's the way things never go away and are so accessible. In the old days yesterday's paper went into the recycling bin and that was that.