Courtesy and Shared Spectrum

[n5pvl]

Courteous, knowledgeable and competent operators put out a special effort to avoid lessening the pleasure of their fellow amateurs at all times, as a matter of course. Nobody has to tell them to do so.

This is only a matter of debate among lids. - Meaning that only a lid would question good operating practice in the first place.

While it is true that legally, one may transmit anywhere within wide swaths of spectrum; Competent, knowledgeable operators know and understand the concept of the gentleman's agreement that allows hams who enjoy net operation, contesting, or the use of a particular mode like PSK31, Olivia or SSTV for example to operate without fear of interference.

Discourteous, ignorant and incompetent operators do not respect, understand or support these simple concepts that allow civilized coexistence between hams who pursue different interests within our shared spectrum. - These individuals are known within the hobby as lids.

Lids are the amateur radio equivalent of the Trolls that sometimes infest internet discussions.

They are universally recognized around the world as being the very lowest form of life to be found on the ham bands.