I think there's a lot of technically illegal radio building that's tolerated
because it's not bothering anyone. Building your own 2mW transmitter and
using it for fun is a lot like driving at 90mph on a deserted freeway --
they're both illegal, but if you do it well the law will look the other way.
This is how we all got away with those AM transmitters on our RatShack
100-in-1 project kits when we were kids.

Building your own transmitters that are within the rules for unlicensed use
is technically illegal but practically OK (see above). Amatuer operators
are allowed to use our own equipment because we're presumed to know what
we're doing by virtue of having passed the test for the license, and because
the gov'ment knows that we're self-policed and will try to get violators to
shape up on our own before anyone calls the FCC.

By all means go ahead and get a licence -- then you can not only dink with
building a better beacon, but you can fly on 50MHz and (a) always have a
frequency to yourself and (b) confuse everyone with your single-digit
frequency flag.

If you do this then technically (there's that word again!) you'll have to
rig the beacon up to send your call sign automatically at least every 10
minutes, but aside from the 100W power output this would be a good way of
distinguishing _your_ beacon from everyone else's. You may be able to get
away with putting a placard with your call sign on the aircraft, but I think
that rule only covers the transmitter with which you're flying the plane.

"stan" wrote in message
...
hello folks , hope someone can help me

i have built some 433MHz CW transmitters and used them for tracking
model airplanes and stuff so I can find them if they get lost , the
only ones i have built so far are only a couple of mW output , the
company make they low power modules say no license is required for
their use

ok , so now i want to build a higher power one for greater distance ,
thinking of using the linx modules which can either have 10mW or 50mW
output at 433MHz CW

my questions

1) as power increases at some point i will need to get a technician
class license , no problem as i will do that , but my question is at
what power level is this required ? can you point me to where this
is defined ?

2) i know building little transmitters for sale as a product requires
an FCC registration number ... but building only a couple for your own
use does not .. correct ? ( if so hams couldn't ever build their own
transmitters )

thanks for any assistance ... stan