This is a conference for the exchange of Technical Amateur
Radio Information.  All topics relating to the technical
aspects of Ham radio are on topic.                     
Your use of this echo is your consent to obey the rules herein.
Echo access is a privilege, and not a right. There is a time and a
place for everything, hence there are the following rules:
1. Please keep the discussions as close to the description of the
echo noted above. I'm not extremely technically inclined, but
have technicial questions like many others. If you can assist
in a message to this effect, it'd be appreciated...that's the
spirit of Amateur Radio.
2. Please do not use handles/aliases. To me, handles belong on a
teapot. If your BBS software doesn't allow real name posting in
the message header, you must post your name at the end of the
message. Although ham radio operators are known by their name and
callsign, signing a message with the first name, then the callsign
is OK...I can look it up in the QRZ database to verify it.
3. Please do not use high ascii or ANSI graphics...some users systems
will lock up or garble the messages with this data. 
4. As per Title 47, Code Of Federal Regulations, Part 97.113.A.4,
please conduct yourself in the echo as you would on the air...no
obscene or profane language. Although I can't hit you with a
Notice Of Apparent Liability To Monetary Forfeiture (a fine), I
can institute a feed cut against you. Please don't let your
actions jeopardize the enjoyment of those who read and contribute
to the echo in a positive manner...some of whom may also be
reading the echo from the same BBS as you!! Also, please keep the
taglines clean...don't post something that you wouldn't say on the
air. Consider the moderator as "an official echo observer".
5. Please keep message-quoting to a minimum...only quote what is
absolutely necessary to give those reading the message an idea
of what you're replying to. Most BBS's are run out of the pockets
of private sysops, and nobody wants to pay for (or see) a 25-line
message quoted in full, just to have somebody else say "I Agree".
Origin Lines are NOT to be quoted. However, please be sure that a
FIDOnet origin line is in the message. Gating to other networks
will be allowed with moderator permission. 
6. Please do NOT use ALL CAPS...it's considering SHOUTING.
7. The official language for this echo is ENGLISH.
8. The following messages are NOT appropriate at any time:
A. Flaming -- if you can't say something nice about someone, don't
say it at all. Again, please keep your "echo behavior" above
reproach, as you hopefully would also your ham radio station.
B. Politics and Religion -- As Linus once said, he doesn't discuss
religion, politics, or the great pumpkin with others...and the
same holds true in this echo. Please take these discussions
elsewhere.
C. Get Rich Quick Schemes or Chain Letters -- Nothing is totally
FREE; it cost SOMEONE SOMETHING to give it. Also, as noted above,
most Sysops are paying for their BBS's and long distance charges
out of their own pockets, and they don't want to "pay for garbage".
D. Adult related messages -- as noted above, don't post anything
that you wouldn't say on the air.
E. BBS Ads or Hamfests -- please post BBS ads to the appropriate
FIDO or BBS Network echoes. Concerning hamfests, it does no good
to see a message on a hamfest in the echo that is on the other
side of the country from where the message is being read. However,
if you want Hamfest information, I'll gladly provide it to you
via return FIDO netmail IF:
1. You NETMAIL the moderator at FIDO 1:3821/33 with your inquiry
for hamfest information.
2. Your FIDOnet from which you're accessing this echo is noted
as "continuous mail" in the nodelist.
3. Your FIDOnet BBS is within the continental United States.
4. The information is within QST magazine from the ARRL.
F. Off topic messages, those not within the scope of the echo
description noted above.
9. All rules violations are to be addressed ONLY by the Moderator.
Please let the Moderator moderate...although I'd prefer to just
watch and contribute to the betterment of the echo, and not to
policing it. I don't mind a little bit of suggestiveness, as I
do have a sense of humor (especially from area amateur radio
"fertilizer nets"), and would rather "drop hints" of rule
violations, than to make an example of the violator in the echo.
I would also PREFER constructive participation in the echo by
ALL of its users.
10. The first violation will be considered an accident...twice will be
questionable, and the third time will result in a permanent feed
cut without warning...with no appeal.
11. If there are any questions or comments about these rules, please
address them to me, Daryl Stout via NETMAIL ONLY at 1:3821/33.
Discussion of the echo rules in the echo is off topic.
Daryl Stout, N5VLZ, Moderator