Fed Says To Radio Manufacturers: Go American!

By WBØRUR, on the scene

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a move that will have far reaching impact, the United States is mandating that radio manufacturers selling equipment within the country change all measurements to United States standards.

The Office of Technical Measurements – located in an obscure, non-descript building adjacent to the National Sheep Shearer’s monument in Washington, D.C. – has responsibility for maintaining consistency among weights and measures.

“It came to our attention that radio frequency bandwidth measurements were being conducted in metric units,” says OTM Director Erica El-Steuben. “We’re not sure how this issue was overlooked for so long, but we’re taking the appropriate steps to correct the problem.”

Stickers, like those seen here, will be available for placement on radios.

In an executive order issued by the OTM, the current amateur radio frequency bands will be called by the following identifiers effective on June 10, 2013:

• 160 meter band = 524 feet band
• 80 meter band = 262.5 feet band
• 40 meter band = 131 feet band
• 20 meter band = 65 almost 66 feet band
• 10 meter band= close to 33 feet band

“We believe that this effort to clean up the identifying nomenclature will be widely accepted by US amateurs,” continues El-Steuben. “After all, everyone knows what a dismal failure the metric system is in the United States.”

In a related item, radio manufacturers are expected to soon issue “add-on” decal packages to assist ham operators with re-naming the bands on their currently owned rigs.

“We are committed to 100% compliance with all U.S. rules and regulations,” says a manufacturer’s representative who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Even if they don’t make any sense.”

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