[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Phantom radio users

Sun Jan 17 12:51:18 EST 2021

I'll add to Pat's comments.  About 23 years ago there was a group of wannabe "shock jocks" hanging out on one of the repeaters in the area.  

These guys were crude, discuss topics inappropriate for ham radio and read letters from a raunchy men's magazine over the air.  They thought it was funny.  They saw them selves as the next Howard Stern.

Many people in the area started making recordings and submitting them to FCC.  FCC did not do anything.  I called the FCC watch office downtown whenever they were on and told the engineers where to find them.  FCC did finally go after the perpetrators.

Sending recordings to FCC is like you telling a police officer "that green car is speeding."  The police officer has to witness it themselves in order to write a ticket for speeding.  The engineers explained it to me that way.  Given the situation, I really doubt FCC is going to send an engineer and a US Marshall into that firestorm for a couple of unlicensed users.  

The absolute best thing to do here is to keep the repeaters busy with legal chatter.  Keep in mind, that does not mean you transmit over top of them and jam them.  When they stop transmitting, then start using the repeater.  They will go somewhere else.  

The local repeater coordinating group sent a "heads up" to repeater owners and trustees to be on the lookout.  Somebody found a piece on a website talking about using Baofangs to communicate on Jan 6.  So, most likely, they will be on 2 meters and 70 cm.

If you do hear anything, call the FCC watch office and tell them.  Their phone number is on the FCC webpage.

Rich Adamy, KA4GFY
Alexandria Radio Club Trustee

> On January 17, 2021 at 11:39 AM Patrick Gray <patgperiod at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi Todd,
> 
>     Here's my four cents,
> 
> Start a 'radio log" with columns  for frequency, call signs, Time of day
> (UTC or Local) and what was said.
> 
> Sign said document as an 'affidavit' in the witness of an 'Officer of the
> Court' or 'Notary Public' funder oath as fact under Penalty of Perjury and
> go from there.
> 
> I'm sure the FBI gets thousands of tips per hour. But an affidavit may be
> used as tangible evidence.
> 
> 73's
> 
> Patrick KF4MTV
> 
> On Sun, Jan 17, 2021 at 11:00 AM Todd Taylor <todd.taylor83 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > Hi Patrick,
> >
> > True, FCC would investigate and take action on the illegal use of radio.
> > FBI’s interest is information on the illegal activities such radio use
> > facilitates - in order to solve crimes and gather intelligence. They are
> > interested in the content of the transmissions.
> >
> > For example, a group using HT radios to coordinate movements during a riot
> > or attack on government facilities warrants a tip to the FBI.
> >
> > A tip to both the FBI and FCC certainly wouldn’t hurt, though. Hopefully
> > these entities coordinate information and work together.
> >
> > Just my 2 cents.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Todd
> > KO4IJH
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > On Jan 17, 2021, at 10:17 AM, Patrick Gray <patgperiod at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > 
> > Hi Todd,
> >
> >   I'm no lawyer, but I believe the FBI would still have to yield to the
> > FCC who has jurisdictional Law Enforcement authority over te airwaves.
> >
> > Patrick KF4MTV
> >
> > On Sun, Jan 17, 2021 at 10:02 AM Todd Taylor <todd.taylor83 at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Good morning all,
> >>
> >> Any illegal radio use by protesters/rioters/militia groups should be
> >> reported to the FBI. This can be done online or by phone. See
> >> https://www.fbi.gov/tips
> >>
> >> Be sure to record as much information as possible about the users and
> >> transmissions. Include times, names, content, etc.
> >>
> >> If you look at photos of the Kan 6th attack on the Capitol, many of the
> >> participants were carrying Baofengs.
> >>
> >> 73,
> >> Todd
> >> KO4IJH
> >>
> >> Sent from my iPhone
> >>
> >> > On Jan 17, 2021, at 6:33 AM, Ian <iann8ik at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > If you can't shut down the repeater then keep it busy with legal
> >> chatter.
> >> > Most repeaters are idle all day long.
> >> > 73, Ian N8IK
> >> >
> >> >> On Sun, Jan 17, 2021, 06:30 Alan Henney <alan at henney.com> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> Had you guys experienced any problems with protesters bootlegging your
> >> >> repeaters during the recent protests?
> >> >>
> >> >> I am here in the Silver Spring area where they were on GMRS without
> >> >> permission.
> >> >>
> >> >> What can we do about it?
> >> >>
> >> >> Alan
> >> >> N3LGE
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