[K3PZN-List] Digital Stations Occupy Club Simplex

[John Stephens]

Larry et al,

So not to rain on anybody's parade, but I do want to possibly engage a
conversation because I'm new to the hobby.  BTW, no, the digital noise is
not me.

I took a look at the CCARC web pages, and despite the apparent long
standing use of the simplex frequency, 146.475's use as a simplex
ARES/RACES channel is nowhere to be found.  In fact, it's affiliation with
CCARC is not even mentioned.

How is one to know if a frequency has a, shall we call it, a 'special
designation'?

And despite the special designation that it appears to have, as long as the
frequency is not currently being used in an ARES/RACES event, either
testing or actual, is not the frequency available for use by all amateurs?

And again, I ask because I am new to the hobby.  Myself and a few others
routinely simplex on a randomly chosen simplex frequencies.  We transmit in
both analog and digital (C4FM).  How do we or are we to know we aren't
stepping on a 'pre-designated special' frequency?  How do we know what 'The
Rules of Use' are?  It's my understanding that all frequencies are open to
all and common courtesy is the governing rule.

So, as a new ham, help me understand the reasoning and impetus behind
tracking down the offending parties and asking them to move their simplex
communications.

John / KC3FDL


--------------------------------------------------------
John L. Stephens // KC3FDL
KC3FDL at gmail.com
Latitude: 39.4927 Longitude: -76.8894
MHGL: FM19nm

On Mon, Mar 21, 2016 at 11:47 PM, Lawrence Solarczyk <wx3f at juno.com> wrote:

> CCARC:
>
> There are digital stations that have occupied the Club simplex frequency
> 146.475 Mhz.  The digital transmissions are not Yaesu Fusion digital, my
> FT-1D portable can not decode the transmissions.  It seems to me that the
> digital may be D-Star.  The transmissions are strong in Westminster with
> hint of activity coming out of the Baltimore area.  One of the stations
> transmits a CW ID, unfortunately for me, the ID happens quickly and my
> rusty cw just can't catch it.
>
> So, it would be nice if everyone could tune to 146.475 and try to get the
> CW ID of the stations and an approximate location with your beams.  If
> anyone has D-Star capability, try to gather station call signs.  CCARC has
> been using 146.475 as the Club simplex frequency for ARES/RACES operations
> for 30 years.  Having gathered station identification may help us to
> respectfully ask those users to move to a different frequency.  If it is a
> repeater operation, we may get T-MARC involved.
>
>
> 73,
> Larry WX3F
>
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