“Ham” radio interference ?
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Question by Jack D: “Ham” radio interference ?
We have these old drunk guys (two of them on the block) who have big strange antennas who are apparently “ham radio” guys. They are getting on to our stereo and phone. We approached them but they are really oddballs and started talking about Emergency Radio, etc. Basically, they seem to be kooks but what can be done about the interference ? “Ham Radio”… Don’t they know this is 2007, not 1950 ? Strange.
Best answer:
Answer by Smudgeward
Go digital and it won’t interfere; it’s not 1990 either mate.
What do you think? Answer below!
lol fcc
Were these people Amateur radio operators (hams), OR were they CB operators running illegal power? There is a difference between CB and amateur radio.
If they give callsigns *not* nicknames or “handles” then they are hams.
Amateur radio operators are not responsible for interference. There is absolutely nothing you can do in this case.
All consumer electronics have a label that says “this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation”
Ham operators rarely interfere with consumer electronics, although it can happen.
Also, ham radio is NOT a 1950s hobby. Very modern communications across many different modes is possible.
If they are weird drunks like you say, then chances are they are in fact CBers running illegal power.
In this case, then they are in the wrong. (if they are running illegal power) Unfortunately, FCC enforcement is hard to get started. You may wish to consult the FCCs website for more information at: http://www.fcc.gov/
If you have notified the ‘operators’ of the interference, and they do not make an effort to solve it, notify the FCC. They have an obligation to cooperate, and if the problem is with their equipment, corrective steps must be addressed. (Spurious emmisions, stray RF, poor grounding, harmonics) can all cause havoc. ‘Emerency Radio’ is a term used by many Ham radio operators.. If you listen, you will hardly EVER hear any such operation. Don’t allow that to scare you away. I would give them a pass if in the middle of a hurricane or tornado, and some traffic was actually passed. Most use is just rambling with friends, and calling other hams, especially in one of many ‘contests’, basically seeing how many people they can reach in a specified time. I also once had a neighbor who got on the radio frequently after an obvious large consumption of alcohol, causing interference all over the neighborhood. It was stopped after several complained to the local FCC office, and a formal complaint was filed.
I really like the longer answer below. Just wanted to add the the “emergency Radio – 2007” comment wouldn’t go very far in the New Orleans area where that’s the only thing that worked. And just like a telephone, they needed to talk to somebody to get the message through. Sure , people will say cell phones worked but our local and national emergency menegment teams learned just how well with Katrina. That’s why the Federal Goverment has now included Amateur Radio communications in its emergency plans.
This is a problem all over the world. We have two old kooks that are ham operators. BUT we also have some very cheap equipment in the community. Like telephones and especially cordless phones. TV’s and Stereos. The manufacturer won’t spend a couple of pennies more to make sure that the problem doesn’t exist. But that is another thing.
First, the Ham operator cannot do anything to fix your problem. It is illegal for him to do so. Plus it is very illegal for you to tamper with his equipment, and he can have a restraining order to keep you away from him.
BUT you do have a recourse. Simply report him to the FCC.
It may take awhile, but you will receive notification of their process. You can do this on-line, but it is much more effective if you put it in writing!
Now for the bad part. If he is operating legally, and all equipment is properly grounded, then you need to consult a RF tech to help quieten down your equipment. Most of which can be purchased from Radio Shack.
If he is a CB operator and operating illegally I hope the FCC fines him heavily, and confiscates his equipment.
I would like to throw in a story of my own. I had a next door neighbor to call me at 11 pm, to tell me he could understand every word I said on my radio. I immediately stopped operating. The next day he wanted me to fix my equipment or his stereo. I informed him that I could not fix his stereo, but since I was at his house , I was wondering what he had setup. First his stereo was not even connected to the speakers. I noticed two rolls of speaker wire rolled up in a nice 1 foot coil, laying behind the speakers. I told him of the inductor he had created, complete with capacitors and the coil acted like a tuning circuit. All in all, he removed the long leads, shortened them, and rid his own problem.
I had a wireless telephone (el cheapo) that any time I transmitted the phone was useless. I replaced it. No more problems.
I have 19 homes in our little community. 3 ham operators are in this hood. No problems.
We are here to provide a emergency service to the community. When we are not providing services for our community, we like to have a little fun with our equipment, and communicate with others around the block or around the world. This also helps us to keep our equipment in satisfactory condition when the need arises.
Yes there are some wierdo’s out there, but there are just as many elsewhere doing something else.
You might want to thank the ham community for ALL the findings and upgrades they have made to the communications industry. Without them we would probably still be using two tin cans and a string.
Yes, I am a Amateur Radio Operator. Referred to as a HAM!
Hey find a couple and join us. We would be more than glad to welcome and help you.
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