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Bloody HAM radio...

Belegost

Belegost

Golden Member
I've had it with the blasted fool running his ham radio in the house behind me, I really have. :| The problem is that his transmissions get picked up by almost everything in my house. If I have a stereo playing a CD and he decides to talk, I hear it. Want to use a portable phone that transmits at less than 900Mhz? Then you're gonna hear him. I've asked him politely to change his frequency and/or lower his power (when he comes in over the stereo it's about twice as loud as the CD) but he's a jack*** about it. Tonight was it though, I'm trying to watch a DVD, and his lousy f'ing conversation with some drunk trucker keeps interrupting. So I wanted to know if anyone had some advice in one of these areas:

A) Shielding my equipment.
B) Possible legal action, I would like to know what restrictions are placed on residential operators, and methods of determining whether he's broken any (California, USA).
C) Interfering with his reception, hopefully making him give up on using the bloody thing.
D) Good places to hide the body 😉😀

[edit] After reading the microwave thread: No! Wrapping everything in aluminum foil is NOT an option 🙂 [/edit]
 
I *think* the FCC can go after him. Not sure if I remember this right, but him interferring with other broadcasts, TV, radio, ectera, is against the law. It's been years since I needed to remember this, so my info may be entirely wrong.
 
Is he a a Amateur Radio Operator (Ham) or is he a CBer talking to truckers. There is a BIGGGGGGGGG Difference.
 
Ham radios are more powerful that CB units but both are overseen by the FCC as to power output and interference. Just tell the jerk point blank that if we can't come to some understanding then you'll be getting the FCC involved. Also talk with other in the area and see if they have the same interference. Good ammo to have.
 
Zorro: I actually have no clue, any way to find out short of asking him or breaking into his house and examining his equipment?
 
Are you sure he's a HAM and not talking on CB radio? If he's a HAM, then you can file a report with the FCC. Several months after you file the report, they will look into the matter. 🙂

I'm glad I don't live next you. Well, no one lives within 1/8mi of my house; but I still worry about killing someone television receiver. You know, when a person is running 2kw PEP out on 6mtrs (50.125MHz) with a 50ft boom, you gotta be careful. 🙂 I remember people complaining back at my old house. Back at that time, I talked primarily through satellites. One satellite in particular required ~300-500 watts @ 144Mhz to trigger (it is in a Molniya orbit, apogee of 40k Km); boy the neighbors would raise hell when the satellite was right behind their TV antenna.

EDIT -- The easiest way to figure out if he's a HAM or a CB'er is to listen to his broadcasts. Since you can do this, from his interference, then you're set. HAM's have a very distinct way of talking. When a HAM opens up a broadcast, he will call CQ three times, followed by his callsign (such as KD5HXH), followed by CQ three more times. If one wishes to keep his/her license, this method must be followed to a certain degree. HAM's will also talk in a funny langauge, asking for their QTH, grid square location, what kind of equipment is being used, and sometimes asking for a QSL card. CB'ers will plunck open their mic and yell some drunken phrase. Once completed, a trucker will call back and the two will talk about meaningless jabber for half an hour.
 


<< and his lousy f'ing conversation with some drunk trucker keeps interrupting >>



From that statement right there, I'd be willing to venture that it's a CB'er operating his equipment illegally (using an amplifier on CB radios is illegal), and not a ham radio operator. And if it were an amateur radio operator, as long as he has a properly set up station, it's your burden to keep your equipment from being interfered with. Most likely, the devices you are hearing him in are FCC Part 15 certified, meaning that they must accept any unintentional interference that they may receive. To quote the FCC (from Part 15, section 19 of the FCC rules & regs): <<This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. >>

You could contact the FCC about it, but chances are what they'll do is evaluate his station and then determine whether or not he is intentionally causing the interference. If they determine that he is, then they will probably take some action against him. However, if they determine that the interference caused by his station is incidental, then there is nothing within their power that they can make him do.

You can do a search on a site such as http://www.qrz.com/names.html for his address to determine whether or not he is actually a ham radio operator. If he is licensed, then he will be in the database.

Hope this was somewhat helpful.

[Edit] If you want the FCC to even consider taking any action against him, I'd forget about your choice C right now. If you start interfering with him (intentionally and maliciously) then you're going to end up the one the FCC will be looking for, especially if he turns out to be a ham radio operator (which I've already said I doubt based on your statement about him talking to a drunken trucker - though it's not totally impossible that he is a ham radio operator). [/Edit]

JW <-- licensed as N2OY and has yet to have anyone complain about any interference from his station
 
I think (have no sure idea) that CBs are limited (legally) to a certain power. If he's causing that much interference, he almost surely has an illegally powerful transmitter.
 
You're right, Killbat... CB radio is limited to (I believe) 5 Watts max. I could be wrong though. I know for certain, however, that it's 100% illegal to attach any kind of amplifier to a CB radio.

[Edit] I was close... the rules regarding power limitation for CB'ers are Here. [/Edit]

JW
 
Does he have a big honkin antenna someplace on his property? That's one sure fire way to tell if he's a HAM operator or not.

My cousin has quite a setup... Check out his pictures! List of equipment.
 
Way back the seventies, i used to install cb's for my dad. You could somtimes tweak them up to 7 watts or so, not enough to cause anyone any problems.

People with amps hooked up to them could sure make their neighbors mad at them though. If this is the case, it should be a simple matter to make him stop, as this is quite illegal.
 


<< Does he have a big honkin antenna someplace on his property? That's one sure fire way to tell if he's a HAM operator or not.

My cousin has quite a setup... Check out his pictures! List of equipment. >>

this means squat!!! a CB directional "beam" antenna and an amateur radio antenna to the "untrained" will look the same...as the others have said, if you could hear him talking to some "trucker" he's a CB'r running a linear amplifer...NOT A HAM RADIO OPERATOR

kamiam: amateur radio license WD6ENH
 


<< as the others have said, if you could hear him talking to some "trucker" he's a CB'r running a linear amplifer...NOT A HAM RADIO OPERATOR >>



So everyone that talks on CB sounds like a drunk trucker, and everyone that talks on HAM frequencies speaks proper English. Thanks for that lesson, I'll keep it in mind.
 


<<

<< as the others have said, if you could hear him talking to some "trucker" he's a CB'r running a linear amplifer...NOT A HAM RADIO OPERATOR >>



So everyone that talks on CB sounds like a drunk trucker, and everyone that talks on HAM frequencies speaks proper English. Thanks for that lesson, I'll keep it in mind. >>

actually, YES and VERY FEW truckers have ham equipment in thier trucks...JUST ABOUT EVERY TRUCKER does have a CB radio


btw if you can read he said the guy in question was talking to a drunk trucker not talking like a drunk trucker ...I hope you have now learned your lesson for the day
 
AM 11 meter (CB) transmitters are limited to 4 WATTS RF power and 12 WATTS PEP power for Single Side Band (SSB) operation. Proper installation and operation rarely interfers with other receiving equipment. Most common causes of complaints are:

Excessive modulation
Poor RF grounding
Improper adjustment of RF section in transmitter (known as "peaking" makes broadcast louder and distorted and causes interference due to excessive modulation.
Generation of harmonics from above
Connection of illegal apparatus to boost transmitter power (ie linears)
Illegally high antennas

If overhead power lines are nearby, you could attach some picture hanging wire to the scofflaw's antenna mast, drive a tack into a golf ball and use a slingshot to hurl it over the line. Run like hell because the antenna will be the return path of 7.5+ kV! 🙂

I've heard of people cutting coax, shooting arrows through antenna load coils/driven elements, etc. as well! 🙂

Cheers!
 
Yeah most ham equipment won't interfere with your life and if so most hams would be more than happy to help you out by checking out their rigs, recommending a filter for you, etc.

In short if its a professional sounding broadcast its a ham, if it sounds like some hillbilly then its a CB 🙂 If its a CB tell him that amplifiers are illegal and call the fcc.

KB9KES
 
May be a CB operator. not a ham. Per. FCC. Your part 15 fcc reg.devices may not cause harmful interference but must accept any interference recieved including interference that may cause undesired operation. Check the back/bottom of your problem equipment and see if you have a "part15"advisory on it. Your problem may be shoddy part 15 devices. Otherwise check the FCC web site.😉
 
CB'ers generally have less regard for their neighbors than a liscensed HAM operator. And I don't have any friends, whose Equipment would cause THAT much interference. Sounds like a AMPED CB to me...

N3WQO
 
It totally depends on wheter he is using CB or Amateur radio. I have been reading the books carefully lately, becasue i am going to take the test, adn it is specifically prohibtied to allow your transmissions to interfere with others. If indeed he is interfereing with devices in your house, it is HIS responsibilty to do all that he can to resolve the interference.

You could also file a report wiht the FCC but wait until you hear what he has to say. You would feel preety stupid if you filed a report and found out that he is really using CB, or the company down the road is putting up a new high power transmitting station.
 
Read up on FCCPART 15 devices and read the disclaimer on part 15 dev.like cordless phones, answering machines, and so on. Big suprise for those who seek the truth.😉
 
A Ham operator is obligated (by law and courtesy) to make sure he's not interfering with your equipment. It's his responsibility, not yours... and that's part of the fcc regs. It's part of the responsibility he committed to when he took the licensing exams.

Ham operators are generally "self-policing" -- i.e., they take care of their own problems, help each other out when they have problems, etc. When there are ham operators who disobey the laws, they give all of us hams a bad reputation... the very reputation that you've already assigned to him, even though I seriously doubt he's a ham.

There are also ham-operated monitoring stations watching for this very thing. If it's a ham, and he's caught over-power, out-of-band, too-much-interference, etc., he'll be given a reasonable amount of time to fix the problem or his license and equipment will be confiscated. It happens regularly.

There are also ham-regulations against on-air profanity. So, again, I doubt he's a ham based on your descriptions...

A big antenna and a powerful radio are not indicators that he's a ham. His courtesty to you will be. His blatant disregard for the laws indicate he's a cb-er.

Don't give us hams a black-eye over this!

OZEE - Extra Class Ham Operator AB0ND
 


<< do people still use hams? after im's? >>



You better believe it! There's nothing like the thrill of making a contact on radio; no matter where it is, your neighbor, or a scientist on Antarctica.
 
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