Wal-Mart Incident Today

[w4wxp]

I'm not going to debate if you're right or wrong on this, but go attempt to talk to them on MURS 4 or 5 and let us know what you experience ok?
I could tell you my experience, but I'd rather hear about yours.

73,
n9zas

I'd have no problem with that.

Murs is governed under the same articles at PART 95-27 MHZ CB.

Wal-Mart claiming 'ownership' on a murs frequency would be the same as if they had a Cobra 142 gtl in the manager's office and 27 mhz HT's in use by the employees on Channel 15 for their purposes, and they griped at mobile cb'ers sitting in the parking lot for talking on Channel 15.

Now, using a different type of part 95 radio, though it's governed under the same rules, doesn't it make Wal Mart seem ridiculous in that aspect?

Self-Responsibility.. If Wally World doesn't want people 'intruding', it's their responsibility to invest in a business band license, not the public's to do their bidding.

I'm just sayin'.

 

[JoeyC]

This is very simple but many of you can't see the forest for the trees.

No Walmart does not have exclusive rights to the MURS freqs.
Being a SHARED service, users are NOT to cause deliberate interference to other users on the freqs.

Given the fact that the OP directed his transmission specifically to the Walmart in question he has admittedly caused interference to the Walmart users once he is informed that his transmission is not wanted. THATS WHERE IT ENDS.

Continue to make transmissions to Walmart and you are guilty of causing deliberate interference on the channel.

Want to chat to your friend on the same channel Walmart is using? Thats OK as long as you aren't stepping on the Walmart transmissions. Doing it from the Walmart parking and they tell you to leave or stop? Walmart can certainly have you cited for trespassing should you refuse. At this point you are being a jerk and your intentions can certainly be construed as causing deliberate interference.

Change the channel or get off the property.

 

[w4wxp]

Given the fact that the OP directed his transmission specifically to the Walmart in question he has admittedly caused interference to the Walmart users once he is informed that his transmission is not wanted. THATS WHERE IT ENDS.

Hailing another operator does not equate to interference. By your statement, stating your opinion during a public conversation with a couple of truckers on channel 19 is 'interfering'. It's not - it's a public channel. The two truckers are accepting that when they key their mic's on a non-licensed service.

What the wal mart did is like the drivers telling the guy who stated his opinion that he can't use his own radio on said channel - which is a violation of FCC Reg 95.407e (All channels must be shared with other users.)

 

[bob-the-scanner-man]

What exactly is "harmful interference"? I see this term tossed around all the time so I'd like for it to be defined. To me, "harmful interference" means attempting to key up on top of another user, keeping your radio keyed down for long periods of time prevent others from using the channel, or playing music over the air or something like that.

I don't see how saying something on a channel that is clear(as in, no communications are currently going on) can be considered "harmful interference". Let's say that I found a group of people chatting on a MURS channel and decided I wanted to make contact with them. Would it still be considered "harmful interference" if I keyed up and attempted to make contact with them? If not, then what's the difference between doing that with an individual person, and with a business?

 

[willgrah]

What exactly is "harmful interference"? I see this term tossed around all the time so I'd like for it to be defined. To me, "harmful interference" means attempting to key up on top of another user, keeping your radio keyed down for long periods of time prevent others from using the channel, or playing music over the air or something like that.

I don't see how saying something on a channel that is clear(as in, no communications are currently going on) can be considered "harmful interference". Let's say that I found a group of people chatting on a MURS channel and decided I wanted to make contact with them. Would it still be considered "harmful interference" if I keyed up and attempted to make contact with them? If not, then what's the difference between doing that with an individual person, and with a business?

Would I have done it, nope, but I am with bob on this one. It's a public channel, if they want privacy spend the bucks and get their own frequency. I bet Walmart is using outlawed Chinese radios as well, not FCC approved. LOL Bill

 

[SCPD]

What exactly is "harmful interference"? I see this term tossed around all the time so I'd like for it to be defined. To me, "harmful interference" means attempting to key up on top of another user, keeping your radio keyed down for long periods of time prevent others from using the channel, or playing music over the air or something like that.

I don't see how saying something on a channel that is clear(as in, no communications are currently going on) can be considered "harmful interference". Let's say that I found a group of people chatting on a MURS channel and decided I wanted to make contact with them. Would it still be considered "harmful interference" if I keyed up and attempted to make contact with them? If not, then what's the difference between doing that with an individual person, and with a business?

I don't have my amateur radio books in front of me where perhaps a definition is given for harmful interference. Certainly keying a mike while others are talking is harmful interference, that is intuitive. Beyond that not allowing people to carry out a conversation by constantly butting in with non-appropriate conversation that prevents those people from carrying out their conversation. In other words be courteous to other users of the frequency. Whether something is legal or not doesn't really matter as one should be courteous in public places, no matter whose involved and what the venue is.

 

[gewecke]

I'd have no problem with that.

Murs is governed under the same articles at PART 95-27 MHZ CB.

Wal-Mart claiming 'ownership' on a murs frequency would be the same as if they had a Cobra 142 gtl in the manager's office and 27 mhz HT's in use by the employees on Channel 15 for their purposes, and they griped at mobile cb'ers sitting in the parking lot for talking on Channel 15.

Now, using a different type of part 95 radio, though it's governed under the same rules, doesn't it make Wal Mart seem ridiculous in that aspect?

Self-Responsibility.. If Wally World doesn't want people 'intruding', it's their responsibility to invest in a business band license, not the public's to do their bidding.

I'm just sayin'.

If you don't mind walmart giving you a no trespassing order then by all means go for it! My girlfriend likes shopping there so that wouldn't be in my best interest,lol!
They don't have to invest in a business license at all, you just don't have to shop there, is what you'll be told!

73,
n9zas

 

[ThomasMcKean]

Yew guys have me rethinking my decision not to file an FCC complaint. It would only take a couple of minutes on the site AND it would resolve this issue of conflicting laws. I am curious how it might turn out? Worse they can do is say, "Sorry, we can't help yew..."

 

[gewecke]

Would I have done it, nope, but I am with bob on this one. It's a public channel, if they want privacy spend the bucks and get their own frequency. I bet Walmart is using outlawed Chinese radios as well, not FCC approved. LOL Bill

Nope, most are using motorola cls and xtn's which are a far cry better than the import china junk.

73,
n9zas

 

[SCPD]

(A little prank that was perfectly legal)

Where does the OP say it was a prank? He was just saying he was a satisfied customer.

( It would seem intuitive that the employees at this store, rightly or wrongly, expect their radios would only have traffic for their store.)

Why do people think their communications are private?

( As others have indicated transmitting on their frequency knowingly was not necessary so why do it? )

WalMart DOES NOT own the frequency,it is a shared frequency and if not in use any one has a right to use that MURS frequency.
There is no intentional harmful interference if someone else is transmitting on that frequency even if almighty Walmart is wants to use it.unless they were already in the process of transmitting a message and was interrupted which was not the case and if Walmart talks over someone else already using that frequency that is called intentional harmful interference.

The results tell me it was a prank and in any case it was inappropriate. A factor in this is the store management and employees expectation of privacy, which you are correct in saying this expectation is incorrect. They don't know and may have even been told to expect it. As a result a non store employee would be a bit shocked by a transmission from a customer on their radios. Note, they don't own the frequency especially since they are on a MURS frequency. However they don't know that and the manager reacted inappropriately. However, this reaction is first, not unusual and two, could be expected. That is why I would call such a thing a prank.

I dislike Walmart far more than the average person in the country as a whole, but that opinion is one shared by many in smallish communities in rural areas, especially here in the eastern Sierra. I'm not here to defend Walmart, but my bias is set aside when I evaluate this incident.

 

[bradpradio7420]

first off i think the manager way overreacted and ticked off a customer for no reason. second if he has nothing better to do than give someone a hard time for something so minor he shouldn't even be in managment. I've been in management before and i know i always had a lot more on my plate to worry about other than someone talking on our radio frequency.wich people would do from time to time . it obvious the manager has a attitude problem, its not like the guy was using bad language or having a long conversation on their channel, if the manager was going to say anything to him it should have been something along the lines of I'm glad to hear you had a good experience at my store, not threatening to trespass someone for taking up less than a min on the radio. the manager sounds like someone on a power trip, if he would say that to a customer i can only imagine how crappy he treats his employees. its a good thing that this didn't happen to me because i would have waited till i got out of the store in the parking lot and then gotten on the radio agin and told the manager exactly what i though of him and what he could go do to himself

 

[w4wxp]

If you don't mind walmart giving you a no trespassing order then by all means go for it! My girlfriend likes shopping there so that wouldn't be in my best interest,lol!
They don't have to invest in a business license at all, you just don't have to shop there, is what you'll be told!

73,
n9zas

I avoid them when at all possible. Overpriced items, crappy attitudes & customer service at the local ones, and the slowest lanes I've ever seen.

Meijer blows Wally World away.

 

[SCPD]

The results tell me it was a prank and in any case it was inappropriate. A factor in this is the store management and employees expectation of privacy, which you are correct in saying this expectation is incorrect. They don't know and may have even been told to expect it. As a result a non store employee would be a bit shocked by a transmission from a customer on their radios. Note, they don't own the frequency especially since they are on a MURS frequency. However they don't know that and the manager reacted inappropriately. However, this reaction is first, not unusual and two, could be expected. That is why I would call such a thing a prank.

I dislike Walmart far more than the average person in the country as a whole, but that opinion is one shared by many in smallish communities in rural areas, especially here in the eastern Sierra. I'm not here to defend Walmart, but my bias is set aside when I evaluate this incident.

Correction to the forth sentence, it should read as follows: As a result a store employee would be a bit shocked by a transmission from a customer on their radios.

A couple of other comments. I think it unwise to pass judgement on the manager and build a picture of his character. Each and every one of us has behaved inappropriately at some point in our adult lives. We all get the perfect storm of factors that put us on edge and we may react inappropriately.

Thomas, as for filing an FCC complaint it is my opinion that you shouldn't. In my opinion the FCC has far bigger fish to fry. They are faced with more actions that require enforcement actions than they have personnel to look into. I would rather they spend time on something that makes a large difference to a large number of people. You have a right to file one of course and I would be angered if you were not able to do so. But what would the results be? What difference is it going to make. You want to prove that the manager made a mistake and reacted inappropriately. Will that give you some sort of satisfaction? The result might be a letter written to Walmart stating that you were correct. The FCC is not going to go beyond that and suggest some type of disciplinary action as that is not their purview. You have already written Walmart about it. Will your letter and filing with the FCC cause a change within Walmart to invest in business band radios at every store location? I really don't think so. Like I said before, what is it you are trying to prove?

 

[bob-the-scanner-man]

I love how the people that are arguing in favor of Walmart readily admit there's nothing illegal about talking on "their" frequency, but then go on to say "you should be courteous". That's true. Go tell that to Walmart too. Tell them that their using an unlicensed frequency and should have some courtesy to others that want to use the channel.

The fact of the matter is that Walmart is using a frequency that is unlicensed and can be used by anyone, anytime. They don't own the channel. They don't have a priority over other users. You may say I'm "harmfully interfering" with them by talking on that frequency, but by the same token I could say they are interfering with me by using that frequency while I'm trying to use it to talk to someone else. Let's say I used 154.6 close to Walmart for a purpose totally unrelated to them. Could I then say I was the victim of "harmful interference" since the associates in Walmart kept interrupting my traffic? Is it not the same thing?

 

[SCPD]

I avoid them when at all possible. Overpriced items, crappy attitudes & customer service at the local ones, and the slowest lanes I've ever seen.

Meijer blows Wally World away.

Boy, I've have some things I could say here, but I won't because it would be hijacking the thread.

 

[KB8KOJ]

Must be added: Taco Bell Takeover - YouTube

 

[gewecke]

Boy, I've have some things I could say here, but I won't because it would be hijacking the thread.

I will only say that as a ex- employee of walmart, I agree with you. When Sam Walton was alive he didn't plan to encompass the entire world in walmarts selling overpriced groceries and import crap from other countries!
Does anyone remember back when walmart was known for advertising AMERICAN made goods sold in their stores? At one time in the very beginning, they did this! OUR mistake was failing to boycott walmart when they started importing cheaply made crap from china!
Ok, I'm way off topic here I know, but we could have turned all this around.
NOW, back to the regularly scheduled walmart channel, :lol:
The walmart distribution centers around the U.S. are almost all using UHF itinerant channels but yet super centers are still using MURS and some ARE using pl's on their radios but only some. These are in the RR database.

73,
n9zas

 

[SCPD]

I love how the people that are arguing in favor of Walmart readily admit there's nothing illegal about talking on "their" frequency, but then go on to say "you should be courteous". That's true. Go tell that to Walmart too. Tell them that their using an unlicensed frequency and should have some courtesy to others that want to use the channel.

The fact of the matter is that Walmart is using a frequency that is unlicensed and can be used by anyone, anytime. They don't own the channel. They don't have a priority over other users. You may say I'm "harmfully interfering" with them by talking on that frequency, but by the same token I could say they are interfering with me by using that frequency while I'm trying to use it to talk to someone else. Let's say I used 154.6 close to Walmart for a purpose totally unrelated to them. Could I then say I was the victim of "harmful interference" since the associates in Walmart kept interrupting my traffic? Is it not the same thing?

Being courteous when the other party is not willing to do so is called being the bigger person. I'm not arguing in favor of Walmart. This incident is being overblown and Walmart is not worth all the time Thomas is putting into it. He can continue to spend time and prove a minor point, but then does he win? Maybe not given all the time he might spend and all the time he will cause the FCC to spend proving it. If he wants to feel like he is proving a point then he should vote with his pocketbook and not return to the store.

You are absolutely correct about being able to use MURS near Walmart. Then another thing could be proved. Then maybe a real pissing match would develop and Thomas could waste more time in it when he could be doing something far more rewarding and useful. The way I look at it that could result in him being the loser.

 

[gewecke]

True. Simply make certain you're NOT on walmart premises and ASK for a store manager on the air. From what reply he might give should be a indication on how he feels about "customers" interaction with the dreaded "walmartians". :wink:
If the manager gets pissy, then there's your answer! No lawsuit, no trespass order and question answered!

73,
n9zas

 

[Zagadka]

I think Brother McKean gives us the reason why - it's OK, even fashionable, to mess with Walmart. Radio is just another, "cooler", way to do that.

I see it's still fashionable to bash Walmart with their radios. Have none of you yet used your radio knowledge to sit outside a brothel along the interstate and tell the ladies they are violating the FCC guidelines by soliciting on CB? If you're real lucky, perhaps someone will swear on the Taco Bell frequencies. Maybe you can find a small town hospital that uses GMRS to communicate on the grounds - that would be good fun, huh? And righteous too!

This thread, all 158 posts of it at this writing, is an excellent example of how people can be taught to "hate". I dislike the term - I dislike the way it's evidenced here, but it darn sure exists and you folks are proving it. You're soiling the very thing you ALL purport to enjoy and respect to wallow in it.

Wake UP! Unless you can name ANY other business you have or would hold to the standard you're setting for Walmart, stop it.