Is this Legal or is this Allowed??

[KB0VWG]

Hello All

I live here in the Rio Grande Valley and there a bunch of vhf and uhf repeaters linked together and they cover the whole valley. What I am wanting to know is it against FCC Rules to transmit slow scan over repeaters that tie up all the repeaters in the Valley. They do this for 1 hour every Wednesday evening and if there is a emergency, there is NO chance to break in to call for help and on top of that it is very annoying. I know I have my options to change to a different freq or lock it out of my scanner or radio.
Thanks for any input.
kb0vwg
wqoi992

 

[ka3jjz]

It's certainly very poor practice, but I don't think there's anything in the rules against it. Is this some sort of net activity? If it is, it might be wise to talk to the net owner (off air) and remind him/her that the SSTV is hanging all the repeaters.

They may well think that only 1 repeater is being tied down, not the entire network...Mike

 

[KB0VWG]

Mike
Thanks for the reply and its not really a net but the person in charge of the repeaters allows a couple of hams to do it Including the person in charge of the repeaters. I know there is sections of the band for stuff like this and I have my options too and there are other repeaters around to use if needed. The person very well knows that this ties up all the repeaters.
Thanks
Michael

 

[ElroyJetson]

It's good practice to dedicate specific repeaters for data only usage and leave the voice repeaters free for voice traffic.

Talking to the people involved will be the best way to try to get a few appropriate changes made. Be polite, but make your case. Voice channels should be kept open for simple safety reasons.

 

[AK9R]

The only legally-binding band plan is the one published by the FCC which simply says that phone, data, and image transmissions are restricted to certain portions of the band. For example, you can operate CW anywhere on the 2m band between 144.0 and 148.0 MHz, but phone, image, data, etc., can only be used from 144.1 to 148.0 MHz. The bottom 100 kHz of the band is reserved for CW.

As you move into the UHF bands, many of those restrictions go away and you can use any permitted emission anywhere in the band.

Any other band plan that you might be referring to is simply a gentlemen's agreement.

As for tying up linked repeaters, that's a decision made by or approved by the repeater owner or trustee. If the "person in charge of the repeaters" is doing it and the transmissions aren't otherwise against the rules, there's not much you can say.

 

[buddrousa]

Well if the repeater owner is a user of SSTV on his own repeater then I would not think he wants changes made to his repeater as long as the usage falls in the proper band.

 

[KB0VWG]

All the repeaters belong to the club but I believe he acts as a trustee and informs who can do what etc...
Michael

 

[nei1]

Another issue that makes their weekly event impolite is that VHF is the spectrum range most populated by scanning receivers.

Scanners may be able to disable a particularly noisy channel, but there's always the danger that the operators will forget to re-enable the channel after the SSTV party is over. Maybe the repeater owner can email everyone to remind them to re-enable the channel.

I can almost imagine a special event where an SSTV fiesta is held over voice repeaters. But as a regular occurrence, I've never heard of such a thing. Especially when there are other modes they could use.

Do they really need a repeater to hear each other?

WB8NUT - Digital Modes Information Page
145.500 SSTV - National SSTV Simplex Frequency for FM

What Frequency Do I Use On 2 Meters? - Ham Radio School.com
145.500-145.800 Misc. and experimental modes

"No ham owns any frequency." How many frequencies are tied up when the SSTVers take over the repeaters? And, you did mention that their operating style makes it difficult for anyone else to break in, as if they own all those frequencies.

Courtesy is contagious. The SSTVers are not practicing any of it. Instead, it sounds like there's a good chance they're on an ego trip.

Did they consider 75 meters? A 75 meter dipole up 20 feet is an NVIS -- near vertical incidence skywave antenna. For talking to friends in a couple of hundred mile radius, it's very effective.

Hopefully, they'll run out of pictures soon.

Might they consider rtty art?
http://www.rtty.com/gallery/Royart-1.gif

 

[nei1]

> he acts as a trustee and informs who can do what etc...

No, the FCC and a Ham's license-privileges determine who can do what. If the trustee doesn't like what someone is doing on the input-frequency of their repeater, they are certainly allowed to turn it off.

And if he's bullying other hams (i.e., harassing or otherwise threatening), then it's time to report him.

 

[KB0VWG]

They are transmitting FLdigi not slow scan but still its causing a ruckus on the repeaters.
Thanks
Michael

 

[ecps92]

Sounds like it is a Club Sanctioned NET

Are you a Club member ? Bring it up at a meeting.

Hello All

I live here in the Rio Grande Valley and there a bunch of vhf and uhf repeaters linked together and they cover the whole valley. What I am wanting to know is it against FCC Rules to transmit slow scan over repeaters that tie up all the repeaters in the Valley. They do this for 1 hour every Wednesday evening and if there is a emergency, there is NO chance to break in to call for help and on top of that it is very annoying. I know I have my options to change to a different freq or lock it out of my scanner or radio.
Thanks for any input.
kb0vwg
wqoi992

 

[SARCommCoord]

"If there is an emergency"... I would not rely on transmitting my emergency through a repeater. Its not guaranteed that someone on the other end will hear me. A lot more effective ways to handle an emergency...

 

[robertmac]

"If there is an emergency"... I would not rely on transmitting my emergency through a repeater. Its not guaranteed that someone on the other end will hear me. A lot more effective ways to handle an emergency...

This might be a little off topic, but I am not sure why one would not use a repeater if no other options existed. Not rely on it is one thing. Cell coverage in some areas is non existent but an amateur repeater might be. Knowing what repeaters and their linking is something that everyone should know when venturing anywhere. It has happened in Alberta where an amateur repeater was used in an emergency. There are often a lot of people monitoring repeaters that will hear someone in distress. Not sure about times after midnight. But I am often monitoring repeaters in our area until midnight.

 

[buddrousa]

Look if you do not like the way a Ham Club runs their repeaters THEN YOU CAN BUY YOUR OWN AND START YOUR OWN CLUB.
#1. They bought and paid for the repeaters and duplexers. Several Thousand Dollars.
#2. They paid for the towers and antennas. Several Thousand Dollars.
#3. They pay the electric bills. Over $100 a month per site.
#4. They bought the buildings that the repeaters are mounted in. Several Thousand Dollars.
#5. They started the club and what the repeater use is.
The FCC nor ARRL provides these repeaters and sites for use. LOCAL HAM CLUBS DO.
CONTROL OPERATORS

All ham radio stations, including repeaters AND YOUR STATION are required by the FCC to have a control operator monitoring the station while it is on the air. You are the control operator of your station.

Control operators are usually the owners, trustees or other designated licensed operators of a repeater system. They sometimes stay quietly in the background just listening to the every day operation of the "machine" for technical problems, proper use, FCC rule breaking, etc on a particular repeater.

They have complete control of whether a repeater is on the air or off and have the ability to stop it's operation at any time! Use the repeater to the best of your ability and within the FCC rules.

Report any un-authorized use of a repeater to the repeater owner or person responsible for the operation of the repeater.

One last thought....SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL REPEATER/S.
It takes LOTS of money to maintain a repeater and the money has to come from somewhere. If you can't donate funds, then donate your time, assistance, equipment, knowledge, labor or anything of value to the repeater owner to help keep it on the air. It will be appreciated! Even simple things like mowing the grass around the repeater area is certainly appreciated. If the repeater is on a mountain top, enjoy the view while you are there. All repeaters need some kind of care from time so volunteer your time when others don't.
How to Use Amateur (Ham Radio) Repeaters- A New Ham's Guide to Repeaters

 

[ecps92]

+1 :lol:
And never a LIKE button around when you need it.

Look if you do not like the way a Ham Club runs their repeaters THEN YOU CAN BUY YOUR OWN AND START YOUR OWN CLUB.
#1. They bought and paid for the repeaters and duplexers. Several Thousand Dollars.
#2. They paid for the towers and antennas. Several Thousand Dollars.
#3. They pay the electric bills. Over $100 a month per site.
#4. They bought the buildings that the repeaters are mounted in. Several Thousand Dollars.
#5. They started the club and what the repeater use is.
The FCC nor ARRL provides these repeaters and sites for use. LOCAL HAM CLUBS DO.
CONTROL OPERATORS

All ham radio stations, including repeaters AND YOUR STATION are required by the FCC to have a control operator monitoring the station while it is on the air. You are the control operator of your station.

Control operators are usually the owners, trustees or other designated licensed operators of a repeater system. They sometimes stay quietly in the background just listening to the every day operation of the "machine" for technical problems, proper use, FCC rule breaking, etc on a particular repeater.

They have complete control of whether a repeater is on the air or off and have the ability to stop it's operation at any time! Use the repeater to the best of your ability and within the FCC rules.

Report any un-authorized use of a repeater to the repeater owner or person responsible for the operation of the repeater.

One last thought....SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL REPEATER/S.
It takes LOTS of money to maintain a repeater and the money has to come from somewhere. If you can't donate funds, then donate your time, assistance, equipment, knowledge, labor or anything of value to the repeater owner to help keep it on the air. It will be appreciated! Even simple things like mowing the grass around the repeater area is certainly appreciated. If the repeater is on a mountain top, enjoy the view while you are there. All repeaters need some kind of care from time so volunteer your time when others don't.
How to Use Amateur (Ham Radio) Repeaters- A New Ham's Guide to Repeaters

 

[K5MPH]

Hello All

I live here in the Rio Grande Valley and there a bunch of vhf and uhf repeaters linked together and they cover the whole valley. What I am wanting to know is it against FCC Rules to transmit slow scan over repeaters that tie up all the repeaters in the Valley. They do this for 1 hour every Wednesday evening and if there is a emergency, there is NO chance to break in to call for help and on top of that it is very annoying. I know I have my options to change to a different freq or lock it out of my scanner or radio.
Thanks for any input.
kb0vwg
wqoi992

Michael i think they are doing it for ARES/RACES Emergency traffic and letting others brush up on and learn the software.......

 

[KB0VWG]

I will say I cant complain too much because I haven't paid my dues lately and I don't use the repeaters hardly at all but I allow them to place one of the repeaters at my work on top of the 200 foot tower. I might be very wrong on complaining about this but just wanted some input.
Thanks
kb0vwg
wqoi992

 

[K5MPH]

Roger ,I understand......73's.......

 

[AI7PM]

I will say I cant complain too much because I haven't paid my dues lately and I don't use the repeaters hardly at all but I allow them to place one of the repeaters at my work on top of the 200 foot tower. I might be very wrong on complaining about this but just wanted some input.
Thanks
kb0vwg
wqoi992

Perhaps, especially since you are connected to them, this should have been a private phone call vs posting on a public board. Just food for thought.

 

[geartow]

It is legal we have sstv net ever sat. On a linked system . If it is permitted by the repeater owner,or if owned by a club the trustee/board. You have slight leverage as it is going on on a tower controlled by you. I find that there are ample repeators in the area that there are free repeators to use even with the linked system is being used for sstv and a couple of others for traffic nets all at the same time. But I live in an area where every ham has a repeator but me, or so it seems.