FRS and Summer Break

[VE3RADIO]

One time on channel 16 I heard the WORST language/conversation I had heard in a long time (18 year olds). I couldn't resist, so I got my gmrs out of my truck... I hit the "annoy button"... immediately a voice that says "OHH! whats that! the company must have tapped the walkie-talkies, all radios off now!". I guess they must have thought that would reset the "tap"... It gave me an idea... A minute later when they got back on. I told them I was from the FCC (something they had never dreamed of existed) and they would have to stop talking so bad cause it was illegal.

This shook them up considerably. The leader then said "everyone go to channel 17 NOW!"... I saw through it... When I came on channel 17 and announced my presence, they were again confounded. I told them that they needed a license to operate, told them which channels were legal to use, and told them they shouldn't cuss with the caliber that they had been.

They figured out a way to trick me. The leader says "I will text everyone the channel". He does so... It took my scanner less than a second to figure out that they were on channel 21 (I forgot the pl) They started talking about the dirtiest subjects again.

I pop back in. The go NUTS!.. I obviously must be from the government because how else could I figure out the channel?! I told them I was triangulating their position.

This went on like this for almost an hour and a half before I gat bored. I eventually did get them on channel 14 though.

I for one will be writing the FCC to let them know about your amazing act of bravery.. I bet you felt so good after you did this. Yay to the radio police

 

[03msc]

I just couldn't resist either.

To clarify, you copy unidentified stations on GMRS using profanity.
You unlawfully contact these unidentified stations posing as a Federal Agency.
You then advise them of the legalities of operation...

As Ricky Ricardo would say shaking his head... Ay! Ay! Ay!

I for one will be writing the FCC to let them know about your amazing act of bravery.. I bet you felt so good after you did this. Yay to the radio police

So pardon my ignorance here as I am nowhere near deeply knowledgeable of the GMRS regs but are you speaking of him like this because he said he was FCC when he contacted them? Because otherwise it seems to me they were using GMRS without a license and if he has a license, wouldn't he be well within his rights to notify them (aside from the posing as the FCC thing)?

And yes I'm seriously asking because this thread was enjoyable until I got to these two posts and then I got slightly confused...

 

[sandiegosand]

First of all, I have a license. Second of all, these guys had no idea what the FCC is. All's they got was a government agency that had three letters. More than once when they switched channels they said: "any federals on this channel any federals. Any CIA FBI RIA ATP" I remember clearly those were the acronyms they used.

When I stand trial, all the federal agencies will have to fight over who gets to prosecute me.

 

[KampingAnthony1AolCo]

July 4th

This is the worst time to be on the FRS because kids are all out shooting fire works and acting strange.

 

[quarterwave]

"I for one will be writing the FCC to let them know about your amazing act of bravery.. I bet you felt so good after you did this. Yay to the radio police" - Says a resident of another country.... lol.

 

[tj20]

I've seen them going on eBay for around $150 a pair. Some are still in the plastic, some used but with a few extras, such as here:

Trisquare TSX300 Grab-N-Go Two Way Radio Kit

At that price point, and for the privacy and non-interference you get, it may still be worth it. And not to seem like I'm theorizing in "conspiratorial" matters, but I do have my suspicions as to why these great little radios just seemed to up and vanish. They always work well for me, even when doing a head-to-head review with the Moto DTR 410s. I've gotten over 1 mile with them Line of Sight. If someone doesn't fill the void it will be a curious thing indeed.

Not so sure about that. Here is a video of person LISTENING in to the trisquare http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zjVcz0ffv3w

Here is a person attempting to listen in to dtr550 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lp4aZk3xscA

I would think the black helicopters would rather the dtr's go bye bye

 

[KD8DVR]

Not so sure about that. Here is a video of person LISTENING in to the trisquare http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zjVcz0ffv3w

Here is a person attempting to listen in to dtr550 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lp4aZk3xscA

I would think the black helicopters would rather the dtr's go bye bye

That was using a "near field" receiver. You get more than 10 feet away, you won't hear them.

 

[mikepdx]

it seems to me they were using GMRS without a license and if he has a license,
wouldn't he be well within his rights to notify them (aside from the posing as the FCC thing)?

my comments to sandiegosand were really meant to be more or less tongue in cheek.

But, since you asked - in GMRS:

It is a violation to communicate with an unidentified and/or unlicensed station.
It just doesn't matter how much you're itchin' to educate an unlicensed noob on the air.
Even with the best of intentions, your license does not grant you that privilege.

It is also a violation to fail to identify yourself by call sign as required.

As far as posing as a Federal Agency (agent) - that's not a radio reg violation,
but it doesn't take being a criminal lawyer to know it's a big no-no.

Perhaps we should all review Part 95 in regards to
permissible and forbidden communications as well as identification requirements in GMRS.

 

[RadioPatriots]

Not so sure about that. Here is a video of person LISTENING in to the trisquare http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zjVcz0ffv3w

Here is a person attempting to listen in to dtr550 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lp4aZk3xscA

I would think the black helicopters would rather the dtr's go bye bye

With respect to privacy, the cons of the TriSquares are several. As I recall, they use standard Frequency Modulation which almost any receiver can demodulate provided it can keep up with the hop. The hop times is only about 2-3 hops per second, which is relatively slow. I never did sum the total number of discrete frequencies hopped. As KD8DVR pointed out though, in the video example they are being monitored with a nearfield receiver. Trying to monitor them at a distance will be a different story.

If there is an Achilles' heel to the TriSquares, it is their slow hop time. It's entirely conceivable that, given that a person programs every frequency from the TriSquare frequency pool into a fast scanner with no delay, you could monitor the TriSquares from a distance.

The main advantage of the TriSquares (at least the 300s), is that you can change the hop sequence by entering your own 10 digit code, but again, a sufficiently fast scanner or microceptor can defeat this.

The DTRs on the other hand use a variant of the VSELP vocoder, same as used in earlier PTT "direct connect" Nextel phones. Most receivers aren't set up to decode VSELP. Also, the hop time is around 5-6 hops per second. This all sounds great, but Moto has provided no way for the average user to change the hopping sequence. I've been using my unmodified DTRs to have someone come booming through on several occasions. In short, you only need the same DTR radio to monitor a DTR radio.

The TriSquares are not impossible to monitor, just difficult to monitor, unless you have the proper equipment and know what you're doing. The later half of that statement excludes your local cops. One can easily imagine, say, young gang members using such technology as a way of executing crimes, coordinating drug deals, etc. As far as the "black helicopter crew" having anything to do with it, I more tend to not believe that. However, one has to wonder why Moto did not incorporate the ability to change the hopping sequence (according to a personal code) in at least one of their DTR models, which would be quite difficult to monitor for all but the better funded agencies.

 

[KampingAnthony1AolCo]

With respect to privacy, the cons of the TriSquares are several. As I recall, they use standard Frequency Modulation which almost any receiver can demodulate provided it can keep up with the hop. The hop times is only about 2-3 hops per second, which is relatively slow. I never did sum the total number of discrete frequencies hopped. As KD8DVR pointed out though, in the video example they are being monitored with a nearfield receiver. Trying to monitor them at a distance will be a different story.

If there is an Achilles' heel to the TriSquares, it is their slow hop time. It's entirely conceivable that, given that a person programs every frequency from the TriSquare frequency pool into a fast scanner with no delay, you could monitor the TriSquares from a distance.

The main advantage of the TriSquares (at least the 300s), is that you can change the hop sequence by entering your own 10 digit code, but again, a sufficiently fast scanner or microceptor can defeat this.

The DTRs on the other hand use a variant of the VSELP vocoder, same as used in earlier PTT "direct connect" Nextel phones. Most receivers aren't set up to decode VSELP. Also, the hop time is around 5-6 hops per second. This all sounds great, but Moto has provided no way for the average user to change the hopping sequence. I've been using my unmodified DTRs to have someone come booming through on several occasions. In short, you only need the same DTR radio to monitor a DTR radio.

The TriSquares are not impossible to monitor, just difficult to monitor, unless you have the proper equipment and know what you're doing. The later half of that statement excludes your local cops. One can easily imagine, say, young gang members using such technology as a way of executing crimes, coordinating drug deals, etc. As far as the "black helicopter crew" having anything to do with it, I more tend to not believe that. However, one has to wonder why Moto did not incorporate the ability to change the hopping sequence (according to a personal code) in at least one of their DTR models, which would be quite difficult to monitor for all but the better funded agencies.

I thought about getting the DTR radios but it costs to high. Since I am on the MURS I am not worryed about them now.

 

[tj20]

I have a dtr550 and while not it is not impossible, it is a pain, you can make the dtr more secure. You can get a cable, that has an old connection that most computers don't have anymore, or a keyboard you can buy to create your own private channel

Amazon.com : DTR Series Programming Cable : Two Way Radio Batteries : MP3 Players & Accessories

Amazon.com: Nextel I730/I830 Mini QWERTY Keyboard: Cell Phones & Accessories

Also don't think I am down on the trisqare radios I have two and use them

 

[KampingAnthony1AolCo]

I got some strange business on 467.6125 with a 233.6 PL and dont who it was. All they did was cuss.

 

[KampingAnthony1AolCo]

Nobody else notices this? You guys said it was a enjoyable thread until I put a poll on it.

 

[bravo14]

When I lived back home I use to hear people everyday passing by my place. Now where I live I don't hear nothing at all. When I live back home my buddy and I use FRS/GMRS we had a 2 tone setup where if we page each other cause sometimes we get people in the area have the same p/l tones. One day I sent out a page and someone came on and said honey did your fire pager go off? Husband comes back on and says I have to check and few seconds later he says no way my pager went off we are visiting and we are 500 miles away from home. His wife said that's odd a tone went across the channel. Husband comes back says oh well maybe they are paging their friends see where they are at.

 

[CaptDan]

bravo14 ..... not asking for an address or anything ..... lower part of nw florida ? Panhandle or up and over by Ocala ? Just curious.


Dan

 

[bravo14]

bravo14 ..... not asking for an address or anything ..... lower part of nw florida ? Panhandle or up and over by Ocala ? Just curious.


Dan

I'm in Bay County.

 

[KampingAnthony1AolCo]

Anybody notice kids are starting to use 15-22 on the GMRS.

 

[CaptDan]

thanks Bravo14 - i am moving to the gulf coast in the ocala area - will be putting up a repeater when I get settled in - most likely year or so down the road.

 

[CaptDan]

Tonight outside Princeton NJ - heard a couple of foul mouthed people on GMRS 20 running their mouth - asking people to argue with them.

Chicken littles hiding behind a radio - first time I really heard any traffic on FRS/GMRS in this area.

 

[MeddleMan]

been listening

As I am stranded in New Stanton, pa., I have been able to monitor passing travelers and kids and hotel employees where I am staying.