Marine Radio - Illegal Use

[mkewman]

IMPORTANT: Before you go sending letters to the FCC, you should check to see if anyone is licensed to use those frequencies in your area. The FCC licenses marine frequencies in inland areas. An example of this is that 2 Marine Frequencies (Channel 24 and Channel 25) are licensed to a Public Safety Trunked system in northern California. (Placer County CIRN)

Not many people know this.

 

[Jimru]

IMPORTANT: Before you go sending letters to the FCC, you should check to see if anyone is licensed to use those frequencies in your area. The FCC licenses marine frequencies in inland areas. An example of this is that 2 Marine Frequencies (Channel 24 and Channel 25) are licensed to a Public Safety Trunked system in northern California. (Placer County CIRN)

Not many people know this.

I sure didn't know this!!

 

[nd5y]

The FCC auctioned off VHF Public Coast licenses in 1998.
FCC Auctions: Summary: Auction 20
In the inland VPC areas there is no telling what you might find on those frequencies. I haven't checked to see if the frequency the OP posted is one of them.

 

[Thunderknight]

Since 16 is a guard channel, I doubt that one would be auctioned or licensed for lmr.

 

[nd5y]

Only the nine VHF Public Coast channel pairs were auctioned.

 

[ecps92]

???
Did you even look at the Freq the OP posted ??

The FCC did not, will Not , every Not license that for anything but what is was originally allocated for. :roll:

IMPORTANT: Before you go sending letters to the FCC, you should check to see if anyone is licensed to use those frequencies in your area. The FCC licenses marine frequencies in inland areas. An example of this is that 2 Marine Frequencies (Channel 24 and Channel 25) are licensed to a Public Safety Trunked system in northern California. (Placer County CIRN)

Not many people know this.

 

[ecps92]

Thank You ! Common sense

Since 16 is a guard channel, I doubt that one would be auctioned or licensed for lmr.

 

[Jimru]

I recall years ago, while working as a projectionist at a conference in New York City, I noticed the show photographer and his assistant using marine HTs to communicate. They were using Ch. 16!

I had a chance during a break to ask where they were from, and it was out West somewhere (don't recall, but they were land locked), anyway, I explained that NYC is one of the busiest maritime ports in the world and convinced them to use another channel, one used for chit-chat for civilians, and to use low power.

I had my scanner with me and I confirmed (to myself) that they followed my advice.

The photographer said that where they came from, they were always the only users on that, or any other, channel!

Fortunately, the conference was being held during the winter, so there really was no one else on the air during that week, on the channel they changed to.

 

[bill4long]

The FCC would DF it and document it themselves. All they need is somebody to report it.

Absolutely correct. DF'd location by hams might be helpful as a way of adding weight to a complaint, but the FCC's DF equipment is fantastic and will make quick work of these illegal operators, if, in fact, they really are. So go ahead and report them. The FCC will not put up with anyone bootlegging on the marine channels.

 

[bill4long]

I explained that NYC is one of the busiest maritime ports in the world and convinced them to use another channel, one used for chit-chat for civilians, and to use low power.

I hope you told them about MURS. Or FRS if the guy was a cheap skate.

 

[Jimru]

I hope you told them about MURS. Or FRS if the guy was a cheap skate.

This was in the early 1980's, so, no...

 

[Darth_vader]

CB.

Did they even have GMRS back then?

 

[Jimru]

CB.

Did they even have GMRS back then?

I don't believe they did. As for CB, were there any decent handie-talkies back then for CB? I don't think so.

Anyway, they were out of harm's way, so far as interference to critical comms (I got them off 16, 13 and working port channels). There really was no one pleasure boating in February or March in NY harbor, so that is all I cared about at the time.

 

[n5ims]

I don't believe they did. As for CB, were there any decent handie-talkies back then for CB? I don't think so.

No, GMRS hadn't been created then, but there was Class A CB, which was quite similar (UHF FM frequencies, etc.) and was the service that became GMRS.

There were several 100 mW CB walkie-talkies that worked pretty well, required no license and had similar range to what the FRS radios now have (note, that's actually range, not what the packages claim). There were also some higher power (2 watt and even some 5 watt ones) that had greater range, but required a standard CB license to use. We used several of various power levels made by Midland that worked quite well. The higher power ones did tend to eat batteries as you might expect.

 

[wtp]

google

or you could google gmrs and read the fcc site about it
i remember a neighbor of mine in the late 60's on gmrs

 

[ecps92]

Nope, as stated it was "Class A CB" not GMRS

or you could google gmrs and read the fcc site about it
i remember a neighbor of mine in the late 60's on gmrs

 

[K4APR]

There were several 100 mW CB walkie-talkies that worked pretty well, required no license and had similar range to what the FRS radios now have.

Another option back then would have been the old FM 49 MHz channelized HT's that were sold by RadioShack under the Realistic name. I think there were a few others out there too. I had a couple of the RS ones when I was a kid. Five channels, squelched and crystal clear FM audio. They were actually pretty nice and were only about $50 each.

 

[NML-21]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; U; en-US) Gecko/20081217 Vision-Browser/8.1 301x200 LG VN530)

Or we can just make note of it, and since it's unlikely that they are interferring with valid users, leave it at that. Maybe someone from the FCC will see this thread, and be bored enough to investigate, or have it investigated.

Actually, they are already investigating......

I will give you guys hints....

What is located in Scottsdale AZ and is a military contractor (a very big one)?

What contractor is in charge of developing and implementing the Coast Guard's Rescue 21 system?

Which contractor has set up multiple, fully capable RFF's in and around the greater Phoenix area to test updates on Rescue 21 system before full deployment to Coastal USCG Sector's?

 

[RohnsRadio]

good copy. out

 

[AF0DJ]

A slightly humorous situation developed here in western So Dak. We have a rather large lake with quite a few sailboats based on it. Most of us and many power boaters in the area have and properly use marine band VHF radio. Because of this the park rangers in the area monitor Marine 16 in case of an emergency on the water. So one day we hear some guys seemingly coordinating and Elk hunt on the radio....on 16.
Only a few problems with that. One against the law to use radios in conjunction with hunting in SD. 2. It wasn't Elk season. 3. always illegal to use a marine channel when ashore unless especially licensed for that purpose.
Well of course they were broadcasting their location so it was nothing for the rangers to go over and arrest them. They lost their rifles, their radios, permission to hunt inthe state for a few years and oh yes, their pickup trucks that they were using in conjunction with their attempted poaching.
Yep, 156.800, Marine emergency channel comes right up on most marine handhelds when ya turn them on.