The intentional interference that has occurred on this system over the past year + is an interesting example of the current state of amateur radio. Cheap radios, deteriorating social norms, and easily obtained amateur licenses, have certainly impacted the ham radio hobby.
It is my understanding that the FCC has little to no intention to address the issues, even though the primary “offenders” of the interference have been identified. That is another interesting aspect to the hobby in this day and age. The very agency that regulates the bands on which amateurs operate, refuses to enforce it’s own rules, citing funding issues. Sounds much like the FCC of the 1970’s, when they revised the rules pertaining to the Citizen’s Band service. And the FCC permits the ongoing harassment of licensed amateur operators, at the hands of sociopaths who enjoy harassing and annoying people.
While I may agree that certain licensed amateurs appear to be the lightning rod, attracting the focus of the interference, it has spread to other repeater systems and targets random ham operators, as it has been allowed to continue unabated. And should a licensed ham be forced off a repeater because he or she is the focus of this interference, even though that licensed operator is operating properly ? It is an interesting situation (and I am aware of the long history of any specific operator that may be the intended target of such interference).
I find it interesting that the trustees of the N3KZ system will choose to shut the system down, and allow the few people that cause the interference to impact many licensed hams that adhere to the rules. That seems to be another trend that occurs in our world these days. Yield to the few who yell the loudest, while ignoring the masses who go about their lives within the confines of the rule of law and common sense.
If I was a betting man, I would put it all on the FCC eventually making the amateur radio service a “license by rule” operation. It appears that way to me already.
