Thread: Yosemite Sam
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Old March 1st 05, 02:42 AM
 
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As a general rule it is a really BAD idea to intrude onto ANY frequency
assigned to hams. We are somewhat protective of our shrinking radio
spectrum and will defend it strongly.
As an example, in 1980 or 81 the "Greatfull Dead" gave a concert in
Rupp Arena. Too bad for them their roadies used 70cM ham HTs to
communicate.
Within minutes they where warned to leave the 70cM hamm band. They
laughed at the hams. A really dumb idea. Every ham in the area with
70cM
radios joined in the fun. We held an series of nets. As the roadies
tried to switch freqs we followed. The concert started very late. They
had to borrow HTs from security to get anything done.
Were our actions illegal jamming?
No.
The intruders had no rights.
If this had been a life or death stituation, hams would have gladly
helped. Around the same time a young lady had her boyfriends HT to
listen to the gang. About 11:00PM she came on and said she felt "real
bad" and couldn't get off the couch to reach the telephone to call
911. We instantly brought up the 911 autopatch, had her explain the
situation. EMS was dispatched and her boy friend was told to head
for the hospital to meet her. The surgeons removed her apendix and
nothing was said about her "illegal" use of
her boy friend's HT. Because it wasn't illegal.
Set up shop on any ham frequency at your own risk.
It might take them a while to locate you.
But keep in mind that a lot of hams love to find low powered, and
sometimes mobile, foxes with transmitters. Compared to the task of
tracking down a fox, an idiot running a stationary high powered signal
is hunting in a baited field.
As another exaple we had a stranger show up on the 76 repeater one
afternoon. Trying to chat with the female IDer. It was clear that he
wasn't a ham, and likely had a stolen rig. We adopted CB handles, but
IDed every 10 minutes with our call letters. This brain trust even
agreed to meet wtih some of us. A cop who was also a ham joined the
party. After some converstion the idoit offered to sell us the "funny"
CB. He brought it in, and it had a set of call letters engraved. A
quick check of the Callbook gave us the owners address. The cop was
able to get his dispatch to track the owner down. And sure enough the
rig had been stolen. His police faxed a copy of the report and the cop
arrested the idiot. And when the searched the car they found a lot of
loot. The theif went away for a long time. Transporting stolen guns and

a trunk full of weed across state lines is a really, extremely bad
idea.
Don't mess with hams unless you are very smart.
Or want to have the FCC visit you some night.
Terry