Dave I hate to tell you but we have one in Vancovuer, Canada as well. So
it's not just Southern California that has the problem with fowl mouth
operators. I was making adelivery in Vancouver, British Columbia when I
dialed into one of the local 2 meter repeaters and I couldn't believe my
ears. The language was so fowl that I've removed that frequency from all my
radios. Like yourself I though I was listening to the CB in the truck in
stead of a amateur radio repeater. I'm a truck drive and ruff language is
part of the trade, but not on the air ways and least of not on amateur
radio. I've been involved with amateur radio for 43 years and yes I had a CB
license back when we had to pay for them too. In the old days it was a
required item in a truck and it still is if you do the I-5 corridor from the
Canadian border down and back once a week. Let's face California produce is
a hot commodity in Canada, we don't grow oranges up here, something to do
with the misquitoes the size of humming birds, hi hi.
But like your problem in southern Cal, we have almost the same thing in
souther BC, sadly do say. I remember when this paticular repeater VE7RAG use
to be the one to have good contacts on. For an old truck driver it was a God
sent when I couldn't find the place I had to deliver too, all it took was a
"anyone know where this place is" and my call and I would have people
climbing all over each other to tell you where and how to get to it. But
now, forget it, the polite curtious operators have all but given up on this
repeater. I can only hope they clean it up before 2010 when the Winter
Olympics are on, it would not be a nice picture to paint for our hobby and
for Canada's reputation either.
I remember the days when you didn't dare make a mistake and let a swear word
out over the air. You would get a citation in the mail registered and a
knock on your door by DOC (Canadian version of the FCC) to inspect your
station. Too many budget cuts have turned our hobby into the next CB band(s)
I'm sad to say.

73 all...de ve7agw
Al


"Dave Hildebrand" wrote in message
enga.com...
Something tells me that this didn't begin in Southern California, although
we've been accused of it the last thirty years (and then some). The banter
on this NNTP-feed sounds so familiar, I almost feel as though I know
everyone here!!!

HF bands, like any other band when popular (i.e. skip, et al) get crowded,
and hams "electronically-elbow" each other at times. (Yes, people were
more polite once upon a time.)

Best thing to do is stay out of each other's ways -- in Los Angeles, we
have one main (2m) repeater where people "do their thing," and the users
of other repeaters usually lock that frequency (147.435 MHz) out of their
radios, for fear that their ears may fall off. Many HF locals here know
each other by their VHF personas, and it can be downhill from there.

If anyone finds such a repeater or user group objectionable, then consider
not having a toilet. (No loo = poo.) Some hams need playgrounds, and we
should all be glad that they're the

http://www.435.org

HF, unfortunately doesn't have any such groups as of yet to confine their
activities to any particular place. (To my knowledge, anyway. Though the
AMers of yore had some solidarity against the SSBers.)

Repeaters are communities ("virtual communities" of perhaps the oldest
electronic network still in existance), and therefore, have their own
"community standards." And ham radio is also a hobby that we've probably
all taken too seriously at times. 73s, all...

...Dave, N6BHU


On Sat, 11 Mar 2006, Graeme Koch wrote:

I have also heard this same type of behaviour on a Melbourne repeater
just 3
days back and it involved 2 full call operators at first, then another
operator joined them and tried to quell the situation but without any
luck.
I myself have just joined the amateur ranks and was very disapointed to
hear
this sort of thing happening, this is something I would have expected to
hear on the CB bands, but not on amateur radio. I can only hope this was
an
isolated incident as I achieved my licence to get away from this type of
activity.

Cheers and 73`s to all.

Graeme VK3FTTG
"Cosmo" wrote in message
u...
I'm currently listening to 7.070Mhz. The time is 19:20EDT

I find the operations by some licensed amateurs and perhaps a pirate
station
is just appalling. Operators and I use the word loosely, making threats
at
each other, whistling over each other and discussing tracking operators
down
to sort them out!
It sounded like the 27Mhz CB band back in the mid seventies.

I can remember when amateurs took pride in their operating practices
and
gentlemanly behaviour. If this what it is to become why would anyone be
attracted to the hobby unless perhaps they are an ignorant thugs. It
appears
to me and I know I will be condemned for this, but we seem to have
accepting
lower standards in more ways than we expected.

I believe that simply ignoring these operating practices and these
operators
will allow segments of the bands to become no go ghettos. A completely
unacceptable and un-Australian outcome.
I also believe that the looming threat to this great hobby come from
within
as mach as from outside forces, and there fore suggest that something
akin
to intruder watch be applied to monitoring amateur operations as I
think
the
authorities response will be that we need to self regulate.

I am offering this observation for discussion and we be keen to see
what
others think!

Cheers

Peter VK3YSF