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While scanning the GMRS input frequencies last week I found a strong repeater output operating on 467.550 MHz using a 118.8 Hz output code. It was heavily-accented maritime traffic. We found their input on 457.550 MHz (10.0 MHz lower). I presume they were using 118.8 in as well. There were there for 48 hours before departing out the Golden Gate into the Pacific. The choice of 118.8 is interesting as we get lots of spurious signals on that code (almost 2X 60 Hz??) most everywhere in the bay region - so most repeater owners have disabled that code. So this helps them hide. Yea, a conspiracy theory... Both the 467.55 and 467.575 have been taken over by maritime traffic here in the San Francisco area for many years (and sometimes includes 467.600, .625, .650 and .675), but it has always been direct mode/simplex. This is a disturbing development... I am bringing these incidents up because if we lose control of our repeater input channels, high-level (and some low-level) repeaters will become impractical. Greg KAF1291

The FCC’s Consumer Complaints page for reporting interference recently added a category for reporting interference to GMRS stations. Previously, there was no way to report issues specific to GMRS, but there was for Broadcast, Amateur, etc. This is a small but important development and may help combat the FCC’s recurring claim that “…we have received no reports of interference...”. This statement has been common in most all Part 95 and GMRS rule-making proceedings over the last few decades to help justify further encroachment of FRS and support other policies that licensed GMRS licensees generally opposed. We are not suggesting the Commission lied about the lack of complaints – they had not provided a way to report, categorize and centrally store them! The Northern California GMRS Users Group (NCGUG) encourages repeater owners and users to report recurring interference problems, such as unlicensed operation on repeater uplink channels, intentional jamming and abuse, and of course interference from FRS (co- or adjacent-channel). We have been reporting recurring interference from maritime operations on our repeater uplinks for some time. While the FCC rarely responds to such complaints, this may go a long way to eventually reducing the rising tide of interference sources that we all have to deal with. Brief instructions on how to use this site follow. ____________________________ https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us Create an account (different from your ULS account) File a complaint Radio Fill in Subject and Description Radio Issues: INTERFERENCE Radio Interference Sub Issue: TO LICENSED TWO_WAY RADIO SERVICES (LAND MOBILE, AVIATION, MARINE) Your Radio Method: PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES (CB, FRS, GMRS) Fill-in the remaining fields marked with “*”. The site provides a selection of “To Unlicensed Service (CB, FRS GMRS)” under Radio Interference Sub Issue. This incorrectly refers the GMRS as an unlicensed service, which it is not. While we have requested a correction, we recommend using the “Licensed….” selection noted above instead. Greg

Related to this topic: https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/1971-san-diegola-600-repeater-owners-ix-from-nxdn-idas-equipped-yacht/?hl=nxdn Vessel just passed by the bay area and started interfering with our 600 repeater again this morning. Yacht is now headed to the Seattle/Port Angeles area today. See this for current position: https://www.marinetr...7/vessel:LONIAN Only seems to effect 600 repeater inputs.