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Repeater Interference from Maritime Operations - Please Report


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Posted

All:

 

We operate two repeaters on the same channel in view of a major shipping port.   We have a recurring problem with maritime-related transmissions on our repeater uplink (input) most every week.   These users operate in direct mode, usually with no CTCSS encode.   Signal levels are often between -78 and -100 dBm, and are primarily from on-board handheld users.   This is strong enough to cause destructive interference to most all of our users, even those using 45 watt vehicular radios. 

 

We installed a scanning receiver at one repeater site and found that maritime transmissions occur on one or more of the following channels, every day of the week:

 

467.550

467.575

467.600

467.625

467.650  

 

If you are being affected by such traffic, please post or contact me here directly.  We are compiling information on how widespread this issue is for possible later action. 

 

Thanks 

Posted

Yes, we just suspended our travel tone today. Not sure why simplex maritime activity is using the travel tone anyway. also noticing more illegal activity and abuse on the input, likely also maritime since it seems to come and go. We are monitoring other channels for a more ideal location for a proposed future frequency change. So sad.

Posted

Yes, we just suspended our travel tone today. Not sure why simplex maritime activity is using the travel tone anyway. also noticing more illegal activity and abuse on the input, likely also maritime since it seems to come and go. We are monitoring other channels for a more ideal location for a proposed future frequency change. So sad.

Thanks for the note - interesting that you are seeing them use tones, particularly Travel.  Some of our maritime traffic uses 88.5, and some of their radios also have some type of tone "leak through" that can briefly false our Zetron panels.   And it just not their voices. 

 

We are using a Motorola SLR5700 repeater at one repeater site and its provides a web-based application showing real-time signal strength of the input signal and noise.  Very helpful.

 

So we can monitor the input audio without having the transmitter activate, we are going to downlink the receive audio directly from the discriminator using one of the IP-based remoterig products. 

 

If you have an option to move channels, I found that 675, 700 and 725 to have fewer problems. 

 

Greg   

Posted

you guys may find this helpful

https://radiofreeq.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/marine_vhf_uhf_international_2016b.png

also read this and pay attention to the splits on UHF

https://radiofreeq.wordpress.com/2016/02/20/marine-channel-frequencies-vhf-uhf-radio-programming/

have the same problems here, on almost any given day I can hear an oriental language on my inputs.

 

Thanks for these.  Our input frequency is shown as "non-US use" but we know this is what is occurring anyway.  We hear non-english speakers, and they sometimes use 88.5 Hz (confirmed by this list).       

Posted

 

If you are being affected by such traffic, please post or contact me here directly.  We are compiling information on how widespread this issue is for possible later action.

w/all due respect the FCC is going to do much about interference on the GMRS freq's. they have much bigger fish to fry than to worry about our little sliver of spectrum.

JE

Posted

w/all due respect the FCC is going to do much about interference on the GMRS freq's. they have much bigger fish to fry than to worry about our little sliver of spectrum.

JE

 

The likelihood of action is low, particularly since they may see this as an international issue that they can't directly control.  But they may only need to contact a few of the communication groups at the dominant shipping companies.   At least it might reduce the issue for a while.

 

They still have some resources, but they seem to be focused on broadcast the last few moths.  This is what they have been doing in the east lately (this is from one day of the Daily Digest):

 

__________

 

 SHANEKA N ABDUL-LATEEF.   By this letter, and pursuant to the Bureau's existing delegated authority the undersigned clarifies that the NOUO was sent in error, is rescinded, null and void, and has no legal or other effect.. Adopted:  11/20/2017 by LETTER.  EB . Contact Rizwan Chowdhry https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347910A1.docx

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347910A1.pdf

 

 

 NESTOR SANANGO; ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.   Notice of unlicensed operation issued for FM station on frequency 91.7 MHz in Orange, New Jersey. Action by:  Regional Director, Region One, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted:  11/20/2017 by Notice.  EB  https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347892A1.docx

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347892A1.pdf

 

 

 MACKINSON DESNA; ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.   Notice of unlicensed operation issued for FM station on frequency 88.7 MHz in Orange, New Jersey. Action by:  Regional Director, Region One, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted:  11/20/2017 by Notice.  EB  https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347890A1.docx

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347890A1.pdf

 

 

 KACY RANKINE; WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.   Notice of unlicensed operation issued for FM station operating on frequency 90.1 MHz in West Orange, New Jersey. Action by:  Regional Director, Region One, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted:  11/20/2017 by Notice.  EB  https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347889A1.docx

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347889A1.pdf

 

 

 N12 REALTY, LLC; GREAT NECK, NEW YORK.   Notice of unlicensed operation issued for FM station on frequency 90.1 MHz in Newark, New Jersey. Action by:  Regional Director, Region One, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted:  11/20/2017 by Notice.  EB  https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347891A1.docx

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347891A1.pdf

 

 

 CHANDRA PAUL ARJUN; ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.   Notice of unlicensed operation issued for FM station on frequency 95.1 MHz in Orange, New Jersey. Action by:  Regional Director, Region One, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted:  11/20/2017 by Notice.  EB  https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347886A1.docx

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347886A1.pdf

 

 

 DERRICK POWELL; EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.   Notice of unlicensed operation issued for FM station on frequency 99.9 MHz in East Orange, New Jersey. Action by:  Regional Director, Region One, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted:  11/20/2017 by Notice.  EB  https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347888A1.docx

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347888A1.pdf

 

 

 OAKWOOD AVENUE PROPERTIES, INC.; ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.   Notice of unlicensed operation issued for FM station operating on frequency 91.7 MHz in Orange, New Jersey. Action by:  Regional Director, Region One, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted:  11/20/2017 by Notice.  EB  https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347893A1.docx

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347893A1.pdf

 

 

 SANJIV JAIN, 439 MAIN STREET INC.; ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.   Notice of unlicensed operation issued for FM stations operating on frequency 88.7 MHz, 107.7 MHz, and 96.9 MHz in Orange, New Jersey. Action by:  Regional Director, Region One, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted:  11/20/2017 by Notice.  EB  https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347880A1.docx

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347880A1.pdf

 

 

 HANDSOME JIMMY FANNING, LEGENDZ TATTOO AND SMOKE SHOP; VERO BEACH, FLORIDA.   Notice of unlicensed operation issued for radio signals on frequency 90.5 MHz in Vero Beach, Florida. Action by:  Regional Director, Region Two, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted:  11/20/2017 by Notice.  EB  https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347882A1.docx

https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-347882A1.pdf

Posted

yeah, lots of pirate radio going on.

in the last yr I had one interference problem looked into that was moving through the GMRS input freq's. tuned out it was also getting into some PD and Fire radios across the river and a complaint was filed. it was found and taken care of.

Posted

This morning a cruise ship pulled into port and were coming through one of our PL tones. so now we have eliminated another tone. Between them and the Travel tone abusers the input has been busy all day.

Posted

This morning a cruise ship pulled into port and were coming through one of our PL tones. so now we have eliminated another tone. Between them and the Travel tone abusers the input has been busy all day.

 

I feel your pain.   The Zetron community tone panel we are using on both repeaters have a mode where it will repeat all traffic (like a carrier squelch mode).  However, if the incoming tone is one that is enabled, it will encode that on the output.  Otherwise it just uses no encode or a single encode code I set for carrier or "wrong code" traffic.   This does not impact our users as most run tone squelch, but allows me to hear all the maritime trash.  Or the unlicensed users...

 

G    

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

Or unlicensed users in Fort Lauderdale Port who didn't know about licensing <------- but who wants to learn to be in compliance and just obtained their license (ME!!!). I will be transmitting in FtL from cruise ships, and don't want to do anything improper. I just applied to use the FTL repeater as well. Hopefully, I'll hear back soon and get the proper settings so I am in compliance. Can someone from the FTL Repeater get in touch with me to ensure I am doing it properly? Thanks all for the great thread. 

 

Michael S 

Posted

Our "Travel Tone" is again active, however we are still catching a small amount of illegal interference. If you have trouble with that tone, let me know and I will give you an alternative.

Working through the settings on my Hand held, (HH?, WT? what is the proper term) to activate the repeater. A lot to learn for a newbie! 

Posted

So it's not a "walkie talkie" anymore, or am I just showing my age using CB radio?

Probably... Walkie-Talkie generally is used to refer to the cheapo FRS radios. Of course, there is no US department of radio nomenclature, so you are free do use whatever terms you want, even if it does annoy the natives.
Posted

Probably... Walkie-Talkie generally is used to refer to the cheapo FRS radios. Of course, there is no US department of radio nomenclature, so you are free do use whatever terms you want, even if it does annoy the natives.

Thanks... my background in walkie talkies is about 40 years ago, so I am wayyyy out of date :) 

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