Some packet operations in the middle 2 meter packet segment (144.9 to 145.1 MHz) have report receiving interference from digital repeaters, and it has become worse as of early 2012.
If you think you may be receiving interference from digital repeaters, but aren't sure, here's a sample of what they sound like:
D-Star (note the short tone burst (squeak) at the start.)
MotoTurbo
These repeaters should not be in the packet segment and have not been coordinated by NARCC.
Some MotoTurbo stations will ID themselves using CW.
This is a list of suspected repeaters and frequencies, but it could change at any time:
D-Star:
(output/input)
144.9625/147.4625 W6DHS
144.9750/147.4750 K6MDD
145.0000/147.5000 W6CX
145.0400/144.6400 K6ACS
MotoTurbo:
(output/input)
144.9500/147.4500 W6UUU
144.9875/147.4875 W6TCP
145.0125/147.5125 W6JMP
Contacting the FCC
Instances of interference should be documented and reported to the FCC for enforcement. And please let us know too, you aren't alone, there may well be others on the same channel experiencing the same thing. (See the list of NCPA officers here or if you're on the NCPA remailer, let us know there.)
The FCC will want to know that you contacted the responsible party first and tried to get them to stop interfering.
1) Contact the person responsible for the interference, (for a repeater, that's the owner or trustee).
Explain to them the type and manner of interference they are causing and ask them to stop. Document all contact. Usually one or two e-mails should get the point across. If you don't get a response, send it as a certified letter with return receipt. The receipt indicates they received it or refused it. Either
way, this is proof that they were contacted. If they refuse the letter, that's evidence that they are not cooperating (a requirement of Part 97).
2) If the interference continues, contact the Amateur Radio Complaints Section of the FCC Enforcement Bureau, details can be found here.
The current enforcement contact person is: Ms. Laura Smith.
Some general recommendations when contacting the FCC:
• Contact them in writing; follow-up with a phone call.
• Include details and documentation of each fact. For example, include copies of your correspondence with the person who is interfering.
• Include URLs to band plans or other information that documents the factual validity of your claims. Since the interference is taking place in the middle packet segment of the 2 M band, it might help to note that the 2 M band plans on the NCPA web site and those on NARCC's web site both show 144.90-144.51 the same way. And furthermore, NARCC lists recognized individual repeater frequencies just as the NCPA lists packet frequencies. It would be worth noting that in the digital band plan, the middle digital segment is indicated as non-repeater.
• Make recordings of the interference. Include a description of what's on the recording.
• Be clear and concise. Don't make the FCC guess or assume what you mean.
• Focus on the one person responsible. Each amateur is responsible for their own station.
last updated March 23, 2012
Back to the home page