dodgy callsign

[Oggy]

Well said zippy my main point was ref to an m3 q callsign being used by a pirate thing is this could couse major problems for a new foundation holder on the air for the first time, speaking to this bogus m3 q callsign will in ofcoms eyes be in breach of the foundation holders licence, i hate pirates i know i used cb in the dark old days but i was not operating on frequencies other than the old 40 american cb channels, or using other peoples callsigns also i didnt know any better and i paid a high price from the dti for the short time i was hooked. As far as swearing to me dam,blast, pillock, idiot, and prat in no way is swearing now if i had said bollo@# or in fact fu€k or sh#t or cu#t thats dam swearing have a nice day 73-•-

Any more modified swearing your going to gain a ban.........you've had enough polite warnings

[MW6ZAN]

Ok oggy noted. guys you got to do what you do i learnt a lesson a quick sharp one back in 1979 all cb has done for me is cause grief to be honest, the brieftime i used cb back then was a magical time but the concequences for this were dire. In fact i have not used a cb since 1980, Went back to short wave listening untill 2011 came back into cb not really interested and took my foundation in 2012 i love amateur radio to the degree some times i do tend to get a bit carried away so if any members have got a bit offended opologies not intended take it as the ramblings of an old git. Best regards 73 -•-

[Oggy]

Alls fine then , I can see your getting a little wound up.
The easy thing for me would be to close the thread.....but whilst it is clean (ish) and a discussion is taking place we decided to let it run.

Dave

[NUBSTER]

Apologies accepted (well from me anyway) mw6zan (Pete I think that is your name ) just remember certain people are not all the same on radio, and some of us just like radio weather we are a pirate or not we just want to be good operators
73 Nubster (Martin)

[Transwarp]

Quite a spicy thread this one! Anyway my two pennies worth.....

Pirate operators or stations? Hmmm, Radio Caroline & Radio London are most famous. Radio Luxemburg, not a pirate station of course, but used massive power to feed the entertainment starved countries and we lapped it up.

So then in our little corner of playing radio. An unlicensed operator on ham bands? Well it's not the done thing really, and they don't stay long once folk know who they are. As long as they don't cause disruption then no problem, they'll either get fed up or maybe go legit. Freebanding? Yeah, think most have done (and still do) this. CBing or CB'er? Yep, I still use a CB. It's all radio, maybe some naughty operators and operating which is wrong and I don't condone such practice, but if well behaved then it's just playing radio.

We can get over passionate at times about our hobbies, just need to take a step back and a deep breath now and again. Share the love and be nice now people.

[MW6ZAN]

We had major problems down here summer of 2015 had major pirating on 433.500 su20 was going on for quite a number of months four full callsigns were up in arms about it but nothing got done ofcom got involved after i sent them a recorded file of the interference turned out to be a company over in the west country a garden centre using baofeng radios for internal coms. These cheap china specials should not be available to any one with out a licence and supply via ebay and amazon should be banned, when ofcom start to enforce the law in this country the better but im affraid to say the door has been opened and the cart horse has gone.

[kr0ne]

So an unwitting user was operating outwith the rules, almost certainly without realising and unaware that they were causing a problem.

Then, with a little bit of help from your good self, the regulator stepped in and helped bring the user into compliance with the regs and the problem was solved to the benefit of everyone...

Sounds like a really positive experience all round! Well done!

[MW6ZAN]

Well i would like to think they didnt know they were on a frequency that they should not have been on kr0ne, they have 16 pmr channels to use with dsc and ctcss normal pmr radios would have worked in a close range enviroment. But they must have been using illegal radios running full power i would think hitting me s9+10 incoming signal, well its streight across the water i think it was western super mare from what a gw3 said he dfd them. We have not heard them on since i would hope that ofcom pointed them in the right direction but as you said all ended ok

[Mattylad]

When you buy a bumfeng it comes pre programmed with lots of frequencies that your not allowed on.
As I told my son who uses one for Airsoft games, he should not be transmitting on a medical appliance frequency.

People just buy them and expect it to be programmed for legal UK frequencies - but that's not the case.

[MW6ZAN]

Ok mattylad i have 2 baofeng handies here got them from a uk supplier and mine were not pri progd had to enter via the keypad so maybe some are and some are not in my opinion these china specials are to easy to purchase by non licenced folk.

[NUBSTER]

But Baofengs are cheap thats why people buy them, and for someone who is wanting to start out on a Amature Radio hobby (which I thought it was trying to get new blood in to the hobby but with old hams moaning all the time no wonder nobody wants to get in it )is good ,why should someone have to pay Icom ,Yaesu ,Kenwood handie prices they may not like the hobby and then they haven't wasted a load of money , and as for people who are as you say non licenced folk its not always their fault because if you dont know about radio rules or never used a radio before all they are to them are walkie talkies ,so instead of moaning about people using them in garden centres and other business , what about you so called knowledgeable hams that moan about everyone and anything offer advise in some way to businesses on what type of radio communication to use

[Admiral]

in my opinion these china specials are to[sic] easy to purchase by non licenced folk.

That's because you don't actually need a licence to buy one Einstein.

You don't need a driving licence to buy a car, but you need one to drive it on a public road.

I like you MW6ZAN because I thought I talked crap, but you make me look sensible.

[wardster]

We had major problems down here summer of 2015 had major pirating on 433.500 su20 was going on for quite a number of months four full callsigns were up in arms about it but nothing got done ofcom got involved after i sent them a recorded file of the interference turned out to be a company over in the west country a garden centre using baofeng radios for internal coms. These cheap china specials should not be available to any one with out a licence and supply via ebay and amazon should be banned, when ofcom start to enforce the law in this country the better but im affraid to say the door has been opened and the cart horse has gone.

I've been reading this thread with one eyebrow raised against the other, a bit Spock style for a while, and I wonder if MW6ZAN - sorry, Pete, can answer me a few questions.

Whoa! So if these "cheap china specials" shouldn't be available to tom **** or fanny, then who is going to regulate this?
Are you going to personally man the gates at the docks checking all parcels coming from China?
What about Yaesu, Icom or £££brand equipment? Will they also be subject to regulations etc?

And I'm unsure what you mean about four full callsigns? Do you mean they have full callsigns, like G0ABC or perhaps, geographically more correct in your instance, GW0ABC? Or do you mean callsigns with just G0AB or GW0AB?

Or do you mean full licence holders, as in, they are holders of a OFCOM issued Full Radio Amateur Licence? As far as I was aware, interference to radio users isn't exclusive to Full Licence holders. You can be a SWL and if you are getting interference, then OFCOM can make investigations. I'm sure if my baby alarm went off again due to RF interference, then my O/H, as lovely as she is, there wouldn't be an investigation by OFCOM. She isn't a licence holder, but there may be an investigation to find out how a microphone got shoved up somewhere the sun will never shine.
Besides, how many staff do you think OFCOM has to investigate interference issues? I'd say they would be more interested in investigating the latest pirate radio station blotting out BBC Radio Cardiff.

Anyhoo......

I've had a couple of these cheap little Baofengs, and yes, they are cheap. They aren't bad bits of kit, but cheap to fulfill a market.
Bought simply on the basis that if I drop the damn thing or my little one pukes all over it, I'm not going to have a bad day. I'm surprised at the coverage you are quoting though, because I can bet they are using the stock antennas. (I'm presuming UV-5 variants)
Cardiff to Weston Super Mud, lets say 13 miles as the crow flies. On 70cm? Was the garden center on top of a hill?

What about Little Tommy who's discovered this radio lark from a science experiment at school. Via the interwebs and help from friendly other Amateur Radio Enthusiasts, Little Tommy (who is 13 years old and is a regular member of his local Air Cadet Squadron) finds this out;
I quote from http://rsgb.org/main/faq-2/how-to-becom ... ateur-faq/

"If you’re a member of the Air Cadets, preparing for your Communicator’s badge, and have passed the ACO Equivalent examination, this is accepted by Ofcom (the amateur radio license issuing authority) as the exact equivalent of the RSGB Foundation examination, and no fee is incurred.
There is no age limit for taking the examination (although candidates must be of an age where they are able to read and understand the training book, be able to recognise and use fractions and decimals, and be able to sit a formal examination)."

But Little Tommy's Mum isn't flush with money. Who is these days? He asks for a PROPER AMATEUR RADIO MUM, LOOK! I'VE PASSED MY EXAMS!
Mum goes onto the Interwebs and finds a cheap Baofeng for £20 odd quid.
Cheap enough for Mums budget? Check.
Amateur Radio transceiver? Check.
Fairly solid so when it hits the deck when Little Johnny falls out a tree trying to get extra elevation to hit a distant QSO it survives? Check.

Think about things clearly. Lets say your O/H wanted to buy you a surprise present, but shes not a licence holder. Off she goes, to your local RadioWorld / Waters and Stanton etc (other dealers are available, please send a SAE and a £5 Postal Order for further information).
Then, the RSGB Gestapo unit is waiting in the back room......
Achtung! Nein! You - Mrs MW6VAN cannot buy this equipment! For you - cooler! 6 weeks!

Or something like that. Perhaps the Russian Salt Mines would be more appropriate?

Theres an old saying that I was taught by a wonderful old English teacher in First School .... "Put your mind into motion before you put your mouth into gear".

Ahem. Puts soap box back into garage.

[MW6ZAN]

Ha ha ha nice try not interested good day may your god go with you. 73 -•-

[wardster]

Ha ha ha nice try not interested good day may your god go with you. 73 -•-

I'm actually being rather serious.
Unless of course you don't have any valid answers to backup your suggestions?