bad language on repeaters

[KC9LKW]

How does one deal with bad language, and inapropriate topics on a repeater? It is a local repeater, so most convient for me to use. I believe bad language,and topics such as that the towers didn't come down because of the planes, but by other means isn't apropriate on a repeater. You know kids are always listening. I do believe in one having there opinion, but i think there is a time and place to give it. There is even a guy who talks about his illegal substance deals. It can get crazy here sometimes. How would you suggest dealing with this when it happens?

[K5TEN]

For decades, hams have used one simple device to bring rule breakers, law breakers, intrerlopers, bootleggers, QRM'ers, and other riff-raff...a tape recorder. While it's hard to find a good cassette recorder anymore (out-dated technology) there are other alternatives out there. I was lucky to get in on the "mini-disc" craze in 2000 for it's very short run. (It was quickly outdated by CD-ROM burning technology). They are still available pretty cheap on Ebay.

What's nice is you can plug it into the earphone jack of any HT, or even use a converter jumper to plug it into the hearphone or speaker jack of any HF radio. You can then digitally record audio in near stereo digital quality. Once it's recorded, it can easily be either turned into .wav files than can be emailed, or converted to other audio files than can be burned to CD.

Once you have recorded your "evidence" note date and time in GMT, the frequency, Call Sign of repeater, and any other details you can. If the rule/law breaker signs their call--that's even better. If not, a digital recording of their own voice being played back to them by FCC officials or local law enforcement is pretty damning.

If it's an FCC issue, contact your state Section Manager (available on the FCC website) and see if they will relay it to your local Official Observer crew and they will handle it from there. If your evidence is compelling enough, the OO's will monitor, triangulate, and then send signed reports to the FCC Enforcement DIvision. If you check the arrl website under "Enforcement Actions" you see a long list of not only warning letters but official NOAL (Notice Of Apparent Liability) letters FINING people up and sometimes more than $10,000.

If it's a law enforcement issue (drugs, criminal activity, etc.) turn the CD and whatever notes you have taken over to local law enforcement, city, county, or state authorities, depending on who might be most interested in handling it. All three wouldn't hurt. If you have callsigns--well, then you can get addresses as well. Really, for lawbreakers, that's all you can do and hope they take a pro-active stance in putting them behind bars.

If no one takes the steps to stop it....it will only get worse.

73


Bruce

[Jerry]

The repeater owner / trustee who is named on the license - is the person that is responsible.

All you have to do is record it, send it in to the FCC.
Don't even bother with the ARRL

The repeater owner has the obligation to monitor their repeater and control it.
If it is not being controlled and illegal activities are taking place on the repeater, then the repeater should be shut down and the trustee / owner should have their license revoked.