back to article Ofcom slaps down ham botherer

A 63-year-old man from Hull has pleaded guilty to driving by the homes of radio hams purely for the joy of interfering with their hobby. In a case brought by Ofcom, Clive McMurray appeared in Hull Crown Court and admitted operating a radio transmitter without a licence. He was given a four-month sentence suspended for 18 …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Why didn't he just buy the house next door and install Homeplugs?

    Then he could have wreaked havoc on the radio amateurs legitimately. Or so they say...

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

      1. Cazzo Enorme

        Re: HPA/UPA devices are susceptible to interference.

        I guess it's fair to assume you're a radio ham then. What's the fascination? Surely if it was about communicating with people the Internet offers better means to do so?

        (Genuinely interested, not implying there's anything inherently wrong with being a radio ham).

        1. This post has been deleted by its author

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Thumb Up

          Amateur radio is not a hobby....

          ....it's a way of life. And in this over-regulated world, it's actually very lightly regulated; you can dream up, design, build and operate just about any radio-based communications system you want to and no one will come and tell you that you're not allowed to do it.

  2. Andy Farley
    Joke

    Doesn't sound

    kosher to me.

  3. PaulWizard
    Megaphone

    A good start OfCom

    Now grow some balls and deal with organisations distributing interfering equipment (homeplug) as well as the single points of interference.

  4. AndrueC Silver badge
    Joke

    Confusion

    Maybe he's been plagued by spam and got the wrong end of the stick when someone explained what spam was :)

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Miserable old git

    I wonder what other spiteful things he gets up to?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    pre-internet troll

    Thats all the guy is, a pre-internet troll interfering with others enjoyment just for the hell of it.

    He needs to move into the 21st century and take his trolling online.

    Berk.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    "Operating a radio transmitter without a licence is illegal"

    This is not true. Engage brain before typing words.

    Are all people who use a mobile phone, Wi-Fi or a walkie-talkie criminals?

    1. Lottie

      I see what you're saying

      but I always though (and IANAL) it was a case of wifi etc being essentially "licenced when bought" as they operate in a free for civillian use spectrum and anything outside of that or above a certain power range needs a proper licence. I believe that some walkie talkies DO need licencing as well.

      CB operators used to piss me off as they interrupted my R/C cars signal.

    2. BristolBachelor Gold badge
      Pint

      License

      People using a mobile phone are using the license of the company that their phone is connected to.

      Wi-Fi is "license exepmt" which means that there is a general license to use the 2.4GHz band, as long as certain conditions are met (Max ERP, bandwidth used, out of band levels, etc.)

      Walkie-talkies are either "license exempt" as Wi-Fi above, or use the license of the company that provides infristructure (as mobiles above), or the operator has their own license, or they are dodgy nasty ones that mean that you are breaking the law.

      Now take your foot out of your mouth, and put in your hands to prevent typing any more nonsense.

      ¡Camarero! ¿Donde esta mi cerbeza?

    3. Anonymous Coward
      FAIL

      Engage your own brain first

      Wi-Fi operates in unlicensed radio bands and it's the network operators of mobile phones not the end-users who require licenses.

    4. Jim 59

      Transmitter

      Poor quality of trolling these days

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Cb

      is virtually licence free.

      WiFi is licence exempt because it is low power.

      The mobile phone operates on specific frequencies at pre-determined power and with specific protocols not under the control of the operator.

      Walkie-talkies are low power and licence exempt, on specific frequencies/ranges pre-determined by the manufacturer and the law in the country sold.

      Amateur radio is licence only and a test of knowledge has to be passed before operation can be legal.

      Amateur radio can use multiple frequencies from as low as a few tens of kilohertz to the high microwave frequencies and power from a few watts to the odd kilowatt (ish)

      We also have our own satellites in orbit and our own data network (worldwide)

      We get quite a few instances of deliberate interference from failed would-be amateurs, which provides some with endless fun tracking them down and having words with OfCom.

      We also get loads of interference from poorly constructed (so poorly as to be illegal) equipment.

  8. hplasm
    Joke

    But now-

    who stands before us and the broadcasts of the lizard overlords?

    What? You thought their transmissions came from above?

    Ha!

    Expect a rise in Alcan stock!

  9. nigel 15
    Grenade

    Homeplugs

    maybe he owned some homeplugs and was sick of getting sneered at by the HAMafia. I've been tempted myself.

    (i realise that the previous sentence could be read as me implying that HAM radio enthusiasts were hermaphrodites, this was not my intention, i was trying to imply that they are an organised militia like the Mafia.)

    there's a smokey up your backdoor.

    10-4 good buddy etc. etc.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      It's not your fault.....

      ....that the PLT devices on sale cause so much trouble, it is the fault of the people who failed to insist that they met existing EMC standards. PLT doesn't do anything that Cat5 and WiFi can't do, the only difference is that the mains wiring is already installed.

    2. peter_dtm
      Grenade

      take em back

      you need to take your illegal devices back to the supplier and complain that they are

      1) illegal

      2) not fit for purpose

      3) interfering with licensed radio services (illegal under UK; EU and international law)

      not moan about those who are operating legally. After all if you had legally compliant equipment and a HAM interfered with it you WOULD be able to get him shut down - and no doubt you would; why should HAMs not have the same rights ?

      of course that would imply you did some research and found out about the subject before commenting - american cb slang indeed

  10. TeeCee Gold badge
    Joke

    "...hopefully he'll now find a more productive hobby...."

    Purchasing a secondhand fire engine and going around hosing down groups of trainspotters springs immediately to mind.....

    1. Roger Greenwood
      Happy

      "..hosing down groups of trainspotters.."

      won't work - they will be wearing anoraks.

  11. Just Thinking

    Radio hams

    Whats the point. Don't we have Skype and stuff now?

    1. Fr Barry

      The point is...

      Radio will still work long after your internet connection and mobile phone network has gone down. Almost every country in the world which licenses amateur radio operation also has a dedicated network of operators who train and liaise with their local emergency services. In the event of some disaster (tsunami, earthquake etc) when power has been lost or the communications infrastructure damaged or overloaded radio amateurs can still deploy effective communication channels. These channels can be voice (analogue or digital) or digital (packet radio, amtor, psk etc) and can be local, national or international.

      Do you realise how much of your "skype" connection uses some form of technology based on or derived from wireless? Maybe a satellite broadband connection or wifi link is used. Designers are needed to develop such technologies and amateur radio has been a good starting point for many such engineers and designers.

      Transatlantic aircraft still use shortwave radio for communications and the frequencies they use are subject to varying propagation conditions. A world wide network of radio amateurs, who can devote far more time to propagation studies, still continues to provide valuable information to the professionals.

      And, it is a fun hobby to boot.

      73 de G4HDU

      1. Just Thinking

        My point was...

        In terms of befriending remote, random strangers (which, to be fair, radio hams were doing years before everyone else) the internet is a better solution. Loads more attractive women for a start (Second Life for example).

        1. Dave Bell

          Attractive women?

          I think you risk being horribly surprised when you discover what's behind the avatar.

          Morse code is nearly as bad.

          Stick with voice and hope they don't use a software voice changer;

        2. Steven Knox
          Paris Hilton

          @Just Thinking

          That attractive woman on Second Life?

          Yeah, she's a dude.

          The practically non-existent identity verification and incredibly low barrier to adoption for the internet means that you can have a wonderful conversation for hours, and have absolutely no idea whether the person you're talking to actually is, does, or believes, any of the things they've represented to you.

          As for Ham Radio, befriending remote, random strangers is not the core of the hobby, but one of the side benefits. As such, and given the barriers to adoption, it's less likely to be abused as it is on the internet (although it can still happen.)

        3. Slartybardfast

          Indeed

          "Loads more attractive women for a start (Second Life for example)."

          You only think they're women!

      2. TeeCee Gold badge
        Grenade

        Re: The point is...

        "Do you realise how much of your "skype" connection uses some form of technology based on or derived from wireless?"

        Yes, about the same amount as my car uses technology based on the Horse and Cart. Wheels, roads, suspension, steering, many of the rules of use, quite a bit actually. Trouble is that this does not mean that Carriage Driving enthusiasts these days contribute or have contributed to automotive design in any great way......

    2. Kibble
      Happy

      @ Just Thinking

      Just because there are alternatives to earlier communications technology does not mean that amateur radio hobbyists don't utilize newer technologies and explore these also.

      There are versions of VOIP programs that are available specifically for licensed hams: IRLP and Echolink are two examples. However radio communications can stand alone when the mains go down as has been mentioned previously.

      73 de KB7TIB

    3. Apocalypse Later

      The point?

      Why would anyone want to read? Don't we have video now? And those horse riding fools, don't they know about motorcycles? And amateur astronomers, you can get a much better view on the Hubble website. Heck, I can't see why anyone does anything these days.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Grenade

    Radio Hams

    For my pointless hobby I sometimes throw thin ethernet cable round the house despite having Ham destroying HomePlugs and two wireless networks AND cabled Cat5, funny what we sometimes do in the dubious name of fun.

    Leave the Ham's alone it keeps em busy and is mostly harmless, unlike train spotting.

    Anonymous cos i don't want the HAMafia after me either or the "Rail Enthusiasts"

    1. Norman Inglethwaite
      Megaphone

      Re. RADIO HAMS

      "Anonymous cos i don't want the HAMafia after me either or the "Rail Enthusiasts"

      I can't understand your panic. Remember your training Luke, '.. your crochet hook is a deadly weapon.'

  13. Sir Adam-All

    @Your Retarded

    they are license exempt - tard.

  14. andy gibson
    Happy

    Nothing new

    People used to do this back in the early 80s with CB radio. It was considered amusing to park outside someone's house and play some music so the occupier couldn't hear anyone else.

    If anyone was stupid enough to do it from a "home base" we'd track them down and cut the co-ax.

    1. The Infamous Grouse
      Thumb Up

      CB idiots

      Even better than snipping the coax was shorting the inner to the braid with a thumb tack or nail. It made little difference to the reception of local stations, so the idiots had no idea something was amiss. But when they keyed the mike their jamming range would be severly limited and, as a bonus, there was a good chance they'd eventually blow the output stages of whatever rig or burner they were using to pump out "Now That's What I Call Shite" on channel 19.

  15. Bogwopit

    Yay!

    Having been personally affected by this idiot I have to say bravo Ofcom, finally.

  16. Jeff Deacon

    In Amateur Radio, we have the only hobby with its own International Treaty!

    Let us also not forget that it was a radio amateur (Phil Karn, KA9Q) who made networking a practical proposition for the masses. He wrote only the second implementation of TCP/IP. His own web site tells the story at:

    http://www.ka9q.net/code/ka9qnos/

    and notes that it has now served its day.

    But elsewhere radio amateurs are still making progress in many forms of electronic communication.

    G1TRL

    1. heyrick Silver badge

      ka9q

      I remember that. A pig to set up, but a port of ka9q on RISC OS is how I first got online.

  17. SteveD

    Amateur Radio

    There is still a lot of point being an amateur. There are currently some very interesting experiments going on.

    And of course we used Amateur Radio in PARIS for the tracking

    G6UIM

  18. Alan Lewis 1
    FAIL

    @Fr Barry

    "...a dedicated network of operators who train and liaise with their local emergency services. In the event of some disaster (tsunami, earthquake etc) when power has been lost"

    Um, so how do you power your Yaesu or Kenwood when power has been lost... ;-)

    1. heyrick Silver badge

      @ Alan Lewis 1

      Those little cylindrical things they use to power bunnies with.

      1. Kibble

        Amateur Radio

        There are also alternative sources of leccy such as solar cells, wind, and water power. Radio amateurs as a group are very resourceful.

        Contesting during Field Day activities doesn't mean that a portable generator must be used: generally there are points given for low power usage. Sometimes for alternate power generation also.

        @ Just Thinking: Avatars in can be of any form in Second Life. Human, mechanical, beasties, or even puffs of smoke. But I have to admit there are some nice female bodies there. :)

    2. CapitalW
      Happy

      @Alan Lewis 1

      Ever hear of generators? I can operate for extended times on both battery backup and a generator in case the power goes out. Oh, I can also keep the food cool, place heated/cooled, and the well pump running.

      You have (possibly inadvertently) brought up another point. Many disasters do affect our antenna farms, but we have the knowledge and usually the resources to put a serviceable antenna back in the air (to get back on the air) in short order. This cannot always be said about municipalities (not knocking them as many have their radio systems serviced by an outside service vendor and do not have a staff of knowledgeable technicians as a result. They also may not have the budget to keep spare antennas, etc.).

      @ other posters:

      As has been mentioned, ham radio will be able to communicate no matter what happens to the Internet or phone systems (landline and cellular).

      Many large public evens would not be possible if not for the volunteer communications help from radio amateurs.

      During and after major events/disasters, municipal radio systems will be overloaded at best and destroyed at worst. At best, ham operations will take a lot of the load off the municipal system with both low priority and life saving communications, and at worst, will be the sole communications resource.

      73 de N3MTJ

    3. peter_dtm
      Grenade

      err car battery

      generator

      nicads

      car ( to charge car battery.....)

      ask the Katrina people; Haiti; or the Indians; Sri Lankans etc following the tsunami - one group of Amateurs kept coms going for a couple of weeks(supplied by airdrop with food & gas by the Indian Air Force..)) - before returning home to the UK & US from a ham holiday that became a disaster rescue mission. Even the Chinese rely on Amateur radio response following earthquakes.

      We have just had another GLOBSET exercise - that is a GLOBAL emergency communications exercise (emercoms) set up by amateurs under sponsorship of the ITU ( a UN body).

      The communications equivalent of the ICRC or Medicine sans Frontiers (both of whom happily use amateurs to supply emercoms too)

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Better respect these guys (and gals) - they might save our hides someday

    I'm not a ham operator[*], but I'm glad you guys exist - you will be our lifeline communications system when/if everything else fails. Sure beats the hell out of the prospect of not having any outside communication at all.

    * would like to learn someday, just haven't got around to it yet - not sure where to start though; am on a budget and landlord says no outdoor antennas, etc... I'll get around to finding out more someday.

    1. peter_dtm
      Happy

      find

      your local radio club

      UK - the RSGB www.rsgb.org

      US the ARRL www.arrl.org

      can always point you in the right direction

      if you are UK then your local RAYNET group will know who you need to see (ww.raynet-uk.net).

      RAYNET being the Radio Amateur Emergency Network - a bunch of (lunatic ?) hams who do emergency radio for fun

    2. John H Woods Silver badge

      Seconded...

      Have you noticed how Survivors, The Walking Dead, 28 Days Later etc could all do with some radio hams? Survivors was particularly funny with people getting lost - I know GPS drifts but I'm sure it would be usable for a few years.

  20. Argus Tuft

    .. / -- .. ... ... / -.-. .-- (sigh)

    .. - / .-- .- ... / -- --- .-. . / -.-. .. ...- .. .-.. .. --.. . -.. /

    ---... -.--.-

    (+ some random letters to get past the bot)

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    brapp

    trolling it oldskool stylee

  22. This post has been deleted by its author

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Grenade

    @Sir Adam and all others that didn't like my post

    So as I said, it is not accurate to say "operating a radio transmitter without a license is illegal". Your comments make no sense as you say you do not agree with my statement but then back it up with your own arguments.

    Some bands of RF are license-free / unlicensed, as some have helpfully pointed out. Therefore, it is not illegal to operate radio transmitters in these bands without a license. QED.

    I think also that certain individuals need to be aware of a device called a 'rhetorical question'. You see, when I asked whether Wi-Fi users were criminals, I knew that the answer was 'no'. I used the question in a vain attempt to persuade readers to think about the absurdity of the incorrect statement so that they understood the point. Obviously such things go way over some people's heads.

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