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I assume you're being downvoted because of the terms you're using, but you're not wrong. Extra class licensee here. On phone (Single Sideband "SSB" or FM typic

I assume you're being downvoted because of the terms you're using, but you're not wrong. Extra class licensee here. On phone (Single Sideband "SSB" or FM typically, for those not familiar with the terminology, where you use radio for voice rather than data/Morse) I've heard all kinds of absolutely reprehensible things. In one single conversation where a man was ranting about mask mandates, he managed to throw in derogatory use of the word "retarded," toxic masculinity insults, homophobia (including equating it to bestiality), racist innuendo, and even a call to arms to kill our governor if they wouldn't stop this mask mandate. Myself and others tried to temper the conversation and return to civility, but they wouldn't have it. It's one thing when people say these things in two-way conversations on HF, with lots of frequencies available to change to if you don't like what you hear. It's another when it's on the local FM repeater with a single frequency shared by thousands of people. In order for amateur radio to thrive, it needs to be a welcoming and inclusive place to everyone. Young scouts - children! - of all genders, races, and backgrounds are learning ham radio and tuning into their local repeaters or working HF. I can't imagine what they or their parents thought if they happened to be listening in at that moment. Hams need to all be good to each other, and keep the negativity, insults, bigotry, and politics for your social media pages. Let's get back to talking about propagation, antennas, RFI in the shack, debating FT8, doing emergency prep, or even just discussing the weather.

riffic 6y ago
Radio is public. These people need to be named and shamed. An automated system for recording and archiving these public transmissions with their call signs attached as tags would probably be a good first step.
- bityard 6y ago
  That's an understandable reaction but it's the wrong one. People like that say the things they say for the attention it attracts to them. They are not ashamed of their dumbass bigoted opinions otherwise they wouldn't be transmitting halfway around the world in the clear. If you engage them in any way, even to try to shame them, you have already given them what they want. They are the trolls of amateur radio. The right thing to do is what most of us hams do: spin the dial and find someone more pleasant to talk to.
  - riffic 6y ago
    There was a good thread on reddit about this recently and I firmly agree with this comment about how useless "spin the dial" is: https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/iatqth/a_lot_of_blatant_racism_on_my_local_repeater_is/g1rhoaw/ https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/iatqth/a_lot_... social ostracization and penalty has its time and place, and this is one of those occasions. Same reason cars have number plates.
    - jimhefferon 6y ago
      I hear you, but the flip side is that this is a hobby. I did not get in it to get mad.
      - riffic 6y ago
        not mad at all. My take is that radio is not an ephemeral medium. These transmissions can be slurped down by an SDR, recorded, stored, analyzed, tagged, fingerprinted, indexed, et cetera. By keying up you are effectively making a statement of public record. At the moment there isn't a financial incentive to perform this at any reasonable scale, but this doesn't mean that it can't be done at all.
        monksy 6y ago
        This is a very extreme and authoritarian response to a very vocal minority. Who decides what isn't "compliant" with the rules you want to shame them for?
        riffic 6y ago
        Just record it all and make it indexed/searchable. Not discriminating here, just want to make it easier to correlate statements to the public record with public call signs.
        monksy 6y ago
- fat_turdsicle 6y ago
  It kills you that you cannot control views different than yours doesn't it? It's called freedom of speech and applies to ALL views. Even pro-censorship conformist ones like yours. Even though I disagree with your post I don't down vote it or attempt to censor it. It his RIGHT to spout off nonsense just like it is yours.
- redwall_hp 6y ago
  You already have to drop your call letters every few minutes while you're on-air, by FCC regulation. HAM radio transmissions are also subject to FCC restrictions on "obscene or indecent" language. If it crosses the line where it wouldn't be allowed on over-the-air TV, it's not allowed on HAM radio spectrum. You can report it, and with evidence it can lead to nasty fines and/or revocation of license.
m0xte 6y ago
You want to hear some of the crap I hear on 2m in London UK. I dumped my HT in the end so I don’t get annoyed. CW and FT8 are generally best if you don’t want to deal with that sort. CW is much harder to put the effort in to be a dick and FT8 doesn’t have being a dick built into the protocol.
- paulirwin 6y ago
  I love FT8/FT4. It's a safe place for introverts and those turned off by the vitriol on phone to experiment with propagation and get awards. But I want phone to be a safe place, too.
  - m0xte 6y ago
    Completely agree. Perhaps we should get on air and outnumber them :)
monksy 6y ago
Yes. There are different people with vastly different values out there. > Myself and others tried to temper the conversation and return to civility, but they wouldn't have it. You're feeding into their behavior. IMO We're seeing a huge conflict in culture: one side that is authoritarian against unpleasant language and the other that doesn't accept that (or the suggested changed). (That's a very simplified view of it)

riffic 6y ago

Radio is public. These people need to be named and shamed. An automated system for recording and archiving these public transmissions with their call signs attached as tags would probably be a good first step.

bityard 6y ago
That's an understandable reaction but it's the wrong one. People like that say the things they say for the attention it attracts to them. They are not ashamed of their dumbass bigoted opinions otherwise they wouldn't be transmitting halfway around the world in the clear. If you engage them in any way, even to try to shame them, you have already given them what they want. They are the trolls of amateur radio. The right thing to do is what most of us hams do: spin the dial and find someone more pleasant to talk to.
- riffic 6y ago
  There was a good thread on reddit about this recently and I firmly agree with this comment about how useless "spin the dial" is: https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/iatqth/a_lot_of_blatant_racism_on_my_local_repeater_is/g1rhoaw/ https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/iatqth/a_lot_... social ostracization and penalty has its time and place, and this is one of those occasions. Same reason cars have number plates.
  - jimhefferon 6y ago
    I hear you, but the flip side is that this is a hobby. I did not get in it to get mad.
    - riffic 6y ago
      not mad at all. My take is that radio is not an ephemeral medium. These transmissions can be slurped down by an SDR, recorded, stored, analyzed, tagged, fingerprinted, indexed, et cetera. By keying up you are effectively making a statement of public record. At the moment there isn't a financial incentive to perform this at any reasonable scale, but this doesn't mean that it can't be done at all.
      - monksy 6y ago
        This is a very extreme and authoritarian response to a very vocal minority. Who decides what isn't "compliant" with the rules you want to shame them for?
        riffic 6y ago
        Just record it all and make it indexed/searchable. Not discriminating here, just want to make it easier to correlate statements to the public record with public call signs.
        monksy 6y ago
fat_turdsicle 6y ago
It kills you that you cannot control views different than yours doesn't it? It's called freedom of speech and applies to ALL views. Even pro-censorship conformist ones like yours. Even though I disagree with your post I don't down vote it or attempt to censor it. It his RIGHT to spout off nonsense just like it is yours.
redwall_hp 6y ago
You already have to drop your call letters every few minutes while you're on-air, by FCC regulation. HAM radio transmissions are also subject to FCC restrictions on "obscene or indecent" language. If it crosses the line where it wouldn't be allowed on over-the-air TV, it's not allowed on HAM radio spectrum. You can report it, and with evidence it can lead to nasty fines and/or revocation of license.

m0xte 6y ago

You want to hear some of the crap I hear on 2m in London UK. I dumped my HT in the end so I don’t get annoyed. CW and FT8 are generally best if you don’t want to deal with that sort. CW is much harder to put the effort in to be a dick and FT8 doesn’t have being a dick built into the protocol.

paulirwin 6y ago
I love FT8/FT4. It's a safe place for introverts and those turned off by the vitriol on phone to experiment with propagation and get awards. But I want phone to be a safe place, too.
- m0xte 6y ago
  Completely agree. Perhaps we should get on air and outnumber them :)

monksy 6y ago

Yes. There are different people with vastly different values out there. > Myself and others tried to temper the conversation and return to civility, but they wouldn't have it. You're feeding into their behavior. IMO We're seeing a huge conflict in culture: one side that is authoritarian against unpleasant language and the other that doesn't accept that (or the suggested changed). (That's a very simplified view of it)