4 ms·

This might be a dumb question, but is there any information out there about how much official monitoring goes on for amateur bands (and other bands, for that ma

This might be a dumb question, but is there any information out there about how much official monitoring goes on for amateur bands (and other bands, for that matter)? Are there strategically placed logging stations that allow triangulation of signal origin based on RSSI etc? I guess this stuff is super commonplace in SIGINT, I just don't know much about it.

op00to 6y ago
Depends on what you mean by official. The NRO has geostationary satellites whose sole purpose is to slurp up all RF across its footprint for later analysis. This is not used for FCC rule enforcement. In the Capitol area, it's highly likely multiple agencies are capturing all RF for later analysis. This is also not used for FCC rule enforcement. The FCC has the ability to locate signals using directionfinding equipment, but as mentioned elsewhere, usually that's left to Amateurs themselves on their bands.
sithadmin 6y ago
In the USA, monitoring is heavily dependent on the amateur radio community, both informally (average operators encountering, then reporting bad actors) and formally via ARRL's volunteer monitoring program (see: http://www.arrl.org/volunteer-monitor-program http://www.arrl.org/volunteer-monitor-program)
mikey_p 6y ago
I think is is a subtle reminder and hint not to use amateur or FRS/GMRS radios in planning things like that attack on the capitol.
chociej 6y ago
Hams routinely monitor and triangulate noncompliant stations, and also do staged "fox hunting" games for fun & prestige. But, I don't think it's routine or widespread to monitor the ham bands at scale for illegal or unsavory content.
- op00to 6y ago
  It's well known that certain frequencies in the 75m band are "watering holes" for conspiracy theorists and racists.
rmason 6y ago
When I became a ham back in the sixties the amateur bands were policed by the FCC themselves. They even had rolling vans with directional antennas. You even had to go to the local FCC office to sit for the license test of all but the novice license. I still can remember the sound Morse code made in the room with glass on all four sides. They looked in at you and for a kid it was like being in a fish bowl. But in a cost cutting move they handed over most of the monitoring of the ham bands over to volunteers organized by the ARRL. Testing was also turned over to volunteers and you no longer had to go to the local FCC offices. As a result the FCC personnel lost contact with hams. This in my mind is the only reason that this letter could have been sent. If they have proof that these communications are taking place they should say so. Hams do a lot of volunteer work in their communities and it's like the federal government all of a sudden feels they are untrustworthy. This did not sit well at all with the hams I know in our local community.
- moftz 6y ago
  I think its mostly people with Baofengs operating on MURS and GRMS bands. The prepper and tactical larper forums all talk about how to setup a Baofeng for unlicensed use at these bands. I hope all hams out there do their best to help monitor our airwaves and report any abuse.
  - syedkarim 6y ago
    There should be bounties for logging/recording unauthorized use in amateur or licensed bands.
  - rmason 6y ago
    If it's unlicensed use then why blame the hams? Restrict sales of radios to only licensed hams. There is a precedent here. CB'ers used to buy ham radio amplifiers and use them illegally. The ham band of 10 meters was close enough to the CB 11 meter band it could be done with little change. So manufacturers at the behest of the FCC started removing 10 meters from linear amplifiers. If you showed proof of licensing you could get a plugin to add back the 10 meter band.
ape4 6y ago
If there wasn't before there probably is now - at least around DC.

op00to 6y ago

Depends on what you mean by official. The NRO has geostationary satellites whose sole purpose is to slurp up all RF across its footprint for later analysis. This is not used for FCC rule enforcement. In the Capitol area, it's highly likely multiple agencies are capturing all RF for later analysis. This is also not used for FCC rule enforcement. The FCC has the ability to locate signals using directionfinding equipment, but as mentioned elsewhere, usually that's left to Amateurs themselves on their bands.

sithadmin 6y ago

In the USA, monitoring is heavily dependent on the amateur radio community, both informally (average operators encountering, then reporting bad actors) and formally via ARRL's volunteer monitoring program (see: http://www.arrl.org/volunteer-monitor-program http://www.arrl.org/volunteer-monitor-program)

mikey_p 6y ago

I think is is a subtle reminder and hint not to use amateur or FRS/GMRS radios in planning things like that attack on the capitol.

chociej 6y ago

Hams routinely monitor and triangulate noncompliant stations, and also do staged "fox hunting" games for fun & prestige. But, I don't think it's routine or widespread to monitor the ham bands at scale for illegal or unsavory content.

op00to 6y ago
It's well known that certain frequencies in the 75m band are "watering holes" for conspiracy theorists and racists.

rmason 6y ago

When I became a ham back in the sixties the amateur bands were policed by the FCC themselves. They even had rolling vans with directional antennas. You even had to go to the local FCC office to sit for the license test of all but the novice license. I still can remember the sound Morse code made in the room with glass on all four sides. They looked in at you and for a kid it was like being in a fish bowl. But in a cost cutting move they handed over most of the monitoring of the ham bands over to volunteers organized by the ARRL. Testing was also turned over to volunteers and you no longer had to go to the local FCC offices. As a result the FCC personnel lost contact with hams. This in my mind is the only reason that this letter could have been sent. If they have proof that these communications are taking place they should say so. Hams do a lot of volunteer work in their communities and it's like the federal government all of a sudden feels they are untrustworthy. This did not sit well at all with the hams I know in our local community.

moftz 6y ago
I think its mostly people with Baofengs operating on MURS and GRMS bands. The prepper and tactical larper forums all talk about how to setup a Baofeng for unlicensed use at these bands. I hope all hams out there do their best to help monitor our airwaves and report any abuse.
- syedkarim 6y ago
  There should be bounties for logging/recording unauthorized use in amateur or licensed bands.
- rmason 6y ago
  If it's unlicensed use then why blame the hams? Restrict sales of radios to only licensed hams. There is a precedent here. CB'ers used to buy ham radio amplifiers and use them illegally. The ham band of 10 meters was close enough to the CB 11 meter band it could be done with little change. So manufacturers at the behest of the FCC started removing 10 meters from linear amplifiers. If you showed proof of licensing you could get a plugin to add back the 10 meter band.

ape4 6y ago

If there wasn't before there probably is now - at least around DC.