Who would QRM the Space Shuttle?

[K0KN]

Today I encountered one of the worst cases of bad Amateur Radio practice that I've ever seen.
 
As you may know, today, July 4, 2006 was a very important day for our manned space program. The Space Shuttle has not
been launched in about a year, and my family and I were looking forward to hearing the shuttle audio transmissions as retransmitted
by the Goddard Amateur Radio Club - http://garc.gsfc.nasa.gov/
 
I tuned in to one of the published frequencies (14.295 MHz) at approximately 1:15 pm Central time, shortly before the
launch was to take place. Two amateurs were rag-chewing on frequency, and periodically made comments about some
perceived QRM (Goddard ARC).
 
About 5 minutes before launch, I broke in and asked if they would please QSY off the published shuttle audio frequency,
and one operator (N1CH) replied that "I might let them hear some of the broadcast" and "We were on this frequency first".
 
Unfortunately, I did not have recording equipment available. I hope that someone else did.
 
While N1CH may have had the frequency first, no-one owns an Amateur frequency. Our ham licenses entitle us to a great privilege, but
along with the license comes a great responsibility to be a courteous operator. I tuned around 20 meters and heard scant activity, so it
would not have been a problem for them to QSY.
 
The Goddard transmitter, however, may well be rockbound and therefore not frequency agile.
 
Bottom line, I believe that N1CH acted in a way unbecoming an Amateur Radio Operator. The Goddard ARC club has provided the shuttle downlink audio for 22 years
on publicly published frequencies. These shuttle launches are not a daily occurrance by any means, but I gathered by the attitudes from the operators that this was not the first time they'd had a 'run-in' with the Goddard ARC.
 
I hate to think of what an SWL or perspective ham might have thought hearing the incident today. This was childish CB-type activity from an obnoxious,
arrogant person who somehow managed to get an Extra class license.
 
73,
 
Kyle Yoksh
KØKN
Olathe, Kansas
Amsat # 35249
VUCC Satellite # 150
ARRL Member
 

[KG4RUL]

You answered your own question: "no-one owns an Amateur frequency".  While courtesy would require them to vacate the frequency, no rule of law requres them to do so.

The only exception to this that I can come up with is a repeater.  The trustee can require anyone he desires to cease using the machine and that would have the force of law.

Dennis KG4RUL

[W3LK]

<< This was childish CB-type activity from an obnoxious,
arrogant person who somehow managed to get an Extra class license. >>

He passed the exam, just like every other Extra class.

Discourteous? Maybe.

Entitled to stay on the frequency because they were in QSO before NASA came on frequency? Sure.

73,

Lon - W3LK
Baltimore, Maryland

 

[W3LK]

While I am in a grouchy mood about whiners ...

<< Who would QRM the Space Shuttle? >>

No one QRMed the shuttle.  No one interferred with the operations or transmissions from the shuttle to NASA.

A _rebroadcast_ frequency had some other hams on the frequency. It may be nit picking, but allegations should be accurate if they are going to be made.

73,

Lon - W3LK
Baltimore, Maryland

[AA4PB]

The space shuttle rebroadcast is like any other net. The rule of law says that the rebroadcast should move or remain silent until the present users vacate the frequency. Common sense and courtesy says that the present users should voluntarily vacate the frequency because it is easier for them to move than for all the net participants.

It seems like the general attitude today is "I don't voluntarily give up anything for anyone".

[KB9CRY]

"I tuned in to one of the published frequencies"


Did you tune to one of the other published frequencies?

All good nets have an alternate frequency to use just in case the case you stated occurs, i.e. the primary frequency just happens to be in use and since no one owns a frequency in the amateur radio bands, even NASA, then a polite request may free it up and if not the proper thing to do is move to your secondary frequency.  

Phil

[KU4UV]

The polite thing would have been for them to QSY to another frequency, if indeed the band was plenty clear, but you wouldn't expect amateur radio operators to actually every be courteous to one another would you?  Granted, they did have a right to be on the frequency and not QSY if they didn't want to, but the polite thing to do would have been to move off the frequency for 8 minutes until after the shuttle reached orbit.  I used to listed to the GARC transmissions on my Sangean 818 before I had cable and could watch the shuttle launches on CNN or NASA TV.  Typical rude hams for you though.

73,
KU4UV

[W3LK]

I don't know any of the hams involved, but declaring "typical rude hams" is a bit over the top.

A word about 14.295 ...

The frequency has been a hang out for YEARS for a large group of hams from all over the country. It is rare when there is not a QSO going on it. These guys can be heard in the metro DC area every day of the year.

Personally, I think it's poor judgement on the part of the Goddard club (NASA has nothing to do with the frequency selection, BTW) to pick a very heavily populated frequency for a broadcast frequency, no matter what the subject matter.

Perhaps if someone from the Goddard club had come on the air and asked the folks in QSO if they would move for a few minutes, that would be one thing. But to start a broadcast without seeing if the frequency is another.

To tell people in an existing QSO to change frequency because you want to listen to something else on the frequency is just as rude and inconsiderate.

73,

Lon - W3LK
Baltimore, Maryland

[WA9SVD]

Also remember (beside the point that "they were there first,") that while the band may have seemed clear at YOUR location, with YOUR antenna, the band COULD have been crowded with signals at either or both ends of the conversation you tried to break up.
    It also depends on just HOW you requested the other hams to QSY:  was it a polite request, or more of a "demand" to get off frequency?