My company uses 2 way radios to communicate important information as well as call various codes that relate to the safety of our customers. I was aware that our radio frequencies are available to the public and anyone who wants to listen can…however, I did not know some random person could actually TALK to us whenever he wants! For the last month or so, a person has been answering radio calls, calling specific people who actually work there, calling codes (a very dangerous thing to do, and stressful for those of us trying to respond to an imaginary emergency), playing music, asking dumb questions, and just generally being a nuisance. If there is a real emergency, we cannot communicate it with other staffers if this guy is playing music on our radio frequency. Some days he is more active than others, but he is on the radio fairly frequently.
How is this person doing this? What equipment/licences would one need to do this? Anything we can do to stop it? Is there anything illegal about it? Please keep in mind I know nothing of radios, I just thought this might be a good place to ask my question!
Do you know the make and model of radio you are using?
The first thing to determine is whether you are using business radios on frequencies that have been assigned to your organization, or are you using itinerant or unlicenced frequencies.
If these frequencies have been assigned to your business or organization and someone else is using them, a quick call to your country’s communication regulator is required. They take these types of complaints very seriously because frequencies are assigned for this very reason; no one else should be interfering with your radio calls provided you are on your assigned frequency and within your assigned area. That’s why you pay for assigned business frequencies.
In the U.S., the FCC regulates the radiocommunications spectrum. In Canada, it is Industry Canada.
If these frequencies are not assigned specifically to you (for example FRS, GMRS, MURS or itinerant business frequencies) then you take your chances with everyone else. While inappropriate communications are illegal on these frequencies too, a complaint will be less of a priority when you are operating on frequencies open to everyone.
That being said, I suspect that someone is interfering on your own assigned frequency. This is a major violation of the law and will be investigated quickly. While there are many receivers that can pick up business frequencies, there are also a ton of inexpensive handheld HAM radios on the market that anyone can use to transmit on illegal frequencies.
So let us know if you are assigned your own frequency. If so, call the FCC (or your country’s equivalent) right away.
If not, we might be able to come up with better suggestions for more private communication. The bottom line is that business radios and assigned business frequencies are there for a reason - to conduct your business uninterrupted. As I said, that is what you are paying extra for.
1: If you are operating on frequencies that require a license:
If your business is not legally licensed to use the frequencies you are on, then you are operating as illegally as those interfering with you.
You then can do nothing.
2: If you ARE operating with a legal license on frequencies that require a license, then contact your country’s regulating body. Then there is a good possibility they will help.
3:IF you are operating on public use frequencies that do not require a license by anyone… then, you can contact your country’s regulating body… MAYBE they will help. Hit or miss.
If items 2 and 3 are applicable to you, you need to document the frequency, the time and date, any specific times (develop a pattern). Also make recordings of radio traffic, and send it to your regulating body, along with your complaint.
If you are assigned a case or complaint number, continue to send the above mentioned information to them, with the case number. Continue to do this every couple weeks, until action is taken.
If you live in the USA, also send this information to your US congressmen. You need to act often and with as much data as you can provide. If you keep their attention, they will act.
I’m not sure of the law is similar in the US, but here, in the bands that require a license to operate, the person doing the interfering will be operating illegally, which is a ‘proper’ offence, on top of the nuisance aspect. In an unlicensed band, being annoying and antisocial is sadly not against the law.
If you are using off-the-shelf consumer radios on a license free band, then anybody can talk to you with no effort at all. If you are on a licensed frequency, then they will have had to programme your frequency and tones into their radio, perhaps even having to search for the correct tone you use. That’s pre-meditated and illegal, so while the authorities probably don’t want to get involved, they will have to if you complain officially. What you could do is use your staff, or if they’re non-technical, perhaps contact a local ham radio club and they might be willing to track the idiot down - you then present the location of the person to the authorities for action. Depends on how badly he is annoying you.
Excellent advice in asking help from a local ham radio club! I’m sure they would love an opportunity to direction find someone as practice. That way, they can provide you with the location to add to your information packet.