From time to time, we may run into unlicensed or disruptive operators on the air. The easiest—and most effective—way to deal with them is simply to ignore them. If someone isn’t using a call sign, it’s best to assume they don’t have one and avoid engaging.
If you’re in the middle of a conversation and someone starts playing music or causing other disruptions, don’t acknowledge it. Just continue as you were. Most of the time, the interference stops when it doesn’t get a reaction. If it continues, feel free to clear the repeater and pass along the time and date of the incident to the EARS Repeater Trustee or a designated control operator so they can look into it.
If you happen to be monitoring when the interference occurs, it’s very helpful if you switch to reverse and listen to the repeater input. If you can hear the interfering signal there, please send an email with the date, time, your location, and a brief signal report to trustee@k5eok.org. These details make it much easier for us to pinpoint where the interference is coming from and to prepare accurate reports for the ARRL.
And one last reminder: please don’t discuss the incident on the repeater. Keeping the airwaves calm helps everyone.
Gary, AE5GS
