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Broadcasting ATV

C2

C2

Sr. Member
Aug 3, 2005
2,408
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I was watching the local ATV channel and the guy running the repeater just had the camera trained on his bench, all weekend.

Even with the call sign visible, how does he continue to get away with this, year after year? Is it OK because he owns the frequency?

His repeater can probably reach over 2 million people.
 

Well first off,he may own the repeater but he does not own the frequency it operates on.Perhaps it is a closed repeater and that is his way of preventing it from being used or perhaps he simply forgot to pull the plug when he was finished.Either way IMO it should not be done regardless if the callsign is displayed or not.
 
Yea, you can buy frequencies, actually they are basically free...just record your repeater with the repeater coordinator in your area as a closed repeater and nobody can use that frequency anymore. It's all yours. Of course you have to use as the FCC says...if you start transmitting on a repeater freq. you can be charged with interfering with a repeater.

His repeater is an open repeater, however. He has a variety of stuff going on. You can turn it on and watch the sunset, sometimes. He has a camera on the tower. Most of the time you just see his bench or he has some still image with the call sign on it. A lot of time it is off, but most of the time when it is on, it is just a broadcast of some image.
 
A repeater, by definition, means communications in 'both' directions, not just one way. 'One way' communications is called 'broadcasting' and except in very limited circumstances is not legal. Doesn't matter if the repeater is 'open' or 'closed', it's still broadcasting. I think the guy is opening himself up for problems. Not that I think you should be the one, but I'm willing to bet someone will drop him into it...
- 'Doc
 
I know about repeater freq coordination but he still does not own the freq. He DOES have the exclusive right to use of it in his area but that right can be revoked at any time the FCC sees fit. Some may see it as owning but it is not. If it is an open repeater how is someone else supposed to use it if it is tied up with stuff like that? :?
 
Well, a couple of years ago I sent him an email asking about getting on ATV and I also asked about how does one differentiate between broadcasting and 2-way comms.

How is transmitting an ATV signal from a hot air weather balloon not broadcasting?

I'm just kind of curious about the lines the in the sand here.

And truthfully, this ATV repeater is a good thing as he does a service by retransmitting NASA transmissions and holding other ATV related events. I swear I remember seeing this TV station when I was a kid perusing TV reception., way back over 10 years ago...

I just don't want to start getting into ATV and find myself with one of CW Morse's NALs...
 
C2,
Rebroadcasting NASA, WX balloon ATV, yep, your friend does have a problem, hope he can come up with some good excuses. The WX balloon thingy isn't illegal while it is happening (one of those 'special' circumstances). Rebroadcasting NASA is illegal except for a few designated stations, and I don't think your friend is one of them.
Don't tell me his call sign or where he is, please! I don't want to be the one accused of turning him in.
- 'Doc

ATV is really lots of fun, so if you get the chance, try it. It's also sort of addictive.
 
I'll have to learn the ropes. I got the PC Electronics 10W ATV transmitter with a 100W amp. This is when I learned that the western US is set up for two of the 4 allocated channels, and the repeater is already using one of them. I have to find the other crystal to get that going.

It seemed easier to just get on the repeater, so I bought one of those small PCB 23cm ATV transmitter, which has audio carriers at 6 and 6.5 MHz--that does not seem to jive well with the ARRL band plan. Anyway, the repeater does not even use audio uplink on 23cm...I could never get the thing to reach the repeater and just shelved it.

Then I started wondering what was legal to do on ATV anyway. Some of the stuff I see on the net seems questionable, like trasmitting from a camera in an RC plane...
 
The ATV and R/C planes is okay too. Dial down to around the bottom end of 6 meters and listen to the R/C signals they may have used to do the R/C'ing of that plane. That's okay too, as long as the R/C'er has the license. In fact, it's the only time (that I'm aware of) that the ham doesn't have to give his call sign. Then again, you can by using one of the R/C 'sticks' and CW, if you feel like you just have to (got a nasty 'tone' to it - lol).
- 'Doc
 
Can you find the coordinates of a repeater antenna site?

I'm trying to point my modified 23cm ATV sat dish right at it, but I don't know exactly where it is??? and blind pointing just aint working.
 
C2,
The only way I would know to do that is to look up the call sign of the repeater. It should give it's location, maybe coordinates.
- 'Doc
 
It gives the address of the club, which is in the lowlands innercity. The actual antenna is on top of a mountain. I can't find it anyway I try...I think there is going to be a building in the way, namely my neighbor. If that is the case, I'm going to scrap the whole idea as there is no way I'm gonna get a 10 foot dish to peer over the top of a 2 story building.
 
Repeaters have to be identified as to location with the state/area repeater association. You might try asking them, or the repeater owners. After that... beats me.
If you have a large building in the way, I think you're right, you can sort of forget it. Or really act mad and tell'em to move the @#$ thing! Won't 'do' much, except it get's rid of the frustration...
- 'Doc
 

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