ECARS: INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE              

Revised, 3/19/14  Operating  procedure for dealing with intentional interference                                    

1.    The Net Control Operator is responsible for net   control and maintenance of net discipline, i.e. discipline over one’s own operating and over all others on the frequency.

2.    Do not talk to the jammer or make on-air remarks about the jammer.  Furthermore, you must be firm with any stations that attempt to do so, admonishing them that they too are interfering.  Don’t try to be a comedian and engage the Jammer with humor; you are not funny!  Communicating with the Jammer in any way only serves to fuel his/her ego and results in prolonged jamming.

3.    The operative word in net control is “control.”  To acknowledge the jammer in any way, or to allow others to do so is to lose control and give it to the Jammer.  Your job is to maintain discipline.

4.    Avoid transmitting on top of the Jammer but do transmit during pauses in the jamming.

5.    Refuse to be flustered.  Keep in mind that this type of interference tends to stop sooner when ignored, usually in 10 to 15 minutes.  The Jammer must be ignored and not recognized in any way, no matter how frustrating it is.

6.    Under no circumstances are you to shut down the net due to jamming.  Consider it to be a test of your operating skill, which is good practice for emergency operation when the frequency can be expected to be in heavy QRM conditions.

Reporting intentional interference:                               

       Since the Net Control Operator is busy  maintaining control,  it is up to other listening stations on the frequency to make reports to the FCC  without mentioning it on the air.   We have been requested by Laura Smith of the FCC to report to her via email at the time of the interference,  giving  the date, time and frequency.  Her email address is  laura.smith@fcc.gov .  Suggestion:  Keep a prepared email in your draft folder; fill in the date and time as it happens.