wcmorrison

My Feedback: (2)

I have GP 40 size Stik crash Sunday after getting three glitches. Thought it was my bad technque. After packing up and leaving the flying field I found a Southwest Bell Company (aka SBC) truck not a quater of a mile from the field and some yellow test equipment next to a terminal box. I asked the tech if he was using a Frequency Generator and he said yes, they had a cut line and were trying to locate the cut location. When I said that he had shot down my RC aircraft he denied having the Frequency Generator on line, that it was turned off while I was flying. This was on a Sunday and he was within line of site of the field less than a 1/3 of mile away.

Question is has any body else had such a problem. It appears that a "line pinger" is a pretty powerful Radio Frequency device and operates all over the spectrum. Does anyone know the shielding requirements of such devices. The power limitations for such devices? The rules of operating such devices?

My inclination is to file a FCC complaint of some sort but do not know how to go about it. Need some expert advice.

I did have fellow pilots comment on the erractic flight operations, that I was taking "hits." So I do have witnesses.

Comments?

smokingcrater

sorry to say, you won't have any luck at all doing that. As secondary users we have to accept any and all interference generated by other sources. (in the fine print that came with your rx/tx) we get what we pay for in frequencies, nothing in this case. Even if their device is way out of spec and doing something harmful, unless you legally have a right to the frequency, you can't complain. (well, you can, but the FCC won't listen)

so basically just watch out for the phone truck next time!

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

I don't know anything about these freq generators. Why do they use them and what freqs do they opperate on? Seems odd that they would be even close to our freqs, but I don't know this for sure. Anyone in the industry that know what freq they opperate on?

That is something to talk to the phone company about if it is a potential problem. They could at least tell the people at the field they are opperating if they are close. That would be a nice start

gpier

My Feedback: (2)

As a employee of SBC and a guy that works in outside repair. I don't believe that the Frequency Generator in question caused your problem. A couple of reasons why... 1. The generator is producing a frequency form 300hz to 3000hz, nowhere near the frequency band we use as R/C ers. 2. The frequency is being sent down a grounded and shield cable, not transmitted into the air. 3. Even if it did interfere, you'd have to be standing next to the generator, because the wattage that device is putting out is miniscule ( hey I don't like getting zapped at the other end of the line) and not enough to bother electronically our R/C equipment. Think about it, have you had your radio on in your shop while setting up a airplane and been talking to someone on the phone, if you have, has you readio ever glitched because of it...probably not, because of the grounding and shielding of the plant ( plant is outside telephone lines and equipment). Hope this helps your question on interference.

Pile-O-Wood

Most likely he was using a TDR. It sends a pulse down the cable, and when it hits a break in the cable the signal bounces back to the TDR and it measures the time it takes the signal to return and gives the tech. the approx. distance to the break in the cable. I have never seen a TDR emit any RF radiation.

wcmorrison

My Feedback: (2)

To all thanks. The tech seemed to know something bad had happened which tends to indicate to me he was operating outside the bands of normal operation. Said he had a supervisor with him earlier. Still makes me wonder. Why was he so defensive about haveing it on.

Cheers,

Crashem

People tend to get defensive when/if someone implies/states that there actions have caused an accident.

Think back could your converstaion be considered (from his prospective) confrontational or hostile??

Sounds to me like you had a bad day, maybe you were looking for something/someone else to blame for your crash!!!

Just my opinion from reading your account of the situation

Sport_Pilot

I don't think the reg gives someone else the right to our frequencies. If someone is transmitting on our frequencies they must correct it as soon as possible, that doesn't mean they have to turn off their transmitters when it is discovered. However we must turn off our transmitters immediately if we we are interfering with licienced frequencies.

jbflier

Don't forget that 72mhz is not "our" frequency......we don't pay to use the system that SBC, railroads, cell phone users, and many others do pay top dollar for............