Free Flight, Free Speech

In multiplayer there are sometimes fake ATC's trying to disturb ATC sessions by issuing fake instructions under a name resembling the current ATC. Such children using call signs like XXXX_tw (tw in lower case) are easily detectable and ignorable.

Now the children have found a new playground: Real ATC.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-07/afp-investigating-hoax-calls-made-to-passenger-plane/7995502

I heard there has been made an arrest by now. Yet i find that not very comforting, because any idiot can still take over the "job" of this arrested guy.

Kind regards, Vincent

I find it interesting that, "It is believed the person found a way to tap into the air traffic control frequency and communicate directly with planes and control towers." Here 'finding a way' would mean buying a VHF radio, tuning it to the correct frequency, and using it. And some amateur radios could be overridden to transmit in the air frequencies. But that doesn't happen all that often in any event. Used to occur occasionally with public safety when it was transmitting on single straight VHF/UHF frequencies, but after variations of trunking systems became common it fell off even more.

Anyway, the idiot keeps going to the well he'll get caught. Triangulating an origin signal isn't exactly child's play in practice, but it's not terribly difficult either. Especially if you are able to put planes in the sky to track the origin.

Amateur radios operating in the 2 meter band are right above the frequencies used by ATC. Shorten the antenna just a little bit, and make sure it's loading right, and you could have a fake ATC station out of your mini van.

2 meter band radios are very common and fairly cheap. Have one myself. Some (but not all) retailers require you to have an amateur radio license. In the US, it's illegal to use one without a license.

Funny country. You don't need a license to have a gun (in some states) but to have an amateur radio

you mean Australia? Last time I've read, Australia forbids gun carrying.

D-ECHO wrote:Funny country. You don't need a license to have a gun (in some states) but to have an amateur radio

To be proper, in the United States you need a license to transmit on amateur radio, not just to have, own, or use to monitor it. And true, few states require 'licensing' to own firearms; mine is one that requires a special identification card to purchase guns or ammunition, though. (And I came from what was one of the most open states concerning gun regulation.) Both guns and communication availability are reflections of freedoms enumerated in the Bill of Rights.

Anyway, I've been an amateur operator for coming up on twenty five years now.... Most 2 meter handheld amateur transceivers, stock, only transmit in the 144-148 MHz range, though they'd receive from right above the FM broadcast band (108 Mhz) through about 170 MHz. But many are essentially the same radios in the other bands, and it just takes knowledge of how to activate factory features to enable them to transmit over most of the receive range. Some very inexpensive ones (~$100 USD) now can have their ROMS reflashed to open up the expanded bands.

I know there are other countries, though, where one can only legally possess any transceiver with valid purpose and/or licensing.

What he did is not right but taking away the seriousity. ITS damm hilarous!

KB7 what's your callsign?

My father owns a license too (He has an Advanced Grade/ Grade–I license)

With a license/callsign you can look up name/address, so... =] I won't be sharing mine.

Ok