Guide to Repeater Jammers
A GUIDE TO AMATEUR RADIO REPEATER JAMMERS or VSP's (Very Sad People)
The Jammer Revealed
First of all, we need to understand these jammers. That's not too difficult a task, they are quite simply brain-dead morons with very sad lives. Simple, isn't it? Let's face it. If the most exciting thing in your life was to sit there and jam a radio repeater, then you would consider yourself a very sad person, wouldn't you?.
This feeling of self-low esteem doesn't seem to bother jammers though, as they aren't bright enough to understand how sad they look to others. They are little more than unintelligent morons with nothing of interest to say and nothing to contribute to a community, so they make their presence known anonymously. This need for anonymity displays another common trait of a jammer's character, the cowardice. Jamming is just a cowardly form of bullying.
A Few Different Types of Jammers
The Kerchunk Jammer
This jammer likes to kerchunk the repeater over and over again until the thumb gets tired. He likes to hear the courtesy tone go beep and the repeater go kerchunk. It's almost like the dripping water torture system.
The Digital Jammer
This jammer likes to send digital information, like packet or DTMF tones on repeaters.
The Good Citizen Jammer
This jammer masquerades as an upstanding pillar of the community most of the time but makes his disgruntlement with different repeater users or the repeater operator known by disrupting communications. If he can't operate the system the way he wants, when he wants, then no one gets to use it. He may be part of your group and may even be one of the ones complaining the most about "the jamming". These are the manipulative type of jammers who try to recruit weaker minded people into their sad cause.
The Sound Effects Jammer
This jammer feeds on indignation and disgust. Sound effects are "his bag" and even a disgusting word or two in a disguised voice. He also likes to play music and often uses a particular recording as his signature tune. His favourite pastime is waiting until someone he dislikes enters into a QSO and then unload his best stuff.
The Rabid Jammer
These are very sick jammers who have a need to do what they do in order to have some effect to the world around them. Everything else they do is a big zero and the ability to affect a large number of people, even in a negative manner, is just too good an opportunity to pass up.
The Brazen Jammer
These jammers are usually the ones that have already been caught, or are already known to others, and nobody wants to talk to them anymore. They know nobody wants to talk to them but they continuously call CQ without getting any replies. They see this as a legal way of jamming. What's even sadder, and funnier, is "who calls CQ through a repeater anyway?".
What Can Be Done About These Jammers?
Well, not a lot really. You can't reason with people of low intelligence. On the other hand, you can minimise the annoyance factor by the way you react to them. Nothing you can do or say will stop them so simply remove yourself from the loop.
The answer is simply "don't get stressed, give stress". The worst insult you can throw at a jammer is to ignore him. Act like he isn't there. Act like he is of no importance, which of course, he isn't. It's hard, but responding in any form means he's won, and you've lost. Instead, take satisfaction in the knowledge that by ignoring him you are also annoying him.
Jammers have a need for recognition, so don't recognise them. Even a one-word response like "prat" is enough to boost their ego enormously. If you respond, he's won, and you've lost.
If he's a weak signal and is not effecting your QSO, then carry on as if he wasn't there. Even if you go back with something like "you're not making it so why don't you give up" is enough to boost his ego, He's won and you've lost.
Kerchunk jammers can only do it on a repeater that isn't in use at the time. If it was being used then the kerchunk method wouldn't work. The answer is as simple as the mind of the jammer, switch your radio off for five minutes. If he's still there after five minutes, switch off for half an hour. If he wants to destroy his equipment by continuously keying it up, then let him.
It doesn't really matter what type of jammer he is, the solution is always the same. Either ignore him or switch off. Don't respond, don't get into any sort of conversation with him, don't be a weak minded moron yourself and get manipulated into his games. Just ignore him. If you do anything else, he's won and you've lost.
You've spent a lot of time and money on this hobby, don't let somebody else spoil it for you. You only become a victim if you allow yourself to become one. Don't be a victim. "Give a jammer enough rope and he will hang himself".
This guide from the Bromley Repeater Group, written by Martin Reeves (G8ULV), addresses amateur radio repeater jammers, defining them as "Very Sad People" (VSPs) whose actions stem from social isolation and a lack of real-life achievement. The piece highlights that jamming is a criminal offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, leading to potential equipment seizure, fines, and a criminal record, while emphasizing that the community will continue to operate despite such interference. which was a well-known, blunt critique of the psychological motivations behind those who jammed the Bromley Repeater Group (BRG) repeaters like GB3OK. and for those who was involved to Seeking Attention: The disruption which included jamming, hostile websites, and petitions was intended to cause maximum nuisance and gain recognition from the local amateur radio community.
First of all, we need to understand these jammers. That's not too difficult a task, they are quite simply brain-dead morons with very sad lives. Simple, isn't it? Let's face it. If the most exciting thing in your life was to sit there and jam a radio repeater, then you would consider yourself a very sad person, wouldn't you?.
This feeling of self-low esteem doesn't seem to bother jammers though, as they aren't bright enough to understand how sad they look to others. They are little more than unintelligent morons with nothing of interest to say and nothing to contribute to a community, so they make their presence known anonymously. This need for anonymity displays another common trait of a jammer's character, the cowardice. Jamming is just a cowardly form of bullying.
A Few Different Types of Jammers
The Kerchunk Jammer
This jammer likes to kerchunk the repeater over and over again until the thumb gets tired. He likes to hear the courtesy tone go beep and the repeater go kerchunk. It's almost like the dripping water torture system.
The Digital Jammer
This jammer likes to send digital information, like packet or DTMF tones on repeaters.
The Good Citizen Jammer
This jammer masquerades as an upstanding pillar of the community most of the time but makes his disgruntlement with different repeater users or the repeater operator known by disrupting communications. If he can't operate the system the way he wants, when he wants, then no one gets to use it. He may be part of your group and may even be one of the ones complaining the most about "the jamming". These are the manipulative type of jammers who try to recruit weaker minded people into their sad cause.
The Sound Effects Jammer
This jammer feeds on indignation and disgust. Sound effects are "his bag" and even a disgusting word or two in a disguised voice. He also likes to play music and often uses a particular recording as his signature tune. His favourite pastime is waiting until someone he dislikes enters into a QSO and then unload his best stuff.
The Rabid Jammer
These are very sick jammers who have a need to do what they do in order to have some effect to the world around them. Everything else they do is a big zero and the ability to affect a large number of people, even in a negative manner, is just too good an opportunity to pass up.
The Brazen Jammer
These jammers are usually the ones that have already been caught, or are already known to others, and nobody wants to talk to them anymore. They know nobody wants to talk to them but they continuously call CQ without getting any replies. They see this as a legal way of jamming. What's even sadder, and funnier, is "who calls CQ through a repeater anyway?".
What Can Be Done About These Jammers?
Well, not a lot really. You can't reason with people of low intelligence. On the other hand, you can minimise the annoyance factor by the way you react to them. Nothing you can do or say will stop them so simply remove yourself from the loop.
The answer is simply "don't get stressed, give stress". The worst insult you can throw at a jammer is to ignore him. Act like he isn't there. Act like he is of no importance, which of course, he isn't. It's hard, but responding in any form means he's won, and you've lost. Instead, take satisfaction in the knowledge that by ignoring him you are also annoying him.
Jammers have a need for recognition, so don't recognise them. Even a one-word response like "prat" is enough to boost their ego enormously. If you respond, he's won, and you've lost.
If he's a weak signal and is not effecting your QSO, then carry on as if he wasn't there. Even if you go back with something like "you're not making it so why don't you give up" is enough to boost his ego, He's won and you've lost.
Kerchunk jammers can only do it on a repeater that isn't in use at the time. If it was being used then the kerchunk method wouldn't work. The answer is as simple as the mind of the jammer, switch your radio off for five minutes. If he's still there after five minutes, switch off for half an hour. If he wants to destroy his equipment by continuously keying it up, then let him.
It doesn't really matter what type of jammer he is, the solution is always the same. Either ignore him or switch off. Don't respond, don't get into any sort of conversation with him, don't be a weak minded moron yourself and get manipulated into his games. Just ignore him. If you do anything else, he's won and you've lost.
You've spent a lot of time and money on this hobby, don't let somebody else spoil it for you. You only become a victim if you allow yourself to become one. Don't be a victim. "Give a jammer enough rope and he will hang himself".
This guide from the Bromley Repeater Group, written by Martin Reeves (G8ULV), addresses amateur radio repeater jammers, defining them as "Very Sad People" (VSPs) whose actions stem from social isolation and a lack of real-life achievement. The piece highlights that jamming is a criminal offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, leading to potential equipment seizure, fines, and a criminal record, while emphasizing that the community will continue to operate despite such interference. which was a well-known, blunt critique of the psychological motivations behind those who jammed the Bromley Repeater Group (BRG) repeaters like GB3OK. and for those who was involved to Seeking Attention: The disruption which included jamming, hostile websites, and petitions was intended to cause maximum nuisance and gain recognition from the local amateur radio community.
Deliberate interference with amateur radio equipment is a criminal offence in the UK under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (WTA). Ofcom monitors the radio spectrum and has the power to investigate and prosecute individuals who engage in jamming. [1, 2, 3]
Legal Consequences of Jamming
Under Section 68 of the WTA, it is illegal to use any apparatus for the purpose of deliberately interfering with wireless telegraphy. Penalties for a conviction can include: [1, 2]
How Ofcom Handles Interference Reports
If you are experiencing deliberate interference, Ofcom provides a specific process for reporting it through their Spectrum Management Centre: [, 2]
Legal Consequences of Jamming
Under Section 68 of the WTA, it is illegal to use any apparatus for the purpose of deliberately interfering with wireless telegraphy. Penalties for a conviction can include: [1, 2]
- Imprisonment: A prison sentence of up to two years.
- Fines: An unlimited fine.
- Forfeiture of Equipment: The court may order that all radio apparatus used to commit the offence be permanently seized.
- Licence Revocation: Regardless of any court action, Ofcom can revoke the amateur radio licence of anyone found responsible for deliberate interference. [, 2, 4]
How Ofcom Handles Interference Reports
If you are experiencing deliberate interference, Ofcom provides a specific process for reporting it through their Spectrum Management Centre: [, 2]
- Logging Evidence: You must log all incidents for at least a week, including the time, date, and specific frequencies or repeaters affected.
- Reporting: Reports can be submitted via the Interference to Amateur Radio Form or by emailing [email protected].
- Investigation: Ofcom may send a Spectrum Engineering Officer to investigate. They use direction-finding equipment to triangulate and locate the source of the transmission.
- Police Involvement: If the interference involves threats of violence, harassment, or "menacing" content, you should contact the local police directly; Ofcom will then support their investigation. [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7]
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