How to deal with prank radio calls.

[BoyInBlue]

Have you guys ever had this happen?

At the Theme Park one of our janitor left a radio in the bathroom. I guess some punk kids got a hold of it, and switched the channel to Security...

"There's a fight at the front... I need backup!!"

...about 10 officers came running before we figured out what happened.

and...

"We have a Chinchilla eating a Zebra"

But what can you do? I guess just wait until the battery dies, god-forbid they buy a charger on ebay or something.

[HotelSecurity]

An example of where 10-codes ARE useful!

Suggestion. Get a hold of your local ham radio people. They play a game where they hide a transmitter somewhere in the city & teams try to find it using directional equipment. If this little b*ggers talk enough they might be able to find them.

I have heard it happen with the Fire Department here a few times. Thye usually beg the person to leave it somewhere & call 9-1-1 telling where they have left it.

[FireEMSPolice]

An example of where 10-codes ARE useful!

I agree with you on this. The only problem is that the person is a janitor. I am sure those people come and go and probably dont care to learn all the codes. I asked management if we could use codes. They said no because not everyone could learn them and management couldnt know what we are responding to. 10 codes cut down unnecessary chatter though.

As a safety precaution, any radio that is broken is sent into the shop to have its frequencies removed before it goes into the trash.

[BoyInBlue]

oh don't get me wrong we use 10-codes... we have proprietary 11-codes as well. Its just annoying, and I was looking for solutions from other places that might of had something like this happen.

[Investigation]

I have worked in the two-way radio industry in the past and designed/installed my organizations current system. Firstly, we do not allow anyone to access our frequency. If a custodian wants to report an issue, then they call our dispatcher where the call is properly logged and dispatched. This may add some delay to reporting by maintenance and custodial, but it maintains a level of professionalism on our frequency and leaves the airwaves open for emergency traffic from our officers.

If you are dealing with a radio that is being used to interfere with you, I agree with the prior post and wait for the battery to die. You an also change the CTCSS (subaudible tone) on your radios to lock the offending user out (done at the radio shop). With the newer, programmable radios this is a fairly easy task. To avoid future problems, I would suggest incorporating rolling code encryption to your radios, or at least speech inversion scrambling (able to be broken, but useful). These scramblers can be added to your radios inexpensively. If there is a radio stolen, then you can reprogram the scramble code (20 trillion to pick from on rolling code and around 5 on speech inversion) and lock the offender out. Some radios also have a deadbeat disable function that can remotely disable a radio.

[davis002]

This is another reason why I enjoy the fact we use Nextel radios. If one is lost or stolen, we simply shut it off.

[Mall Director]

10 codes are very useful! Unless you have a limitted staff where you can recognize your fellow commrads, it can be pesky!

Nextells are ideal as well, LOL, but slightly costly.

Another option, is to get the remaining radios and repeater re-frequed. Not too costly, and can be done over a day or two. Then the "lost" radio no longer operates on the same freq.

Lastly, put up with the nusiance for a short. It will stop, as the radio will need to be charged, and the looter wont be in posession of a charger. Put a notice out to surrounding radio suppliers that you have had a stolen radio. These suppliers are not fond of equipment being kiped, and when or "if" the perp decides to purchase a charger they will gather the perps info, and turn him/her in.

A final option, get enkrypted, but it is expensive.

Good luck, it will stop eventually.

[Investigation]

Another option, is to get the remaining radios and repeater re-frequed. Not too costly, and can be done over a day or two. Then the "lost" radio no longer operates on the same freq.

Changing the frequency of the radios and repeater (if one is used) can be done, but they would have to apply for new frequencies and frequency coordination. This process can take up to 1 month+

If the CTCSS tone is changed (no new license needed), the "lost" radio will not be able to access the repeater. This method also works well if the radios are not using a repeater (simplex).

Encryption can be done for around 75.00 per radio.

[FireEMSPolice]

Here is how we are set up:

Channel 1 - Security, Management, Operations
Channel 2 - Talkaround (in case the repeater goes down)
Channel 3 - Housekeeping

Housekeeping get their own channel because they speak mostly Spanish on that channel and it annoys everyone. So much so that now Operations (Maintenance) is on Channel 1 now. Our frequency is now crowded with unnecessary chit-chat. If an officer is in need of assistance, we got to wait for maintenance to get done talking before we can get on the air. This decision made by the same people who think they know it all about Security. I say everyone get their own damn channel.

[BadBoynMD]

An example of where 10-codes ARE useful!

Suggestion. Get a hold of your local ham radio people. They play a game where they hide a transmitter somewhere in the city & teams try to find it using directional equipment. If this little b*ggers talk enough they might be able to find them.

I have heard it happen with the Fire Department here a few times. Thye usually beg the person to leave it somewhere & call 9-1-1 telling where they have left it.

A county police agency had this every problem several years ago. Someone would get on the radio and talk "trash". They would switch channels of various districts, however the idiot was caught 4 days later, I do believe.

[Mall Director]

Here is how we are set up:

Channel 1 - Security, Management, Operations
Channel 2 - Talkaround (in case the repeater goes down)
Channel 3 - Housekeeping

Housekeeping get their own channel because they speak mostly Spanish on that channel and it annoys everyone. So much so that now Operations (Maintenance) is on Channel 1 now. Our frequency is now crowded with unnecessary chit-chat. If an officer is in need of assistance, we got to wait for maintenance to get done talking before we can get on the air. This decision made by the same people who think they know it all about Security. I say everyone get their own damn channel.

You know... That is such a common problem I can relate with you on, and alot of Malls face that one.. If you figure out a way to defeat it, please let me know.. I have been brainstorming that one forever!

[OccamsRazor]

You an also change the CTCSS (subaudible tone) on your radios to lock the offending user out (done at the radio shop). With the newer, programmable radios this is a fairly easy task.

Or equip everyone with a GP68 and save time at the radio shop

(Disclaimer: This could be a REALLY bad idea in the wrong hands)

[Investigation]

Or equip everyone with a GP68 and save time at the radio shop

(Disclaimer: This could be a REALLY bad idea in the wrong hands)

I agree! I don't think that this radio is FCC certified to be used in the Industrial/Business pool of frequencies either.

[Eric]

So lets see.
You have groups that share your frequency.
You have groups because of the nature of thier work put radio's down nearby to perform that work.

You can not change the first one or do alot with the second one. However, you can suggest radio holders on thier carts, add a reminder on all work orders to pick up all "tools" (this is made easy with computer printed work orders) and have Managers remind all involved on a regular basis.

Assign a radio number for each radio and have users make calls using that number first. Outsiders, unless listening in ahead of time, will not know to use that number first.

[Chimpie]

You know... That is such a common problem I can relate with you on, and alot of Malls face that one.. If you figure out a way to defeat it, please let me know.. I have been brainstorming that one forever!

I think his last sentence says it all: Everyone gets their own channel.

In a site like this, I'd also recommend that Security has at least two channels, one for their communications, another channel which would be on ALL radios where other departments could contact security.

For example, if maintenance needed to contact security, they would switch to their channel two and call security. This would be most likely monitored by the security dispatch room or, if that is not an option, security officers and/or supervisors would have scanning radios to receive the transmission.

If there is a large incident on site where multiple departments were responding, all deparments, including security, could go to this channel as a common channel to communicate and take care of the situation.