This past week I experienced a lot of unpleasant issues behind the scenes relating to equipment and firmware used in the Shack. Several changes had to be made to ensure hat the ZS1I Hub Network stays operational. Here is a list of issues / gremlins:
- Severe Weather hits part of the Garden Route Area.
- Internet and power outages.
- 12 year old Desktop Computer becomes silent key, Linux Mint to the rescue.
- Closure of several social media amateur radio groups.
- The age old problem of not leaving long enough gaps between overs.
- Interference on Amateur Radio VOIP / Repeater Networks.
- Node / Repeater UP and Down Time Announcements - ZS1I HUB, Mossel Bay.
The above issues could keep me busy for a whole week to try and explain each one in detail. However I am going to keep it as short as possible.
- Severe Weather hits part of the Garden Route Area - Emergency Communications
Once again the Garden Route Area as well as other areas experienced severe weather after a prolonged drought. Heavy rain, flooding, strong wind, high seas, infrastructure damage, uprooting of trees and 1 death were reported during the past week in the region. Apart from 2 x on the air summaries / reports of the unfolding of events associated with the severe weather, no amateur radio involvement was recorded in relation to emergency communications. My personal opinion amateur radio emergency communications are becoming more irrelevant as many other means of high tech communications are rapidly replacing the beloved "when all else fails, there's amateur radio" slogan. No I am not saying that there is no place for amateur radio emergency communications but the days that we played a crucial roll is long gone. We are the 2% requirement today as 98% of emergency communications today are handled by other roll players. During the periods of power failures and Internet outages, AREDN was once again used very successfully. The DMR Repeater was connected to the AREDN node and functioned flawlessly. (Setup described in Your DMR Repeater will not work once the Internet goes down? (Part 1) )
- Internet and Power Outages
Thankfully not all amateur radio equipment were effected during the power- and internet outages experienced in some parts of the Garden Route Area during the recent severe weather events. All ZS1I HUB equipment except Echolink worked as expected.
- 12 year old Desktop Computer becomes silent key
As the title indicates my daily working computer decided to go silent key. Well running mainly every day for the past 12 years what can one expect. 12 years is a long time for a cheap PC. Thankfully I saw the signs of deterioration and made backups of the important data. However I did lose some data but that is how it goes if you do not have a day to day backup system. Who has one? I dumped Windows and are now using the latest Linux Mint version on a once again old Dell computer. New learning curve in using some of the installed software but enjoying the new software programs and OS.
- Closure of several social media amateur radio groups
I spoke on several occasions in the past about the "new trend" in amateur radio of using social media more that amateur radio. Some radio amateurs spend more time on social media groups than on the amateur radio bands. Be as it may I have decided to bite the bullet and got rid of all my social media groups recently. I also left some of the groups that I belong to. Heck what a change this made to my amateur radio operations and my personal life. I should have done it 20 years ago!! I now have more time to enjoy amateur radio.
Some might ask why I left social media with regards to amateur radio. Quit simple in the olden days we used the amateur radio bands to make announcements, swop project information, learn from one another etc. etc. This kept the bands busy and knowledge and information were transferred live via on-air radio. Well I decided to dump social media when it comes to amateur radio. Gone are the days of using social media groups to keep radio amateurs informed. Real
radios, nodes and only this blog will be used to keep radio amateurs informed
and NOT social media! Time we use less social media ...... rather use the airwaves / bands instead.
- The age old problem of not leaving long enough gaps between overs
The age old problem of leaving long enough gaps is becoming a huge
problem on the ZS1I HUB and stations connected to the HUB. Without
going into detail and for the reasons mentioned in the article below,
the decision has been taken to disconnect stations / links that does not
comply with the request to leave large enough gaps between overs.
Personally I believe that this is not in coherence with the Amateur Radio Code no matter the reason for such behavior.
A while ago I wrote the following article in this regard:
Now
this topic is not a moan or groan but any entity running an
Amateur Radio VOIP Network knows that this bad behavior is causing
fellow radio amateurs and repeater custodians to avoid such networks as
it causes interference issues which is also a transgression of the SA
Radio Act, Radio Regulations and Amateur Radio Code of Conduct.
No
I am not trying to play policeman here or having everything my way. I
come a long way in Amateur Radio and learned from competent Elmers. The
way certain aspects are handled today makes one wander if the current
trend in the country relating to self-righteousness/arrogance is now
also practiced in amateur radio. One cannot run a large network under
these circumstances and will transgressing stations in the future be
disconnected or even banned from connecting to a network or nodes. This
is not what I want but looks like it is the only way to solve the issue.
Let's
play Amateur Radio and abide by the Rules and the Amateur Radio Code. No
exceptions!! What is good for one must also apply to others.
The principle that "what is good for one must also apply to others" is a foundational ethical concept often referred to as the Golden Rule
or the ethics of reciprocity. It argues for fairness, equality, and
compassion, suggesting that moral standards should be universally
applied rather than self-serving.
- Interference on Amateur Radio VOIP / Repeater Networks
Lets look at deliberate- and indeliberate interference on Amateur Radio VOIP / Repeater Networks.
Deliberate radio interference in amateur radio (often called "intentional QRM" or jamming) is illegal, violating international and radio regulations. Perpetrators often use cheap, widely available equipment to disrupt nets or conversations. Victims should log detailed incidents, avoid engaging the jammer, and report incidents to authorities.
Jamming: Continuous carriers, music, or white noise played over active frequencies.
Intentionally Operating Out-of-Band: Purposefully transmitting outside assigned bands to cause disruption.
"Splatter" / Mis-tuning: Intentionally over-modulating or using wide bandwidths to affect adjacent frequencies.
DMR/Digital Abuse: Keying up digital networks with high packet loss to mask communication.
How to Handle Intentional Interference
Ignore the Jammers: They seek attention and drama. Engaging them often encourages further interference.
Do Not Intervene Personally: Avoid confrontations, as this can lead to legal issues.
Document Everything: Maintain a detailed log of dates, times, frequencies, and the nature of the interference.
Use Technology: Use tools like KiwiSDR or the KrakenSDR to triangulate the source.
Reporting and Legal Consequences
Reporting: In SA, contact the SARL or ICASA.
Penalties: Intentional interference can lead to severe consequences, including massive fines, seizure of equipment, and prison sentences.
Police Involvement: If the interference includes threats or abuse, contact law enforcement. While frustrating, persistent, calm operation and proper reporting to authorities are the most effective ways to address deliberate interference.
Indeliberate radio interference, often termed Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) or QRM in amateur radio, occurs when unintentional signals degrade, obstruct, or interrupt licensed radio communications. Unlike intentional interference, this is caused by faulty equipment, poor shielding, or harmonic emissions.
Common Sources of Indeliberate Interference
Switch-Mode Power Supplies (SMPS): Laptops, LED lights, "wall warts," and battery chargers frequently create noise.
Power Line Noise: Aging power infrastructure can radiate broadband signals.
Consumer Electronics: Plasma TVs, solar panel inverters, and touch-lamp dimmers.VDSL/Internet
Modems: High-speed internet lines often create interference on HF bands.
Corroded Connections: Rust on antennas or guy wires can act as non-linear mixers, creating "rusty bolt" noise.
Above a short overview of deliberate and indeliberate interference in amateur radio.
A word of advice: If you have the "Kerchunk Sickness" then at least announce your call-sign and say "Testing / Access / Monitor the ZS1I AllStar HUB" but please stop hiding behind the microphone by kerchunking the network. If you have the Amateur Radio Code at heart then this is how it should be done.
From time to time we experience deliberate and indeliberate interference on the network. DO NOT "spill your guts" on the air with regard to the interference. First of all it will not stop the perpetrator or interference and secondly this is not the way to solve the issue. Rather implement the measures mentioned above than wasting you time and making a fool of yourself in scolding the perpetrator on the air. Tracing and locating such interference is not difficult and will be undertaken in future.
- Node / Repeater UP and Down Time Announcements - ZS1I HUB, Mossel Bay
As of the 1 May 2026, several significant updates and changes are
impacting amateur radio node and repeater operations in the Southern
Cape, particularly regarding nodes, repeaters and new digital voice
incorporation into the ZS1I HUB.
If a repeater or node is silent, it is often due to an Internet outage
or power failure. Always monitor the ZS1I Hub 145.550 Mhz Simplex and ZS1I Amateur Radio Projects / Activities Blog
for specific
announcements. Visit the link page below for more information in this
regard. Gone are the days of using social media groups to keep
interested radio amateurs informed. Real
radios, nodes and this blog will be used to keep radio amateurs informed
and NOT social media! Time we use less social media ...... rather use the airwaves instead.
Link: Node / Repeater Announcements - ZS1I HUB, Mossel Bay
Enough for now until next time when we will again be talking about " What is lately happening with / on the ZS1I Hub Network in Mossel Bay".
