PMR 446 Earwigging

Good morning, all. Starting this thread, just for fun. A place you can list interesting things you have heard on PMR 446. Be that relating to people, places, or just general topics being talked about on there.

The main time I listen on there is on my walks to and from work and my evening dog walks. I have the little UV5R set to scan the few closest ham repeater stations plus the PMR channels, and it is the latter that has proved the most interesting (SDARC sched nights aside). Not quite as interesting as when scanners were in their hay day and analogue mobile phones were widely used, or when I could listen to the local police on our FM radio, but I do get the feeling that some people I have overheard on PMR believe they are using a completely private service.

To start the list off, here's a few of the people, places, and convos I have heard:

 
DXers – Bloomin' strong signals that, conditions aside, area clearly running a bit of power.

Garage / Car repair shop – A few times I have heard a receptionist telling another co-worker that  "Mr *** has dropped off his Vauxhall *** to have the bearings replaced" etc

A school – At kid's arrival time in morning have heard staff or helpers coordinating buses and cars at the couple of gates.

A school Reception – "Mrs ***, Mr and Mrs *** have arrived to see you and pick up ***. The atrium has been cleaned now". I gathered from that a child had been sick.

Drug deal – A person ordering an ounce of weed.

Music players – Wurzels tribute night (mentioned this elsewhere on the forum previously)

A woman ordering a roast dinner for herself. No idea who or where she was.

Kids playing – Still trying to work out where these kids are actually located who I hear playing on the radio in the evenings. Not trying to track them down in a weird way lol, just genuinely curious. Reason being, for a good while I thought they were in the housing estate I live in, which would make sense, but I have heard them the same strength in Kemble a few miles away, and also in Swindon about 12 miles away. So, verdict's out on locality for now.


So, what have you heard? Do share, it will give others and I things to listen out for

.

Great posting there Neal.

I've got to admit that I sort of gave up with PMR. Was fun listening to start with, as you mention a bit like the old scanner days listening into conversations. I do think that many believe a CTCSS tone means their conversations are private though, but then again a lot of people 'chat' on radio like it's a private phone line anyway!

What have I heard?

Well with distribution centres and retail parks near me there's a lot of "Shop talk".

Spent a couple of days hearing, "Sharon can you come to the shop floor please", over and over until one day it changed to "Tracy can you come to the shop floor please". (In that nasal, condescending tone too!) I think 'Sharon' might have quit or got fired.

Sometimes lorry drivers chatting to each other as they pass by either on the local bypass, A6 or A1(M). Often with effing on every other word!

Spent months & months listening and shouting out on Sundays, channel 8 @ 8pm.......not a sausage!!!!

Do smile when I hear a motorcycle training PMR transmission - another happy soul getting on two wheels.

Also makes me smile when I hear children playing with walkie-talkie style transmissions, just love the enthusiasm shown. I did try for a bit with some of my grandchildren which my one and only grandson took to for a bit. (All granddaughters this way!) Loved his, "In the back garden now Grandad - Over"....."In the front garden now Grandad - Over"......"In the alley now Grandad - Over". Then came the moment that made me laugh as we have an outside toilet, (really useful with my gammy leg)......"Having a pooh now Grandad - Over"!

Problem was with that fateful day when some 0-IQ decided it would be fun to swear at him on air leaving him in tears. He's never bothered with it again not wanting to 'play' anymore......blossoming radio interest shot down in flames at such an early age. I'll maybe try again when he's a bit older and learns to ignore it and switch channels........but then he may tell them to F-off too!!!!!


Otherwise even using my homemade beams I haven't heard a lot apart from my one and only 'longer distance' contact just south of the Thames in London. He never did believe I was that far away from him and thought I was winding him up! Never made the South Coast PMR Net once, (sorry Ray), even when checking tropo conditions.

I may give it all a shot again one day, but I still think PMR should be left as it was intended with licence free 'public mobile radio' activities and keep my DX interests for the Amateur bands.

Besides, how much, "Tracy can you come to the shop floor please", can one man listen to?

I spent a few weeks scanning the pmr channels but nothing at all round here.
If i take Linda to the shops i get bits through the car radio outside home bargains should take the handy with mw well must try to remember to take it lol.

Having two UV5R's I decided to fit a CRT space U in the car.

Last week I contacted a local ham/cber who dabbles with PMR and managed great contact at 10 miles over hilly terrain with the UV5R but not so much with CRT in a slightly enclosed space.
I moved the car and the CRT was much better.

Strange how signals can differ sometimes superior from the inferior .


I don't hear much otherwise when I'm away unless I go for a drive. And I can't normally be bothered swapping coax and twig to PMR.
But I will most likely put another smaller magmount up so I can just switch either radio on.

I probably will put an antenna up on my house. But only after I've fitted this Sirio gainmaster.

Thanks everyone for the replies. We have the Gloucestershire Vintage and Country Extravaganza taking place at the local army barracks this weekend. The whole airfield is jammed packed with people and I expected to hear some PMR activity. I have, but only brief convos and nothing of any real interest sadly.

Nige, I am using a homemade monoband j pole for 2m in the loft, which far from being perfect for transmitting on 70cm and 446 as I haven't put any traps in it, it does receive well on them. Just a thought if you do look for an antenna for your house, as this option cost practically nothing and is really easy to make. And where I said far from perfect for tx on UHF, it does "work" as I can use the Swindon 70cm repeater which is 18 miles away.


Anyone else heard anything interesting on PMR?

How annoying, just writing a reply to you SangueG , put the phone down to do something and its not saved

Anyway I put my TV aerial in the loft so not sure if it would interfere. Mind it probably won't be used much, especially on transmit. And I don't watch much TV either .
I have considered a homebrew antenna.or put a bracket up and connect my Sirio mobile twig when needed.
That will save me buying a SWR meter

Apparently car boot organisers use them here down the coast. And holiday park staff/security.
Can't imagine the booters being too interesting but security may be at times

At home, channel 1 (which I thought was supposed to be the children's channel ) has wagon banksmen sometimes during the day. One wagon length, two wagon length, ten foot, five foot, stop.
Yawn .
And late afternoon/evening scousers competing for the most swearing.
It sounds like some have invested in kit.


IMO PMR could be a good mobile option.
The CRT space U is tiny, and antennas are small and discreet.
Then again CB was a short lived fad even before modern day communication technology but who knows. ?
Maybe it will become popular
Although with only 16 channels it would soon get drowned out.

Hi all

Victor it took me 3 years or more to make a contact into France so I've not given up and always have my fingers crossedthat maybe one day. . . .

Now things I have heard on different days and at different times over the years.

Channels 1 to 8

Children having fun on channel 1 and 5. Keying up and just blasting each other with their roger beeps/tunes or daring each other to do something naughty like staying up and chatting on the radio past their bedtime

Tipper drivers on channel 1 talking about taking their wife's out to a show or a meal and peppering the conversation with an abundance of effing & jeffing.

A bike training school on channel 8, "you need to be in centre not by the kerb"

A hotel asking where housekeeping staff were and when the kitchen was going to start serving lunch on channel 1

A 2 vehicle convoy with the lead vehicle giving directions to the following vehicle, "take the 2 exit off the roundabout and we are down the road waiting for you"

Chinese on channel 1??

Banksman talking to the high crane drivers about the load of cement, glass or bricks to go up to the 14 floor on channel 8

Channel 8 for car boot sale parking.

SSB and date modes!

The mystery on channel 2, of the long hours of faint voices being heard in the back ground making us wonder if it was a TV or a conversation. (This went on every night for months!)

Army/Air cadets on a walk using funny callsigns and talking about check points.

Channels 9 to 16

The Hastings/Bexhill group on channel 12

The Swindon net on channel 12 when there was some tropo

And our Monday night net on channel 14 (yes I know it's a bit of self promotion )

.

Heard a few on channel 1 on the UV5R the other afternoon chatting. One was keying over another purposefully mocking him .
One I have spoken to 12 miles away.
This time I couldn't get in. Sounded like they were all closer to eachother than me and using homebase antennas with power.

Yesterday heard some kids with roger bleeps, one was the same sound as a set of 4 I bought my kids many years ago and still have.
Their signals were a bit faint and scratchy.

Later heard and made contact with a fella 8.5 miles away. He told me and another to go to channel 2 as 1 was busy but I couldn't hear them.
I had to go out so switched off.

Drove higher up later on using Sirio on magmount and CRT space U but heard nothing until I returned home and parked up

With my antenna only 6ft off the ground and the Space-U I joined in with the South Coast PMR Net yesterday evening and managed a chat with 3 others.
During the Net Ray (chairman) did contact a Guy in the south of France who called in and another CT member managed a better qso with him and took down details.
I can't wait to get my antenna on the chimney and hopefully do wonders.  

Then this afternoon from about noon and still going at 18.30 there have been French stations booming in but sadly not English speaking, I did call in the hope that some would understand but no luck.

Good luck all you PMRrers & 73
Tony

Tony
Sounds like it's working well.
What aerial are you using.

Hi Alan, yes it's doing the business thank you for getting me started with the radio and antenna.
I'm using the unknown make antenna that you sent, it should be great higher up.

Tonyvic wrote:

With my antenna only 6ft off the ground and the Space-U I joined in with the South Coast PMR Net yesterday evening and managed a chat with 3 others.
During the Net Ray (chairman) did contact a Guy in the south of France who called in and another CT member managed a better qso with him and took down details.
I can't wait to get my antenna on the chimney and hopefully do wonders.  

Then this afternoon from about noon and still going at 18.30 there have been French stations booming in but sadly not English speaking, I did call in the hope that some would understand but no luck.

Good luck all you PMRrers & 73
Tony

.
Here is Mic 26 CT 1074 chatting to Jacky 14 FRS 119 back in 2020



When the PMR gods give us some tropo it's amazing what you can do!!

Tony
Glad it is doing the job for you.
Nothing on that mode round here been having a listen on and off for the last week on my old Baofeng only heard some kids in the distance can't even make out what they are saying.
That small antenna will go as high as you can get it the wind won't even find it lol.

The fella I spoke to on PMR weeks ago suggested I get a G6 antenna ???

At the moment I'm concentrating on building up my CB/sideband hardware but I am adding to PMR as I go along.

Sharpshooter wrote:

The fella I spoke to on PMR weeks ago suggested I get a G6 antenna ???

At the moment I'm concentrating on building up my CB/sideband hardware but I am adding to PMR as I go along.

I'm looking forward to a good report Nige when you get underway, You should be good for Southern Ireland and the Northwest of Engand I would have thought.  

Tonyvic wrote:

Sharpshooter wrote:

The fella I spoke to on PMR weeks ago suggested I get a G6 antenna ???

At the moment I'm concentrating on building up my CB/sideband hardware but I am adding to PMR as I go along.

I'm looking forward to a good report Nige when you get underway, You should be good for Southern Ireland and the Northwest of Engand I would have thought.  

I've heard faint Ireland on sideband Tony.


I was listening a few days ago during good skip and another breaker in North Wales managed to chat to someone in Scotland and another in Brighton on channel 19 Muppet band, he also spoke to Kate in Canterbury on channel 20.

Nige, you will probably need to be patient and keep listening and calling on Ch8 pmr, I did when suddenly there was life!

OFF TOPIC: As for Ch19 UK, when the conditions are right I can't even hear local statons a couple of miles away as it gets overloaded with Scotish breakers at much higher signal levels.
I know of Kate, but have never heard her and she's only about 60 miles as the crow flies.
p.s. A chap who lives in South West Ireland often comes through on Ch19 FM to us, so they are all out there at times. 

I may do that Tony but I go on CB mostly when I get chance for now.

Just switched on and the lorry banksmen were there on channel 1.
I'm interested to know where they are exactly because there's none in my vicinity.

Someone mentioning using both headlights on channel 8. Motorcycle training possibly ?

And "a van coming down the lane" on channel 2 . ???

Just been a passenger on a drive to Swindon and back. Kept on scan, but didn't hear much till got into Swindon. Up at old town part of Swindon which has a bit of height at about 150m I picked up a few things including a motor cycle trainers and someone who only had "a couple of size 6s" but "plenty of size 4s".

On way home a couple of strong accent Irish stations faded in, but out again only minute or so later. Thought it more likely to just people a couple close by on a drive, but after a couple of odd confusing convos I had on the ham repeaters just before I got back here, there's definitely some tropo happening right now. Worth jumping on 2m or 70cm / 446 right now if you're not easily confused like me.

Hi Neal,

There's been quite a bit of good tropospheric propagation going on over the last week. 

On VHF 2m signals were flying in to the GB3PI repeater from up and down the country with the best being a mobile station in Essex chatting to guys in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire etc. who were often on handhelds or simple X30/X50 small home base antenna setups. Most were surprised but some of the old timers knew what was going on.

(Shame they didn't bother with SSB though, the calling channel was dead!?!)

On 70cm/PMR there was a similar story with propagation but it was lacklustre on the 70cm repeaters as ever with only far off but typical PMR conversation going on with that upper band.


For the PMR enthusiast looking for some far flung action or the VHF/UHF guys that don't know about the phenomenon it's worth checking the following site every so often :-

https://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo_eur.html


You also commonly get good conditions at dawn, so if you're the type that admires a morning sun with a low mist it'd be worth turning that UHF set on and see what's happening.  

Thanks for the info Victor. I'm usually up pretty early, usually around 5am, but for work and other reasons so that's not really radio time for me. I'll keep a listen out for GB3PI as it sounds like an active one. Might even be able to hit it from my favourite portable spot, though I see it's configed with yagis facing north so maybe not. I see it's on the Echolink list though  

Doing the same drive to Swindon and back this evening so will do some listening again, but almost certainly only listening... I didn't say yesterday, but I only added to the confusion. Could of sworn that the uv5r had stopped on GB3TD, but it was actually on GB3WH, so when one distant person accessed it and asked what repeater it was I gave the wrong details  Luckily, he faded back in again shortly afterwards and I managed to contact him again and give him correct the details. My closeup sight is that bad without my glasses that I can't read any of the display on the radio, but I use the audio prompting and I know I have WH on channel 17 and TD on 18, so no excuse really for making a fool of myself


Anyone heard anything interesting over PMR the last few days via this tropo?

You never know Neal, although there is an annoying 'get' on PI that likes to bump people off Echolink or randomly dial up. (With no call sign given.....ever!)

The prop maps look good for the North Sea side of the UK over the next couple of days. Might be worth those on the East coast firing up their radios for some coastal fun and maybe even some Continental contacts.

Victor wrote:

Great posting there Neal.

I've got to admit that I sort of gave up with PMR. Was fun listening to start with, as you mention a bit like the old scanner days listening into conversations. I do think that many believe a CTCSS tone means their conversations are private though, but then again a lot of people 'chat' on radio like it's a private phone line anyway!

What have I heard?

Well with distribution centres and retail parks near me there's a lot of "Shop talk".

Spent a couple of days hearing, "Sharon can you come to the shop floor please", over and over until one day it changed to "Tracy can you come to the shop floor please". (In that nasal, condescending tone too!) I think 'Sharon' might have quit or got fired.

Sometimes lorry drivers chatting to each other as they pass by either on the local bypass, A6 or A1(M). Often with effing on every other word!

Spent months & months listening and shouting out on Sundays, channel 8 @ 8pm.......not a sausage!!!!

Do smile when I hear a motorcycle training PMR transmission - another happy soul getting on two wheels.

Also makes me smile when I hear children playing with walkie-talkie style transmissions, just love the enthusiasm shown. I did try for a bit with some of my grandchildren which my one and only grandson took to for a bit. (All granddaughters this way!) Loved his, "In the back garden now Grandad - Over"....."In the front garden now Grandad - Over"......"In the alley now Grandad - Over". Then came the moment that made me laugh as we have an outside toilet, (really useful with my gammy leg)......"Having a pooh now Grandad - Over"!

Problem was with that fateful day when some 0-IQ decided it would be fun to swear at him on air leaving him in tears. He's never bothered with it again not wanting to 'play' anymore......blossoming radio interest shot down in flames at such an early age. I'll maybe try again when he's a bit older and learns to ignore it and switch channels........but then he may tell them to F-off too!!!!!


Otherwise even using my homemade beams I haven't heard a lot apart from my one and only 'longer distance' contact just south of the Thames in London. He never did believe I was that far away from him and thought I was winding him up! Never made the South Coast PMR Net once, (sorry Ray), even when checking tropo conditions.

I may give it all a shot again one day, but I still think PMR should be left as it was intended with licence free 'public mobile radio' activities and keep my DX interests for the Amateur bands.

Besides, how much, "Tracy can you come to the shop floor please", can one man listen to?

Victor. Saw this and other kits and may buy some for my eldest grandson (9)

Remembered your post about your grandson and thought you might be interested.

https://www.aldi.co.uk/incredible-electricity-science-kit/p/712845610345700

Morse code sender is one of the builds.