Melbourne Radio Hacker

[Greg Hyde]

Ch7 has reported at a radio hacker in Melbourne has been using an air band radio and trying to sound like ATC ordering aircraft to go around.

AFP would be interested in any info.

[Philip Argy]

Yes - I just saw this ABC news item about it - it's incredibly serious:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-0...-plane/7995502

[Todd Hendry]

I flew in one week ago and we got a warning from ATC. The previous aircraft had gone around due to the "hacker".

[Greg Hyde]

Federal Police investigating bogus radio calls at Melbourne and Avalon airports

Federal police are seeking public help to uncover who is behind 15 unauthorised radio transmissions with aircraft and air traffic controllers at Melbourne and Avalon airports.

The Australian Federal Police says it is investigating the rogue radio broadcasts that have occurred at the two airports in recent weeks.

In a joint-statement with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and Airservices, AFP head of crime operations acting assistant commissioner Chris Sheehan said the incidents were being treated “extremely seriously”.

“The AFP, Airservices, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the aviation industry are all committed to ensuring the safety of the travelling public,” Sheehan said in a statement.

“These incidents are being thoroughly investigated by the AFP, with technical support from the ACMA.

“The airlines have been briefed to ensure the advice has been passed on to their pilots and to ensure appropriate measures are in place.”

Sheehan said there were appropriate procedures, processes and systems in place to ensure the safety of aviation operations at airports in Victoria and across the country, as well as air travellers.

Full story

http://australianaviation.com.au/201...alon-airports/

[Paul M]

Unbelievable. What could possibly drive you to do something like this. This person is seriously "not well".

[Dave Dale]

I suspect what it will be is someone young, fascinated by radio electronics and aviation. They will have listened in on the transmissions prior to making fake calls to have some idea about what to say. They will be not far away and in visual sight of aircraft he/she affects with transmissions, feeding the desire to do more and more. They possibly will also anticipate the publicity received over these radio frequency incursions and again feed the desire to keep going. As it has been sometime since the first and subsequent incursions, the offender will have gained some emboldment from not being caught. My understanding is that the incursions can be triangulated however requires technicians to be close to the position of the offender and intercept the incursion so the signal can be traced. This takes time. I anticipate the offender will become complacent and carry on with frequency incursions thereby getting caught. They will have felt vindicated in their own way, especially where the application of their own skills has accomplished multiple frequency incursions.

[Greg Hyde]

From early reports the AFP thought that he/she was operating from the Tullermarine/Avalon carparks.

They asked for anyone acting suspicious (other than suspicious spotters) be reported as well as car rego etc.

[Troy R.]

Funnily enough, it will probably be those "suspicious spotters" that give AFP the information they need to find the offender/s!

[Geoff G]

Some moron was playing music on 121.5 this afternoon around YSCB. Sounds like the idiots are spreading.

[MarkR]

Could not pick a worse frequency to try and hide from the authorities.