Hello people! I grew up in Sedalia, and let me tell you there aint' shit for kids to do in Sedalia! Sounds like something me and my friends would do to pass the time! Beats going to Walmart, which is what we usually did...The only thing they have in that town is a shit load of fast food chains, the state fair, and Walmart....When the Fair's not in town, we go to walmart, and if you're tired of Walmart, fuck with the fast food chains..LOL

I think your estimate of the number of hams who would *think* about doing this is low, but you're about spot on for the number of hams who would actually *do* it. Remember, we're allowed to go off-band in an emergency, or when authorized to do so by an FCC field engineer during a communications emergency.

99.5% of licensed hams wouldn't even think of doing this though.

@Rhayader: None of the Taco Bell joints in my area have a screen that works, so they could probably pull it off 'round here. :P

this is old technology. I used to do things like this like 12 years ago. It gets old after a while.

That was funny to me in high school, and, another lifetime later...it's still funny... ;-)

@Rhayader: Yeah, the zombie thing was creative and unexpected. That's why it was funny. Cursing at customers like a couple of jackasses is not creative, though it's admittedly unexpected. It might still be funny, but the sort of low-brow asshole who might find humor in something so simple probably laughs every time he farts too.

@p75hmsa: Yeah, same in my neck of the woods. I can't imagine why though, but yeah, they still exist.

@tripnman: While I'm all for having fun at other people's expense, I draw the line at that sort of idiocy. Making people think they might die....not cool.

@Rhayader: Um...yeah, that's false actually. I mean, maybe it wouldn't be worth getting worked up by after you've been let in on it, but how the hell was anyone to know it was a joke beforehand?

The customers wouldn't have any way of knowing that they were being cursed at by some pimply teenagers in a car rather than by the pimply teenagers working the registers. And that sort of bullcrap can tend to piss people off, rightly so.

@TCTH: Nothing, but apparently his self-righteous post from earlier is acceptible because he stopped doing it once he realized he was inconveniencing someone. As if that makes it right, you dig?

@Corporate_guy: Not if you have a basic ability to comprehend what you read.

@freelunch: I suppose some people find pleasure in simple things. Who are we to judge?

@AD8BC:

I dont see where it says it was a ham radio?

$10 says the pranksters get harsher punishment than Stanford, Madoff, and Bush. Combined.

@Nighthawke:

Most drivethrough audio systems I have encountered use unlicenced MURS frequencies.

@brodie7838: Intentional interference still violates FCC regulations... licensed or not licensed.

You can track the signal... only when the signal is actually occuring. When they stop transmitting, the signal is untraceable.

So if they had the FCC, or some ham radio "fox hunters" (yes, hunting a hidden transmitter is a sport) actually there at the time, knowing what frequency to listen on, there is an even chance they could have been caught... but that likely didn't happen.

@madanthony: Actually it shouldn't have required any modification at all. Most scanners will pick up that frequency band.

@supercereal: it is still illegal to intentionally interfere with an unlicensed radio system. In fact, intentionally jamming your neighbor's wi-fi is, in fact, illegal. Unintentionally jamming it is not.

Even if they did have a ham radio license it would still be illegal... I had a friend that did this many many years ago. it is actually very easy if you have a ham radio that operates near the frequency used.

Here's what they did wrong:
1) Transmitted into an FCC part 15 (unlicensed low power system) using a higher powered FCC part 97 radio (ham radio) or other modified business-band or public service radio.
2) Transmitting on a frequency specifically not allowed to an unlicensed or unapproved person (even if they had a ham radio license, the frequency used by the Taco Bell is not allowed for that license).
3) Transmitting obscenities on the radio (yes, even if you have a license, transmitting an obscenity on a public service, business band, or ham radio frequency is illegal.

Penalties: All federal. No local crimes were committed here. Up to $10,000 each violation. Loss of any FCC license that they may hold (ham radio, GMRS, GROL, or commercial license). Possible federal jail time. Unless they used a stolen device to transmit, then they could be charged with theft .

Probably what will happen is a slap on the wrist, a few thousand dollar fine, and revocation of any FCC license the kids may have.

@Rhayader: Also, it's good to see people getting more inventive now that caller ID has ruined the classic prank phone call. So many memories...

Also, that might be just a step too close to, you know, actually working for Taco Bell.

STFU. This is a kinda stupid, kinda funny prank that no reasonable person would get all worked up about. It's a joke, for christ's sake.

@Buckaroo_GitEmSteveDave: I wish people would get it out of their minds that McDonald's is still a restuarant. Each location is only a local point of assembly for industrial food manufacturing.

So when they do things like outsource the drive through order taking, it is just a logical time saving, progression for the industrialized food production line.

Restaurants have cooks who make or create food from raw materials. Think of it as the difference between a local one man wood furniture making shop and the end retailer of mass produced knock down furniture- say Ikea- if they actually assembled the furniture for the customer upon purchase.

"Hi welcome to Alpo Bell, would you like Kibble with that?"

@downwithmonstercable: Can you say "federal pound me in the ass prison"?

@Corporate_guy:
I think Keavy_Rain was saying that its fun to mess with the employees but not the customers.

Causing lost profits by causing interference with an ordering customer seems more detrimental than ordering a Big Mac at Burger King.

If you use a high power radio, you can do it from very far away, especially when inside a car.

Drive to the woods or park in obscure places....

They probably had a cheapo radio....

Its the drive-thru's fault.....
Either wire up or use a coded frequency...

Still - Part 95.1307(d)states "MURS users shall take reasonable precautions to avoid causing harmful interference." These guys were deliberately causing interference, so anyway you look at it, they were in violation with the FCC.

Good times...

As far as what laws broken, using non-type accepted radios for this purpose would be one.

Locally, a KFC, and two McDonald's shops are using 154.6 MHz, which is legally fair game (i.e. no license required to transmit). These establishments are required under part 95 of the FCC rules to share the frequency with all comers.

However, if the fast-food place has a frequency assignment that is not part of a public band (and, accordingly, holds a license for it), then breaking in is absolutely illegal.

I had a disconcerting experience at Taco Bell today, but the staff pretended not to know what they had said to me. Do you have the CEO's office info so I can launch an EECB?

Plus it's funny. It was stupid, they might have cost the store a few customers, and it violated some regulations, but as a story it's pretty hilarious. Everyone did stupid things when they were kids.

Obviously the Taco Bell employees hacked in to these individuals private conversation.

@atomoverride: your buddy picks a crappy place to live, so he then hurts the business that is next door? your buddy is an ass.

@honestlytoomuch: Probabaly by watching two idoits in the parking lot laughing their asses off and yelling into a walkie talkie.

@Yossarian: or your kids in the drive through being cursed at, or your order being inturupted on your way home. Basically, like many things in life, if its not effecting you, its funny.

Yes, the FCC regulates all radio frequencies and to transmit on a radio frequency you don't have permission to use is a big no no. You can face fines for that. Also the use of modified radio, another big no no in itself, again more fines.

I'm sure they won't do that again. And instead of just saying obscene things, more fun to mess up the orders, like repeat back to the customer "so 2 soft tacos, small order of fiesta fries and a 6 pack of coors light?"

(They said it was "accidental" by transmitting at 1000 watts instead of 1 watt. Accidental.)

@Keavy_Rain: In my younger days, attempting to order the breakfast pizza or lasagna from any drive thru was my go-to.

It's easier than you think.

@Spencer Cunningham: I used to work at a movie theater that was right next to a Chick-fil-a. We used radios to communicate and if you went outside we could get on the same frequency as the drive thru. I have no idea how many orders of 12 chicken sandwiches they had to fill... (We had to keep it realistic.)

I agree that the final product is clever and I enjoy zombies as much or more than the average person, but the actual 'hack' is much simpler than this one and could potentially get someone hurt.
It would have been more clever for them to say things like "Welcome to KFC, can I take your order? We're out of chicken tonight!" or "____ County Sheriff, Sgt. Haskett speaking" and things like that to hilariously confuse.

@honestlytoomuch: directional antennas work fine.

@AustinTXProgrammer: It's true... actually tried this one in North Austin when I was in high school.

I haven't done it again though, after I later found out that they actually send an ATM Technician to reset the machine.

@eightfifteen: The radio bands are restricted, and operating on them without a license is against the law (FCC). For someone radio bands there are regulations against obscenity, but I would not expect that to be an issue here.

Issues:
Unlicensed use of radio frequencies.
Interference with licenses broadcasting.

One of my friends modified a Radio Shack scanner that he bought at a yard sale for $20 - I think he had to cut a couple of leads on the board - and was able to pick up the local McDonald's drive-thru.

Referring to it as elite technology skills goes a bit far.

@Spencer Cunningham: I fail to see how transmitting obscenities to one side of a duplex transmission on a restricted frequency is "awesome".

Aside from violating FCC regs, it is very immature.

Apparently, the previous year, some clown used his issued radio to "place" a rather large order. One of the heads of security overheard the order over the radio and gave the guy a choice: pick up and pay for the order and apologize, or he could leave and not come back at all. I don't know if he McD's workers actually got the apology, but from what I heard the entire security detail did get dinner...

@Pizza_Club:
But did Taco Bell own that airwave?

Lots of those little boring towns in MO with nothing for kids to do.

@Buckaroo_GitEmSteveDave: Burger King did it a lot from what I heard, until they closed all their restaurants. Is that place even around anymore?

@JeffIowa: Haha. I had never even heard of it. I though tit sounded like a Korean car model. "The Kia Sedalia" or something.

Who gives you the right to specific real estate? Everybody should be able to live in your house. Better for the community and all that.

It's more fun the low-tech way. One time in college we were at a Sonic and a campus cop parked next to us on our right. He pushed the button and they asked for his order, but before he could say anything I yelled from the passenger side of the car I was in that I wanted 25 cheeseburgers, 25 orders of fries, and one large diet Coke. Then we took off while he was yelling at the box in a panic that that wasn't really his order. Fun times!

Take a note from real comedians like David Letterman, when he works a fast food drive thru.

@Buckaroo_GitEmSteveDave: [Start Indian Customer Service Representative Voice Here] Welcome to McDonalds, my name is Bob, and I am CSR# 47532 in McDonalds Global drive through ordering headquarters. May I take you order?

The death of the McDonalds drive thru is soon approaching.

quote: Our franchisee has been speaking with his customers who have been very supportive and understand that he had nothing to do with this,"

I don't get this. Are there that many regulars? I've never been on a first name basis with my Taco Bell franchisee. And they don't have my phone # either.

You did get the message out to them on how to do it though: [consumerist.com]

But, how did they catch them? Can you track the signal?

@AustinTXProgrammer: If 50 watts coming from a 2m rig is enough to reboot an ATM, then that ATM has some serious problems.

I see my purpose in life as being fodder for those "Bad Customer" blogs. You know, the ones where retail workers submit their stories of idiots they have to serve? I love reading those almost as much as I love being that idiot customer.

This, however, is completely out of line. Having fun with the staff is one thing, but going out of your way to abuse a company's customers and possibly create a situation where the company would lose customers? Completely uncalled for.

What's worse is they did it to a franchisee! These people have it bad enough with the requirements on where they can buy their food and supplies, competition from other restaurants and even their own company's corporate stores, and the fees they have to pay to said corporate entity, all of which result in higher prices.

Shame on you, teenagers. Shame on you.

@downwithmonstercable: Obviously, you've never been to Sedalia. On the drive through I blinked twice and missed it completely.

Only good thing to come out of Sedalia was my college roommate, and he turned out to be Schizophrenic...

Many of the older VHF and UHF analog FM systems are still in use and are still prone to such interference. The FCC does require a part 90 business radio service license for the drive-thru systems on the VHF and UHF bands, and thus they are supposed to be allowed protection in cases of harmful interference (including those cases of kids screwing around with ham radios on their licensed channels.)

However you'd be amazed at how many of the drive-thru systems have expired licenses or none at all. So calling Johnny Law in to complain about getting bumped in traffic when you don't have insurance and a valid driver's license yourself is kind of ironic.

Not saying that is the case here, just an observation I've made.

"Our franchisee is continuing to cooperate with authorities in their investigation and is hopeful the pranksters will be caught."

So which is it? They were caught or they are hopeful to catch them?

Also do not put the elevator number and address on marketing forms, nor deliver pizza to the elevator.

@Spencer Cunningham: Did you hear about the pranksters (jaloponik was involved) that hacked into traffic signs in FL and Texas and wrote silly things like "zombies ahead"? Much more clever use of technology I think (not to mention a broader range of enjoyment).

I would hope that they never drove any customers away, as that would be doing great harm to the franchise owner.

Once you start taking over radio waves that you don't own, the government gets nitpicky.

@eightfifteen: probably tampering with radio frequencies or something. Basically probably a law meant to stop much bigger crimes.

Seems like an overreaction on the authorities' part. This is a childhood prank. Obscenities, oh no! Things must be slow for the police in Sedalia.

As hilarious as it may be (which isn't really that hilarious since its been done since the dawn of drive thrus) I don't think its worth having a federal black mark on your record.

Hi welcome to Taco Bell, how can I OH MY GOD IT'S CRAWLING UP MY LEG GET IT OFF GET IT OFF AAAAA....*static*

Damn this is better than me trying to order hot pockets at burger king.