HAM Toolkit/HAM Toolkit.iso/text/arrl/letter2.24

Text File | 1994-06-05 | 18KB | 457 lines

The ARRL Letter
Vol. 12, No. 4
February 24, 1993

Fake SOS Brings $50,000 Fine for Ham

    An Amateur Extra class licensee has agreed to pay
$50,000 for making fake distress transmissions on 14.313
MHz.

    Fifty-year-old Jorge Mestre, NS3K, of Fairfax,
Virginia, pled guilty to knowingly and willfully
communicating false distress signals on August 7, 1992.

    Mestre entered his plea on February 12, 1993, in
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in
Alexandria, under a plea bargain he had made with the
government. Under the agreement Mestre will permanently
surrender his FCC amateur license, dispose of his Amateur
Radio equipment within 60 days, and make immediate
restitution of $50,000 to the U.S. Coast Guard.

    Sentencing is set for May 7, 1993; under the law (14
U.S.C. 88c) Mestre could receive up to six years
imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.

    The distress calls, on both SSB and CW, described a
sinking vessel off the Turks and Caicos Islands in the West
Indies. It was also falsely reported that six persons aboard
the vessel were in the water and needed to be rescued. For
approximately two hours on the evening of August 7, the
false distress communications continued intermittently and
included the internationally recognized Morse code distress
message "SOS."

    The distress signals were monitored by other Amateur
Radio operators, who notified the Coast Guard and the FCC.
The FCC's long range radio direction finding network then
began monitoring the signals. Using the direction finding
data, subsequent detailed analysis of tape recordings of the
hoax transmissions, and information provided by other
Amateur Radio operators, the FCC was eventually able to
identify Mestre's Amateur Radio station as the source of the
false distress messages.

    Subsequent tests of Mestre's radio equipment, which
was seized on a federal search warrant, confirmed that his
station was responsible for the hoax communications. Mestre
is also suspected of having been involved in at least three
additional false distress cases within the last several
years.

    U.S. Coast Guard rescue policy requires that it
commit the assets necessary for locating a vessel in
distress and for assuring the safety of individuals aboard
such a vessel. Consequently, the Coast Guard, upon being
notified of the distress signal, immediately began a major
search and rescue operation, deploying both cutters and four
aircraft to the area claimed to be the sinking vessel's
location.

    The government of the Turks and Caicos joined the
search, launching patrol craft, and merchant marine vessels
in the area were also advised of a vessel in distress.

    Responding to such hoax distress calls diverts
crucial Coast Guard equipment and personnel that may be
needed to respond to real emergencies and conduct legitimate
search and rescue operations, poses unnecessary potential
threats to the safety of Coast Guard personnel, and is
extremely costly to the government. As a result of the false
distress messages transmitted in this case, the Coast Guard
spent more than $100,000 to conduct the search and rescue
operations.

    *(From a February 12 FCC press release by
Richard Cullen, United States Attorney for the Eastern
District of Virginia; Richard M. Smith, Chief of the Field
Operations Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission,
and the United States Coast Guard).*


$2,000 PENALTY SOUGHT
AGAINST 20-METER HAM


    The FCC has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability
for $2,000 to William A. Moskowitz, KA3HSZ, of Plano, Texas.

    In the NAL, dated January 14, 1993, the FCC said its
Vero Beach, Florida office monitored Moskowitz on November
26, 1992, and during a 17-minute period observed him
changing operating frequency twice, in the vicinity of
14.313 MHz, "in order to interfere with on-going
communications."

    "The violation was willful," the FCC said.
    The FCC said "we are treating this as a minor
violation," and that because Moskowitz is an individual,
because of the nature of the violation, and because it is a
first offense, the Commission set the fine at $2,000. The
FCC's base forfeiture for malicious interference is $7,000.

    Moskowitz has the usual 30 days to pay the fine or
to appeal it.

Texas Hams Help Squelch 420-MHz Interlopers


    The FCC has fined a television production company
for illegally conducting communications in the
amateur 420 MHz band, and is investigating the company that
rented the radios used in the illegal operations.

    The FCC's Dallas office on February 23 issued a
Notice of Apparent Liability to Cannon Television, Inc., of
Irving, Texas, for $8,000 for the violations, which took
place in Fort Worth, Texas in mid-February.

    The FCC also is investigating a Texas firm for
allegedly renting the hand-held transceivers modified to
operate on the amateur 420 MHz band used by Cannon.

    The 25 radios, Motorola model P-200s, were rented
for use in the filming of a pilot for a television adventure
series. The P-200s are easily modified to operate below 450
MHz, through software programming. They are FCC type-
accepted for operation from 403 to 512 MHz. The radios were
delivered ready to operate in the amateur band.

    Jon Moon, KA5HND, discovered the movie company
transmitting on two simplex frequencies at 443 and 445 MHz,
on channels between those normally used by amateurs. Moon
was "just scanning the band" when he ran across the
transmissions, eventually figuring out their source.

    Moon then contacted Chuck Adams, WB5WRR, who
operates a repeater and remote base on the band. The two,
with the help of other Dallas-Ft. Worth amateurs, aided
the FCC's Dallas office in locating the apparent source of
the signals (in downtown Ft. Worth). The FCC then used
direction finding equipment to go to the scene.

    Local amateurs contacted the FCC on Wednesday,
February 17, and the film crew was ordered to cease and
desist, which they had done by the next day. They reportedly
had been using the equipment for nearly two weeks before
being detected.

    "This was a valuable learning experience for many of
the operators on our repeater," Adams said.

    Adams also said that there are UHF channels set
aside for such operations as that of the movie company. In
fact, the film company had contacted a local Dallas-area
supplier of (legal) equipment, owned, coincidentally, by an
amateur radio operator, but had decided the price was too
high, Adams said.

    At presstime the Dallas and Houston FCC offices were
conducting a joint investigation of the situation.

    James Wells, the FCC's Engineer in Charge at the
Dallas office, said he wasn't surprised that local amateurs
alerted him. "Most illegal activity on the amateur bands is
detected and reported by hams," Wells said.

FORMER HAM SENTENCED FOR
HIS UNLICENSED OPERATIONS


    Richard Burton, ex-WB6JAC, has been sentenced to
seven months in jail for operating on amateur bands without
a license, despite a plea from his lawyer that his
punishment *not* include incarceration.

    Burton, 48, was convicted in federal district court
in Los Angeles in late November on four counts of operating
without a license, his third conviction on such charges over
the past 10 years. His lawyer asked for leniency due to
Burton's poor health.

    Burton served six-and-a-half months in jail on a
similar charge in 1984. His amateur license was revoked at
that time, while a charge of using obscene language on the
air was dropped.

    Burton told the *Los Angeles Times* that he blamed
former President Ronald Reagan for the FCC's actions against
him, saying heard a tape recording of one of his
transmissions after a church service.

    "I blame Ronald Reagan," Burton told the *Times*. "I
think he said something and the FCC took it as a
presidential order. When Bush was pardoning everybody
involved with Reagan, he should have pardoned me."

CANADIANS SEEK SUPPORT
IN ANTENNA RULES FIGHT

    Amateurs in Canada, facing a spate of new antenna
ordinances, are planning an informational video for local
government officials. Canadian Amateur Radio Federation
(CARF) and Canadian Radio Relay League (CRRL) officials also
are seeking a special meeting with Minister of
Communications Perrin Beatty, to ask for "better support in
many key areas of Department of Communications
administration."

    "Some municipalities," CARF says, "are overriding
DOC's rightful authority over most antenna installation
matters. DOC seems to want to distance itself from the
resulting disputes between amateurs and municipalities
rather than defend federal jurisdiction under the
Radiocommunication Act."

    The situation is getting worse, CARF says, "as the
widespread availability of cable TV removes the need for
outdoor TV antennas, and municipalities come under pressure
to restrict what some individuals consider to be unsightly
structures."

    In early February the Radio Advisory Board of Canada
denied an appeal from both CARF and CRRL to assist them in
getting DOC to deal with municipalities on restrictive
antenna tower bylaws. The president of the RABC Executive
Committee said, according to the CARF News Service, that
"while the issue of antenna placement is a problem for all
radio users, and the RABC can deal with the broad policy
matters affecting these, it becomes difficult for the Board
to address specific concerns of individual user groups."

    CARF President Farrell Hopwood replied that "the
issue in question has little to do with DOC 'site' licensing
policies for various clients, but rather the right of all
lawful station licensees to be able to use radio
communications 'effectively' and the expectations of the
broader community with respect to environmental matters.

    "This then," Hopwood said, "is an issue of the
interpretation of federal, provincial and municipal law and
the rights and obligations of all concerned with respect to
the use of antennas. It is not a 'single user' issue!"

    CARF is soliciting video clips from amateurs,
showing operators in action and events involving amateurs,
particularly public service activities. Still shots,
including photographs and newspaper clips, also are planned
for a video presentation, which will be distributed to local
amateurs.

    The video is planned to include an introduction to
Amateur Radio; specific benefits to municipalities such as
local emergency communications; international emergency
communications such as hurricanes and earthquakes; and
public service activities such as sporting events.

    The video's producer welcomes film along the above
lines from American amateurs, too, in any format. Contact
Barrie Lennox, VE3AOI, Lennox Marketing Ltd., 26 Ronell
Crescent, Collingwood ON L9Y 4J7. (Tel. [phone]; FAX
705-444-1085).


COAST GUARD HONORS KH6JEB
FOR SERVICE TO REMOTE KURE



    Rick Senones, KH6JEB, has been honored by the US
Coast Guard for his work on Kure Island, volunteer technical
assistance arising directly from his Amateur Radio
background and interest in operating from the rare DXCC
island.

    Senones, 62, of Milalani, Oahu, on January 11
received the Coast Guard's "Swivel Shot Award," presented by
Rear Admiral William Donnell, commander of the 14th Coast
Guard District. Here's the citation:

    "Mr. Rick Senones is cited for exceptional and
sustained community service to Coast Guard personnel
assigned to isolated duty at LORAN Station Kure Island for
more than seven years. During this period, which continued
until the last Coast Guardsman departed Kure after
decommissioning on 30 July 1992, Mr. Senones worked
voluntarily and tirelessly to contribute to the morale and
welfare of more than 20 people assigned to Kure. He
personally and directly supported countless personal needs
of individual crew members.

    "Through the years, Mr. Senones was 'always ready'
to accept requests for morale equipment, personal items and
supplies and place them on the next available Coast Guard C-
130 aircraft bound for Kure Island. In some cases Mr.
Senones provided his own funds, with reimbursement to
follow, so that needed items were on the next flight.

    "Having first gained interest in LORAN Station Kure
through his work with Amateur Radio, Mr. Senones soon
learned that the Military Affiliate Radio System was not
established at the unit. Employing previous military
communications experience and knowledge of the MARS system,
he voluntarily prepared the necessary applications and
established a permanent authorization for Kure personnel to
conduct radio-telephone morale phone patches with loved ones
back home or with distant support personnel on a daily
basis.

    "During periodic visits to Kure, Mr. Senones
performed maintenance and made improvements to LORSTA Kure's
morale radio equipment suite, making it a completely
reliable, and probably the most extensively used operational
communications equipment aboard the unit.

    "Mr. Senones is truly a friend to many Coast
Guardsmen who served their year on Kure. He is commended for
his community service, spirit, and initiative to help others
over the years. His zest for life, and concern for the
welfare of others make him worthy of respect and admiration
from those whom he served and is in keeping with the highest
traditions of the Coast Guard family."

SAREX FLIGHT DRAWS INTEREST
FOR SCIENTIFIC EXPERMIENT


    Nine schools have signed up to participate in SAREX
mission STS-55, scheduled for a March 18 launch. STS-56,
also a SAREX flight, will occur later in the spring, and
there's a possibility that 1993 could see a total of *five*
SAREX shuttle flights, with more now at the tentative stage.

    With the recent licensing of Mission Specialist
Charlie Precourt, KB5YSQ, STS-55 now has five licensed
amateurs scheduled on its crew. The ARRL Educational
Activities Department has filled orders for 350 antenna
experiment kits for STS-55. Motorola engineer Kai Siwiak,
KE4PT, who will compile the antenna experiment data
following the flight, will be interviewed about SAREX before
the flight by the Boeing Employees Amateur Radio Society via
a link to a BEARS repeater in Washington state.

    And Lew McFadden, W5DID, of the Johnson Space Center
Amateur Radio Club, was interviewed recently on NASA select
television about STS-55 and the antenna test. NASA select
television is available by satellite and on some local cable
TV channels. Following the interview the Houston local press
interviewed several of the STS-55 astronauts concerning the
mission, including the SAREX program.

    More information on STS-55 is in February *QST*,
page 42.


ELECTIONS CONCLUDED IN
NINE ARRL SECTIONS


    Ballots have been counted in Section Manager elections
for Iowa, Kentucky, Montana, and Wyoming for terms of office
beginning April 1, 1993. The results are as follows:


    *Iowa*
    Jack Duncan, K0CNM, 331
    James Lasley, N0JL, 209

Duncan was declared elected.

    *Kentucky*
    Steve Morgan, WB4NHO, 493
    Charles McGinty, WD4DLA, 123

Morgan was declared elected.

    *Montana*

    Darrell Thomas, N7KOR, 155
    Robert Teller, AA7OG, 115

Thomas was declared elected.


    *Wyoming*
    Warren Morton, WS7W, 96
    John Cochrane, WA7H, 78

Morton was declared elected.

Five other Sections were not contested and the following
were declared elected to terms of office also beginning
April 1, 1993:


    *Arkansas*, Robert Ideker, WB5VUH
    *Arizona*, Clifford Hauser, KD6XH
    *Minnesota*, Randy "Max" Wendel, N0FKU
    *Orange*, Joe Brown, W6UBQ
    *North Texas*, Robert Adler, NZ2T

BRIEFS


    * A call for papers has been issued for the ARRL
Conference on Digital Communications (formerly the Computer
Networking Conference). Deadline for receipt of camery-ready
papers is July 30, 1993. Hosted this year by the Tampa Local
Area Network, the conference has been tentatively scheduled
for September 11, 1993, at the University of South Florida
in Tampa. Technical papers for the Conference may be on any
aspect of digital communications in Amateur Radio. For more
information contact Maty Weinberg at HQ.


    * A press release from the R.L Drake Company notes
that 1993 is the manufacturer's 50th anniversary. Begun as a
military vendor during the Second World War, Drake entered
the amateur market in the 1950s with its model 1A receiver
and departed in the mid 1980s with its TR-7 HF transceiver.

    R.L. Drake is best known among hams today for its R-
8 shortwave receiver (reviewed in March, 1992 *QST*).

    * The Clinton administration has announced it
intends to phase out both Radio Free Europe and Radio
Liberty by 1995. The    two services, both products of the
Cold War era, cost $207 million in 1992, according to the
Associated Press. The Bush administration had planned to
continue at least some of the operations of both services,
while cutting back on RFE.

    *Forbes* magazine publisher Malcolm S. Forbes Jr.,
who is chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting,
told the AP he opposes the proposed shutdowns.

    "In a time of budget austerity," Forbes said, "radio
broadcasting is the cheapest way of influencing events, the
cheapest way to fight dictators, cheaper than military
forces and bases."

    Forbes predicted that Eastern Europe's tribulations
will force U.S. policy-makers to recognize "the unique
mission of the two radios."

    * A new Field Day bonus has been added for 1993 to
encourage more participation on the VHF bands. 100 points
can be earned by Field Day groups for completing at least 10
contacts (excluding packet) on any band or combination of
bands above 50 MHz. The first VHF/UHF station does not count
as an additional transmitter and is not limited to making
just 10 QSOs; it may be operated for the entire Field Day
period and all contacts (except packet) count for QSO
points, including the first 10.