[Boatanchors] a warning in good faith

[rayfri]

This question was settled YEARS ago.  I recall the question coming up 
when I was a Novice way back in the 60s.  The secrecy of communications 
rules does NOT apply to amateur radio.  It applies to such 
communications as police, fire, and other public safety operations as 
well as military communications we might hear (not MARS) and things like 
ship to shore and now cellular phones.  There was a case a number of 
years ago where a couple came across by accident cellular phone 
conversations by a national politician and they taped them and they were 
in the news ... the couple in that instance was charged with divulging 
the contents of the communications ....   The FCC, though, stated 
wayyyyyyy back that it does not apply to amateur radio transmissions.   
We can talk about what we hear on the ham bands all we want and in any 
public forum we wish to...
That includes the content of any traffic we may pass on anyone elses 
behalf on the ham bands....


Jim Wilhite wrote:

> Duane:
>
> I feel that your message should have been directed to Mr. Collins 
> independently and not published on the reflector.  I can see both 
> sides of the point and feel it is a legitimate arena of discussion.  
> After all, it does affect our operation of Boatanchors.  Who among us 
> would not be posting the same concerns if someone in the U.S. suffered 
> the same fate as the unfortunate ham in Surrey?  In addition, he 
> quoted fact based sources, which turned out to be The Daily Mail 
> published in the UK.
>
> I would be shouting my head off if someone here was arrested for 
> expressing an opinion, Wouldn't you?
>
> 73  Jim
> W5JO
>
> Duane Fischer, W8DBF wrote:
>
>> Mr. Collins,    
>>     
>> This is getting to be an all too frequent feature of your posts. With 
>> all due
>> respect, sir, it really needs to cease.   
>>     
>> While there are indeed legitimate concerns for Amateur Radio 
>> operators in
>> different countries, some of which affect all of us and others which 
>> affect only
>> those in a particular region, such as the UK, the truth is most often 
>> lost in
>> the dialogue known as 'making a mountain out of a mole hill'.      
>>     
>> Somebody extracts a single thought from an entire  press statement, for
>> instance, and then colors it with their own opinions to distort it 
>> into meaning
>> something it did not originally. Then the 'domino effect' kicks in 
>> and one fact
>> after another is reshaped. Before long the original thought is 
>> nowhere to be
>> found in the current dialogue. Just human nature.       
>>     
>> This list shall not be the place where political debates of any type 
>> are the
>> discussion subject. Even if the particular statement appears to 
>> affect, or in
>> fact does affect, the Amateur Radio operators of a particular area, 
>> such as the
>> UK, or if it affects all Hams everywhere, the information being 
>> announced is
>> generally faulty from the outset and it simply degrades from there. 
>> If there was
>> truth, it is soon lost among the various and sundry excursions into
>> extrapolation and conjecture.   
>>     
>> For whatever the reason, the majority of these proclamations 
>> originate in the
>> UK. Now I am not picking on the UK, nor am I singling it out, just 
>> stating the
>> obvious. Maybe it happens because those in the UK discuss these 
>> issues more
>> frequently and more seriously than residents of other countries, who 
>> knows.    
>>     
>> Whatever the reason, this list is not the place for these discussions 
>> to be
>> taking place.  It is not an issue of "off topic" or whatever. It is 
>> simply that
>> these political debates belong elsewhere, such as on the lists that 
>> are set up
>> specifically for these kinds of often emotional, and frequently hot 
>> tempered,
>> exchanges of less than subjective viewpoints.         
>>     
>> Several of Mr. Collins previous allegations were investigated by 
>> people in the
>> fields concerned, both military and international communications, and 
>> his
>> assertions were shown to be not actually based on fact, but on his 
>> personal
>> beliefs. Which is his right. He can believe whatever he wants to. 
>> However,
>> starting these philosophical debates here with unnamed sources, 
>> mysterious
>> people in cloak/dagger operations and so forth is  just inviting 
>> trouble. So
>> gentlemen, let us not go down that path of preventable disaster and 
>> direct our
>> focus to issues that do not involve the political climate and those 
>> who create
>> and manipulate it wherever in this world.       
>>     
>> This is not a censorship issue, as if it were, Mr. Collin's post 
>> would not have
>> appeared to begin with. Unless Alan Waller, K3TKJ invokes moderated 
>> messages,
>> and he won't unless circumstances leave him no other viable 
>> alternative!,
>> nothing is censored, ever.   
>>     
>> I agree that some issues do need discussion. But let us conduct those
>> provocative discourses on the appropriate forums where they belong.   
>>     
>> Thank you all for your understanding and cooperation.   
>>     
>> Duane Fischer, W8DBF   
>>       
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  ---------
>> From: CLIVE COLLINS <dartaviation at btopenworld.com>
>> To: boatanchor network <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
>> Subject: [Boatanchors] a warning in good faith
>> Date: Sunday, August 28, 2005 6:19 AM
>>
>> Good morning Gentlemen,
>> I make no apology for the transmission of the following 
>> information,it has very
>> little to do with "boatanchors" yet in many ways it affects us all in 
>> certain
>> ways.
>>  
>> I have in front of me a copy of a well respected newspaper published 
>> in London
>> this morning which highlights the situation that we could all 
>> possibly be faced
>> with presently.
>> The article details the story of an Amateur residing in Ottershaw, 
>> Surrey UK.
>> who, during a QSO with another amateur in Australia and others, was 
>> alleged by a
>> listener to have made racist remarks about the recent London Bombings.
>> As a result of this listeners actions, the Surrey Amateur was 
>> arrested (although
>> he insists that he said nothing racist) and was kept in a police cell 
>> for two
>> hours and the police "CONFISCATED £5000 WORTH OF HIS EQUIPMENT" !
>> This has particularly strong implications for all of us who are 
>> licensed and who
>> might have the occasional "nasty" neigbour who thinks that because we 
>> enjoy a
>> hobby that is interesting and educational and that essentially he 
>> doesn't
>> understand, considers we are fair game for any one with an axe to 
>> grind either
>> genuinely or believed.  'Nuts' are not always found in secure hospitals
>> remember.
>>  
>> The police stated that they were taking him into custody "while they
>> investigated the claims" and presumably if the claims had taken a 
>> month to
>> investigate he would still be under arrest.
>> Make no mistake, I am not putting myself up as a paragon of virtue in 
>> this
>> matter, I have my own views on the subject as a being British English 
>> and proud
>> of it (that should be enough to get me put away for life !) but I 
>> don't publish
>> them on twenty metres.
>> I feel that the situation is clearly almost out of control and that 
>> we as a body
>> generally are losing our very hard fought for right to free speech.
>>  
>> When this sort of incident can and does happen, how long before we 
>> are all
>> closed down?
>>  
>> A comment from the terrified Surrey police states that "We follow up 
>> on any
>> complaint made which could give rise to a race-hate crime being 
>> committed. We
>> will not tolerate any form of hate or discrimination.  The 
>> allegations were of
>> an offensive nature towards ***********  " (deleted on purpose to 
>> avoid me being
>> arrested but you can guess who they were)
>> "The Broadcast (note the terminology !) could have been heard by anybody
>> listening to the correct frequency"  Since when were we licensed to 
>> "Broadcast"?
>>  
>> So there we have the current situation in the UK as far as amateur 
>> radio is
>> concerned.
>> No mention is made of the fact that all e mails are subject to 
>> scanning for
>> words and phrases by the UK and US authorities, at our end in 
>> Yorkshire at a
>> location called Menwith Hill and at Fort Geoge Meade in the United 
>> States 24
>> hours a day (and 'good morning to the duty watch' at both 
>> establishments)
>> I for one am concerned that '1984' has already arrived, so if it can 
>> happen here
>> with the 'thought police' taking an unhealthy interest in amateur 
>> radio then who
>> knows which country will be next  for the microscope.
>> Should I be arrested for this traffic, it has been a pleasure to 
>> communicate
>> with you all.
>>  
>> Kindest regards and all good wishes,
>>  
>> Clive GW3WEQ           (potential prisoner number 4044824)
>>  
>> Address correct as in 'QRZ.com' if it will save time for the police 
>> in finding
>> me, just don't be too rough with the equipment if you confiscate it.  ! 
>
>
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