[MilCom] "When Intercepting Becomes Illegal"

[Steve Douglass]

The point of my article was  simple, let's not do anything that gets 
the "paranoid-do-anything-in-the-name-of-homeland-security , types 
making new laws that infringe on our rights to listen in. Security 
forces around bases and government facilities already have a 
high-stress super-tough job as it is.

In light of this war on terror, let's not make the jobs (of those 
tasked with safeguarding government and military facilities) any 
tougher which as a result would only serve to  make life tougher on 
military and UTE monitors as well.

But, as I also clearly stated in the article (for those who don't 
subscribe to Pop Comm) if you believe your rights are being trampled 
on unfairly, then by all means protest!   .... but digging up 
security sensors around sensitive bases(which "UFO Investigators" 
claim falls under the taxpayer's right to know) is just plain stupid!

>As for Steve Douglass' writing style has always been towards the
sensationalism aspect of hobby radio monitoring"?"

  ...  Well.. maybe, but it's because I find most reporting on 
radio-monitoring very  dry and about as exciting as reading stereo 
instructions. Sure we need great technical writers, but I've always 
tried to write about the excitement,energy and intrigue that probably 
drew most of us into this hobby in the first place.

That said,  I've never sensationalized a story and try and base my 
reporting on fact and good journalism.

Not being perfect,I know I've made a few mistakes and on a few 
occasions I've fallen short of the lofty journalistic ideals taught 
in my college journalism classes, but all in all I'd like to  think 
I've injected some new life into the hobby while penning articles 
filled with useful information that get a monitor's anxious to get 
back at their radio sets. All things being equal, no one can accuse 
my articles of being boring or lacking in controversy, which sells 
magazines,stirs interests and provides a good read.

-Steve Douglass















>'Popular Communications' Magazine, September 2004 Edition   UCD column "When
>Intercepting Becomes Illegal -- And A Warning"
>See http://www.popular-communications.com/22Utility%20RadioSept04.html
>
>Surely, Steve Douglass' writing style has always been towards the
>sensationalism aspect of hobby radio monitoring, and of course that the
>differentiation that readers probably want among the various nationally
>published hobby radio magazines.
>
>HOWEVER Steve tends to indicate in the article that the folks targeted by
>these federal enforcement efforts, were really doing things that were
>illegal, pure & simple...
>
>With all this Homeland Security/Defense & terrorist attack paranoia around,
>I'd tend to agree with Steve, that we in the radio monitoring hobby need to
>be very sensitive to government officials perceptions of any "on scene"
>monitoring activities.
>
>Ken
>Springfield MA Monitoring Area
>
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
"I have spent the majority of my life listening to shortwave radios 
and scanners, but the rest of it I've wasted."