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. 705-444-1690; 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 23 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.
 
     Chuck Adams, WB5WRR and Jon Moon, KA5HND, operate 
communications service monitors in their search for an unlicensed 
operation in the 420 MHz band in Fort Worth. 
 
     Romeo Stepanenko, 3W3RR/AH0M, of Ukraine, second from left, 
shows photos to ARRL Membership Services Manager Chuck 
Hutchinson, K8CH, while Ed Kritsky, NT2X, and ARRL EVP Dave 
Sumner, K1ZZ, look on on February 8. Stepanko was in Newington to 
present materials related to his P5RS7 operation from North Korea 
in late December-early January. DXCC accreditation for the 
operation is under study. 
 
     John Galle, K0IKU, above, has been elected mayor of Windom, 
Minnesota (somehow that seems appropriate). It's his second term 
as the top political figure in the town of 4,600; he was mayor 
from 1985 to 1988. Galle is 65 and an ARRL life member. The 
morning after the elections the page one headline in the 
Cottonwood County *Citizen* said "Clinton, Galle blitz 
incumbents," so K0IKU mailed the paper to the new President, 
saying "this is probably as close as I will ever come to the 
President of the United States." Bill Clinton autographed the 
newspaper and returned it to him. 

*eof