Re: [IRCA] Update. + comments on FCC and a retired pirate

[Charles A & Leonor L Taylor <calltaylor@xxxxxxx>]

Michael Hawkins wrote:

> Patrick,
>  
> > I told them that they have field staff that is supposed to be aware 
> of things like that...

Mike and Patrick,

About five years ago, three FCC guys, all hams too, came for a look-see 
at the VOA's
Greenville (NC) Plant A Transmitter site. It was informal, and in any 
case they had no
jurisdiction anyway.

It was a delicious irony that they appeared on my shift, and I toured 
them to see our
ancient transmitting equipment. Those guys were trying their best to 
look nonchalantly
at our stuff. Off station, if they visited a local broadcast station 
they could well cause
panic and consternation amongst station personnel.

After they looked around a spell, I asked if any one would like to apply 
for a position at the
station. Being normal hams, they could hardly pass up at least thinking 
about it or dreaming
it out. Being federal personnel and experienced in our line of crime, 
any one of them could
well get a transfer and be on-site within a couple of months. They'd 
probably have to take a
large cut in pay, though. Plus busting boody on our old transmitters 
often was more like
digging around  in grease, grime and dirt in a steam locomotive.

It was MY turn to relate my pirating activities of the 60s back in 
Indianapolis, getting kicked
off the air personally by one of their colleagues since retired, Edward 
A Peterson, from the
FCC Chicago Field Office. The station was WISK-1110  10  watts into a 
tuned 50-foot
CB antenna mast. I WAS the chief, no matter it was a pirate, the oldest 
kid present, and so
was feeling real jeopardy. They well remembered E A Peterson, but of 
course knew
nothing about my case.

A large hunk of the irony was that the VOA is "licensed" by an act of 
Congress, and so
these guys, even if they saw a "violation," couldn't do more than make 
an observation to
us or to their FCC [But even still, a "violation" would take some 
answering by the VOA
Greenville Station Manager].

So here was I, same pay grade as they, going through layers of irony. 
 From 10 watts to
500 kW for me, and way beyond their authority. Could have given them the 
Hawai'ian
Good Luck Sign and chased them off station property, legally all. But of 
course not,
because in the crossing of human paths it was a short period to remember 
always and
savor.

Tale told and signing off.

Charlie WD9INP and former WISK-1110 CE

-- 
	-----------
Charles A & Leonor L Taylor
Greenville, North Carolina


_______________________________________________
IRCA mailing list
IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://dallas.hard-core-dx.com/mailman/listinfo/irca

Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers

For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org

To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx