[IRCA] Cheater term and the FCC

["Craig Healy" <bubba@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> The reason I am so sensitive on the term is what I have heard from
> people like Les. There have been a lot of negative things sent to radio
> stations in the past few years and some stations have been so turned off
> that they will not even respond to QSL requests any longer. Some
> engineers are iriated by  DXers in general because of a few.

Sending anything other than polite comments and reports directly to a
station is out of line and damaging to the DX community.  However, stuff
posted to a DX list is on our home turf, and station engineers ought to
consider that.  They are the outsiders here.  One reason I read these lists
is to see if there is anything happening that would have a negative impact
on any of my clients.  Any adverse comments simply bounce off.  That in
itself should more than overbalance any perceived insults.  The info here is
valuable, not just to DXers.  Let's face it, a majority of AM engineers are
or were DXers at one point in their life.  They understand, or certainly
ought to.

> I just
> would rather be on the safe side. Craig, you are a fellow DXer besides
> an engineer, so you know where we are coming from. But others may not. I
> just feel a different term will mean the same thing without upsetting
> some. I guess it is like saying someone lied or saying they did not tell
> the truth.

Yes.  However..  What happens on the list ought to stay on the list.  It's
not really meant for public (and radio stations') consumption.  Yes, we do
have people like Tom Ray in here who occasionally uncloak.  And when they
read this list, they should certainly realize where they are.  I have never
looked, but I would hope these posts don't get archived to some web site
that will show up in a Google search.

When a 10 watt station is overpowering a kilowatt or larger co-channel rig,
of course that will raise an eyebrow.  Especially since the FCC finds that
to be all too common.  Any engineer who takes offense ought to rethink that
emotion.

The comments about complaining directly to the FCC are a far greater turnoff
than simply labeling a station in one form or another.  Any contact with the
FCC should be strictly the decision of some affected station.

Referring to the WBAL situation, I truly hope they do file a complaint.  Not
because of any anti-IBOC bias I harbor, but because it has the potential of
affecting their bottom line and therefore radio in general.  In a very
removed sense, IBOC hiss over WBAL can affect my income if it lowers radio's
image in the advertiser community.

In no circumstance should any of us file any complaint.  I'm not even very
comfortable with the occasional report some of us make to the FCC on true
cheaters.  That's far worse PR for us.  The only time I send anything to the
FCC is when reports and comments are solicited.

Craig Healy
Providence, RI

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