Robert Foxworth wrote:
Charlie followed up:
Thanks Bob, now I feel a story coming on. (I'll keep it short and sweet)
Yeah, I was on their watch list too.
During the Radio Americas-1160 era, I wrote a report to & got a QSL from
Radio Americas. No big deal.
I also, on the outside chance that it would work, sent a report to
CMBQ-1162 Radio Enciclopedia Popular (La Habana). CMBQ was a de facto
jammer for Radio Americas-1160. I was surprised that, inside of two
weeks, I got a verie letter from CMBQ/R. Enciclopedia Popular. In my
report, I didn't both with any questions about CMBQ's status as a
jammer. Would have lessened the chances for a QSL and if not, would have
been ignored by station.
Sent Reports to Radio Progreso-690 and CMCA-730 in same time frame with
verie letters.
Was about 15 years old at the time.
When I had to apply for a "Secret" security clearance in the Navy,
years later, thought it prudent to address that fact in my SF-88
(clearance request form). That caused me to have to append a bunch of
pages to explain these reports and QSLs to the government. Then again in
applying for "Top Secret" clearance in Navy.
Then again many years later in request for Top Secret clearance for
foreign service in VOA, I had to rehash this again. Top Secret for
Foreign Service is a whole lot higher than your garden-variety Top
Secret because a FS officer abroad is exposed to attempts to blackmail
based on skeletons in the closet. The clearances for Foreign Service in
effect require you to admit the skeletons to the government so the
government will know....so you can't be blackmailed by a hostile
government while you're overseas.
VOA being a small agency, got quick feedback that the agency already
knew about my reports, QSL, veries and whatnot to Cuban stations. Knew
everything already because the FBI had to provide them my dossier. Also
knew about my pirate radio activities back in Indianapolis.
Also, most of top technical management at VOA are amateur radio
operators, and have sent reports out to etc., etc., etc. like me. Some
have pirated too. Can be a
positive factor on your placement on VOA's fecal roster.
It really happened.
Charlie
"There's nothing of value here [VOA Greenville transmitter plants]. If
there were, the
hams would have stole it already." (anonymous: retired VOA technician
who wasn't a ham)
>Some of the fallout from "Deep Throat/Mark Felt"
>includes an interesting sidebar article that ran in
>today's Tampa Tribune, by James Crawley of
>the Media General News Service.
>
>Crawley says that Mark Felt was his "Uncle Mark",
>the brother of his Aunt Janet.
>
>While the main part of the article is that Crawley
>never got his lifetime scoop because Felt would
>not admit his undercover role, there is a part of
>it that is very relevant to DXers, and which actually
>confirms in principle something that many of us
>have guessed at for decades.
>
>Best to quote the article from here in:
>
>"Uncle Mark ... did give me hints about the prying
>eyes of the FBI.
>
>As a boy, I tinkered with radios, listening to amateur
>radio operators and distant shortwave stations
>such as the BBC and Voice of America.
>
>The hobby included mailing reports of a broadcast's
>time and details to the faraway station. In return,
>the station would send a colorful postcard, known
>as a QSL card. Listeners collected them like baseball
>trading cards.
>
>One of the easiest stations to hear was Radio Havana.
>Not only did they send QSL cards, but also regular
>issues of Granma, the communist screed full of
>Cuban propaganda.
>
>During his next visit, I proudly showed Uncle Mark my
>shortwave radio and all my cards from Cuba, the
>USSR and China.
>
>"Yes, I know. Your name showed up on some lists, but
>I told them you were O.K. So, don't worry", he said.
>
>I was 10.'
>
>--
> James W. Crawley can be reached
>at jcrawley@mediageneral.com.
>