View Full Version : TEEN BUSTED FOR FAKE MAYDAY CALLS
The FCC and Coast Guard were searching for the perpetrator of fake distress calls in Florida recently after four calls resulted in four searches that turned up nothing. The fraudulent calls were finally traced to Maurice Hutchinson, a 15 year old Freshman at Clearwater HS. He allegedly used his cousin's name when asked to identify himself, but when the Coast Guard checked the name, it was discovered that the man is serving in Iraq.
Now Hutchinson has been charged by Largo, FL police with two counts of burglary after being accused of stealing marine communications equipment. Authorities say he used the equipment to make at least four fake mayday calls causing the Coast Guard to send helicopters to the Sunshine Skyway and elsewhere. Fake Mayday calls cost taxpayers thousands of dollars in wasted man hours and fuel every year. It is unknown whether or not the FCC will also institute proceedings for unlicensed operation.
http://www.sptimes.com/2007....t.shtml (http://www.sptimes.com/2007/08/28/Northpinellas/Fake_maydays_traced_t.shtml)
http://www.sptimes.com/2007....e.shtml (http://www.sptimes.com/2007/08/25/Northpinellas/Fake_calls_for_aid_le.shtml)
Sympathy post. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif #
What's up with Florida anyway; why so many pirates??
"A pirate radio station operating from a tower in a residential area south of Stuart was shut down by Martin sheriff's investigators and the Federal Communications Commission Wednesday morning."
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localne....io.html (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/tcoast/epaper/2007/08/15/0815MCradio.html)
Quote[/b] (K3VR @ Aug. 28 2007,10:32)]What's up with Florida anyway; why so many pirates??
Yaaarrrrrr...right close to the Carribean, they are...
It's not just Florida. Before I got my ham ticket I used to specialize in QSL'ing pirate stations. They are all over the world.
Maybe he'll get his NCG in jail.
k0cmh
08-28-2007, 05:46 PM
Maybe Charlie will join him for being such an incessant troll.
EDIT: Keep a close watch on your goat Charlie, I think it is about to be "gotten". http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif You didn't fare out so well last time. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
VO1GXG
08-28-2007, 05:47 PM
i have been told this by several hams .
" Its OK to pirate as long as you know what the **** your doing ! "
Quote[/b] (k0cmh @ Aug. 28 2007,10:46)]Maybe Charlie will join him for being such an incessant troll.
EDIT: Keep a close watch on your goat Charlie, I think it is about to be "gotten". http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif You didn't fare out so well last time. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Hey, maybe he's related to VE7KFM!
Quote[/b] (kc2rgu @ Aug. 28 2007,11:35)]It's not just Florida. #Before I got my ham ticket I used to specialize in QSL'ing pirate stations. #They are all over the world.
Pirate Radio always fascinated me.
ai4ep
08-28-2007, 07:56 PM
Yep, I remember trying to find and listen to the "pirate " radio stations around 7.415 and 1610 / 1620 on AM with a new radio shack digital readout shortwave receiver ( I think the model # was DX-400 ?? ) around Hallooween / Christmas time of the 1980 s ...and I actually DID hear a few.
{ wonder if they are still around ?? }
Some of them would be out on ships broadcasting from beyond the 200 mile limitation ( of what ? ) in the ocean, and others would be in the top of skyscrapers in big cities...I got all my info about them from POPULAR COMMUNICATIONS magazine {wonder if it IS still around ? } .
Listening to this might be even better than 3.944 ?
---------------------------
So far as reading the links to the teenager in Florida jamming the marine frequencies with the fake mayday calls ...based on the words of the article, he had several to use ( intent to use ), and he had SOME knowledge .
Wonder if he is a licensed amateur ?
Plus his step dad is a trucker, which opens up YET another can of worms in the mess. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
No wonder the kid has problems !!
Wonder if he comes to qrz and reads and gets ideas ??
more questions than answers ....!! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
WA2ZDY
08-28-2007, 08:41 PM
From the article: Quote[/b] ]He has a talent for working with electronics and was able to attach an antenna and rewire a radio to connect it to a battery, Tandy said.It figures. And guys who want to be volunteer firefighters start fires and . . . What a bunch of non-sense. Maybe this kid who has a "talent" got the idea to do things illegally from his stepfather the trucker.
On the other hand, the stepfather is the one who told mom to drop the dime. Sounds like some honest parents for once. Man, what a convoluted issue. I hope the kid gets some help AND gets something more than a slap on the wrist. They have counselling available in jail.
KA4DPO
08-28-2007, 09:19 PM
Blast their scuppers those mother lovin lilly liverd mangey radio pirates. Arrrr.
As for the kid that made the call, he's an idiot.
Quote[/b] (KA4DPO @ Aug. 28 2007,14:19)]As for the kid that made the call, he's an idiot.
String him up by the gonads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
kb2vxa
08-29-2007, 12:04 AM
"My husband, being a trucker, knew the severity of playing on a CB and we knew we hadn't bought it," Tandy said.
Tandy Leather Ltd. of Canada, original parent of Radio Shack.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Quote[/b] (K3VR @ Aug. 28 2007,14:26)]Pirate Radio always fascinated me.
Glad to hear it, but Pirate Radio may be a little tougher to copy this year, since they moved the flagship station from KDKA-AM to WPGB-FM. #Really a bummer, we always enjoyed listening to Lanny, Greg, Walkie, and Blass while on vacation down at Ocean City MD. #(And I didn't forget about Wehner, he's still growing on us...)
I hear it came down to money, which is a shame to see 50 years of tradition go by the wayside, but the corporate types now running KDKA-AM look solely at the bottom line. #Of course, not having a winning season for 15 years doesn't help.
But what's The Pittsburgh Pirate's Radio Network got to do with any of this, anyway?
73 while ducking & running
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
edit whoops, mistyped the radio station call... fixed it...
ai4ep
08-29-2007, 01:59 AM
I would guess that the radio world has NOT heard the last from this person .
On your Pittsburgh Pirates Radio Station, this is WPGB, 104.7 FM (the only legal pirate radio station on the band).
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c6/PiratesAlternate.gif/120px-PiratesAlternate.gif
WA9SVD
08-29-2007, 03:04 AM
Quote[/b] (WA2ZDY @ Aug. 28 2007,13:41)]From the article: Quote[/b] ]He has a talent for working with electronics and was able to attach an antenna and rewire a radio to connect it to a battery, Tandy said.It figures. And guys who want to be volunteer firefighters start fires and . . . What a bunch of non-sense. Maybe this kid who has a "talent" got the idea to do things illegally from his stepfather the trucker.
On the other hand, the stepfather is the one who told mom to drop the dime. Sounds like some honest parents for once. Man, what a convoluted issue. I hope the kid gets some help AND gets something more than a slap on the wrist. They have counselling available in jail.
Well, perhaps with a bit more of parental oversight/guidance, the poor, misguided fellow wouldn't have resorted to such not only illegal, but damaging (economically, as well as physically damaging) practices in the first place.
It's too bad the parent(s) stepparent didn't have a better handle on the illegal activity that was going on. It was a matter that (IMHO, sorry) with some parental supervision, (even minimal,) that "shoulda, couldda, wouldda" been stopped before it got to the point of serious FCC/Coast Guard involvements and violations, possible at the felony level.
KI4PEQ
08-29-2007, 04:01 AM
Quote[/b] (K3VR @ Aug. 28 2007,20:07)]On your Pittsburgh Pirates Radio Station, this is WPGB, 104.7 FM (the only legal pirate radio station on the band).
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c6/PiratesAlternate.gif/120px-PiratesAlternate.gif
You are wrong, skull and crossbones breath!
The radio home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (http://www.us1035.com/main.html)
Quote[/b] (KI4PEQ @ Aug. 29 2007,00:01)]Quote[/b] (K3VR @ Aug. 28 2007,20:07)]On your Pittsburgh Pirates Radio Station, this is WPGB, 104.7 FM (the only legal pirate radio station on the band).
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c6/PiratesAlternate.gif/120px-PiratesAlternate.gif
You are wrong, skull and crossbones breath!
The radio home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (http://www.us1035.com/main.html)
Considering that the Pittsburgh Pirates have been playing baseball for over 125 years, and have been known as the "Pirates" or "Buccaneers" or "Buccos" for over 100... no, I don't think he's entirely wrong. #He's only 99% right, which is close enough.
You see, we could list the entire membership of the PIRATE Radio Network, all of which would be legal Pirate radio stations... but we can cut him a little slack on a minor point like that.
8 1/2 games back with 5 weeks to play. #Nah, it's hoping for too much, but the wife already is making plans for playoff tickets... something she's been waiting to do for 10 years now, since the heyday of the Phreak Show team that almost pulled it off...
Besides, real Pirates wear Black & Gold with a splash of Red.
73, ron w3wn
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?