Biased Anti-Amateur Radio News Report

[kb9dbc]

I was absolutely appalled at the news report that was recently broadcast by KCBD of Lubbock, TX. A local resident and Ham Radio Operator has a horizontally-polarized antenna on a crank-up tower, and the news article is horribly slanted against the Ham operator. Furthermore, the report has several of the local residents (who are quite upset about the antenna's presence) complaining about how unsightly the antenna is.

This report is extremely anti-ham radio, and no objective information about what Amateur Radio is, why the Ham has the antenna, or any positive spin is placed on the report. The anchorman only briefly describes what Ham Radio is at the end of the report. What's worse is that the report appears to incite upset against the Ham Radio Operator, as it is explained that while the antenna is unsightly, it's also completely legal and there is nothing that the upset residents can do because the Ham Radio Operator is "protected" by Federal law.

The video can be viewed at kcbd.com News Report (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC_EeWSKJII&search=antenna%20ham%20news%20Lubbock)

[wa9cwx]

DBC,
Quite a feat to see a TX station from Gurnee, IL, you must have one hell of a TV antenna, what do YOUR neighbors think?

Actually, I think that a biased TV report, is pretty much the norm, don't you?

The job of a TV news dept is at least in PART to make a report that is interesting, especially if there is no interesting news to report.

How sad is the "news collecting" part of their dept. if the best they can do is a beam and some old women ?

I'm suprised they didn't give the old women some Mac 10s and a sledge hammer to beef it up a bit...... http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[KF0RT]

This is at least the 4th thread started on this news report.

Hasn't everyone seen it yet? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

73, Rob

[G0GQK]

Correction. Some people in Lubbock don't like seeing #a massive HF antenna with a 35 ft. boom staring at them when it could have been placed at the rear of the property where perhaps it would not have caused so much offence.

G0GQK

[n2nh]

Quote[/b] (G0GQK @ May 14 2006,16:24)]Correction. Some people in Lubbock don't like seeing a massive HF antenna with a 35 ft. boom staring at them when it could have been placed at the rear of the property where perhaps it would not have caused so much offence.

G0GQK
I know it's hard to tell from the video, but they were filming at the rear of the properties, from other peoples houses. They really need to get a life down there. Nary a complaint of TVI and they're still compaining.

[kb2vxa]

At the back of the lot? It IS at the back of the lot, a self supporting crank-up in a postage stamp back yard. Jeraldo must have had the day off, he would have dug up the neighborhood looking for Al Capone's gold. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[WA2ZDY]

"It's interesting when people die,
give us dirty laundry . . ."

Don Henley hit the nail on the head with that song. Happy news doesn't sell.

The line between news and editorialising has become increasingly blurred over the past few decades. When Eric Severeid died and Walter Cronkrite (KB2GSD) retired, so went the last places you could be reasonably sure of hearing the unslanted facts.

Now it's a matter of what sells. And tell me what sells better, "ham radio operator talks to faraway lands" or "poor defenseless women lose brain cells as they are radiated by metallic abomination five feet from their heads as they try unsuccessfully to catch a few innocent winks so they can dote upon their loving grandchildren in the morning. Many of these poor senior citizens will be forced into bankruptcy now that their neighbour has reduced property values to near zero in this once affluent area."

Need I say more?

[wa9cwx]

You nailed it Chris ! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[ki4rdg]

I'm glad I don't live in an area where people think they have the right to tell you what you can and can't do on your own property.If someone has a problem with me or my antennas they are more then welcome to come right over and kiss my a**.And God help them if they try to do something to my equipment.

[N8CPA]

Who was there first? The ham or the whiners?

[KG4WXP]

LMAO Chris....good call. Louisville IS a pretty good place for hams...very politically incorrect and not too many people seem to care about antennas.

Usually it's just "Hey, how far can you talk on that thing?" Lots of people here must've been part of the cb craze of the 1970's.

[K0RGR]

Sadly, those women are average these days.

Everybody thinks they can poke their nose in your business, and tell you how to live your life.

I'm extremely glad I quit smoking years ago. They're going to pass a law to make it illegal to smoke in a rented apartment. And Minnesota won't be the first place to do so.

Personally, I would never put up an antenna like that in that kind of environment, and the ham isn't helping any of us by making false claims about the FCC rules. PRB1 has nothing to do with CC+R's.

But it still torques me off.

[KE7DZZ]

Quote[/b] (ki4rdg @ Dec. 09 2007,11:11)]I'm glad I don't live in an area where people think they have the right to tell you what you can and can't do on your own property.If someone has a problem with me or my antennas they are more then welcome to come right over and kiss my a**.And God help them if they try to do something to my equipment.
Dude! Lose some weight and get a better rifle!



On another note: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think that tower and antenna look quite nice. The only thing that might bother me as a neighbor is that there might be some competition when the bands are open for some good DX.

[kb2vxa]

If you lived in the UK you'd really have something to complain about, between Council rules and ASBOs (Anti Social Behaviour Ordinance) you'd welcome the HOA Nazis with open arms.

An automatic rifle makes a great Amateur Radio accessory, and to think Jean Shepherd K2ORS only asked Santa for a BB gun.

[W7KI]

Chris,

I gotta agree with KE7DZZ on this one. Time for an equipment upgrade, and don't forget the bottle !

http://www.northwestradio.net/brett1.jpg

[KI4PEQ]

Quote[/b] (ki4rdg @ Dec. 09 2007,12:11)]I'm glad I don't live in an area where people think they have the right to tell you what you can and can't do on your own property.If someone has a problem with me or my antennas they are more then welcome to come right over and kiss my a**.And God help them if they try to do something to my equipment.
Watch out, Chris. The liberal tree hugger hippie brigade will come along any time now to pronounce you a violent half wit, no doubt married to your close kin, solely based upon your statements on property rights and your QTH.

Kiss your A**? If they aren't distracted by any of the local livestock, they might try to do something ELSE to your anal region for their carnal pleasures.

[W1GUH]

Oh my, those firearms and BA attitudes make me just so proud and happy to be a US Citizen. Yep...if ya don't like your community, shoot it up. Yep, be a real, red-blooded Ameruhcan. Yep. Um HM. Uh huh. We'll show 'em.

But about news reports...

More and more in the printed media a news report won't be a news report, at least for the first way too many paragraphs. More and more often a headline will catch my eye and I'll start reading, only to have to wade through several paragraphs of the reporters personal experience, most of which is irrelevant to the news. The, finally, they'll get to the real weinie.

I remember my only lesson in journalism is to put the facts out first, and then add background and detail. Since when did the idiot reporter's personal comments become more important than the news? Argh.

[KE7PMX]

Quote[/b] (W1GUH @ Dec. 09 2007,23:18)]Oh my, those firearms and BA attitudes make me just so proud and happy to be a US Citizen. #
Ya wanna see pic's of all 7 of my AR-15's? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[W1GUH]

Sure

[N5PVL]

I read this topic's title, and thought it must be about ARRL president Joel Harrisons' misleading and incorrect rumors concerning the IARU Region 2 Band Plan.

[n8yx]

Quote[/b] (ki4rdg @ Dec. 09 2007,11:11)]I'm glad I don't live in an area where people think they have the right to tell you what you can and can't do on your own property.If someone has a problem with me or my antennas they are more then welcome to come right over and kiss my a**.And God help them if they try to do something to my equipment.
Interesting.

I understand that the folks from Ruby Ridge and Waco thought along those lines, too. And wasn't there a certain "Col." Steve Anderson (AA8DP) who took the expression of those sentiments to the next step - fired upon and wounded a state trooper - and is now doing 45 to life for it?

[N2RJ]

That's a nice looking 4L SteppIR he has there.

Screw those old hags (well, don't!) I think it looks beautiful.

[ki4rdg]

I'm not stupid enough to shoot a cop and just as long as I don't start talking on thier freqs the cops couldn't give a s**t about my radio activities.The LMPD doesn't give a rat's butt about anything they don't have to to keep thier jobs.

"Kiss your A**? If they aren't distracted by any of the local livestock, they might try to do something ELSE to your anal region for their carnal pleasures."

Bad news, there's no livestock around here so instead I'll just tell them to go fornicate themselfs with thier marijuana bongs.

And KE7DZZ, new rifle: maybe, LOOSE WEIGHT: NEVER!!!

[n4bfd]

If you loose weight, you can carry more ammo.

Mac 90? I collect AKs.... get rid of that horrible abortion of a stock, and at least get a proper Chinese stock put on. With a few US made internal parts it will be legal.

[K7JEM]

The guy's a freakin' CBer, too. (http://4dw.net/triplel/rollcall/kentucky.html)

[KE7PMX]

Quote[/b] (n4bfd @ Dec. 10 2007,12:00)]If you loose weight, you can carry more ammo. #

Mac 90? #I collect AKs.... get rid of that horrible abortion of a stock, and at least get a proper Chinese stock put on. #With a few US made internal parts it will be legal.
Dude, with the price of ammo right now, I guess that really dont matter much. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

As for the Mac 90, I converted one over with a nice Ironwood stock set, and the Tapco G2 FCG. I love the Mac 90's, now I have 2, one mill'd and one stamped. I also have built a couple of the Romi kits, and a Polish Underfolder.... I never would have thaught so many AR types would be into EBR's. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

As for the story, all I can say is that Im glad I live out in the sticks, and can put up any antenna I feel like. Heck my neighbors would most likely help.

[VK2AKG]

The TV news item (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC_EeWSKJII&search=antenna%20ham%20news%20Lubbock) tells people that:
a/. some people don't get along with their neighbors [already common knowledge]
b/. ham antennas are legal [which should lead to a reduction in future disputes]
c/. hams assist in significant emergencies [the likely reason for (b)]

However this forum and the one on repeater vandalism (http://www.qrz.com/ib-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=7;t=177127) tell people that there are hams who would like to shoot or blow up persons who may adversely impact their enjoyment of the hobby.

I know which I prefer. Full credit to the ham involved for how he handled the media.

[ka0use]

keep in mind these people didn't like buddy holly, either.
innnnnnbreedersssssss!

[kc8vlg]

Quote[/b] ]http://www.qrz.com/uploads/post-7-23892-MeAndMac.jpg

Although I didn't see it mentioned; I personally thank you very much for not having your finger on the trigger in this picture. Very nice touch with the finger up and away like that.

[KC5SAS]

Quote[/b] (K7JEM @ Dec. 10 2007,13:14)]The guy's a freakin' CBer, too. (http://4dw.net/triplel/rollcall/kentucky.html)
So what? It's just another radio service to use.

[KC5SAS]

Quote[/b] (KE7PMX @ Dec. 10 2007,02:11)]Quote[/b] (W1GUH @ Dec. 09 2007,23:18)]Oh my, those firearms and BA attitudes make me just so proud and happy to be a US Citizen. #
Ya wanna see pic's of all 7 of my AR-15's? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif I only have 2.

[K7JEM]

Quote[/b] (KC5SAS @ Dec. 10 2007,18:54)]Quote[/b] (K7JEM @ Dec. 10 2007,13:14)]The guy's a freakin' CBer, too. (http://4dw.net/triplel/rollcall/kentucky.html)
So what? It's just another radio service to use.
I only mention it because of the image it portrays. Maybe with a power mike and amp on the table it would be even better.

[kf6rdn]

What's an AR15 run these days? I had a A1 version I paid 5-600 bucks for near 20 years ago.

Cant get them at all in this state now.

[KE4YGS]

Ok, that does it ! "They don't like Buddy Holly" Just is the last straw. Time for open warfare and sumary executions. Well maybe not but something certainly does need to be done with anybody don't like Buddy Holly, or Willie & Waylon as well. The world is spinning out of control ! LOL

[ky5u]

Quote[/b] (ki4rdg @ Dec. 09 2007,11:11)]I'm glad I don't live in an area where people think they have the right to tell you what you can and can't do on your own property.If someone has a problem with me or my antennas they are more then welcome to come right over and kiss my a**.And God help them if they try to do something to my equipment.
Sicko pervert! Not for having the gun, but for being LEFT HANDED! My wife is left handed and she's the devil's spawn. ROFLMAO!

[KI4ITV]

This is fast becoming my favorite thread on the Zed.

[w6vps]

Quote[/b] (WA2ZDY @ May 14 2006,16:55)]"It's interesting when people die,
give us dirty laundry . . ."

Don Henley hit the nail on the head with that song. #Happy news doesn't sell. #

The line between news and editorialising has become increasingly blurred over the past few decades. #.......
Chris:
Now you know why I left broadcast news after 20 years and did 20 years behind the wall. At least I knew exactly what I was getting.

Paul
W6VPS
edited for spelling

[ki4rdg]

Quote[/b] (K7JEM @ Dec. 10 2007,09:14)]The guy's a freakin' CBer, too. (http://4dw.net/triplel/rollcall/kentucky.html)
SO WHAT??? Yeah I'm a CB'er and I have been for years #and I'm sure some of you are too.