Is 7O6T operation legitimate?

Back in 1993 I had the unique privilege to operate from HZ1AB the former club station in Dhahran KSA. There were 5 rules of operating that station. 1. Never could say your exact location...only the city name. 2. Never use more than I think at that time a max of 600 watts. 3. Never say anything derogatory about the country or government. 4. Never use your home callsign. and 5th and most important at that time was NEVER EVERY work 4Z, YI, EP.

As I was operating under the clubs call and did not wish to bring any trouble to the club and it operators I followed those rules. It was the conditions under which the KSA allowed Ham Radio by foreign operators to have privileges to operate within their country. It was not my politics or the club members politics, but the rules were set down and we followed them so we could enjoy the hobby. I am sure many of the operators including myself would have loved to put everyone in the logs. But we could not.

I remember one night being on the Central EU DX net OE6EEG Dr Selim (SK) was Net control and an 4Z called me. I did not answer him, I could not, without risking the clubs license. The 4Z station asked Dr Selim if I was still there and he said yes. I explained to Dr. Selim that I did hear the station at 57 but I was prohibited from working the 4Z and could not and would not risk the clubs license. I did hear the 4Z station tell Selim that he understood and that was it. I also could not log that station, because they were subject to inspection by the KSA authorities. IT was not my rules or my politics it was the conditions I had to work with.

So why is it that you put blame on the 7O team because they are following the conditions of their license? Do you wish them to work you and be shut down when they do? Do you think that the 7O authorities are not listening to whats going on? Do you think they would let just one slip by without reacting? If you are so compassionate as I believe you to be, why would you question your fellow hams. Or is it that you would have them pulled off the air and ruin it for everyone else because you can't work them? Sounds pretty selfish to me.

I for one don't like the politics of many countries but keep my personal views out of the hobby. I will work them for the pleasure of working a new one and seeing that others get a chase to work them also. This is not the first country to put limits on operations and won't be the last. The ARRL is not going to step in to a Political battle between two countries. Its not their job and not their place. That is the place of politicians as you have already pointed out. So maybe you can convince your countries politicians to work with the other, to forgo the issues of HAM radio? Don't try to get someone from the outside to fight the political issues, get YOUR politicians to do it. Have your politicians get ham radio excluded from the issues between your two countries. Maybe that would be a step toward peace for everyone.

Further politics have always been part of ham radio whether you want to believe it or not. Many countries over the years have excluded their adversaries from communicating with each other. This isn't the first time and won't be the last.

 

It sounds like the Russian operators are making a backdoor effort to accommodate Israeli amateurs. The Yemeni policy is hate and jealousy based.

 

4Z1UF,

I too have a card from JY1 from back in the 1970s - one of my most prized cards along with K7UGA.

Unfortunately Abdulla II is not 1/10 the man his father was . . .

 

If I am not mistaken at one time Vietnam was on that list that US operators could not work. Think there was a time when there were more than one on the list.

 

i doubt the government of Yemen cares what you think and the created state of Israel has been a problem since the West carved up the region. welcome to the effects of Imperialism.

http://www.mapsofwar.com/ind/imperial-history.html

 

Errm, 7O6T has not worked 4x1UN or ANY other 4X1 station, exactly what is it you are refering to?
As they say, the world wonders.

AB1QP

 

I agree with all but your last sentence. If ARRL were to in some way, de-sanction the entity QSOs, I suspect the pile up would not diminish noticibly. A trophy QSL is a trophy QSL, DXCC or no., Besides, weve seen how the sniff of a 7O6 QSO seems to affect people, no?

AB1QP

 

how about the many US islands that have restrictions on them, can we just ignore that Mr. Kettle?

 

This country was at war with Germany and Japan from 1941 - 1945, which is what makes a section like this necessary. During less stressful times, it serves to ensure that amateurs do not routinely try communicating with any country that refuses to allow its amateurs to contact Americans. It has nothing to do with restricting freedom of speech but with protecting the amateur service.

If you want to spew venom, get a commercial broadcaster's license and apply for a job at Fox News. Otherwise, be happy that 97.117 keeps us free from foreign entanglements while keeping stuff off the air that rightfully belongs elsewhere.

 

I remind folks that we have many international readers and to keep comments respectful. This thread is likely not going to last long otherwise.

.............Bob

 

WM3O,

You're comparing apples to lemons. Certain U.S. islands have restrictions on them (one example is Midway Island) because the U.S. Government own/controls the entire island and amateur radio operation of any kind (and, in some cases, even the presence of humans, ham or otherwise) is restricted or prohibited. If a DXpedition where to be approved from one of those islands (Midway, for instance) the only amateurs that operation would be prohibited from contacting are ones whose OWN GOVERNMENT prohibits contact by U.S. hams.

ALL the countries on the present FCC "prohibited contact" list are contries that have asked the FCC to be included - the U.S. government has NOT placed any country on this list itself.

BTW, sent the email to the DXCC Rules Administrator - we'll see what kind of reply I get.

 

Thats funny because I worked the station 7Z1AB and had no such restrictions as the station was on US Soil...the US Consulate...

 

Strict orders from whom? If those orders come from their government, that IS part of Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio Operators are obligated to obey those orders. Amateur Radio is authorized in each country by the government of that country. If that government prohibits contact with Amateurs of a given country, that is certainly within its rights as a sovereign country. However, if it is an individual or club decides to exclude certain countries that is NOT in commonly accepted Amateur practice. If that is the case, then the ARRL and other organizations would be wise to take a course of action that encourages free contact between Amateurs from all points of the compass. Good luck on your DX.

 

Well I have tried for 3 days with a 2KW linear and a big beam, and still no contact too! Phone or CW!

 

Just wait a week or so.