Glenn Baxter, K1MAN Fined $21,000

What gets me laughing, is that regardless of whatever K1MAN has done, all the characters that resorted to the music playing, wise cracks, obscenities, jamming, etc., on  frequency during his transmissions, are still out there, very pleased that that "worthless troublemaker" Glen, finally got his come-uppance.
Welcome to this meeting of the Harper Valley PTA!

 

They, too, are responsible for their actions and should be fined and/or removed from the amateur radio service.

 

The question is; What took so long to nail him (K1MAN) ??

I believe I can answer that. It took until some group of licensed Amateurs finally stood up against him. Took the time to accumulate the evidence required by the FCC, submitted it via proper channels, and kept up the fight until the FCC was finally convinced to act.

That group is STILL on 14.275. We are now being villified by another piece of Amateur Radio Trash. This time a fellow from the "West Coast of Canada". He too will find he has met his match.

Dan/W4NTI

 

I have noted over the many years I have been fighting these jamming morons that a LARGE percentage of hams are seriously confused. For some reason they automaticaly assume that those stations that actually use their calls, like me, and others are also part of the problem. And they seem to think we are doing the cat calling, etc. Incorrect. These folks doing the jamming as you folks call it have been around for at least 2 decades. They were on 14.300 attacking the Maritime Mobile net, then when it moved to 313, there doing it again. Then back to 300. Thank goodness that's over now. Thanks mainly to me and others that IDENTIFIED who they were and NOTIFIED the FCC. Who are now being accused of being the jammers. Wake up folks and see what is going on. Life is not happening in a glass bottle.

Dan/W4NTI

 

I should clarify one thing, Dan. I am not accusing anyone in particular, including yourself when it comes to the jamming and other nonsense. I don't know who they are, and really don't care. The point I was making is: they, whoever they are, have NO right to criticize K1MAN's activities, when theirs are so much worse. While Glen's transmissions may be of questionable legality, what these people are doing is UNQUESTIONABLY wrong, foolish and ultimately destructive to the amateur radio service. Such actions may be compared to fire-bombing a building to evict a rat! They would probably defend their carryings - on saying, "Well, look what he's doing!" To that, I can only reply, "Well, look what YOU are doing!" We are supposed to be international ambassadors of goodwill. Such thoughtless, immature, vigilante tactics in dealing with any situation have NO place in our bands, IMHO.

73'

 

Yes...and for the most part your comments are correct. Most of the major problem children are gone. And are either dead, QRT for whatever reason, fixing to be dead, or not coming back on the air for a variety of reasons.

The only problem child I am aware of that is STILL planning on stirring up the crap are....K1MAN, VE7KFM, and KC1ZQ (wb1bhv now). Whether the FCC will act to do anything about them is another point.

All I want to do is enjoy my Amateur Radio, Talk with my friends, chase a little DX and do some CW and contesting from time to time. I don't need this controversial crap. So basically I'm saying ... I agree.

Cheers.

Dan/W4NTI

 

Todxter, we're still waiting for the other half. Has the Todxter left the building?
K3VR congrats on the award.

 

So, Brian, if its negative attention (that is the motivation) for these types of individuals, you, me, and quite a few others are feeding the frenzy.

Attempting to 'draw the fire' of law enforcement, by whatever means, is also no doubt an extension of the desire for negative attention.

Even, perhaps, the use of purposefully-errant and sloppy English. Although, its use does register, none-the-less, an assumption of innate intelligence. At least with me, anyway. In spite of my efforts to overlook that it was used that way on purpose.

Sadly, free speech can and does permit a great deal of abuses. And, for the lack of a better term, the freedom to 'spin the dial' or click on another link are choices we can all make, if we don't like what we hear or see.

Prosecution may take quite a long time, but, as most of us know, the resources of the government are virtually limitless. And, whatever the outcome, justice will prevail.

No doubt the FCC has not brought all of its promulgated regulations within Part 97 before a court of law. In Baxter's case, we may just see what the Court will permit with respect to broadcasting on amateur frequencies. I certainly hope so. And, to the point where an information bulletin will remain, but info-mercials containing website merchandise or service references, personal business matters, requests for funds or donations, etc., will be prohibited.

73, all.

And, for those who celebrate it, Happy Easter.

Lee
W6EM

 

To add to Brian's point.... just because something might be legally right, it may be morally wrong. And from what I saw on Todd's website, I can see the parallels with K1MAN.

Why is it those who cry 'Free Speech' are the ones that harshly criticizes and goes on a name calling emotional rampage on those who politely disagree. Free speech comes with responsibility, because without responsibility in free speech will result in either anarchy or the loss of free speech.

What Todd is doing in his portrayal of Mr. Hollingsworth does not hurt Mr. Hollingsworth (reputation), it degrades Todd. And all the negative responses he gets is his own doing. And by not accepting responsibility for his own actions, shows a serious lack of maturity.

I think Todd, for his own good, needs to step back and think about what he is doing, how it affects others, and how it reflects on himself. The internet has a long memory, and as one who conducts interviews, I do search on the names of people who I will interview. What I don't need is someone who is foul mouthed and a malcontent, who will be disruptive in a team environment... think about that if you want to have a life.

Most people here, as well as myself, would rather see someone turn themselves around rather than go down a very destructive path. It is why they ask you to think about it, not demand it.

I am not trying to be preachy about this, but looking at it from a professional point of view.

Brian, thanks for the QSO yesterday, enjoyed our on-air conversation about golfing, the Cape, antennas, and vacation spots. Made my first half of my road trip enjoyable. Look for a QSL card in the mail.

Just my opinion, most cases, spin the dial to prevent one from being drawn in and making the same mistake. But spinning the dial ignores the problem, and in some of these cases, the problem grows worse. Its because the problem needs to stir up controversy to feed off of, and becomes a bigger problem. Then you get copycats... isn't this happening now? 20 years of spinning the dial has led to whats happening today.

 

Yeah Todd.. what's the other half of your story?I'm excited to find out real quick what you have to say about it!I'm pretty open minded.

 

There is a wonderful park with a nicely manicured lawn, walking trails, woods, and a crystal clear lake stocked with trout. There's something for everyone in the park. It's a thing of beauty and our tax dollars pay for its upkeep. Unfortunately, there is only one groundskeeper. It's a very BIG park and he's very busy, so he relies on volunteers and the goodwill of citizens to help him out.

Sometimes an ugly, possibly rabid, stray dog comes along and leaves a large package in the middle of a well-traveled trail. The mess draws lots of flies. It's unpleasant, it stinks, it's unsightly, and many unsuspecting joggers inadvertently step in it.

The park represents our ham bands. The miscreants make the mess. The jammers are the flies the mess attracts. We are the joggers. Riley is the groundskeeper.

Turning the dial means ignoring the mess. We can all turn the dial, but in the meantime the mess will still be there, it will draw hundreds of flies, and joggers will continue to step in it. Worse, the same stray is still running around in our park making a new mess every day.

Turning the dial doesn't work, has never worked, and it will never work - and I'll tell you why. Riley works for the FCC, which is the federal agency in control of the park. The FCC is complaint-driven, which means no complaint, no action. The more complaints, the more action. The bigger the mess, and the more complaints, the faster the action. Get it?

So when one report about the mess gets to Riley, he may say, "Send me a picture of the mess and tell me which trail the mess is on and give me a description of the dog and tell me what time the dog made the mess and I'll check it out. Oh, and don't forget to sign the report, okay?"

When ten reports go to Riley, he might ask an OO to turn on a radio and listen for awhile. When dozens of reports go to Riley, he may ask a monotoring station to pinpoint the signal. A dozen more complaints and he might write a letter. Another dozen and he might ask the local field office to inspect the station. The beginning of true enforcement begins when the first letter goes out, and the process can take years to effectuate change.

Unless the violator apologizes and alters his course, or voluntarily cooperates by taking time off, or hands in his license for cancellation, we are in for a very long wait.

Baxter failed to respond to Commission directives and now we're all watching events unfold in real time. He told the Commission "No changes are necessary" and they said, "Okay, you owe us $21,000."

I've only talked to Baxter twice in the past 4 years, but I've sent dozens of complaints about interference, pecuniary interest, control issues, and broadcasting. I've also used the internet to apply peer pressure and to educate others about the problem. You all know this.

My point is, the problem has been going on for twenty years, largely because so many people simply turned the dial. To those who enjoy the park without some sort of voluntarism to help maintain the park, I say, it's YOUR park, please get involved. We need you! To those who intentionally vandalize our facilities... please stop it. And to those who already help in so many ways, a big, heartfelt Thank You! See you in the park.

 

K3VR, wow, well written, and a good analogy..

Mr. Baxter will now pay the price.

Eventually it will be "hands on"..

Thanks...........

Mike

 

Points well taken Brian. Until KFM showed up on 14.275 none of these things were happening. And come to think of it...HE DIDN't SHOW UP THERE UNTIL BAXTER STARTED BACK UP WITH HIS BULLETINS. Kinda proves your theory there me boy.

Dan/W4NTI

 

While the park analogy is an interesting approach, some of your choices don't fit too well.  In your analogy, you claim a miscreant stray dog creates the nuisance for the joggers.  Not accurate.  A better analogy would assign the micreance to a degenerate jogger who chooses not to contain him or herself and deficate on the trail repeatedly.  After all, it is really one or two of *us* joggers that are messing up the park, right?

As to the groundskeeper, well, he's one hell of a groundskeeper.  Superman.  He has a cadre of contractors at his beck and call.  And, the existing price of admission to the park pays for it all.  And, don't forget the entire Forest Service army either.  The Justice Department, of course, with its limitless supplies of fertilizer, disinfectant, new lawn, shrubs and trees to repair any damage to the park.

And, last but not least, the best way to keep rif-raf joggers out of the park would be to fence the park and charge more for admission.
 
Turning the dial was and is an option.  And one to not necessarily avoid the problem, but to make another choice to avoid encouraging the continuation of the problem by letting the irritant know how much you dislike it.  Rooted, of course, in the premise that the problem is a problem stemming from some form of attention deficit fulfillment.  You can make your recording(s) and file your complaints with the Enforcement Bureau without having to 'stay tuned' to something you don't wish to listen to, can't you?  Besides, the last time I read the FO, it was the groundskeeper's crew that collected all of the material, not the joggers' show and tell that really did the trick.

 

Just one final note on this thing (having already beat it to death in our classic style, lol)
whether you personally like or dislike Glen Baxter or what he has been doing, one thing can be siad: At least he seems to honestly feel that he is serving the amateur radio community. The jammers cannot say that , although they probably will anyway. The rhetoric I keep hearing in response of those who resort to foul mouthing and verbal abuses on the bands is "If you don't like it, turn off your radio, or QSY." This may seem logical on the surface, but it simply doesn't work in the real world! For one thing, if someone has given you a reason to QSY or pull the big switch, then the damage has already been done. Not only that, but thinking back to school days, would  walking away from the jerk who bullied you have discouraged him? People acting inappropriately need to be dealt with. They don't need to be sent the message that what they are doing must be okay, because others just let them be and turn a deaf ear. Of course, I am talking about resorting to legal measures and not the bozo tactics imported from the 11 meter world.

73'

(P.S. Not to say that ALL CBer's are idiots, but we all know the types of characters I speak of)