"THE LIBERATION OF ATOMIC POWER HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING EXCEPT OUR WAY OF THINKING"
Here is why I do quote this great German scholar's assertion.
As you are probably aware, in the recent years, I have become the object of considerable controversy with regard to my early operations on 14188 kHz and subsequently to my quite regular operations on 14195 kHz. This dubious and unwanted notoriety includes being the victim of deliberate interference and hate campaigns, which have inevitably included renewed threats° of physical violence against myself and my family.
Other aspects of this un-ham-like comportment involve unidentified stations playing music, noises and, above all, masterly recordings of my station with false identities, all in an apparent attempt to discredit me and incite further hatred against me.
The reason of Albert Einstein's quotation is its irrefutable truth and, above all, its adequacy with regard to a disgraceful comportment of an unmatched horde of international self-styled "gentlemen" who, with OUTRAGE, ARROGANCE, ANONYMITY, COWARDICE and UNMATCHED CONSTANCY, are still soldiering on with unpunished violation of the Radio Regulations issued by National Licensing Authorities and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), all in an obvious attempt to claim their alleged priority-right on their alleged exclusive "DX window" or "DX expedition" frequency 14195 kHz and, recently, also around 3795 kHz.
As most of you have probably noticed already, at the end of August 2008, after a regular presence started at the beginning of 2003 on the "Gentleman's Agreement" frequency 14195 kHz, I unilaterally decided to "abandon" again this frequency and, except the 80 metre-band (after many years I recently started my transmissions on this band again), I even limited to almost zero my transmissions on any other remaining HF band.
I took this decision to further substantiate that I neither "own" nor I want "to monopolize" 14195 kHz. I hope the above mentioned horde of rascals who in 2003 have determined my early decision to disregard their alleged sacred "DX window" will definitely understand that, except the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) or our National Licencing Authorities, NO Ham or Ham ENTITY has the right to condition the use of whatever frequency allocated to the Amateur Radio Service. Leaving the frequency 14195 kHz or returning back to it, is and remains my EXCLUSIVE and LEGITIMATE faculty.
From the end of August 2008 to date I have constantly been verifying how many questionable activities and wild, rude and unskilled "Operating Practices" an horde of very blatant "DXing" orientated fanatics is STILL permitted. The activities of a minority group has been permitted to strongly condition the remaining mass of reputable Hams to an immoral imposition of its camouflaged selfishness and its hypocritical "ham-spirit" and "tolerance".
The result is something that not only has drastically compromised the attainment of a mandatory "enhancement of rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the ham radio-frequency spectrum" established by the ITU, but in the case of 14195 kHz, it is causing primarily an inevitable enhancement of illegal abuses such as deliberate interferences, indescribable vulgarities and, last but not least, unheard-of HATRED and most vile INTIMIDATION.
During the period 2008-2010 I could witness that, excepting myself and some other Italian operators, any Ham can extensively use 14195 kHz without ever getting ARROGANTLY OFFENDED and RUDELY FORCED to leave this frequency. This is not my own personal perception but an irrefutable fact demonstrating that anyone else can use the "sacred" and "exclusive" 14195 kHz.
At the beginning of September 2008 (few days after I once again decided to "abandone" 14195 kHz), I was already wondering where had gone all those self-styled "radio-policemen" who, on a daily basis, used to reproach my presence on their alleged "gentleman's agreement" frequency. If these conceited "HF-traffic controllers" and their vile supporters were now afraid of something or if their deliberate interferences, offences and threats have ever had a relationship with my nationality or my being a Sicilian, I would not really know. However, since the end of August 2008 I have been monitoring both "DX-expedition" and "DX-Traffic" on and around 14195 kHz and 3795 kHz.
Ever since I started my Ham activity (January 1973) I have always been intrigued about how masterly some European Radio Associations kept promoting a most un-ham-like and blatant Operating Practice characteristic of an horde of scoundrels only. In the attempt to achieve exclusive and selfish privileges for their electorate, Radio Associations especially in the last decade have blindly been tollerating everything, even hubris and rudeness. Between 2003 and 2010 I have managed to verify how true it is to say that in the last 15-20 years a minority group has literally betrayed the widely known "Ham Spirit".
In order to gain consensus, IARU and Radio Associations have even permitted this minority group to transform the "Ham Spirit" into a "de facto" enhancement of the moralization of concepts like "every group for himself", "anything goes", "might makes right", "survival of the strongest group" and "interfere or be interfered". The acceptance of these concepts has constantly been jeopardizing the credibility of Ham Radio and misleading its true purposes to an actual non-return point.
You probably may take me for too naive or bigoted, but between 1973 and 2001, I have always and profoundly believed that the "Law of the jungle" could never exist within the boundaries of a noble hobby for very reputable Operators supposed to communicate with other Hams to share recreation whilst training themselves and be even ready and prompt in active and effective help in any event of ill-fated Public Emergency. Despite all that I have always regarded our activity (hobby?) primarily as a Service and continued to give a lot of consideration to the importance of its recreative aspect.
In the last decade or so, I have been sensing the irreversable decadency affecting the International Amateur Radio Service as profoundly disappointing and disheartening. The recent years of daily activity on 14195 kHz do allow me to go on record as saying that the manifest and increasing trend of abuses and even crimes witnessed by the whole Ham Community is the result of a growth of really UNSKILLED, WILD and MEANINGLESS activities practiced primarily by a growing minority-group of thoughtless and arrogant fanatics.
In the attempt to gain further privileges and claims on the frequencies which the Ham Community has traditionally accorded an alleged "special" use such as the "DX window", some delinquents have erroneously been receivung a lot of support (tolerance?) by Radio Associations and irresponsible and self-styled hams whose self-seeking has never let them care about their vile and anonymous actions which have been irreversably discrediting the International Amateur Radio Service at large.
The recent campaigns of vile and anonymous interference carried out with unparalled obstinacy against my legal operations on 14195 kHz are absolutely symptomatic of the worrying state of decadency of the Ham activity. To better understand what the Amateur Radio Service is doomed to, you only need to read the immoralities and crimes vehicled through a more and more abused "DX cluster". If you have not yet, please, just search for the "spots" dedicated to "IT9RYH" or to "Nino" in the last few years.
Ever since the Italian Ministry of Telecommunication has given me the privilege to enter in the Amateur Radio Service (1973), I have always been a tolerant "rag-chewer" attracted by many interesting Operators and technical aspects and not by the sterile long-distance QSO and its fateful "five-n-nine". Although very keen of exotic and rare stations, in forty years of Ham activity, I have always been taking advantage of my activity to better understand HF propagation without ever becoming a fanatic of meaningless collection of prefixes.
Since the very first day of my ham activity I have always succeded to put into practice what two unforgettable teachers taught me at the Porto Empedocle (Sicily) State Maritime Radio-School :
Luigi MARULLO, competently instructed me to the Maritime Mobile Service but, primarily, he taught me to persevere in the face of delay or provocation without ever acting against annoyance or anger in a negative way : ENDURANCE.
Gerlando VIGNERI, I1VIR (at the time Sicily was still allocated the prefix "I1"), while contributing to my future professional competence for the Maritime Mobile Service, introduced me to genuine Amateur Radio Service and tought me how to accept something while disapproving it : TOLERANCE.
One and a half year spent in England and the Island of Jersey (UK) but also ten full months at the "Electronic War Dpt." (radio counter-measures) by the Navy Academy of Livorno and ten further months at the "Lecture Hall" of the "NATO Defense College" in Rome as a "Sound Technician", have permitted me to upgrade my then "school-made" English knowledge to more than adequate for a skilled ship's Radio Officer with the above two qualities.
Ever since my very first QSO on the amateur HF bands, POLITENESS and RESPECT have constantly distinguished the tolerance I always adopted in any kind of exceptionable behaviours, situations and activities. Between 1973 and 2003 I have NEVER HAD a single significant struggle or conflict with any Ham, either when I was operating with my previous callsigns IT9PZF and DJ0DF, or with my present IT9RYH. Through those first thirty years I have always managed to tolerate even the worstest "radio-bullies" every Ham, at least once in his ham activity, has to deal with or listen across our ham-bands. Apart some very rare and meaningless squabbles with some alleged "distinguished" individuals, I have NEVER BEEN involved in whatever serious conflict or quarrel with any other Ham as during the "14195-issue".
Ever since my first approach to the Amateur Radio Service, first as an SWL (1971) and later (1973) as a Class A Licensee, I have always been fully conscious that, no matter how small, our Ham Community represented a piece of "human society" which, inevitably and similarly to the latter, I too, had to tackle a mixture of blatant "radio-bullyism", cajolery, deception, sanctimony, abuses and even some sort of minor crimes, but NEVER EVER I would have believed to become the object of the DEATH THREATS I received by some dastards.
If the abolishment of most of the Control Authorities left has been making possible the spreading of unexampled and un-ham-like comportments especially experienced on 14195 kHz, the pervasive promotion of meaningless and wild competition activities of the last fifteen years or so, has irrefutably contributed to make such comportments quite irreverable.
Witnessing how all this has periodically coincided with an overwhelming growth of tolerated fanaticism and unpunished cynicism, has really been most sad. The last few years of activity on the "sacred" 14195 kHz have permitted me to definitely comprehend WHO and WHAT is responsable of the problems and crimes unpunishedly and repeatedly committed in the name of a sanctimonious and fraudulent "Gentleman's Agreement" and even "Ham Spirit".
I am well aware to be neither the first, nor will I be the last Ham to deal with some deplorable individuals, but unless IARU wants to deceive the International Amateur Radio Community, the persistingly shameful behaviours witnessed on our bands and, again, especially on 14195 kHz, cannot be explained as an harmless or tolerable "degradation in operating standards". Even the very last "new comer" knows too well that this is nothing but the worrying result of a constant growth of an anonymous and arrogant horde of self-styled "gentlemen" only.
At the IARU Administrative Council held in Konstanz (Germany) at the end of June 2008 (www.iaru.org/ac-0806min.pdf), the Secretary of IARU Region-1 simply affirmed that in this Region there is a perceived "degradation in operating standards by a small but noisy minority, including some who exert their claim to a particular frequency and others who simply seem to be anarchists". Probably in the intent of reassuring or minimizing the seriousness of an objective constatation, he went on by telling his audience that "the problem is not exclusive to Region-1". For very obvious reasons, instead, he preferred not to tell what could be causing all this.
I think that it should have been the right moment for IARU to officially tell that the core of the problem is the unlimited tolerance offered to a growing horde of arrogant individuals representing a minority of rascals hosted to nest even within some respectable Radio Societies. As far as I am concerned, I have never read or heard of a single Ham expelled from his Radio Association. Unless the Secretary of IARU Region-1 was referring to those Hams operating in accordance with the International Radio Regulations, I wonder who were the "anarchists" he referred to.
In the attempt to dampen the spirits or defuse a very acute "degradation in operating standards" especially affecting the IARU Ragion-1 or perhaps avoid further publicity to the 14195 kHz issues, the Secretary has wisely (?) called attention to the necessity of educating operators in "proper techniques" and proposed the adoption of biblical principles set out in the booklet "Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio Amateur" by Marc Demouleneere, ON4WW, and his very respectable Countryman John Devoldere, ON4UN.
The Belgian ham Marc Demouleneere, ON4WW, has also given existence to his own "radio bible" titled "Operating Practice" which has already been adopted by many Amateur Radio Associations including the "Associazione Radioamatori Italiani" (ARI). In paragraph "11. Conflict situations" he reports about a "very extreme" case of a Sicilian "individual" called "Pipo" (Nino ?) and callsign "IZ9xxxx" (IT9RYH ?) as follows:
"Let's have a look at an example of a very extreme case, namely IZ9xxxx from Sicily. OM Pipo had the annoying habit to call CQ on 14195 kHz, a 'de facto' DX frequency used by rare DX stations and DXpeditions and conduct QSOs with regular stations from Europe and America on that frequency. A lot of DXers worldwide felt offended. 14195 kHz was transformed to a mess every time Pipo showed up, because the DX community did not appreciate him 'monopolizing' that frequency. If we analyze this case, we notice the following objective observations:
Pipo asks 'Is this frequency in use?' before attempting a CQ and makes QSY when the frequency is in use.
Pipo uses a frequency which he, as decreed by law, can use at anytime (see further).
14195 kHz is situated in the de facto DX window 14190-14200 kHz. This frequency segment has been withheld by IARU Region 1 with priority for DXpeditions since January 1st 2006 (since that date Pipo had to emigrate to other frequencies).
Whenever Pipo made transmissions on 14195 kHz (before 1 January 2006) he was being jammed by dozens of stations, who never identified with their callsign and who were, in fact, operating illegally (called pirates).
This situation came to my attention in mid 2003 and I witnessed on many occasions how dozens of DXers were deliberately jamming Pipo. Let there be no doubt that each of these stations transmitted outside the legal boundaries granted by their licenses. If their National Controlling Authorities would be stationed at their doorstep with a mobile unit, witnessing their illegal transmissions, these DXers would have lost their licenses. Not Pipo who was always working within the legal boundaries of his license!
As a quasi-objective observation we can say Pipo is an anti-social ham who on purpose spoils the pleasure of many. But, his actions are always conducted within the boundaries of his license.
What is a good approach to deal with such an individual?
Certainly not by jamming him (and making illegal transmissions yourself). It gives him a feeling of power, and power tastes for more. so he will even step up his efforts to annoy you and others!
Leave him be, and turn your VFO to another frequency;
contact him in a normal manner and try to find out the cause of his behavior.
On 12 August 2003 my nerves were tested once more by Pipo. I called him in a normal manner and we had a QSO which lasted about 20 minutes on 14195 kHz. During this QSO I learned Pipo didn't appreciate (to say the least) how he kept on being jammed by dozens of 'unknown' hams. He was appalled by the death threats (!) he received by telephone (picked up by his daughter!), etc. During this 'calm' QSO we exchanged argumentation as to why Pipo should or shouldn't continue using 14195 kHz. We ended the QSO without reaching an agreement, but the next few weeks 14195 kHz was clear of IZ9xxxx transmissions.
Of course Pipo started using 14195 kHz again after a month or so, perhaps because someone caused him grief on another frequency? On another occasion in 2005, when the K7C expedition was active on 14195 kHz, I overheard Pipo asking 'Is this frequency in use?'. I promptly responded: 'Yes Pipo, by K7C, tnx QSY, 73 from ON4WW'. Pipo immediately went down 5 kHz to call CQ. Case closed. "
Now do not take me for a jackanapes, but if I publically assert that Mr. Mark Demouleneere refers to me it is because, with the exception of a very similar name and callsign, he quotes six details which nobody would ever consider mere coincidences :
- I have been contacted by him on 12th August 2003 between 1508-1530 UTC (this QSO, in fact, "lasted about 20 minutes on 14195 kHz").
- I am located in Sicily.
- I have received Death Threats by telephone, radio, post and even InterNET.
I still remenber ON4WW telling me (at least on one occasion) that 14195 kHz was occupied in the period when there was the KC7 expedition (2005).
I certainly could acknowledge this Belgian ham as the most precise and impartial reporter of the facts, but like some other "prominent" Hams, for some unknown reason this individual neither reported the circumstances that have determined the beginning of the 14195 kHz story, nor he mentioned the ONLY and MOST IMPORTANT REASON (has he forgotten, considered it irrelevant or what else?) that induced me to decide the adoption of the "zero tolerance". For some unknown reason he, too, preferred not to explain the reason why after thirty years of impeccable activity, all of a sudden, "Pipo" has decided to disregard IARU's guide-lines and even the self-regulating "gentleman's agreement" itself.
Any well informed, impartial and honest Ham would have reported that on 12th August 2003 he learned the reason from "Pipo" the reason why he had decided to remain on 14195 kHz:
the death threat received by his daughter had been received WHILE HE STILL USED TO OPERATE ON 14188 KHZ and not because "HE HAD THE ANNOYING HABIT TO CALL ON 14195 KHZ".
Since I personally have irrefutable reasons to believe that "Pipo" and "IZ9xxxx" refer to Nino and IT9RYH respectively, I believe to have the right to remind that when a person decides to publically report about some serious deeds, his honesty and impartiality should both impose him to be fully informed about those deeds. Unless Mark Demouleneere (ON4WW) was in bad faith, he should have known that reporting a story with some irrefutable inaccuracy or a missing part, is a big moral responsibility which jeopardises both his reputation and credibility. After having riported so much positivenesses about "Pipo's" operating practice and well-mannered comportments, unless very prejudiced or willing to report a lie, no Ham would have ever dared convince the readers about "Pipo's" alleged "annoying habit to call on 14195", especially not after having affirmed that "the next few weeks 14195 kHz was clear of IZ9xxxx transmissions."
Despite the years of an unexampled vile and non-stop discredit campaign against me, please, allow me to affirm that the "annoying habit to call on 14195" is one of the many masterly camouflaged lies dispensed to the World Ham Community in recent years.
On 17th November 2007, about two years AFTER a most unusual "routine inspection" (forced inspection? By whom?) carried out by my National Authorities (13th September 2005) and four years AFTER the beginning of my regular operations on 14195 kHz (beginning of March 2003), I decided to contact the IARU Region-1 and posed some formal questions about its official position in regard to some 14195 kHz related occurrences.
After having duly consulted his colleagues, on 29th January 2008, the Secretary of IARU Region-1 promptly and extensively answered the seven very specific questions I posed through a formal E-mail. Despite some disagreements in respect to my position, he has proven to be an honorable gentleman representing a reputable Federation of Radio Associations (IARU Region-1).
I would have liked to quote the whole E-mail and let you learn the official position of this Federation of National Radio Associations, but I want to honour its Secretary's request and abstain myself from quoting any part or all the content of an answer strangely considered as confidential by an International Federation representing a huge number of Radio-amateurs.
Probably because IARU Region-1 reputed the "14195 kHz issue" not quite relevant or, more likely, because conscious that the Amateur Radio Spetrum is an open domain, it is well aware that in Law no Radioamateur or groups of Radioamateurs can "own" a frequency. Since these might have been the only reasons which led its Secretary to avoid entering into any detailed argumentation, he had neither reasons to quote or discredit me, nor he could have commented negatively about my long proven impeccable position. He has wisely chosen to avoid giving any further publicity to a problem which had been underestimated, treated scandalously and even given an unexampled biased and immoral attendance by many alleged "high-ranking" individuals at the Radio Association levels.
Unlike certain sneaky gentlemen who have been accorded to "use" some Official Journals of Radio Societies (especially the Italian Associazione Radioamatori Italiani) to masterly discredit my operations and even slander my person through biased articles, I must acknowledge that the honesty and impartiality of the reputable Secretary of a Federation of Radio Societies such as IARU Region-1, have restrained him from naming "Nino" or "IT9RYH" among "those who exert their claim to a particular frequency" or "others who simply seem to be anarchists".
If there has been something I never would have believed possible within the activity of the Amateur Radio Service it is the irrefutable existance of an horde of rascals I inevitably had to tackle at the beginning of 2003. What I am scientifically sure of, instead, is that if this swarm of self-styled "gentlemen" would have adopted just a little bit of the diplomacy (impartiality?) evidenced by the Secretary of IARU Region-1, today we would have long solved the "14195 kHz issue" and would not have still been dealing with a trite controversy about a phantomatic and hypocritical "gentleman's agreement".
However, today I feel comforted by the largest part of honest and objective Hams who could witness that I suspended my activity on 14195 kHz four times (4 !) and that I moved over to other frequencies. Everyone knows that just a couple of days after my first operations on this frequency I left the then "DX window" for more than two months. Even those Hams who are only active on CW know that some time later I have exclusively been operating CW on the 40 meter-band. Most of the European Ham Community could testify that each time I returned back to 14195 kHz the reason has ALWAYS been the blameful interferences I received on each and every frequency I moved to.
In the recent years almost every Ham has witnessed the immoral attempt to extensively discredit IT9RYH and that the radio interference-campaign has been supported by a shameful number of biased and most deceiving articles vehicled thanks to a masterly and refined acquiescence of some shameless official journals of Radio Associations.
Since 2003, a large number of irresponsible and hypocritical anarchists has been absolutely more determined to impose an alleged priority-right on particular frequencies and band-portions to the rest of our Ham Community. Their determination has taken advantage of the tolerance and common sense of many well-mannered Hams (majority), the obvious incertitude of a multitude of VHF and UHF operators admitted to HF in the recent years and, primarily, the strong support of several sneaky interest groups and individuals at the Radio Association levels.
What the whole Ham Community has witnessed on 14195 kHz has only been performed to further impose their claims and advantages in activities which are irreversibly and profoundly perverting even the real basics and purposes of the Amateur Radio Service. More and more Hams have realized that the immoral horde of overbearing individuals heard especially on 14195 kHz has been generated by a tolerance to the bitter end.
More and more individuals are responsible of an irreversible modus operandi common only to a showy horde of fanatics responsible of meaningless activities which are profoundly and irretrievably discrediting the International Ham Community and the Amateur Radio Service itself. However, I have never accepted any form of provocation and have always managed to adopt what every Ham understands as "common-sense".
In the period between 2001-2002 while I still used to operate on 14188 kHz, as a result of my alleged "splatters" on the portion of band 14190-14200 kHz I became the object of vile "jamming" and ignoble "mobbing". I am sure that many of you may have overheard how a russian "Honor Roll" from Moscow and many of his supporters could offend and intimidate me in their arrogant attempt to force me away from 14188 khz. I could only tollerate all that till the very end of February 2003°.
Although I had always regarded every conflict situation as a physiological result of the mixture of community and society, at the beginning of 2003 I definitely refused to further tolerate the interferences or passively react to the early physical threats and so I started to esternate my personal opinions about their activity. The convincement that violence is the natural refuge of a frustrated and impotent subject has always led me to tolerate almost everything during my ham activity.
I have always tolerated even an unexampled arrogance, impunity and anonymity prevailing on what normally any Radioamateur understands as common sense. At the end of 2002 the situation was so drastic that what should have been treated as a normal conflict situation, has been permitted to degenerate into anonymous "jamming" and physical threats against me and not only.
When at the END OF FEBRUARY 2003 some threats have been addressed even to my family, I decided to adopt the "zero-tolerance". Although at this stage I definitely decided to disregard any amateur radio custom and tradition, I remained operating on 14188 kHz and began to operate in strict accordance with the official Radio Regulations only. Despite many unexampled provocations and acts of hubris I always managed to continue operating impeccably within the legal boundaries of my Licence.
Since it is neither my intention nor so important to expose here a proper treatise on "bullying" and its relationship with Hams' behaviour, I only want to inform those who believe that "bullying" is simply a phenomenon of mere conflict that they commit quite a big evaluation mistake. "Bullying", instead, is solely a very negative phenomenon occuring when tolerance to the bitter end is erroneously mistaken for "Ham Spirit".
Especially in the last years,"bullying" has been adversely and irreversably affecting the self-regulation adopted by most Hams around the World and on which is based our activity. Tolerance to the bitter end has permitted an horde of bullies on 14195 kHz to profoundly discredit the whole Ham Community and irremediably affect the enhancement of the reputation of an actual Radio Service ratified by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
What I now more properly prefer to call "radio-bullying" is what we are still witnessing on 14195 kHz. This aggressive behaviour involves an imbalance of power or strength mainly encouraged by the almost total abolishment of the few National Monitoring Authorities left and a more and more hypocritical "Ham Spirit".
The "radio-bullying" is when an horde of overbearing Hams repeatedly try to harm a Radio-amateur who is or is believed to be weaker. Since even the most stupid "radio-bully" is well aware of his objective impossibility to perpetrate direct physical attacks through the aether, normally he relies on name-calling, taunting or teasing only.
Till the end of 2002, I considered every "DX" fanatic as an exuberant but yet a "normal" Ham. When a lot of very arrogant individuals dared to make even death threats, then they positioned themselves outside any legal boundaries and by far outside my conceivable tolerance. At this very point I stopped to consider them as Hams and started to treat them as actual criminals. The day my innocent family has also been intimidated by death threats, I definitively decided to react as legally as I could against jamming and provocation games.
As result of a masterly refined Interference Campaign supported by several sneaky individuals who, by means of InterNET and articles published by compliant Ham-magazines, I also became the object of a vile and biased Discrediting Campaign. Today this kind of "reaction" is still being perpetrated through masterly and indirect attacks such as the spreading of all kinds of lies in the most ignoble attempt to make the "DX Community" or the whole Ham Community, reject me. At some stage, several "well-distinguished" and influent individuals have even taken advantage of masterly subtle methods of coercion such as psychological and social manipolation.
Other shameless and influential personalities have even managed to get some "higher ranking" pressure to induce my National Licensing Authority to consider a large quantity of very risible and meaningless "evidences" periodically submitted against some alleged "improper tecniques" adopted by IT9RYH. Although aware of the unsustainability of my "improper techniques", they even tried to produce some alleged evidences of Nino's "vulgarities". A German lady-operator has even hoped to support her risible evidence by submitting a recording of my alleged "vulgarities" transmitted on the "sacred" 14195 kHz.
In the hope to get a stronger consideration, a North American protest on Nino's activity has been submitted through an Official Diplomatic. The point is that so far NONE of the "evidences" submitted to the Italian Authority has ever demostrated a single infringement. At a certain point, almost three years after a boring piling-up of ridiculous "evidences", at the end of 2005, the Italian Authorities wanted to content the mass of profoundly offended or outraged "gentlemen" by "donating" (diverting ?) them the meager satisfaction of an official "Technical Inspection" of Nino's Radio Station.
ON 13TH SEPTEMBER 2005 THE IRREFUTABLY IMPARTIAL RESULT OF A FIVE-HOUR (5 !) SO-CALLED "ROUTINE TECHNICAL INSPECTION" CARRIED OUT BY TWO OFFICIALS OF THE PALERMO TERRITORIAL INSPECTORATE OF SICILY (ITS) THE STATION IT9RYH AND ITS OPERATOR HAVE BEEN DECLARED IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE RADIO REGULATIONS. THIS OUTCOME HAS DISAPPOINTED BUT, PRIMARILY, MADE A MASS OF FLAGITIOUS RASCALS BY FAR MORE FRUSTATED THAN MANY TENS OF YEARS OF "NINO'S" REGULAR PRESENCE ON "THEIR" ALLEGED 14195 KHZ.
After almost forty years of Ham Activity, today I can go on record as saying that many alleged "ham-celebrities" are still being permitted to restraintlessly offend not only me, but also many thousands of honourable Hams. While "bullying" is done to coerce others by fear or threat, "radio-bullying" can only express itself by anonymous and deliberate QRM, obloquy and, primarily, discredit. However, I have never regarded the horde of mean "gentlemen" heard on a daily basis across our ham-bands capable of any real physical threat also because psychology confirms that anonymity is in the true nature of a typical dastard. This is why I have never feared the sub-category of dastards and energumeni heard on 14195 kHz.
Threats perpetrated by letters, InterNET and even by telephone, have always constituted the irrefutable evidences of the cowardly harassment perpetrated especially by a well-known horde of fanatics whose most relevant goal is largely shared by an ignorant and trivial minority of individuals allowed to nest within our Ham Community.
In the last few years, I repeatedly verified that a large part of these ignoble zealots simply relies on the power of their RF-capability. I also could verify the existance of a mass of individuals who are profoundly convinced to be representing an alleged chaste of "high-ranking" individuals. Solely because they sit among Board Members or Regional Managers of some Radio Societies, some of these energumeni have come to the profound convincement of being granted an alleged "social-power" over the rest of the Ham Community. While many self-styled "gentlemen" ignorantly continue to trust in their kilowatts and their big antenna-systems, there are also many other "celebrities" who, instead, trust in their influence at the Radio Society levels.
Some years ago, during an "important" DX-meeting held in Catania, Sicily, a "distinguished" Finnish "DXer" and "DXpeditioner", has made all possible efforts to discredit IT9RYH's activity on 14195 kHz. After having contacted me by radio on several occasions, he knew that I never wanted to be represented by any radio society or any hypocritical "radio-fraternity" because I never accepted that rude individuals and their most deplorable operating practices deprive me of my ability to conduct a QSO.
I have never had anything against "DX-expedition" especially not when carried out on a published frequency or frequencies for a limited time and as I already said on many occasions, I have always conceived even a "DX window". If I never wanted to be represented by any Radio Society or any "Radio-Fraternity", it is because I strongly refuse to support any Ham entity that blindly and arrogantly promotes rude activities and supports the refusal to sanction obvious violations of both National and ITU Radio Regulations and, above all, a proper Operating Practice.
These ideas and point of views must certainly have contributed to make me the ideal target a "radio-bully" looks for: a person exposed on a fixed frequency, repeatedly and over time to his cowardly attacks. Apart the deliberate interferences transmitted on a daily basis on the "DX-window", the ham Community has been constantly witnessing an unexampled myriad of offences arrogantly "spotted" and "posted" through the "DX Cluster" and "Forums" respectively. I refer not only to those unidentified individuals who, even today, are permitted to further slander Sicilians and Italians "in totum" but, primarily, to the impunity granted to a gang of arrogant and self-styled "gentlemen" .
It must never ever be forgotten that, even today, an ignoble and sneaky horde of dastards is still permitted to divulgate any kind of vulgarities and slanders not only by radio, but also by means of ham-radio related "forums" and ignoble rascals' "web-sites". Should all this be further permitted or tolerated simply because some moderators condescend to indescribable oscenities against those Hams who legitimately use 14195 kHz, or should they be given support simply because they enhance their questionable "Ham Spirit"?
Is there anybody responsible for the alleged "Ham Forums" through which indescribable obscenities and immoral lies are wide spread against IT9RYH? How long must we wait untill we hear or read of a Radio Association which has investigated about the thousands of obscene "spots" and "posts" against IT9RYH, Sicilians or Italians? Asserting that all this is a very apparent attempt to further incite hatred against me, Sicilian or Italians Hams "in totum", I think it is not an exageration.
As a result of masterly and refined actions and retaliations against me, the international ham Community has recently learned a shameless "QSL-manager" from the State of Oregon, USA, apparently of latin origin. This unaxambled individual, with absolutely no sense of restraint, on 27th December 2007 (four years after the beginning of my activity on 14195 kHz !) has distinguished himself for staining with his immorality the whole history of "QSL-managing".
In the recent years, but especially during the 14195 kHz issue, I have witnessed that such kind of mean "personalities" do not quite seem to realize the true meaning of the words SHAME and CULTURAL INDIGENCE. But what I am certain of is that fortunately this is an extremely rare form of gentlemannery raving caused by the "14195 kHz-religion" and a very peculiar "Ham Spirit" we, inevitably, have to deal with.
This mean individual's menthality and his very low cultural level have induced him to shamelessly retaliate against me by means of an unmatched, unjustified, revolting and disonorable blackmail to innocent Italian Hams: "UNTIL IT9RYH AND HIS THUGS ON 14.195 ARE GONE, I WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING ITALIAN QSL REQUESTS" (such an immorality appeared on this individual's QRZ Bio on 27th December 2007!!).
After almost forty years of amateur radio activity, I can go on record as saying that today's elderly operators have always proved to be the wisest partecipants to the International Amateur Radio Service, especially when the 14195 kHz issue began. If there is a particular group of elderly operators we all owe something it is the North American one and its leading operating practice. This petty old individual (gentleman ?) from the State of Oregon, instead, belongs to those very rare exceptions of USA base-comportments which confirms my statement.
Apart one or two base individuals like this guy, the leading North American ham Community has always tolerated my position since the very beginning of my decision to operate on 14195 kHz and has also shared and supported the legitimacy of my operations on this frequency. As a matter of fact, out of more than 175,000 stations I managed to enter in my log between 2003 and 2008, as noted in paragraph "11. Conflict situations" of the booklet "Operating Practice", a real significant percentage is rapresented by countless of real distinguished USA and Canadian gentlemen.
I am sure that like me, most of our ham Community is still wondering why since 2003 not a single "radio-bully" has ever been identified whilst abusing the 14195 kHz. Although technically possible, nobody has ever been identified or punished for the obscenities spread by the "DX cluster". How is it possible that no Radio Association has ever identified a single responsable of offences and even crimes as renewed threats of physical violence against a Ham and/or his family?
What Hams have been witnessing on the "sacred" 14195 kHz, should not be underestimated because it is by far more than "radio-bullying" or "jamming". What the Ham Fraternity has been experiencing is nothing but a worrying phenomenon of "code of silence" sharing a lot of similarities with the "omerta" imposed by mafias or a criminal organizations. Affirming that the 14195 kHz issue is "the product of a general reduction in operating standards, perhaps driven by social changes in the population", is a self-deception only. Such an analysis is SIMPLISTIC and HYPOCRITICAL if affirmed by Radio Societies, but it is a ridiculous and deliberate MISLEADING STATEMENT if asserted at the IARU level.
What I personally have experienced, especially between 2003 and to day, is that despite the increasing number of wise Hams resulting from an increasing average-age of the Ham Community, we are witnessing a constant rise of latent behaviours among many fanatics of today's ludic and trite activities promoted (for obvious reasons and not for amateur radio's sake) by most Radio Societies. The almost total abolition of the control Authorities witnessed in the recent years has caused the rise of bad behaviours and untolerable operating practices ever in the history of the Amateur Radio Service.
The international Ham Community has already long witnessed that a growth of more and more meaningless activities has induced beyond a non-return point the deplorable behaviour of many fanatics. The Amateur Radio Service has never been endangered and discredited as today. If some Ham groups or Ham entities want to declare IT9RYH responsable for what is happening on 14195 kHz, it could be rather easy, but not honest and certainly not corrisponding to the truth.
Every common-sense Ham would undoubtly point his finger upon an horde of very arrogant fanatics and never on the sicilian "Nino". Every unbiased ham can certainly testify that I have been induced to an inevitable reaction and that very few hams would have reacted as openly and yet as legally as I did react. The 175,000 legal stations scattered around the world that have contacted me between the beginning of 2003 and the end of August 2008, will always be the irrefutable evidence of the above assertion.
What the whole ham Community is facing today is not "the product of a general reduction in operating standards", but an apparent incompatibility between the respectable activity of chasing "new ones" and the unexampled hubris of a selfish horde of anarchic individuals allowed and even spurred to a meaningless challenge.
After having been anonymously contrasted and ignobly attacked, but primarily, made the object of renewedly physical threats on a de facto criminals' frequency, I can affirm that what the International Ham Community has witnessed during the last years is, by far, worser than what IARU wants to explain as a reductive and deceptive "general reduction in operating standards". What we Hams regretably and repeatedly have witnessed in the recent years, has absolutely nothing to do with this apparent self-deception, but it is the result of a menthality that can only be confined within the boundaries of mafia-phenomena only !
Today I can go on record as saying that the over 175,000 (!) Hams contacted under extreme interference conditions between the beginning of 2003 and the end of August 2008, have reacted legally and in a most exemplary way against a "de facto" horde of showy thugs and self-styled gentlemen. I have never had anything against Radio Societies and IARU, but for Amateur Radio's sake, these alleged fraternities should have duly highlighted that my presence on 14195 kHz was the inevitable reaction to ignoble and un-ham-like attacks performed by a lot of anonymous individuals.
When I first started my operations on the "DX window" the least I would have espected from the "Associazione Radioamatori Italiani" (ARI) was a well-timed formal contact in the attempt to solve the problem my activity would have inevitably represented on the "DX window". A year after my operations on 14195 kHz had already become quite regular, instead of a duly and impartial official intervenction against the fraudulent and illegal attacks against IT9RYH, the Italian Radio Association (ARI) intervened by a very biased and discrediting article againt IT9RYH published by its official journal "RadioRivista".
Written by an italian SWL, despite the confirmation of the total legality of my operations on the "gentleman's agreement", that first arrogant and biased article only attempted to basely insinuate on my politeness without mentioning the reasons why in 2003 I had decided to use 14195 kHz. By another article, it was the ARI Secretary General himself who, again, despite his confirmation of my legitimate operations on the "gentleman's agreement", he basely dare insinuate on my "intelligence, politeness and respect of the customs and habits of the Ham community".
All Hams (old-timers and "new-comers") should be reminded that in past decades IARU has been repeatedly asked to set in its "Band Plan" the frequency 14195 kHz as a "DX window". Not only to comply with the "non priority status", but also because common sense has always evidenced no technical or operational reason to set a "10 kHz DX window" within the 350 kHz-wide of a natural "DX Band" as the 14 MHz band. In order to only gain consensus, in recent years IARU Region-1 had to consider even the obstinate ignominy of an horde of arrogant gentlemen against my presence on 14195 kHz. To satisfy the needs of certain groups of interest only and NEVER the common interests of the international ham Community in large, in 2006 IARU has given birth to a "band-plan" which introduced a fraudolent "DX expedition priority" on 14195 kHz +/- 5 kHz.
If in 2006 IARU Region-1 even dared to ignore the "enhancement of rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the ham radio-frequency spectrum" estabilished by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the only reason is the logic of maintaining and achieving more consensus. This is the only logic that in 2006 has determined even an illegal "bandplan". It never rains but it pours: this very same logic and camouflaged interests in 2008 have given birth to the same "DX expedition priority" mentioned in the "band plan" of IARU Region-2 .
It never rains but it pours: as a result of the 2006 "band plan" the ham Community has witnessed a lot more aggressivity among an ignorant mass of fanatics who now really believe to have been given the longed priority-right on their "sacred" 14195 kHz. Despite the ignoble actions of an horde of arrogant hams and the fiasco of an hypocritical "preferred use" of "14195 kHz +/- 5 kHz", at the end of June 2008, following the acknowledgement of an incredible self-deceptioned "perceived degradation in operating standards by a small but noisy minority, including some who exert their claim to a particular frequency and other who simply seem to be anarchists", after an accordingly discussion the IARU Administrative Council came to (had to?) the approval of the resolution (08-1) concerning the "operating standards", has resolved to implement the existing "Operating Practice" with the adoption of another official "radio-bible" (Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio Amateur) aimed to make "new-comers" and "candidate hams" but also "old-timers" familiar with an alleged "code of conduct" (?).
The need for an endorsement and recommendation of the principles set in what is pretended to be regarded as a sort of genuine "radio-bible" for aspiring radioamateurs and for licensees, irrefutably proves how precarious has become the credibility of our Service and how low has gone the average operating level of today's international Amateur Radio Service.
Once again, the logics of base interests of an ever increasing number of fanatics (chaste?) and some other very masterly profiteers supported by the logic of consensus of rather disputable Radio Societies and IARU, are reducing the Amateur Radio Service to mere week-end competitions which are an end in themselves. My presence on 14195 kHz is almost nothing in comparison to the actual privations and discomfort caused by the "WRRC" (World Riff-Raff Contest) we have to succumb to every week-end.
In the last years the whole International Amateur Radio Community has witnessed an actual "coercion to silence" masterly dispensed as "tolerance" and "ham-spirit" by a minority group of self-styled "gentlemen" who, even today, are continuing to show off their alleged "virtue" and "competence". As a Sicilian ham, but primarily as a person, I can go on record by saying that either the "coercion to silence" or the hypocritical "ham spirit" correspond to a sort of "code of silence" or "omerta" imposed by criminal organizations or mafias. On the contrary of what a lot of ignorant and low-cultural level Hams may think, apart one or two stupid individuals, in the last years I have heard almost no Sicilian Ham interfer, call names or make any kind of intimidation either to me or my family.
This behaviour not only evidences the Sicilian Ham Community's tolerance and its ham code of conduct but, primarily, it represents its irrefutable solidarity against an unexampled campaign of discredit, interference, provocation, infamy and, last but not least, threats of physical violence against me and even my innocent family. Conscious of this undeniable and large solidarity, some more rascals reacted with a stronger interference and insulting retaliation against Sicilian and Italian hams.
The Ham Community has recently learned of a nasty individual who, according to what appears in his QRZ Bio, is an employee of a Belgian technical school. This guy's scarse cultural level and prejudices about Italians have led him to a belated retaliation against me and an hasty generalization against all Italian Hams. Without any apparent reason, he recently has been informing every italian Ham answering his CQ-calls that unless IK1JUO and IT9RYH will disappear from the ham bands, he WILL NOT talk to any Italian Hams. Well aware that such a behaviour is not common to any Belgian Ham, I wanted to investigate about him and the outcome has been that this energumen shares the same sequence of nucleotides as the already mentioned "DX manager" in Oregon, USA.
Taking advantage of the fact that in the same area where he lives (Maastricht) there are several families originating from my own town, the outcome of a reliable investigation has been that this alleged "gentleman" belongs to an horde of very questionable "DXers" (DX fanatics). Some other very confidential information about him very recently have totally dispelled any doubt about this rascal. In addition to some of his previous intentional-interferences on 14195 kHz, on 29th March 2010 at 19:52 UTC (I own the recording), this DX-energumen appeared on 3796 kHz to repeatedly dare call me "Italian bastard". On that occasion he definitely proved his indecent cultural level and, above all, his irrefutable immorality.
The vulgar term adopted on that occasion makes me feel absolutely sure about the reason why he called me "bastard". The reason can only be explained by what psychology explains as the unconscious act of denial of a person's own identity or attributes (psychological projection).
The unconscious act of denial of his own attributes, thoughts and emotions, which are then ascribed to the outside world, confirms that he already made his own investigation about me. He must have come to an inevitable fact:
my father (born in 1918), after having lived three and a half years as an emigrant around Grote-Brogel, Reppel and Ellikom (Belgium), in 1960 he surprisingly decided to get back to Siculiana, Sicily.
I am sure that the results of his investigation must have left him some very strong doubts about his true paternity. I am almost sure that today's science could prove him that we share the same Sicilian father. The fact that we share the same interest about radiocommunication, makes me believe that this possibility is not quite a remote one! He has repeatedly called me "bastard", can you imagine? On this occasions, the Sicilian proverb about the horned ox naming horned a donkey, appears to be more than adequate.
Within the mafia-culture breaking "omerta" is an act punishable even by death. In Amateur Radio I have experienced that an anonymous horde of base self-styled hams and mean individuals have first decided to "punish" IT9RYH by vile hatred, radio interferences, name calling, taunting and teasing, but later they decided to adopt physical threats and even death threats as almost extreme punishment. What next?
Let me now ask you to ponder the following questions:
- Should the majority of our Ham Community continue to tolerate further obscenities and succumb to a "de facto" radio-mafia?
- What we are witnessing on our bands today is really the actual result of a true "Ham-Spirit"?
- Must we really accept it as the entrancing "Ham-Spirit" preached by so many questionable Gentlemen and thugs who arrogantly pretend our tolerance to cook up a fraudulent "gentlemen's agreement" by means of the hubris witnessed in recent years on 14195 kHz ?
If during the bedlam of the recent years no Radio Society has ever managed to identify one of its members guilty of any infringement or criminal offence, it is licit to thing that no Ham Association has ever been interested to investigate. Therefore, again, I want to go on record as saying that the "ham-spirit" we frequently hear of, is simply "fried-air" or pure hypocricy. In the recent years it has appeared very evident that Radio Associations are either incapable or not interested to enhance the "self-regulation" auspicated by IARU. This is especially true when we see no sign of pursuing the "rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the ham radio-frequency spectrum" officially requested by an Authority such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
However, the deeds recently perpetrated on 14195 kHz, should have long induced IARU and Radio Associations to strongly remark the need and the true reasons why this leading United Nations agency for Information and Communication Technology Issues has wisely established a "non-priority status" on the Amateur Radio bands. A proper look at the panoramic view of our frequency spectrum will certainly allow us to better comprehend the meaning and the reason of a "non-priority status" and the irrefutable necessity to use our spectrum rationally, equitably, efficiently and economically. A "DX window" or "DX-pedition window" is not the result of any rational operating practice but an illegal way to apportion by lots our spectrum to exclusive "use" disregarding the ITU Radio Regulations.
More and more fanatics are induced to believe that IARU is an actual Authority which in 2006 has accorded a "DXpedition window" and, perhaps, tomorrow it will also agree on a specific "IOTA window", "QRP window" and in a not too distant future, even an "SRR window" (Special Riff-Raff activity).
At the beginning of the 14195 kHz issue (march 2003), the whole ham Community has been witnessing why it was necessary that an horde of self-styled "gentlemen" (veterans ?) and a gang of "thugs" be profitably reminded that if the ITU has authoritatively established a "non-priority status" for the Amateur Radio Service, it is because this is the only possible condition to achieve the most effective use of our radio-frequency spectrum.
I know of some Italian Hams who have been corteous enough to duly inform the already mentioned "QSL Manager" in the state of Oregon (USA), about the existence of the following FCC's (Subpart B - Station Operation Standards) Section 97.101 General standards (b):
"Each station licensee and each control operator must cooperate in selecting transmitting channels and in making the most effective use of the amateur service frequencies. No frequency will be assigned for the exclusive use of any station".
As most Hams nowadays use InterNET and its facilities, I am sure that our Ham Community has known a shameless but yet very keen Scotch Ham. Soon after having been miraculously granted a HF licence like many other VHF european operators, in 2004 he went down in Amateur Radio history for his unexampled initiative. After having suffered by my presence on 14195 kHz for more than one year as SWL, the revenge must have been seen as the least to perpetrate against that nasty "Sicilian" he had long heard on 14195 kHz blocking his future alleged "DX window". Aware of a tacit consent granted by the RSGB but totally unaware of the illegitimacy of his action, this very small-minded individual thought to perpetrate a wretched and immoral "International Petition against IT9RYH".
This ignoble Scotsman's heartfelt initiative has promptly and warmly been welcomed by two other squalid Italian individuals. Confident in a "de facto" impunity granted them by a total lack of control and/or indifference (refined support?) of the "Associazione Italiana Radioamatori" (ARI), these two outrageous proselytes of an unparalleled Italian "ham spirit" have speedly thought to spread that scotch initiative among the Italian Ham Community through their "Web-site". On receipt of my due e-mail both have instantly lost their cockiness and their alleged legitimacy to their initiative and the next day have suspended their insulting petition and sent me their formal excuse e-mails.
The latter can induce me to excuse the offence arrogantly perpetrated against me by a scottish new-comer (born in 1976) and two Italian ignoramuses, but certaily not the felony they have perpetrated (imprudently?) against the spirit and purposes of the International Amateur Radio Service.
Before taking in consideration an official report to the Authorities and a legal action, I decided to send each of these guys an E-mail to remind them that "legacy" existed even in Sicily. After having realized the immorality of their initiatives and their profound ignorance about jurisprudence, these "three musketeers" have almost instantly suspended their "International Petition" against the impeccably legal IT9RYH.
However, I firmly remain convinced that they e-mailed me their hypocritical excuses solely to avoid getting involved in any legal problems. The young Scotchman's profound rowness and the two italians' unique ignorance led me to abandon the idea of sending a report to the Authorities concerned and start a legal action against each of them.
There is also another interesting countryman of mine from near Pordenone (Northeastern Italy) worthy quoting for his immorality. In his QRZ.Com biography (written in Italenglish) Igiul writes: "I'm a director of great commercial company. My preferred hobbies are: Hamradio (of course!) and my "Discus". I like build antennas as well test them, all computer associated ham-radio technologies. I work in the most important contests and dx expedition, preferably on CW / RTTY / PSK31. My dream is a day of being able to participate to one dx expedition".
If translated into English, he says to be "a director of great commercial company" (his own words) and a ham with his own Web-Site. Just like many other fanatics of "DX", he declares to be a dreamer : "My dream is a day of being able to participate to one dx expedition" (in his fluent Italenglish he tells us that he dreams about partecipating to a "DX expedition" one day). For his commercial company's sake, I hope he is a bit more skilled in his job than he is in what he believes to be English language.
Igiul appeared to me as one of the smartest rascals (gentlemen ?) I had to tackle in the recent years. In full accordance with what I consider a profound sence of a very questionable "ham spirit", at the end of September 2007, this mean scum of Italian ham had the idea to serve his Web-site visitors a dishonourable (imprudent ?) information insinuating the withdrawl of my licence. Although Italian scum must also be free to dream of a revocation of my licence, I felt to wake up this Italian individual by a due e-mail to remind him that his dream had not come true yet.
Maybe Igiul is a distinguished and reputable "director of great commercial company" (?), but the content of his reply (e-mail dated 26th of September 2007) proved him a ham of very questionable morality because regardless of the falsity of that alleged "information", for some unknown morality or original sense of "ham-spirit", he decided to spread it anyway !!
According to what he e-mailed me, he had the information from a "DX Cluster" he did not either name nor he gave the identity of the "spotter". In compliance to his questionable immorality he concluded his e-mail without even attaching any formal excuses. What I know for sure is that I never happened to come up against a mean man like this individual both in my whole ham activity and in my life.
Like many other sneaky rascals, Igiul was perfectly in bad faith and deliberately tried out his own dirty trick against me although fully aware of the totaly falsity of his "info". In fact, in the attempt to stay away from 14195 kHz, around the second half of september 2007 I already had been away from this frequency for already more that two months. In this period of time I was back to 14185-14190 kHz doing my best to resist an incessant "jamming" as best as I could. A the end of September, I decided to abandon that umpteenth attempt and decided to return to 14195 kHz.
This miserable north-italian "gentleman" was in real bad faith because PRIOR, DURING and AFTER the deliberate release of his lie in his Web-site (September 2007), he certainly had read the countless "spots" appearing on the "DX cluster" with obscene words of further incitement to "jamming" and hatred against the "Sicilian mafioso".
It would have been extremely worthy to write about an italian radioamateur who, for more than a couple of months, kept calling (anonymously) me "animale" (animal) on 14195 kHz. But the tragedy that struck this individual's family during the 2009 earthquake, imposes me a profound solidarity and a total abstention from writing about this poor man.
I wish I could get an answer to each of the following questions I would like to pose to the leading Radio Society "personalities", IARU representatives and those Hams reading this QRZ Bio, but the very large number impose me to restrain them to the following:
- How many times has our Ham Fraternity (?) read insulting names about "IT9RYH" and "Nino" in InterNET?
- How many times has our Ham Community (?) read "spots" (DX cluster) proposing even to "kill Nino" or "shoot him"?
- Is there a single "spotter" who has ever been identified, reported or punished by his/her national Authority for his/her abuses, offences and criminal acts?
- What actions, if any, have national Authorities ever taken against the abusers of the "DX-clusters" ?
- What actions, if any, have ever been taken by IARU and/or Radio Societies against the abusers of the "DX cluster" ?
- What actions, if any, have Radio Societies ever taken against the abusers of ham "forums" and "blogs"?
- What role, if any, did IARU and/or Radio Societies play in the complaints submitted to the Italian Ministry of Communication?
- Have the IARU and national Radio Societies ever received any reliable evidences of deliberate interference made by IT9RYH to the "DX" and "DX-pedition" traffic ?
- Has IARU ever received any reliable evidences of scurrilous or vulgar language spoken by "Nino" ?
- What has done and what will IARU Region-1 do to dampen the campaign of hatred against "Nino", and the insults to Sicilians and Italians ?
- What has done and what will IARU do to inform the international amateur radio Community about the true facts of the 14195 kHz issue?
- What will IARU and/or national Authorities do against those hams responsible for the unexampled obscenities and infamous actions against "Nino" and his family?
- What action, if any, is IARU proposing against the daily jamming on 14195 kHz and/or repeated criminal offences against the legitimate hams like "Nino"?
In recent years many members of the Italian Associazione Radioamatori Italiani (ARI) have written many letters to complain about my presence on 14195 kHz. What apparently were the most "significative" ones have periodically been answered by the Secretary General of this italian ham Association and published by the official journal "RadioRivista".
Two of letters have been written by two Sicilian hams and appeared in the "RadioRivista" of February 2005 and May 2005. After having expressed his disconfort about the daily obscenities taking place on the "gentleman's agreement" frequency and the revolting names called against Italian and Sicilian Hams "in totum", one of these Sicilians (from Ragusa) wondered whether ARI would or could do something against the abuses brought about by my presence on the "DX window".
After having admitted that in virtue of my all-bands licence (Class A licence) there was nothing to do against me and my impeccably legal operations, the then ARI General Secretary, in his reply refinedly insinuated about my "intelligence, politeness and respect of customs and traditions of Ham radio". In accordance with the logic of consensus, he concluded by promising a proposal to include the privileged "HF DX-frequencies" in the "band plan" at the next IARU Region-1 meeting which was to be held in September 2005.
That the masterly publicity against IT9RYH performed by malicious, devious, discrediting and even slanderous letters published by the official ARI's journal "RadioRivista", has certainly and effectively contributed to increase hatred, discredit and attacks perpetrated over radio and primarily via InterNET, has always been proved by a coincident increase in disproportionate interference retaliation with each biased article pubblished by "RadioRivista" (two shameful and biased articles within three months !). That showy rise of hostility has never been a coincidence, but the result (predetermined ?) of a masterly contribution to further discredit IT9RYH.
At the beginning of 2004, a North American "genius" (according to his QRZ Bio already "DXCC honor roll" at the age of 27!!!) could not resist to answer to my very regular "CQ-calls" to North America on the "sacred" 14195 kHz. This fanatic remains the first and only ham ever whose profound North American "ham-spirit" compelled him to inform me not to expect callers from his part of the world because, according to his "genius", I was long known as a very bad operator.
In September 2004, the ARRL published an article about 14195 kHz in its Official Journal "QST", written by that very same courteous "DX-genius" who contacted some months earlier. After having introduced an FCC's rule which stated that "No One Owns a Frequency" and that "the first person who gets there may use the frequency", this alleged "guru" (editor of a "QST" column !!) pretented to teach the QST readers how to tackle some "hard-heads" and "monopolizers" of 14195 kHz.
Having nothing else to add, he simply ended his sublime article by hoping that "those frequency monopolizers will eventuallly give up or get into a snag with their local authorities !". What an amazing and unexampled "guru" this North American Bernie is. According to his QRZ.com Biography, this real "DX-genius" can be found on the air chasing new ones in the "DXCC Challenge".
I honestly must admit that to better understand this "guru's" article, I had to refresh the meaning of the term "monopolizer". After I consulted my English dictionary, again, I have to admit that I DO NOT understand how can an Ham be depicted as a "monopolizer" of a frequency if NO ONE is supposed to own any frequency. This individual's assertions could have been the aeertions of a credible "guru" only if he would have explicited to his readers the reasons, if any, why a ham using 14195 kHz should give it up and, above all, why hams like "Nino" should ever "get into a snag with their local authorities" especially when operating impeccably and in full accordance with Radio Regulations issued by a supreme Authority such as the ITU.
If intimidations and interferences were the reasons why a "monopolizer" should ever "give up", then his assertion can only be a masterly way to instigate further hatred, intimidation and interference campaigns. If the reason why an alleged "monopolizer" should "get into a snag" with his Authorities is his refusal to acknowledge a "band-plan" (I started to openly disregard it after the telephone death threat of 2003) issued by a Federation of National Amateur Radio Societies, then this is simply a biased statement of someone dressed as a "journalist" or, rather, as a raving "columnist" representing an arrogant chaste of "fanatics" who have been anonymously attacking, untill proven otherwise, a legitimate Italian ham on 14195 kHz.
But according to his hypocritical article, this biased "columnist" also believes that "the best answer" to those Hams using the "sacred" frequency "is to completely ignore them". I do not know how many hams will agree on this idea, but what he did not consider is that at the time when he wrote his article I had already been contacted by many tens of thousand of Hams, many of whom from North America. Time has irrefutably proven that his advise has not been followed because right on 14195 kHz I have been contacted by hundreds of thousand Hams who supported the operations in full accordance with the International Radio Regulations and not with a showy hypocritical "band plan" issued by non-authority entities such as IARU and national radio Associations.
Moreover, there is one more important detail this fellow has not considered: prior his hypocrical article, he had "enjoyed" three QSO (interviews ?) with the alleged sicilian "monopolizer" IT9RYH on three different occasions. But what I am sure of is that this individual belongs to those "geniuses", "gurus", "journalists" or "columnists" who have proved to have the same memory problems evidenced by many fanatics who have always forgotten that the majority of our ham Community knows that no ham has more rights than others !
As a free Ham I can go on record as saying that, so far, neither my National Radio Association nor the IARU itself represent either me or the Ham Community as a whole. This means that, no matter how large, a part of the Ham Community is always free to elect - through whatever Federation of Radio Societies - to impose on itself whatever protocal on the use of a band or frequency. However, as long as the amateur frequency spectrum remains an open domain, no Ham can ever be compelled to support or comply with unofficial rules, especially not when they do not enhence the most effective use of the frequency spectrum allocated to the the Amateur Radio Service.
Indipendently from my own point of view about Radio Clubs, Radio Associations (ARI included) or Federations of Societies such as the IARU, I have always (since 1973) respected the so-called "DX" and "DXpedition" frequencies by being corteous onough not to use 14195 kHz. Even when I decided to use this frequency I have always abstained to use it when it was in use or when I was politely invited to do so. This can be confirmed by many international Hams, but an irrefutable testimony has also been reported in paragraph "11. Conflict situations" of the booklet or "radio amateur's bible" endorsed and recommended by many Radio Societies: "Operating Practice". Although I have always left the frequency (when asked politely) even during those hard "jamming" moments, some times, when my QSOs were essentially shut down by very massive "jamming", I regretably have had to say no to some honest gentlemen .
A similar corteous behaviour can not be accredited or extended to all "DXers" and "DXpeditioners". A good example could be a "distinguished" and "famous" Finnish indivual who on several occasions just came on top of my QSOs and, as if I were not there, he started his "split" operations straight away. By such a masterly (?) trick "DXers" and "DXpeditioners" have often been served a credible evidence of my alleged interference on their alleged 14195 kHz. A couple of minutes later the Finnish "champion" could ignore my traffic and continue his "activity" as if he had the same priority right given by urgency or distress traffic. These provocations have been repeatedly perpetrated in an apparent attempt to induce me to incorrect or even illegal reactions in the attempt to gain approval to further hatred against the "mafioso Sicilian", " bastardo Nino" and "dago Nino".
The individual who has called me "dago" on the radio is a bold (?) ham from Virginia, USA, who recently has dared make an entry in the QRZ.com which, except his anti-Barack Obama and racist sentiments, had absolutely nothing to do with the Ham Radio. Following a complaint coming from USA and another one from Switzerland duly submitted to the QRZ.com by two US citizens, his shameful entry has been immediately removed and now he appears on the QRZ.com as a candid and virtuous "church organist". But this is not quite an unusual comportment at all because even the Nazis used to say : "Gott ist mit uns" (God is with us).
Ever since I decided to operate on the "sacred" 14195 kHz (beginning of 2003) the Associazione Radioamatori Italiani (ARI) has published several articles against IT9RYH but never has thought to contact me officially. This behaviour is an irrefutable evidence of a lacking ethics and an archaic burocracy with no stake in how to appear to the public. Apart its lacking public relations, "ARI" has never tried any action against the arrogant abuses heard on the radio and read in InterNET in the last few years.
On 23rd April 2010 on the web-site of the "Associazione Radioamatori Italiani" (ARI) appeared the news about the anomalous resignation (motivation withheld) of the ARI President. After almost nine (I say 9 !!!) weeks he gave the official motivation and, at the same time, he informed that like him, some other "personalities" of the National Board and Regional Commitees are being involved in serious legal problems (www.ari.it).
Normally a Radio Society is widely expected to be the watchdog and spokesman for its members, and if there is something that can never be forgiven to ARI, it is its absence (deliberate?) at the very beginning of the 14195 kHz issue and the belated and biased articles published against the non-member IT9RYH.
Almost every Ham knows that the individuals calling names and interfering 14195 kHz, are licenced operators and not pirates. IARU and Radio Societies have had enough time and evidences to assert that among the responsibles of infringements there have been always reputable "gentlemen" and "honor roll" beyond suspicion. This is an irrefutable fact and what makes me feel most confident and restful is the awareness of ITU and National Authorities about the true facts of 14195 kHz.
Provided that they operate in accordance with an effective use of the amateur frequencies, I have always respected free Hams as well as those represented by IARU or any Radio Society and have always acknowledged them the right to propose any operating practice based, to a very large extent, on an approach of an effective and rational self-regulation in the use of our frequencies spectrum. But when I realize that an inadmissible "self-regulating" and a "de facto" anarchic ham group claims a "modus operandi" that regards the true purposes of the Amateur Radio Service as optional, then I stick to my legitimate right to comply strictly with the official Radio Regulations and disregard the IARU "Band Plan" or whatever "DX window".
As long as my licence is not conditioned to any guide-line and/or operating practice issued by any ham Organization, I will continue to consider myself free to operate in strict accordance with the ITU and national Radio Regulations only and free to consider this operation a must.
If Radio Societies and Federations of Radio Clubs have been given no right to impose their "Band-Plans", with equal or greater certainty, no Ham or group of Hams has the right to impose the custom of "gentleman's agreement", ESPECIALLY NOT by well-known COERCION and VIOLENCE which offend both the dignity and the right of free Hams but, primarily, the Radio Regulations. Although I have always complied with the IARU "Band-Plan" and respected even an alleged "gentleman's agreement", at the beginning of 2003 (after 30 years!!) the hubris of an horde of ignoble individuals has induced me to reluctantly operate in strict respect of the Radio Regulations only.
Although on several occasions I have suspended my operations on 14195 kHz, the same horde of self-styled "gentlemen" has arrogantly pursued its vengeance on each other frequency I have used in the attempt to avoid them. Following their vile interference and discredit campaigns (see part "11. Conflict situation" of "Operating Practice") I irrevocably and definitely decided not to comply with the alleged "gentlemen's agreement" anymore.
Till 2003 I had never realized or noticed that such an horde of hypocritical and arrogant individuals (gentlemen ?) could be ever permitted to nest among the very reputable Ham Community. Now many Hams wonder about the reason why I have adopted the "zero tolerance" if for three decades I, too, have been one of the Hams who had always respected the "DX-window". It was only in 2003 that I realized the big mistake that an hypocritical custom ("DX-window") represented for the Operating Practice in the Amateur Radio Service.
Try now to magine your adolescent daughter (14 years old !) who by chance answers a telephone-call and and after having naively confirmed to a presumed Ham to be the youngest daughter, a friendly sounding gentleman with a very distinct northern Italian accent, informs her that due to her father's behaviour and convincement, soon she will never see him any more. Can you imagine?
I do not know how you would have reacted to such a crime, but after my daughter has been delivered that kind of message, at the END OF FEBRUARY 2003, I decided to take a "one-way ticket" and definitely "emigrated" from 14188 kHz over to 14195 kHz.
As on some other previous occasions, at the END OF AUGUST 2008 (more than 5 years later) I "abandoned" this frequency again. I do not know how many, but lots of Hams knew the reason why in 2003 I DEFINITELY decided to disregard the so-called "gentlemen's agreement" which I kept respecting since 1973 (thirty full years !!).
Ever since I moved over to 14195 kHz I had to tackle the "reactions" and, above all, the revenge of an horde of rascals and criminals which with arrogance and prevarication, by taking advantage of the tolerance of the very polite and tolerant Ham Community, wants to impose a “special use” of 14195 kHz. A frequency which has always been supposed to be patronized simply by respectful Hams, inevitably, is now abused by very vulgar rascals.
On 14195 kHz I also had to deal with an individual from Bremen (Germany) who really seemed to have been waiting for my arrival there. Yes, I refer to that German rascal that many Hams on 14195 kHz have repeatedly heard shouting :
"You have a very short life-time and your life-time is very short, please, believe it. "
and then also:
"Kill Nino, kill him ! !".
But at last, several of his usual 80-meter friends, once witnessed with whom they had been chatting with, expressly have expelled him from their usual evening "round table" QSOs.
But there is also another German individual from near Frankfurt-am-Main (Germany) known to me for his frequent appearances on 14195 kHz (from Canary Island and Germany) to vomit his stealthy comments and demostrate his cowardice by calling me "Nino mafioso" anonymously. Apart his alleged wealth, there is no other detail worthy mentioning about such a senile individual. The european Ham Community will certainly remember the vile guy who, asserting to be transmitting from Luxemburg, has kept interfering my communications by arrogant transmissions in German (his mother tongue) and repeating:
"Listen to me Maccaroni, you and your friend Nino have destroyed the DX window, and now we will destroy you, Maccaroni".
But here again and strangely enough, no one of the alleged gentlemen present on their "sacred" frequency has ever reported these rascals to any Authority and/or Radio Society.
We should never forget that since 2003 a multi-national gang of cowards has been permitted to anonymously attempt to discredit Sicilian and Italian hams. No ham entity or Radio Association has ever highlighted that my national Authority grants me a class-A Licence since 1973. Despite my decades of ham activity performed in full and constant accordance with National and International Radio Regulations, no one has ever tried to stop them from vilifying even the Italian Authorities. The latter have made me wonder quite a lot about WHO or WHAT (pressures from a ham-lobby?) had managed to induce them to perform an unheard "routine inspection" of my amateur radio station.
Witnessing how arrogantly and unpunishedly the Ham Community is being discredited by a single horde of base Hams is very daunting, but I still firmly believe that the Amateur Radio Service is one of the most effective way to promote recreation, self-training and, above all, emergency public-service and implementation of friendship among people of different Culture, Language and Ethnology.
During the last thirty-seven years of my ham activity, I have always had the honour to know a significative number of Hams and meet many wonderful Operators personally who today are among my best friends. I am profoundly grateful to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for making the existance of the Amateur Radio Service possible and also my National Authorities for granting me (since 1973) still my Amateur Radio Licence despite what an horde of ignoble individuals has masterly been orchestrating against me.
My ham Licence is still profusely compensating for the impossibility to travel around the remotest corners of the world. Apart today's enorm facilities offered by InterNET, the alleged "old-fashioned" short waves still permit me to communicate with amazing people around the World, share many common interests and, above all, enjoy the extraordinary feeling of human warmth that only radiocommunication can give.
In almost forty years of ham activity, I have successfully managed to compound both devotion to ham-activity and passion for travelling. In the 70’s, these two interests have been among the main reasons which have led me to begin my career as a Merchant Navy R/O (ship's Radio Officer). After some years around the remotest corner of the world and direct approaches to various Cultures, I can confirm that no matter the language, race or ethnology, people think very much the same way at whatever latitude and longitude. My very modest education and life-experience in various parts around the World have given me the possibility to verify how all-time and true is Albert Einstein's statement quoted above.
In regard to the disgraceful comportment of the multi-national horde of Hams on 14195 KHz, I recently have posed some questions to a high-ranking IARU Representative. To one of my questions he minimized the problem by asserting that "it appears to be a product of a general reduction in operating standard, perhaps driven by social changes in the population". The nature of our ham activity is such that his assertion cannot have anything to do with the language barriers, cultural and religious differences which especially afflict our modern society at large. In the case of the issue about 14195 kHz, instead, the problem is caused by an insane "way of thinking" that only afflicts a minority group of our international ham Community : GENERALIZATION.
For many centuries this ilk old mixture has been poisoning the human way of thinking. An irrefutable confirmation of this has also been given by unnumerable hams of considerable culture who, inevitably and constantly, have obscenely identified "in totum" Sicily and the Sicilian hams with the "mafia". The 14195 kHz issue is a living example of this insane way of thinking especially evidenced among the innumerable prejudiced and racist abecedarians who have been concetrating on 14195 kHz.
The "generalization" experienced on this frequency, InterNET or in Amateur Radio in large, should not be seen as an ephemeral or transient problem related to the fanatics of "DXing" but as a good opportunity to think about a more effective enhancement of broader and better understanding among the Ham Community.
Even a famous historian specialized in the Italian history from the Renaissance onwards, the British historian Denis Mack Smith, has tried to prove, unsuccessfully, that the whole history of Sicily, since its remotest origins, can only be explained through the "mafia".
Despite this authoritative historian's assertion, Sicilians are very well-known for their hospitality and for being extraordinarily friendly. Everyone who has ever visited my Home island or read about it knows this ceru well. These very profound and noble ways of approaching especially foreign people can only be explained by a Culture we Sicilians have been breathing and enjoying for thousands years. Countless Hams (but not only them) need be reminded that despite what the British historian Denis Mack Smith tried to demonstrate (unsuccesfully), Sicilians' respect for human life has been existing for more than a couple of thousand years.
To better discuss and prove this, I need to start from 480 b.C. Yes, it inevitably takes us back to two and a half thousand years ago. As modern Sicilians we are very proud to know that the most beautiful page of Sicily's ancient history has been written with a Peace Treaty made in the year 480 b.C., just after the "Battle of Imera", when the Sicilian winners imposed the defeated Carthaginians, the renunciation of human sacrifices in their religious rites. When the historian Denis Mack Smith (born 3rd March 1920 !) tried to describe Sicilians as "anthropofagos" or cannibals (greek: anthropos = man, fago = I eat), he certainly must have had a temporary amnesia because an accurate and, above all, impartial historical excursus will irrefutably demonstrate that the social phenomenon called "mafia" first appeared in Lombardia (the events narrated in the first historical novel of the Italian literature "I Promessi Sposi" prove this), Campania and Calabria, when these Italian regions were under the Spanish domination (1523-1600).
An impartial and effective analysis of all Sicilian historical events will certainly evidence Sicily’s contribution to common progress of our Civilization through the centuries. The contemporary and well-known french writer, Roger Peyrefitte (1907-2000), in his book "Du Vèsuve à l'Etna" stated that "no island rises on the horizon of our Civilization a most radiant face as Sicily. It points to three Continents, and summarizes their characteristics. Three times over the centuries, it was the most shining center of the Mediterranean World." On three occasions in its history, Sicily expressed the Mediterranean culture in a Greek, Arab and Norman-Swabian form.
During the Greek period, my island was at the real forefront of progress with geniuses like Archimedes, whose well-known scientific contributions to Physics, Mathematics and infinitesimal calculus are valid still today and philosofers like Gorgia of Lentini (485 b.C. - 375 b.C.), the creator of human thinking who astonished even the Athenians with his dialectic. One of the three most important cities of the Mediterranean World during the classical period was in Greece, and the other two were in Sicily. One was Athens and the other two were Agrigento and Syracuse. In the 5th century b.C, the Greek poet Pindar referred to Agrigento as "The most beautiful city of mortals" and Syracuse was the Homeland of Epicharmos, Thocritus and Archimedes.
It has been my Country that has given to our Civilization poets like Stesichorus from Himera, who the Ancients considered to be "the Homer of lyric poetry" and historians like Diodorus Siculus from Agyrium (today's Agira), who wrote the first Universal History and Epicarmus from Syracuse, the first who wrote comedies. But in Sicily lived also Archestratus from Gela who, in the 4th century, wrote the first gastronomy treatise and Theokritos from Syracuse, who Publius Vergilius Marone openly considered his master.
During the Arab period my Sicilian people astonished Europe with the production of wonderful fabrics produced by textile mills in Palermo, and made known the learned the use of paper instead of parchment.
Sicilians revolutionized the taste by teaching the Arabs the use of new grocery pastes produced in Trabia (near Palermo), as confirmed by the Arab geographer Abd Allah ibn Idrīs al-Siqillī (the Sicilian). It were the Sicilians who introduced new citrus and rice coltures by the channelling of water, and it was Giawar from Palermo (Gawhar- al-Siqillī = Gawhar the Sicilian) who, on 9th July 969, founded the Egyptian city of Cairo (!).
With the Normans and the Swabians, Sicily became a real model for Europe. In 1936, another English historian, Herbert A. L. Fisher, in his "History of Europe" wrote that "purity of race does not exist. Europe is a continent of energetic mongrels" and testified that "the Norman kingdom of Sicily was the best organized of any other European government of the time."
The first Modern State with a Parliament was born in 1129 right here on the island of Sicily under Roger II (1095 - 1194). Please, let me just underline that England's first Parliament organized into three branches as in Sicily, was enstablished in 1264 by disposition of Simon de Montfort, chancellor of King Henry III.
The island where I was born was the first burocratic State based on state Officials, and not on the organization of feudal vassals and yeomen. I am proud to be Sicilian also because Sicily had the first lay State, independent from the Roman Curia since 1097. Furthermore, based on the same policy adopted by the Arabs, my forefathers adopted a genuine spirit of religious tolerance and civil coexistence that make them very contemporary. If our western Culture could only adopt this spirit, maybe today we could have solved a lot of problem concerned with today's Cultural confrontation. It should never be forgotten that, four centuries later than Sicily, it was the adoption of this spirit that made the glory of France possible ("Edict of Nantes" made by King Henry IV in 1598 !).
Norman and Swabian Sicily had scholars like Henricus Aristippus from Catania, who anticipated the European intellectual movement (Humanism) towards the crucial component of the Renaissance by translating into Latin language Aristotle, Plato and Diogenes Laertius. As confirmed even by Dante Alighieri and Petrarca, the Italian Literature was born from the "Sicilian school of poetry" (1230-1250) founded by Frederik II of Swabia in his court in Palermo.
The Sicilian people has always shown a particular inclination and dedication to love and liberty : Sicilians gave shining examples of love and freedom on many occasions (Sicilian Vespers of 1282), respect for democracy (Sicilian Constitution of 1848, with the Parliament above the King). Evidence of authentic devotion to Humanity is Argisto Giuffredi's proposal to abolish death penalty, made in 1580 (two centuries before Cesare Beccaria, 1738- 1794 !). It is with a lot of pride that I like to remind that the first feminists were two Sicilians. As early as 1735 (54 years before the French Revolution !) two women, Genoveffa Bisso from Palermo and Isabella Bellini from Catania wrote in defense of the women against an anti-feminist slander made by a poet of the time. Their writings make both Sicilians the forerunners of modern feminism.
Very few people know that, two years later (1737), Vincenzo Di Blasi published 373 most significant pages about the "Philosofical-historical Apology showing that the sex of women is superior to that of men". The first ever to discuss about the therapeutic effects of music on the soul was the Turko-Persian Al-Farabi (872–950), with his treatise Meanings of the Intellect and in 1824 the Sicilian Pietro Pisani understood that "madmen" were not demons, but only mentally ill persons. He was the first in Europe (!) that treated them with music-therapy in the "Real Casa dei Matti" he founded in Palermo. I hope some of you can better understand why, in 1787, the inventor of the concept of World Literature, the German Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, after a long visit to Sicily, wrote that "Italy without Sicily leaves no image in Spirit, only here is the key to everything."
However, should you ever visit Turin and happen to turn your eyes towards the magnificent Basilica of Superga, note that it was built by the Sicilian architect Filippo Juvarra from Messina. Among other beautiful things, he also built other things in Italy and Spain, like the hunting lodge of Stupinigi and the Royal Palace in Madrid. The University of Turin was reformed in the European sense in 1719 by another Sicilian, Count Francesco d'Aguirre from Salemi. The most beautiful fountain in Bologna, that of Neptune, was created in 1566 by the Sicilian architect Tommaso Laureti from Palermo. The Ximenian Observatory of Florence was founded in 1700 by the scientist Leonardo Ximenes from Trapani; the Polyclinic of Rome was founded by the roman Guido Baccelli and the sicilian Francesco Durante from Letojanni.
Our monumental "Encicopledia Italiana" was made in the 30’s by Giovanni Lombardo Treccani for the financial side, and by three sicilians: Giovanni Gentile from Castelvetrano for the cultural part, Calogero Tumminelli from Caltanissetta for the editorial part and Pagliaro Antonino from Mistretta for the drafting part.
Here I would like to conclude this list not only because it risks to become really long, but mainly because it is not my desire to induce anybody to the suspicion that I want to make the Sicilian People as "school-class leader". It is quite NOT acceptable that the Country which gave personalities like Vincenzo Bellini, whose melody was judged as "the purest that ever flowed from human heart" by the great Wilhelm Richard Wagner; writers like Giovanni Verga, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa or playwrights like Luigi Pirandello, Nobel Prize 1934; poets like Salvatore Quasimodo, 1959 Nobel Prize in physics Ettore Majorana and scientists such as Filippo Heredìa for Meteorology and Stanislao Cannizzaro for the chemistry; industrialists like the Florios and politicians such as Francesco Crispi; figures like Vittorio Emanuele Orlando, Antonino from San Giuliano and Luigi Sturzo; economists like Angelo Majorana, educators like Giuseppe Lombardo Radice, philosophers like Giovanni Gentile and folklorist like Giuseppe Pitré, be considered as "mafia land" by an anonymous horde of ignorant selfstyled Hams recently heard on our bands, especially NOT when an historian mis-considers its people in totum as bloodthirsty or, according to his own wording, as "anthropofagos"!
However, I will NEVER tolerate that Sicilian hams be offended in totum, especially NOT those cowardly rascals who call on civilized and well-educated Sicilian Hams with an evergrowing recurrent and silly compliment like: "But you do not quite seem to be a Sicilian". What wants to be an apparent compliment is nothing else but an irrefutable evidence of total ignorance about Sicily’s Historical and Cultural reality.
(19th June 2010 ) Nino PACENZIA - I T 9 R Y H
OOOOOOOOOO
Q U A N T O S E G U E E' A P P A R S O A L L E
2 2 : 0 8 D E L 1 7 G E N N A I O 2 0 0 9
S U U N N O T O F O R U M
R A D I O A M A T O R I A L E I T A L I A N O :
(English translation below)
S U U N N O T O F O R U M
R A D I O A M A T O R I A L E I T A L I A N O :
(English translation below)
"A
seguito del recente teatrino di cui si è tanto parlato qui, mi sono
preso la briga di telefonare ad un Collega siciliano che vive nelle
vicinanze del radioamatore più famoso del mondo per approfondire le mie
conoscenze sul perchè un Collega sia diventato, corregetemi se sbaglio,
il Radioamatore se non il più conosciuto, sicuramente uno tra i più in
vista. Conoscevo alcuni fatti riferitimi direttamente dal nostro famoso
Collega ma debbo ammettervi che sono rimasto non poco sorpreso del
racconto del suo corregionale.
Da quanto mi ha confidato, credo di essere avvento ad alcuni aneddoti che potrebbero confermare numerose cose apprese sia via radio che da sue personali affermazioni. Ma in quanto di parte, con tutto il rispetto per lui, ho voluto sentire qualche suo corregionale. Quest'ultimo, sembratomi molto ben informato, in una lunga telefonata mi ha riferito quei fatti che hanno determinato le cause che hanno dato l'inizio alla "STORIA INFINITA" di 14195 e i ben noti fatti che vanno fino alla fine di Agosto 2008 ( è forse questa la data di inizio della sospensione della sua licenza radioamatoriale ? ). Benché il Collega che ho contattato sia dalla IT9, ho diversi motivi per escludere che possa essere di parte.
Di questo famoso Collega ho letto tanti commenti circa il suo comportamento sulla frequenza di 14195 ma, NESSUNO ci ha mai raccontato dove questi era stato prima di salire sul "palco" di 14195 per esibirsi così magistralmente. Infatti, mi pare di capire che siamo in presenza di un Collega che, culturalmente, tecnicamente, linguisticamente e, sopratutto, operativamente sia molto valido. Attraverso la lunga lettera del Collega siciliano che si era rivolto al nostro Presidente dell'ARI ho avuto modo di apprendere numerosi dettagli che confermano diverse cose a me già note. Ma essendo sicuramente amico del famoso Siciliano, ho voluto rivolgermi a qualcuno non di parte per ulteriori dettagli sul perchè, quel il famoso IT9°°° ha dato inizio alle sue trasmissioni su una frequenza DX certamente a lui ben nota.
A domanda la risposta è stata: "NU 'LLU SACCIU" (non lo so). Ho chiesto, inoltre, da quanto tempo il noto personaggio è Radioamatore e mi ha risposto che gli risulta attivo radioamatore sin dagli anni settanta. Non siamo, quindi, in presenza dell'ultimo sprovveduto anche perchè professionalmente impegnato nel settore delle radiocomunicazioni.
Adesso mi chiedo, e lo chiedo soprattutto ai Colleghi con più anni di esperienza operativa:
a) Ma dove è stato, questo noto Collega Radioamatore siciliano, nel periodo compreso tra il 1970 e la data in cui ha deciso di dare inizio alle sue lunghe e, per molti versi, monotone trasmissioni sulla tristemente nota frequenza 14195?
b) C'è qualcuno che, conoscendolo sin da prima della sua magistrale esibizione su 14195, possa spendere qualche parola sulla sua condotta operativa?
Riporto quanto il Collega siciliano mi ha riferito a telefono sull'ormai famosa IT9°°°. Il Collega dice:
"Mi risulta che il mio corregionale era solito utilizzare 14160. Da quando i Colleghi russi cominciarono ad impegnare questa frequenza per un loro Net con la spedizione scientifica in Antartica, ha cominciato ad operare nella fettina di banda compresa tra 14180-14190. Nel periodo 2001-2002, alcune stazioni hanno cominciato a lamentarsi per via di suoi presunti "splatters" sulla frequenza 14190. Questa frequenza, infatti, cominciò ad essere usata da qualche stazione DX. All'epoca il siciliano più famoso del mondo usava già un DRAKE TR7 e un moderno SKANTI, apparato marino Danese dalle caratteristiche di pulizia spettrale di gran lunga superiori alle nostre attrezzature radioamatoriali.
Se si vuole essere obiettivi, lo svantaggio, semmai, poteva essere suo in quanto, inevitalbimente, doveva sopportare gli inevitabili splatter delle altre stazioni adiacenti alla sua frequenza. L'ho sempre sentito operare molto correttamente e, quando gli si chiedeva di spostarsi, si è sempre mostrato gentile e sempre spostato. Quando poi, sempre più spesso lo si ascoltava tra 14185-14188 oggettivamente diversi hanno cominciato più insistentemente ad invitarlo, più o meno educatamente, a fare ancora QSY. Nel periodo 2002-2003 un russo (RK3°°) lo ha infastidito sempre più spesso con continui e poco ortodossi inviti a fare QSY asserendo che la porzione di banda 14190-14200 era destinata solo al DX. Ben presto questo russo è arrivato al punto di offendere con agettivi inerarrabili i genitori del mio corregionale e a disturbarlo tracotantemente.
Questo è stato sicuramente il periodo in cui si è forse intestardito ed ha cominciato a non spostarsi più dalla fettina 14185-1490 e, dato che il mio corregionale continuava a stare imperterrito tra 14180-14190, sia il russo RK3°° che diversi altri europei hanno cominciato ad insistere con del QRM inaudito. I riferimenti a delle offese via radio e molestie telefoniche da parte del mio corregionale in questo periodo erano diventate sempre più frequenti. All'inizio del 2003 questi fatti sono divenuti sempre piu frequenti e gravi. A seguito di questi e dei soliti dispettosi, non si è più voluto spostare. Le cose, però, si sarebbero complicate quando, agli inizi del 2003, un nostro baldo connazionale ha avuto la brillante idea di fare delle gravi minacce alla figliola, all'epoca adolescente che, per caso aveva risposto al telefono. Da quel momento ha definitivamente deciso di utilizzare 14195 e, quando la trovava libera, ha sempre ed esclusivamente usato questa frequenza.
A tutti in Europa è noto che aveva "abbandonato" la "DX-window" ma, qualsiasi frequenza abbia cercato di utilizzare, cinicamente e magistralmente è stato fatto bersaglio del QRM che tutti abbiamo avuto modo di ascoltare. Numerosi connazionali ed europei lo hanno sempre anonimamente interferito ed ingiuriato con epiteti osceni non soltanto diretti a lui ma anche alle sue figlie e moglie. Personalmente non l'ho mai sentito ribadire con volgarità a quelle che gli sono state rivolte in diversi anni. Sarà stato certo ripetitivo quanto vogliamo ma ha sempre cercato il colloquio anche con degli anonimi, senza essere volgare neanche con questi. A parte il fatto di non riconoscere il band plan, non credo che qualcuno se la sentirebbe di potergli attribuire la colpa di quanto numerosi codardi hanno fatto su 14195.
Come a me, credo che a tutti sia ben noto che ogni volta che ha "emigrato" da 14195 lo ha fatto per periodi di 2 e 3 mesi ogni volta ma, una marea di stazioni lo hanno insistentemente disturbato con inerarrabili oscentità anche quando si era "trasferito" per circa 3 mesi in CW sulla gamma dei 40metri. I grafisti frequentatori dei 40 metri non possono non averlo ascoltato perchè ha sempre fatto QRQ. Comprensibilmente, ogni volta che ritornava su 14195, era sempre più determinato a rimanerci fino al punto che non ha più voluto saper di abbandonare quella frequenza internazionale.
Credo che un nostro Collega di Ravenna che dichiara apertamente di
avere contattato il mio corregionale, lo avrà contattato quanto questi
aveva già deciso definitivamnete di restare su quella frequenza. Il mio
corregionale ha già reso nota la vicenda 14195 inserendo dettagliati
fatti (testo solo in inglese) nella sezione "biografia" di QRZ.Com. e,
qualche mese dopo, qualche "hacker" ha cancellato tutto e sostituito,
addirittura, la sua foto esistente con una vignetta offensiva.
Quello di cui sono certo è che questo corregionale ha sempre chiesto se la frequenza fosse in uso prima di utilizzarla e, se libera, la teneva impegnata anche per 8 ore di fila. Ma questo, fino a prova contraria, non è mai stato un reato. Quando la trovava occupata, invece, credo che abbia sempre aspettato che questa si liberasse oppure si trovava un'altra frequenza. Quando 14195 era occupata da altre stazioni, credo che stesse ad attendere che si liberasse la frequenza in quanto eccezionalmente abbiamo sentito questo signore su altre frequenze. Quando lo si ascoltava su alltre frequenze, come su 14195, il QRM era incredibile ugualmente. Debbo dire che di questo Radioamatore ci ha sempre sorpreso il modo come per diverse ore riuscisse a gestire i suoi QSO perchè, per molti di noi qui in Sicilia, comprendere i suoi corrispondenti spesso era veramente impossibile.
In numerose occasioni, invece, mi è capitato di ascoltare delle stazioni europee che, trovandosi già lì da tempo, lo informavano che la frequenza era già in uso e lui sempre ha rispettato le regole del gioco restando in ascolto oppure spostandosi. Quando la stazione andava via, subito lui chiedeva ancora se la frequenza era libera e se nessuno gli diceva che era impegnata, allora cominciava le sue chiamate e restava lì a fare traffico per ore ed ore. Va detto, inoltre, che spesso degli anonimi lo informavano che la frequenza era occupata anche quando non lo era. Molti lo abbiamo sentito con stazioni che magari alcuni di noi in ascolto avremmo voluto chiedergli di passarci, ma il QRM spesso gli impediva di continuare costringendolo a dovere ripiegare al traffico con stazioni europee oppure italiane.
In molte occasioni, qualcuno coninuava a ricordargli che quella era una frequenza DX, ma come avrebbe potuto fare DX con tutto quell'inferno se il QRM spesso era fisso sui 30-40 dB oltre il nove. Devo ammettere che anche in queste condizioni lo abbiamo sempre sentito fare traffico, roba da non crederci. Da molti, infatti, è stato spessissimo accusato di simulare dei QSO con delle stazioni inesistenti, ma sappiamo che, effettivamente, il suo corrispondente era veramente lì. Il costante QRM certamente è stato uno dei motivi che lo hanno fatto diventare cocciuto ed irremovibile da quella frequenza.
A queste angherie, molti di noi avrebbro forse reagito spostandosi di frequenza, però, lui ha deciso di rimanere su una frequenza che allora non era ancora contemplata nel "IARU Band Plan". La frequenza 14195 è stata contemplata nel Band Plan della "IARU Region 1" soltanto nel 2006.Nei primi tre anni di presenza del mio corregionale, essa non godeva neanche dell'appoggio dello stesso Band Plan. Dall'inizio del 2006, sia lui che il suo amico del Piemonte, avevano lasciato la cosiddetta "DW-window" per ben oltre 7-8 mesi ma mi risulta che, anche in questa occasione, il QRM era sempre massiccio e su qualsiasi frequenza utilizzassero.
Resta comunque un fatto: non osservare il Band Plan non è alcun reato ed inoltre lo "status" di quella frequenza dal 2006 era cambiato totalmente. Il Band Plan 2006 cita 14195 kHz +/- 5 kHz come frequenza "DX-pedition". Se fino al 31 dicembre 2005 la nota frequenza era destinata le stazioni DX, a partire dall'1 gennaio 2006 essa è divenuta una frequenza su cui la IARU raccomanda la priorità per le DX Expedition. A maggior ragione, quindi, quando non vi sono DX-pedition in atto, la frequenza 14195 può essere utilizzata da chiunque ed anche dal mio corregionale.
Questo è stato l'unico buon momento per lasciare il siciliano tranquillo ed invitarlo a lasciare la frequenza non appena sarebbe arrivata la prima DX-pedition del 2006. Se non si è spostato quando è arrivata la prima DX-pedition, oggettivamente, non bisogna dare la colpa a lui ma a quanti dall'1 gennaio 2006 hanno continuato a disturbarlo. Lo hanno disturbato anche più accanitamente perchè adesso 14195 compariva sul Band Plan. Io sono certo che, se da quella data, lo avessero lasciato in pace, quando è arrivata la prima DX-pedition, lui si sarebbe spostato tranquillamente.
Debbo ammettere che già dagli stessi "spot" dei vari DX-cluster si evince (lo avranno certo potuto verificare anche le Autorità competenti) che, poco tempo dopo che il siciliano era lì a fare i suoi bravi collegamenti DX, ecco che sul Cluster periodicamente veniva "spottata" la stazione rara su 14195 non esistente che, inevitalbimente, innescava il perverso meccanismo del QRM. Chi arrivava dopo, certamente prendeva atto che tanta gente rimproverava od offendeva il siciliano che, imperterrito insisteva a continuare la sua attività. Ma anche questa è ormai storia.
Come in radio, anche sul DX-cluster un fiume di gente ha perseverato con minacce anche di morte. Sulla fetta 14190-14200, dalla mia zona io ho sempre sentito stazioni europee fare traffico sia europeo che DX, ma mai ho sentito fare QRM come al siciliano. Questo in Sicilia lo abbiamo sentito e verificato sempre. Ma forse il QRM è spiegabile con il fatto che il noto siciliano sedeva per 8 ore su 14195. A tutt'oggi, però, non mi risulta che esista alcun limite di tempo all'utilizzo di una frequenza. Quanti di noi non hanno sentito arrivare una stazione DX od anche DX-pedition sopra di lui e, incuranti del fatto che quest'ultimo era già lì e da tempo, hanno cominciato a fare split su un'altra frequenza in modo che tutti se la prendessero con lui. Quanti di noi non hanno invitato quella stazione ad spostarsi perchè la frequenza era già da tempo impegnata dalla stazione siciliana e spessissimo facevano split oppurre finta di non sentirci.
Ma anche questa è storia, quella stessa storia dei molti sciacalli che hanno approfittato e permesso il perseverare di oltre 5 (cinque) anni di vergogne internazionali e non certo del mio corregionale. In questa vicenda lui è sempre stato l'unico ad essere identificabile in quanto ha sempre dato il suo nominativo. Io resto ancora certo che se nessuno avesse risposto, lui se ne sarebbe andato dopo i primi minuti di chiamate non risposte. Il fatto è che, come lui, migliaia o forse anche decine di migliaia, del Band Plan se ne sono infiaschiati e cointinuano ad infischiarsene.
Il Band Plan continua a non fare assolutamente testo e continua a non avere alcuna valenza di legge. Ma io vorrei tanto sapere perchè nessuno, dico nessuno, ha mai fatto QRM a quei europei ed extra-europei che, ancora oggi, fanno QSO sulla famigerata 14195 per venti minuti oppure mezz'ora e poi vanno via? Oggi resto ancora convinto che il QRM dedicato con così tanto accanimento e metodicità, nonchè l'accanita "campagna" per discreditarlo a mezzo di articoli di "RR", "Old Man","CQ-DL" ed addirittura di "QST Magazine" non hanno nulla a che fare col Band Plan, credo che abbia avuto molto a che fare con la sua nazionalità italiana oppure perchè reputato un mafioso siciliano.
Le registrazioni credo che ce le ricorderemo per tanti anni ancora. La registrazione è stata una tecnica per discreditarlo tantissimo. Numerose sono state le volte che mandavano la registrazione della sua voce su delle DX-pedition. Quando si verificava questo, la situazione diventava veramente incantescente. Questi sono dei fatti che a me risultano al cento per cento".
(FOLLOWS ENGLISH TRANSLATION)
_________________________
__________________________________
_________________________
THE FOLLOWING APPEARED ON 17TH JANUARY 2009 AT 22:08 ON A WELL-KNOWN ITALIAN AMATEUR-RADIO FORUM:
"Following the recent theater which it has been much talked about
here, I wanted to phone a Sicilian collegue who lives near the world's most
famous Radioamateur in order to deepen my knowledge of why a Colleague has
become, please, correct me if I am wrong, if not the most well-known
Radioamateur, surely one of the most prominent. I already knew some facts
riferred to me directly from our famous Collegue but I must admit you that I
was quite surprised by the story told to me by the Ham from his same Region.
According to what he told me, I think I came to some anecdotes that could confirm many things learned both by radio and by his personal statements. However, with all due respect to him, I wanted to hear some comments from an un-biased sicilian Collegue. The latter, appeared to be well informed and during a long phone-call he told me the facts that determined the reasons that gave the start to the "Neverending Story" on 14195 and the well-known facts that bring us back to the end of August 2008 (is this perhaps the beginning date of the suspension of his amateur radio license?). Although the Collegue I contacted is from IT9, I have several reasons to exclude that he might be a biased one.
According to what he told me, I think I came to some anecdotes that could confirm many things learned both by radio and by his personal statements. However, with all due respect to him, I wanted to hear some comments from an un-biased sicilian Collegue. The latter, appeared to be well informed and during a long phone-call he told me the facts that determined the reasons that gave the start to the "Neverending Story" on 14195 and the well-known facts that bring us back to the end of August 2008 (is this perhaps the beginning date of the suspension of his amateur radio license?). Although the Collegue I contacted is from IT9, I have several reasons to exclude that he might be a biased one.
About the famous Collegue I read many comments regarding his behavior on the frequency 14195 but, NO ONE has ever told where he had been before boarding the "stage" of 14195 to perform so masterfully. In fact, I seems to me that we are in the presence of a Colleague who, culturally, technically, linguistically and, above all, operationally is very valid. Through the long letter of the Sicilian collegue who had turned to our ARI President I could learn many details that confirmed several things I kew already. But being a friend of the famous Sicilian, I wanted to speak to an impartial Collegue to get more details on the reason why, that famous IT9 °°° has started its broadcasts on a DX frequency certainly well known to him.
The answer to the question was: "NU 'LLU SACCIU" (I do not know). I also asked how long the well known character is an amateur radio Operator and he said that he has been an active amateur radio Operator since the early seventies. We are not, therefore, in the presence of the last inexperienced one because, even professionally, engaged in the field of radio communications.
Now I wonder, and I ask especially to those Colleagues with more years of operational experience:
a) But where was this well-known Sicilian Radio-amaterur, during the period between 1970 and the date on which he decided to begin his long and, in many ways, monotonous broadcasts on the infamous frequency 14195?
b) Is there anyone who, knowing him before his masterful performance on
14195, can say something about his operational conduct ?
I report what the Sicilian Collegue told me at the telephone about the now famous IT9 °°°. The Colleague says:
"I know that my Countryman normally was using 14160. As the Russian colleagues began to use this frequency for their Net with a scientific expedition in Antarctica, he began to operate on the band-portion 14,180-14,190. In the period 2001-2002, some stations had begun to complain about his alleged "splatters" on the frequency 14190. This frequency, in fact, began to be used by some DX station. The world's most famous Sicilian at the time already used a DRAKE TR7 and a SKANTI, a modern Danish marine equipment with a spectral characteristic by far superior to our amateur radio equipments.
If we want to be objective, the disadvantaged could only be him because,
inevitably, he had to endure the inevitable splatter caused by other stations
adjacent to his operating frequency. I always heard him operating very correctly
and, when requested to move, he has always been kind and moved always. When,
some time later he was frequently operating between 14,185-14,188, more and
more individuals began, more or less politely, to insistently invite him to
make further QSY.
In the period 2002-2003 a Russian (RK3 °°) has increasingly annoyed with constant and unorthodox invitations to QSY asserting that the portion of the band 14,190-14,200 was intended to DX only. This Russian has soon reached the point to offend with indescribably bad words addressed to my Countryman' parents and arrogantly disturb him.
In the period 2002-2003 a Russian (RK3 °°) has increasingly annoyed with constant and unorthodox invitations to QSY asserting that the portion of the band 14,190-14,200 was intended to DX only. This Russian has soon reached the point to offend with indescribably bad words addressed to my Countryman' parents and arrogantly disturb him.
This was certainly the period which pehaps made him stubborn and he begun
to refuse moving away from the band-portion 14185-14190 and, since he continued
to remain undaunted between 14,180-14,190,
the Russian RK3 °° and several other Europeans begun to insist with
unheard-of QRM. References to the offenses by radio and telephone harassment
reported by my Countryman had become increasingly frequent.
In early 2003, these events have become more and more frequent and severe. As a result of these events and of the usual rascals, he no longer wanted to move away. Things, however, worsened in early 2003 when one of our brave Countrymen had the brilliant idea of making serious threats to his dughter, an adolescent at the time, who picked up the telephone-call. Ever since that moment he has definitely decided to use 14195, and when he found it free, he always used this frequency only.
In early 2003, these events have become more and more frequent and severe. As a result of these events and of the usual rascals, he no longer wanted to move away. Things, however, worsened in early 2003 when one of our brave Countrymen had the brilliant idea of making serious threats to his dughter, an adolescent at the time, who picked up the telephone-call. Ever since that moment he has definitely decided to use 14195, and when he found it free, he always used this frequency only.
Everyone in Europe knows that he had "abandoned" the "DX-window", but whatever the frequency he tried to use, cynically and masterfully he was made the target of QRM that we all have heard. Numerous Countrymen and Europeans have always anonymously interfered and insulted with obscene epithets directed not only to him but also to his daughters and wife. Personally I have never heard him reiterate with vulgarities to those who have been addressing to him in several years. He may have been perhaps repetitive but has always sought a discussion even with the anonymous individuals, without ever being vulgar not even with them. Apart not recognizing the Band Plan, I do not believe that someone would ever blame him to be guilty of what many cowards have done on 14195.
As myself, I believe that everyone knows that every time he "emigrated" from 14195 he did it for periods of 2 to 3 months each time, but a lot of stations have persistently bothered him with unheard-of oscenities even when he "moved" for about three months in the CW range of 40 meter-band. The high-speed 40-meter Operators have certainly heard him because he has always been operating QRQ. Understandably, each time he returned on 14195, he was more and more determined to stay there up to the moment when he no longer wanted to give up that international frequency.
I believe that the Colleague from Ravenna who openly declares to have contacted my Sicilian countryman, he must contacted him when he already had decided to definitively stay on that frequency. My Sicilian countryman has already reported the affair 14195 by inserting detailed facts (text only in English) in the "biography" of QRZ.Com and, a few months later, some "hacker" has cancelled everything and replaced even its existing photo with an offensive cartoon.
What I am certain of is that this Sicilian has always asked whether the frequency was in use before using it and, if free, he kept it occupied for as long as 8 hours. But until proven otherwise, this has never been a crime. When it was occupied, however, I think he always waited until it was free or he took another frequency. When 14195 was occupied by other stations, I think that he waited till it was free, because, we heard this gentleman on other frequencies very occasionally. When he could be heard on other frequencies, as in the case of 14195, the QRM was equally amazing. I must admit that this Radio-amateur has always surprised us by the way he could manage his QSOs for several hours, also because for many of us here in Sicily, understanding his partner-stations often was really impossible.
On numerous occasions, instead, I happened to hear European stations being already there for some time, informing him that the frequency was already in use and he has always respected the rules of the game by listening or moving away. As soon as the station went away, he immediately asked again if the frequency was free and if no one told him it was being used, then he began his calls and remained there making traffic for hours and hours. It must also be said, that some anonymous individuals often informed him that the frequency was busy even when it was not. Many of us have heard him in contact with stations that some of us would have liked to ask him to let us contact, but the QRM often empeded him to continue and forced him to continue his traffic with European or Italian stations.
On many occasions, someone continued to remind him that it was a DX frequency, but how could he make DX if often the QRM was fixed on 30-40 dB over nine. I must admit that even under such conditions we have always heard him going on with his traffic, something you would not believe. By many, in fact, he was often accused of simulating QSOs with unexisting stations, but we know that his correspondent was really there. The constant QRM certainly was one of the reasons that have made him inflexible and irremovable from that frequency.
At this harassment, maybe, many of us would have reacted by changing frequency, instead, he decided to stay on the frequency which at the time was not contemplated in the "IARU Band Plan" yet. The frequency 14195 has been contemplated in the Band Plan "IARU Region 1" only in 2006. During the first three years of my Countryman’s presence, it did not even have the support of the Band Plan yet. Since early 2006, he and his friend in Piedmont, have both had left the so-called "DW-window" for well over 7-8 months but I know that, even on this occasion, the QRM had always been massive and on any frequency they have been using.
However, one fact remains certain: diregarding the Band Plan is not a crime and that the "status" of that frequency has totally been changed at the beginning of 2006 . The Band Plan 2006 reports 14195 kHz +/- 5 kHz as "DX-pedition" frequency. If till the 31st December 2005 this well-known frequency was intended for DX stations, as the 1st January 2006 it has become a frequency on which the IARU recommends the priority for DX Expedition. All the more reason, then, than when no DX-pedition take place there, the frequency 14195 can be used by anyone and also by my Sicilian countryman.
This was the only good time to leave the Sicilian quiet and invite him to leave the frequency as soon as the first 2006 DX-pedition came above. If he did not move when the first 2006 DX-pedition arrived, objectively, we must not blame him but only those who continued to bother him from the 1st January 2006 on. They disturbed him even more fiercely because 14195 now was appearing on the “Band Plan”. I am certain that if from that date on, they would have left him alone, when the first DX-pedition appeared, he would have moved quietly.
I must admit that the "spots" of the various DX-cluster prove (this must have been veriefied also by the competent Authorities) that short after the Sicilian was there to make his DX traffic, periodically appeared on the DX-cluster a rare and unexisting station "spotted" on 14195 which, inevitably, triggered the perverse mechanism of QRM. Who arrived later, certainly acknowledged that many people reproached or offended the Sicilian who, undaunted insisted to continue his activity. But even this, now belongs to the history.
As on radio, also on the DX-cluster a huge number of people have persevered even with threats of death. On the band-segment 14,190-14,200, from my location I have always heard European stations making both European and DX traffic, but I have never heard QRM like that made against the Sicilian. We in Sicily have always heard and verified this. But maybe the QRM is explained by the fact that the well-known Sicilian sat even 8 hours long on 14195. To date, however, I am not aware that there is a time-limit to the use of a frequency. How many of us have have heard a DX station or even a DX-pedition arrive on top of him and, heedless of the fact that he was there and for some time already, they began making "split" on another frequency so that everybody would blame him. How many of us have asked the station to move because the frequency was already long been used by the Sicilian station and often made split-operation or pretended not to hear us.
But even this belongs to the history, the very same history of many jackals who took advantage and allowed more than 5 (five) years of international shame and certainly not of my Sicilian countryman. In this story he has always been the only one to be identified because he always gave his call-sign. I am still confinced that if no one had answered him, he would have gone away soon after the first few unanswered calls. The fact is that like him, thousands or, maybe, even tens of thousands have disregarded and continue to disregard the “Band Plan”.
The Band Plan continues to be ignored and still does not have any legal value. What I would love to know is the reason why nobody, I mean nobody, has ever done QRM to those Europeans and non-Europeans, who even today make QSO on the famous 14195 for twenty minutes or half an hour’s time and then they go away. Today I remain convinced that the methodical and strong QRM as well as the obstinate "campaign" to discredit him by means of articles published by “RadioRivista”, "Old Man", "CQ-DL" and even "QST Magazine" have quite nothing to do with the “Band Plan”, but I think it had a lot to do with his Italian nationality or because he has long been reputed as a Sicilian “mafia-man."
I think we will
always remember the recordings for many years to come. Recording
has been a technique which has been used to discredit him a lot.
There were many times where his recorded voice has been sent right on
top of DX-peditions. When this occurred, the situation became really
critical. I am one hundred percent sure about these facts".
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento