Dick, we've been pretty busy here in DC. To see some of the fruits of our labors please go to http://www.c-span.org/video/?324931-2/federal-communications-commission-over... and watch the beginning of the "Part 2" video -- especially starting 4:00 minutes in. 73, Dave K1ZZ/3 ________________________________________ From: arrl-odv [arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org] on behalf of Norton, Richard, N6AA Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2015 1:52 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:24097] WARFA Jamming - Some Additional Comments We have been advised that the EC will discuss the WARFA jamming issue at the upcoming meeting. Chris Imlay's report covers the essence. Here are a few more items that might assist the committee in understanding the problem. W6WBJ - Crowell The major player appears to be a William Crowell. His license W6WBJ, expired in 2007. W6WBJ (World's Biggest Jammer) is a vanity call. He was N6AYJ. He is 67 years old, and lives in Diamond Springs, CA, a small town between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. He is a lawyer, or former lawyer. It appears that he believes he can successfully parry any FCC attack on his ability to transmit using his legal skills. So far, that has proven to be true. Crowell is open and proud of his activities. Put "crowell youtube w6wbj" into Google, and you can look at videos he has posted and comments he makes. In one interview he conducts with an apparent former jammer, WA6JIY, Crowell comments about using recording jamming, something that he is now heavily engaged in. A 2010 Administrative Law Judge Memorandum Opinion, and Order on the license is primarily composed of comments on Crowell's abuse of process. See https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-10M-04A1.pdf Crowell's success has not gone unnoticed by his acolytes. For instance, there was a publicized action concerning W7WL last fall. Encouraged by Crowell's success, W7WL is back, and both he and Crowell even openly taunt Laura Smith on the air. Nothing happens. Some History The jamming of the WARFA group is only a few years old. Previously, WBJ and crowd jammed the Art Bell, W6OBB, group. Art Bell had an all-night radio show on AM radio, where he discussed things like aliens from outer space. His celebrity may have attracted attack. His 75-meter group was into hi-fi audio, among other things. Unwanted Assistance The jamming has riled up unwanted assistance from a John Prukop, WA7BZI, who has apparently used foul language at times. I've heard that Laura Smith associates Prukop with WARFA, and therefore may be using a this-is-just-a-fight-between-two-bad-parties excuse for not working the problem. Other Approaches There is a situation in San Antonio, where a jammer has been silenced by application of state anti-harassment law. Chris Imlay is somewhat aware of it, and does not recommend that approach. I comment that so far, it has worked. It does not seem far fetched to regard making-threats-against-people as harassment rather than radio interference, even if it was done over the air. It would not be out of line for the EC to at least discuss it. Media As mentioned before, a WARFA member suggested that she was going to go to newspapers with the story. I strongly suggested that this would likely end up with a story that reflected badly on Amateur Radio as a whole. With the current dust-up at the University of Oklahoma, making national headlines, I can't imagine that a publicized rally in front of Crowell's home wouldn't make national news, and possibly get lawmakers on the FCC's case. I'm not advocating it, but it might have an effect. ARRL Image The ARRL does not currently have a reputation of having done much on this issue. I hope we can do something, such as leverage our good-will with certain congresspersons to get some action. 73, Dick Norton., N6AA I will be away and without E-mail from early this afternoon until Sunday night.