Lawyers

[Tim S. Ellam]

Bill K6KM wrote:

>Lawyerphobia? Fear of lawyers? You bet I fear lawyers. Both attack
>lawyers and rabid skunks can cause in individual extreme damage if
>not avoided. Unfortunately by the time you know that you are dealing
>with an attack lawyer, you're already in deep doo-doo. The rabid 
>skunk can be evaded or shot. Shooting the lawyer will bring on a
>whole new set of problems, and he'll just be replaced anyway. 


I hope your derogatory comments are not aimed at the many lawyer/amateurs who volunteer
their time and services on behalf of the hobby?

Tim VE6SH

>From syam at Glue.umd.edu (De Syam)  Thu Aug  8 16:11:38 1996
From: syam at Glue.umd.edu (De Syam) (De Syam)
Date: Thu, 8 Aug 1996 11:11:38 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Fred's Fables
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960808110043.2741A-100000 at y.glue.umd.edu>

FRED'S FABLES
 
(With apologies to Hugh Cassidy, WA6AUD)
 
The date was May 20.  The year was 2046.  Four days earlier, the
Forces of Evil had detonated a massive thermonuclear weapon high
above the Kansas countryside, creating an Electromagentic Pulse
which had immobilized the entire North American Continent,
dependent as modern society had become on the semiconductor for
carrying out even the most elemental tasks.  Attempts to
communicate with distant cities and states were useless.  All
systems were down.  Few vehicles of any sort were running, what
with the sophisticated semiconductor-based ignition systems of the
day.
 
The QRP'er was out foraging for food, looking for rabbits in the
bush, when he happened to pass by the hill on top of which could be
found the shack of the Old Timer.  Of course, all of the remaining
practitioners of that quaint hobby, Amateur Radio, were QRP'ers
these days, as the result of the events set in motion by the
implementation, way back in 1997, of the Guidelines on RF Exposure
by the Federal Communications Commission.  Rather than subject
themselves to constant legal action, most Radio Amateurs had long
since thrown in the towel and ceased amateur radio operations,
relying instead on the Internet to entertain themselves.  After
all, the Internet incorporated many of the same elements that had
proved fascinating for earlier generations of amateurs.
 
In the vast silence the QRP'er detected the unmistakable put-put-
put of a gasoline-driven generator coming from the direction of the
Old Timer's shack, so he went up the hill to see what was
happening.  As he entered the Old Timer's shack, he could see the
glow of dial lights from some of the ancient equipment that the Old
Timer had regularly exhibited at county fairs around the area.  He
was surprised to see the equipment working;  he thought all
electronic equipment had been been rendered useless by the EMP. 
Looking carefully at the ancient transmitter he could make out the
words "E. F. Johnson Co." and "Viking II".  The receiver bore the
inscriptions: "Hallicrafters" and "SX-100".  
 
The QRP'er rudely interrupted the Old Timer: "What are you doing?"
"I'm having a QSO with XT2AA in Burkina Faso," was the immediate
reply,  "Come on in."  The QRP'er entered and sat down in awe. 
Here the whole country was immobilized, and the Old Timer was
having a QSO with Africa, no less!  There was no need to ask what
band the Old Timer was on:  it had to be 20 meters.  The big LEOs
and little LEOs had long since used their financial clout to wrest
all of the VHF and UHF bands away from the Amateur Radio Service,
and with the great drop in Amateur Radio activity created by
implementation of Guidelines for RF Exposure in the major
industrialized countries of the world, the ITU had reassigned all
of the HF bands to other services.  Before going out of existence,
the ARRL and IARU had managed to convince the United Nations to
declare the 20 meter band an "Amateur Radio Historical Zone" and
preserve it for amateur use as a matter of historical interest. 
The only Amateur Radio organization still in operation was the
Antique Wireless Association.             
 
"What is that thing you're using?" the QRP'er asked, pointing to a
strange object that the Old Timer was using his hand to manipulate. 
The Old Timer replied: "Oh this!  This is known as a bug.  They
were widely in use before the IARU decided that the Morse Code was
no longer important for Radio Amateurs to know and did away with
the Morse Code examination requirement.  With this old bucket of
bolts, I didn't think I could get through on phone, so I decided to
drag out the old bug and fire up on CW."
 
The Old Timer finished the QSO and said: "It's pretty hard to find
a ham station on the air these days, but some of the Africans are
still pretty active, since they never developed to the extent that
they can easily obtain Internet access.  He says that he has been
trying to find out what is going on in the rest of the world after
all the normal systems went down, but except for other African
stations I was his first QSO in the last four days."
 
The Old Timer continued, "In earlier days in a situation like this,
the other hams around here and I would have been busy on two meters
handling emergency traffic, but after the little LEOs got two
meters, the Amateur Radio emergency systems just sort of died on
the vine.  The little LEOs assured the world that no matter what
sort of emergency came up, they would be able to handle it, and
they have -- until now..."
 
"Well OM," the QRP'er said, "guess I better get going and find me
some grub.  Nice to have had the chance to see you."  
 
"No problem," said the Old Timer.  "If we manage to get through all
of this, drop in again some time."                
   
 
                                         Very 73,

                                      Fred Laun, K3ZO    


>From gjk at hogpa.ho.att.com (Gerald J Kersus)  Thu Aug  8 16:24:40 1996
From: gjk at hogpa.ho.att.com (Gerald J Kersus) (Gerald J Kersus)
Date: Thu, 8 Aug 96 11:24:40 EDT
Subject: Follow-up message from a "frisky dog"
Message-ID: <9608081524.AA03185 at hogpe>

As someone with a number of neighbor-lawyers, I have to agree with N2IC's
assesment.  I have lived in this suburban neighborhood and had my meager
60-ft tower up for five years.  Our lots are probably larger than most
suburban lots (0.75 to 1.25 acres) and are HEAVILY wooded, so my problems
are probably not as severe as other urban/suburban contesters'.  The only
two RFI complaints in 5 years (both telephone RFI) came from two
lawyer-neighbors who live approximately 800 feet NORTHEAST of my tower.  In
both cases, I attempted to prove it was not me (In one case, I was coaching
a LL game when the interference was observed and in the other, I was
actually talking to the neighbor and we both listened to the interference --
caused by another, nameless, operator in my neighborhood.)

The first lawyer-neighbor started out being pretty aggressive posturing to
my wife about how he was preparing to pursue the situation  throught the legal
system.  This was AFTER he called the town and inquired about the legality
of my tower.  (Fortunately, it is all quite legal and I even spent time
talking to the building inspector about tower engineering and installation
practices.)  I was able to posture back about how I was operaating a legal
installation within the permitted use of MY property.  I also let it be
known through another lawyer-neighbor-friend that my company provided me
with a legal expense insurance policy and that I belonged to a large (150+
member) club with several members who were attorneys who had successfully
litigated tower cases.  I also let it be known that I can raise my tower to
90 feet without a variance and the cost would be relativly small compared
to the several thousand dollars I have invested in my station.

My lawyer-neighbors have apparently bought this FOR THE TIME BEING.  They
are not stupid and they still don't like my tower (which they
can only see from the backyards in the winter).  I know this based on what
their kids say to my son.  I know they would have a difficult time winning
against me based on the approved tower.  I believe I could technically
prove a case against interference to consumer products.  I do not believe I
could afford to prove a case against a perceived dangerous health
situation.  Wayne Overbeck has stated (hopefully correct) that most of us
running full power with reasonably high antennas are not endangering
anyone.  However, given the amount of public paranoia about RF, I don't
believe that will matter in a civil court.

After hearing first-hand about cases such as K2WK's,  I am really concerned
about what my lawyer-neighbors can do to me the the latest FCC Ruling.
(And, those who know me, know that I am not paranoid!)

Gerry, W1GD
against