Topband: Status of KV4FZ

[Herb Schoenbohm]

Fellow topbanders I am sorry that I will not be on for the CQ 160 Meter
Contest this year.  (Many of you worked W8UVZ and K8GG from my place
last year as NP2S.)

I want to thank all those who signed petitions over the past year and
delivering them to the FCC asking that I be allowed to posses an amateur
license.  In March of last year the FCC responded to the GOP leadership
including White House inquiries claiming that I did not have an
application before them to act on. So on March 31, 200, I flew to San
Juan, passed the General and then the Extra two weeks later.  The FCC
promised to act "expeditiously" on the application. Last week, nearly a
year later,  I learned that my application has been designated for a
hearing process.  The HDO specifies only one issue to be determined,
whether or not I possess the "requisite character" to be a licensee.  (I
still have my first Class Radiotelephone (GROL) and an application for a
LPFM station.)  Hearings on the "character" of the licensee have been
used in the past on broadcast licensees but seldom if ever, except in my
case, on none broadcast applications.  (Super hacker N6NHG, Kevin
Mitnick, who since his release from prison, has been assisting the NSA
in preventing intrusion into sensitive computer systems, also received a
HDO from the FCC regarding his amateur licensee renewal based on the
character issue.

The problem is that this process could take many years to resolve as I
have the burden to overcome the negative presumption at the FCC that I
have character flaws, apart from the technical qualification, making me
unworthy of enjoying the wonderful hobby of amateur radio.  The last
litigation took nearly eight years.  I am looking at the overall cost of
such litigation after spending nearly $40,000 during the last round.
This was the first amateur radio case ever heard by the US Court of
Appeal for the DC Circuit.

To summarize, all of you have been wonderful friends over the years.
Monika and I thank you for your support.  I am sorry I can not be with
you on 160 meters in the foreseeable future.  In the mean time the ham
shack, equipment, antennas are available to you if anyone wants to take
advantage of the low air fares and come down to St. Croix and operate.
Believe me, having a pile up of Europeans calling you on topband is a
real thrill. (The contest weekends are still available.)

Thanks again and 73


Herb Schoenbohm
Box 4419
Kingshill, VI 00851

P.S. In the mean time QSL cards for past activities are still available.