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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!hplabs!hplabsc!labelle
From: labelle@hplabsc.UUCP (WB6YZZ La Belle)
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Subject: "Illegal" reception of HBO broadcasts via MDS
Message-ID: <2099@hplabsc.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-Aug-84 11:57:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: hplabsc.2099
Posted: Mon Aug 20 11:57:50 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 22-Aug-84 04:48:12 EDT
Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA
Lines: 30




     In the S.F. bay area, Premier Channel is attempting to eliminate
   the unsubscribed reception of their HBO broadcasts via the MDS
   service. (2152 MHz)  They hired college students to drive all over
   the bay area looking for "suspicious" antennas, writing down the
   address, and sending these people (~18,000) a letter saying-

             1) Take down your antenna.
             2) Sign this form agreeing never to put it back up.
             3) Send $300.00 as an "out of court settlement"

    or be added to litigation for damages in excess of $1000.00.

      Amateurs who contact the law firm sending the letters (addressed
   from a P.O. box, but postmarked from another city) are removed
   from any litigation.

       The reason is that the grounds for the suit are based on section
   605 of the Communications Act of 1934 which say it is illegal to        
   receive private communications without authorization. In 1982
   president Reagan signed a bill which, among other things, exempted
   radio amateurs from that (605) section of the act obstensibly to
   enable amateurs to police their own bands.            

     

                         GEORGE   (WB6YZZ)    hplabsc!labelle