[GreenKeys] Comments on RTTY Messaging and other things...

[George B. Hutchison]

John and All - - -

Such software has been around for years, as we use it all the time on
ITTY, and did so when the WA9XHN/WC2XPF broadcasts were on the air.

It works well, and with the improvements made to it as ITTY has
evolved, it is running actually better than I ever expected it to.

The usage of ITTY has increased ever-so-slowly over the past few
months, and it is not unusual to find seven to eight people
"watching" the circuit during peak periods.

The latest inprovements include "Bad Word Filtering" and it performs
nicely. It is a constant thing to see how the people who want us to
enhance our male impliments, or have us use miracle potions so we can
get slimmer, or maybe play the penny stock-market in hopes of
becoming another Rockefeller keep modifying the words to beat the
filters. Wayne Letourneau's Grand-daughter Chandra did in fact make a
minor complaint about how can we get the "schlong" advertisements
cleaned out.

It is a kick to see the crap come in and watch the system chalk up an
error message, name the error, and stuff it in a trashcan file so it
won't get into the queue. When I see some that do get through, I look
the message over and try to find the key phrase or unique character
combination peculiar to that item which can be loaded into the
filtration scheme and thus end or minimize the chances of repeats of
the same or similar items getting posted to transmit.

As to whether Bill would want the ITTY software let loose on the
general population I cannot say. I certainly don't want it in the
hands of just anyone, as I have somewhat enjoyed being one who has
something that no one else has. Selfish?, petty?, who knows.

I will be enhancing the ITTY services once I get the Quiznos Store
out of my hair, and have several additions planned including a 100
WPM circuit, and for those who used to play with five-letter groups,
an "Encrypted" channel so that they can get some of the assorted
crypto machine simulations and let their minds go back to the days of
SIGABA, ENIGMA, Jason, Adonis, Venus, Zeus, etc.

I would like to see someone come up with a software simulation and
Windows-based GUI that looks much like a KWR-37, or the KWT-37
encryption units, so we can have a genuine on-line crypto circuit in
operation.

Getting those to run exactly as a the real thing would would possibly
be an encroachment that the NSA might frown upon, but, inasmuch as
the Russians, North Koreans, and others had for so many years,
courtesy of the Walker family spy-ring, who supplied all of the
books, manuals, details, schematics, keylists, etc., I would
challenge them as to what the big deal really is.

In other thought patterns.....

I will say that I was more than a little frosted when the Maritime
Radio people were blessed by the FCC for RTTY News and what-have-you,
after about three years of trying to do it according to the FCC's
Rules, and getting slapped by some clown named Thomas at the FCC who
said something to the effect that I was trying to circumvent the
rules, or needed too many exceptions, etc.  From the tone of his
letter I know damned well he never even read the petition, but was
merely mouthing what the higher ups insisted he say.

Of course, the petition was submitted at about the time that the BPL
bullshit was presented to the general public, and I believe that it
would have been somewhat of an embarrassment to consider another HF
based service when the real techies at the FCC, (and I know that
there ARE some who know what is really going on) were hoping that the
ARRL position would be less forceful than it is, and the big money
folks wanted to swoop the world with the electronic monstrosity
called BPL. Thank God Michael Powell is now history.

Has anyone ever posed to anyone at the FCC the question which comes
to my mind that goes something like "If BPL is so great, and is so
clean, how close to any of the nineteen FCC Monitoring Locations
would they allow it to be used?" Methinks they would splutter a bit
and come up with some manner of inane answer, and not say anything
intelligent.

My nephew, an LCDR(USN) (now retired) had to attend several meetings
at certain Navy locations in Southern states wherein the Navy was
concerned about how BPL would affect some HF over-the-horizon radio
activities associated with drug interdiction operations. The Navy was
not happy.

The NTIA did several juxtapositions regarding BPL. I do believe they
were embarrassed a couple of times and were obligated to re-define
their opinions/positions. And today - The FCC still stonewalls the
world.

Ben F. Waple must be turning over in his grave. (Signed our licenses,
remember?)

Enough rambling.

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS SEASON TO ALL -

The trees are back at SEATAC, and if I were to be a truly religious
person I would pray that somehow the various factions of the world
would let all of the problems become of the past, and all work to
keep this mortal coil from dismembering itself. Wishful thinking, eh
Osama???

73,

George - W7TTY - ITTY Central in Sequim, Washington, USA