FCC's Riley Hollingsworth to Retire in January 2008

[Pete, WA2CWA]

From the ARRL web Site, October 24, 2007:

Riley Hollingsworth, Special Counsel in the FCC's Enforcement Bureau, announced his retirement this week, effective Friday, January 3, 2008. While his successor has not been named, Hollingsworth was quick to point out that the FCC's Amateur Radio enforcement program will continue.

For the rest of the story, go here:
http://www.remote.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/10/24/102/?nc=1

Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH

[KF1Z]

well....

ain't that a shame.....

[k4kyv]

Licensed amateur radio operator = retiree

[Carl WA1KPD]

I think he has been one of the more visible people in that job. I talked with him in the airport after one Dayton and liked him
Hey he even went to Bacon's party!

Wonder if K1BOY will attend the retirement party?

[W5AMI]

I happen to think he has done a good job, all things considered.  I've had several one on one's with the man and happen to like him quite a bit.  I wouldn't want to have that job... 

I truly hate to see him go.

[k4kyv]

Maybe he will get on the air more once he retires.  He has said repeatedly that he has an AM rig of some kind.  Maybe he'll even become an active AM'er. I never dealt with him personally, but all told, he always left a positive impression with me.

Of concern now, is who will be his replacement, and what his/her agenda will be.

[WA1GFZ]

he got the job done I can't complain. At least he opened his mail.



Anybody want to start a pool.

I bet he is replaced with an xxxxx.  xxx xxxxx, xxxx xxxxxxx,

When in the past 41 years as a ham did I know anyone from the FCC
who would actually care about hams.....only the present guy comes to mind.

[W3SLK]

Don said:

Maybe he will get on the air more once he retires.  He has said repeatedly that he has an AM rig of some kind.  Maybe he'll even become an active AM'er. I never dealt with him personally, but all told, he always left a positive impression with me.

When I talked to him at Frank's 'AHE place last year, he said that he has sold his Valiant because he didn't have time to use it.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

You are a licensed ham, Mack. Go for it!

http://www.fcc.gov/jobs/fccjobs.html

Are there any licensed hams, that are also qualified to take Riley's job, employed at the FCC?

Mack

[k4kyv]

Being a licensed ham is no guarantee that an FCC employee will work for our best interests.  Remember, Johnny Johnston was a licensed ham.  So are the IARU people who created the band plan fiasco.

[WA1GFZ]

k1man is a law expert, maybe he will apply
then he can run for president

[k4kyv]

k1man is a law expert, maybe he will apply then he can run for president

If he tossed his hat in the ring for president, he'd be right in there amongst his own ilk.  But if we can't convince him to run, there's always these guys.

[Herb K2VH]

I always had the impression that Riley was a friend of AM.  He was also balanced and fair to all hams at the same time.  I talked with him several times on the telephone, and always found him to be helpful.  I for one regret that he is retiring.  And I hope that someone equally as balanced and sensible takes his place.

vH

[Bacon, WA3WDR]

Well I was keeping it a secret, but I'll be the one sending out the citations soon... OK, just kidding.

Yep, I hope the next one to take that position does as well as Hollingsworth did.

[W4EWH]

From the ARRL web Site, October 24, 2007:

Riley Hollingsworth, Special Counsel in the FCC's Enforcement Bureau, announced his retirement this week, effective Friday, January 3, 2008.

Frankly, I think it's not a moment too soon: I liked Hollingsworth and his tough stance on violators, but his public remarks of late made it clear that he was headed for burnout. At least he had the good sense to see it coming and leave before the applause dies down.

Bill W1AC

[N1NKM]

I guess I could say that I am thankful I haven't had any reason to "interact" with Mr Hollingsworth on an official level... but most of what I have read about him has leaned in a very positive direction.

Suffice it to say, without him, I seriously doubt that I would have ever bothered to upgrade. Seriously. I was Licensed a Tech Plus in Sept of 1992. I built my own QRP CW transmitter, and started running it in earnest, hoping to get my Code speed up enough to upgrade and use voice on SSB. (I didn't have an AM rig in those days! All I had was a Drake TR-3, which I still have. It does "AM" but not very well.)

Anyway, when I started dialing up and down the bands, I heard stuff that reminded me of the CB! Who could ever forget the fiasco of 14.313? That so totally disgusted me, I just gave up on the idea of upgrading and stuck with the local 2M and 440 repeaters for the better part of a decade. Towards the late 90's, tho, news of the "new, tough guy at the FCC" was spreading... and the garbage was diminishing! 14.313 was quiet! The CW requirement would soon be going to 5WPM, so my interest was again rekindled!

In Nov of 2001, I upgraded to Extra. Three cheers for Mr Hollingsworth! Seriously! Without his intervention, and the subsequent clean-up of the HF bands, I would still be content on 2 and 440. My "B.O.B." (Bucket O' Bolts) transmitter would never have been built, either! (Neither would the many other HF-related projects!)

http://www.mymorninglight.org/ham/6146.htm  (Meet "B.O.B.")

I don't know who is going to take his place, but I certainly hope it is someone with similar guts and determination to uphold the Law! Maybe even crack down on some of the worst offenders who are making 3885 into "the ghetto". 

[Jim KF2SY]

Willie,
Sorry, BUT No such thing as the "AM Ghetto"
only occasional inconsiderate or rude operators that can be heard
on any mode, in any slice of 75/80 meter band.

[Jim KF2SY]

The traditional "AM Window" portion does not hold proxy for
bad operators any more or any less than any other part of the band that
I've heard. 

Also, as Riley said...there is no "oasis".

[N1NKM]

Willie,
Sorry, BUT No such thing as the "AM Ghetto"
only occasional inconsiderate or rude operators that can be heard
on any mode, in any slice of 75/80 meter band.

Curious, then... why do I see so many people here on this board referring to it as such? (Honest question!) There certainly does seem to be a high concentration of "less-than-considerate" operators there from time-to-time. There are also numbers of top-shelf guys on, too. I suppose it's the "bad apples" scenario?

Seriously, though, I do see a number of discussions here referring to 3885 as "the ghetto", so that was where I picked-up the term.

ANYWAY, let's try to stick to the topic of Riley. The other topic can go into another thread.

[Jim KF2SY]

I suppose originally it was intended to describe the "herding" and crowding
in the traditional AM real estate portion of the band.  But it has denigrated into an unfair elitist tag that has worn out it's uselfulness.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

I talked to Riley on the air at least twice, and it was in the ghetto.

The term ghetto was originally thrown out in jest as a way of describing how we AMers had unnecessarily crowded ourselves into a small range of frequencies creating all the problems that came with the crowding. It was not a statement on those who operated in those range of frequencies (in part of full) or any of the other "meanings" that have since been attached.

I agree, since it has moved beyond the original joke status, its use has long since outlived its usefulness.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Curious, then... why do I see so many people here on this board referring to it as such? (Honest question!) There certainly does seem to be a high concentration of "less-than-considerate" operators there from time-to-time. There are also numbers of top-shelf guys on, too. I suppose it's the "bad apples" scenario?

The term was actually coined (IIRC) by Don, K4KYV to describe the self-imposed grouping in an area known for its noise, intentional interference, and other nonsense. It came about after the opening of additional phone privileges down into the 80m portion of the band, with 'oasis-like' operating conditions compared to the so-called AM Window. There was great praise for the new frequencies, rave reviews of how much nicer it was, followed by a slow migration back to the self-imposed 'ghetto' where operating tends to be annoying and difficult many nights. When you insist on ownership of a certain frequency, you paint a target on your back for the idiots to aim at.

Jim makes a very good point that no frequency comes with a guarantee. You can get interfered with below 3800 just as you can anywhere else. It's just nowhere near as prevalent as the 3870-3890 chunk of spectrum. 7285-90 is probably the next closest, and doesn't hold a candle to it.

I've operated on or around 3885 a number of times since the phone expansion, generally later at night when the garbage has quieted down. Worked the left coast last winter on 3870. But once you've experienced quieter, less crowded conditions below 3800, it's easy to see why Don coined the term with the stark contrast. Don still operates up there as well, BTW. He also uses other open frequencies and doesn't restrict himself. To me, this is the best approach. But I'm not offended by the use of the term or its application to that chunk of spectrum.

YMMV.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Nah. It was in use probably three or more years before the phone band expansion. I recall the Derb coining the phrase then.

Curious, then... why do I see so many people here on this board referring to it as such? (Honest question!) There certainly does seem to be a high concentration of "less-than-considerate" operators there from time-to-time. There are also numbers of top-shelf guys on, too. I suppose it's the "bad apples" scenario?

The term was actually coined (IIRC) by Don, K4KYV to describe the self-imposed grouping in an area known for its noise, intentional interference, and other nonsense. It came about after the opening of additional phone privileges down into the 80m portion of the band, with 'oasis-like' operating conditions compared to the so-called AM Window. There was great praise for the new frequencies, rave reviews of how much nicer it was, followed by a slow migration back to the self-imposed 'ghetto' where operating tends to be annoying and difficult many nights. When you insist on ownership of a certain frequency, you paint a target on your back for the idiots to aim at.

Jim makes a very good point that no frequency comes with a guarantee. You can get interfered with below 3800 just as you can anywhere else. It's just nowhere near as prevalent as the 3870-3890 chunk of spectrum. 7285-90 is probably the next closest, and doesn't hold a candle to it.

I've operated on or around 3885 a number of times since the phone expansion, generally later at night when the garbage has quieted down. Worked the left coast last winter on 3870. But once you've experienced quieter, less crowded conditions below 3800, it's easy to see why Don coined the term with the stark contrast. Don still operates up there as well, BTW. He also uses other open frequencies and doesn't restrict himself.

YMMV.

[N1NKM]

OK, I now consider myself "Edge -a- muh-cated". Thanks, guys. I won't use that term any longer.

As for the "Oasis", yes, i have had some great hours-long ragchews down below 3700. It *IS* an oasis compared to above 3800!

SO... back to Riley! I wonder who's going to replace him, and I hope said person continues to enforce the rules diligently and fairly.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Nah. It was in use probably three or more years before the phone band expansion. I recall the Derb coining the phrase then.

I always miss the good stuff, usually.