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As most of you are aware, on the 25th July, 2001, the Islands Of
Scotland Award and GMDX Group committees saw fit to 'ban' André GM3VLB, AND
any other amateur who might associate with him, from any further participation in their
Scottish Island programme. There was NO reasonable justification for this ban.
We are led to believe that, in the 40+ year history of IOTA, no
activator has ever been banned. André now joins another highly respected activator,
Bill G(M)4WSB, whom the GMDX Group also saw fit to ban. The claimed evidence has never
been made public.
We believe that whilst the GMDX Group may see fit (for reasons best
known to themselves) to refuse to accept activator award applications from
whomsoever they wish, they have no moral right to punish other innocent radio amateurs and
short wave listeners, world-wide, by refusing to recognise QSL cards for QSOs made by
activators operating within all commonly and internationally recognised rules.
Perhaps to their credit, the GMDX / IOSA committees have repeatedly
stated that an island 'activator' would only have their operation accredited provided the
stated rules were adhered to.
To quote Rob Ferguson (GM3YTS), Chairman of the GMDX and IOSA
committees, in a letter to GM3VLB
". . . there are islands where landing AND
operating permission must be obtained and where necessary this must be sought before that
island will be validated . . ."
and again,
". . . activators who just barge on to islands
without doing any commonsense research are totally deplored and the Committee will pursue
any suspected violation of the programme rules . . ."
and finally,
"The IOSA committee wish to thank you
sincerely for your island activations. This is really appreciated and has promulgated the
interest of the programme to a high degree . . . The IOSA community worldwide has reason
to be grateful for the dedicated work you have put into the programme and for which
we are grateful . . ."
In a separate statement (24th February, 2002) to the representative of
the owner of PABAY (NH11), the GMDX committee stated :
". . . The GMDX group has a firm policy on
this subject, requiring all activators to receive permission to land and to operate BEFORE
(our emphasis) starting
any activity. Furthermore, if any unauthorised activity were to be brought to the
attention of the IOSA committee or the GMDX Group, that activity would be disallowed from
counting towards any part of the award scheme . . ."
In view of what is now described below,
WHY WERE THE OPERATIONS FROM
GIGALUM (NH46) AND FROM CARA (NH25), BY GM0VIV, GIVEN ACCREDITATION?
The official GMDX Group web-site stated as recently as February 2002 :
". . . Recently the GMDX / IOSA committees had
an independent audit carried out on the documentation regarding the operation by GM0VIV
from GIGALUM (NH46) and CARA (NH25) in 2001. This audit was carried out by a long-standing
member of the Amateur Radio fraternity in Scotland.
The findings of this audit were that GM0VIV had acted in a fair and reasonable manner and
had not contravened any rules in the IOSA Directory and that the IOSA committee was
correct in crediting these operations for IOSA. The operations by GM0VIV from GIGALUM
(NH46) and CARA (NH25) are therefore valid for IOSA awards . . ."
André, GM3VLB, now issues the following challenge to the honesty and
integrity of the GMDX and IOSA committees, and in particular to their Chairman, Rob
Ferguson, GM3YTS :
PUBLISH, ON YOUR WEB-SITE THE NAME OF THE
SO-CALLED LONG-STANDING MEMBER, AND HIS OR HER FINDINGS THAT YOU PURPORT DEMONSTRATES THAT
THE SIGNED STATEMENTS OF THE OWNERS OF GIGALUM AND OF CARA ARE IN EFFECT LIES.
DO THIS CONCLUSIVELY AND I, GM3VLB, WILL PUBLICLY APOLOGISE TO ALL CONCERNED. FAIL TO DO
THIS AND FOREVER BE CONDEMNED AS TO THE DOUBT OF YOUR INTEGRITY BY THE AMATEUR RADIO
COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
A brief resumé of the events leading up to the 'ban'
:
On 19th June 2001, GM0VIV was heard operating from GIGALUM (NH46). GM3VLB was the only
radio amateur holding permission to land and to operate. He contacted the three joint
owners. The following letter from them is self-explanatory, as is a similar letter from
the owner of CARA (NH25) where GM0VIV landed and operated on the same day (again without
permission, and where, once again GM3VLB was the only amateur with permission to land and
to operate).
In Amateur Radio parlance, there is no doubt whatsoever that these were 'pirate'
operations carried out by Mr. John Dunn GM0VIV (the latter has never attempted to defend
himself against the owners' statements).
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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
Ref: Gigalum Island
We understand that "Islands of
Scotland Award" Rules require that all radio amateurs planning a radio operation
from any island designated as qualifying for the purposes of this award, should
(where appropriate) seek and obtain prior permission from the island owner(s) or
his/her/their appointed representative.
It is therefore highly
regrettable that such an operation took place on Tuesday 19th June 2001 from GIGALUM
without our prior knowledge or authority.
At that time we were aware that
Mr Andre Saunders of Kelso in the Borders was about to operate from Gigalum under
the terms and conditions we had mutually agreed with him.
Joint Owners:
1.) Mr & Mrs Patrick CAMPBELL-JONES
2.) Mr & Mrs MARTINEAU
3.) Mr & Mrs WAGG
Signed and dated 1st August 2001
(Addresses were given, but have
been withheld to respect the owners' privacy - GM3VLB) |
We have in our possession an almost identical letter from the owner of
CARA (NH25).
HOW CAN THE GMDX GROUP
JUSTIFY THEIR CLAIMS? THESE LETTERS FROM THE OWNERS SURELY CONSTITUTE IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCE
OF WRONG-DOING.
GM3VLB immediately notified the GMDX / IOSA committees and the
island-chasing fraternity and was rewarded for his troubles by a letter from the Chairman
(Rob Ferguson, GM3YTS) stating, inter alia, the following :
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The GMDX Group/IOSA committees
consider that you have acted in a manner prejudicial to the running of the IOSA
programme and under Rule E.3 of the Directory Addendum, issued 1 December 2000, your
participation in the IOSA programme is terminated as of 25 July 2001. From this date
any amateur radio operations by you, or any amateur radio operations that you are
associated with, will not be valid for any IOSA awards either in the activator or
chaser category.
(signed Robert Ferguson GM3YTS, Chairman GMDX
Group/IOSA Committees) |
This statement was then followed by world-wide public statements (some
that could be construed as derogatory / defamatory / libelous) issued by the GMDX / IOSA
Committees via 'official' GMDX web-site statements, the GMDX 'Digest' and e-mails/letters
to all GMDX members and all IOSA directory holders, and by letters from individual IOSA
committee members.
Because of THESE world-wide public statements it became necessary for
GM3VLB to 'go public' to defend his good standing and reputation in Amateur Radio circles.
Prior to doing this via his web-site, he provided the GMDX / IOSA committees with the full
text of what he intended to publish in his defence. He also, at that time, sought legal
advice.
He gave the GMDX / IOSA committees ample time, prior to going 'public'
on his web-site, to meet his conditions for full reinstatement of his position of good
standing.
THIS
OFFER WAS COMPLETELY IGNORED
GM3VLB was therefore left with no alternative but to publish statements
in his defence via this web-site (in the same manner as had been done by the GMDX Group,
on their web-site). His position was backed up by a very large number of world-wide
supportive statements.
What was published on this web-site between October 2001 and April 2002
was information to provide readers, world-wide, with the TRUTH, to let each person reach
their own conclusions regarding the actions taken by the GMDX / IOSA committees. This
detailed information has now been deleted from this web-site, but may be viewed, in full,
by agreement, and on request.
During that period GM3VLB did not actively seek further antagonism, yet
at least two committee members, who believe their names cannot currently be divulged,
continue to write long derogatory / defamatory / libellous letters behind a cloak of
presumed (pseudo-)legal protection.
2003 Update
It now also appears that the GMDX/IOSA Award Committee, despite their public statement
to the contrary, are in fact accepting QSL card confirmations for contacts made
with Alex GM0DHZ, on joint island operations with GM3VLB. It would not be unreasonable to
assume that "money talks" - the most recently available GMDX/IOSA accounts would suggest a
serious drop in income from IOSA related activity in 2002. Indeed, anyone looking for
Scottish island activity during the 2003 'season' would have struggled to find
IOSA-accredited activity. SCOTIA activators did however endeavour to keep the GM IOTA and
SCOTIA flags flying, and to continue to create sufficient income to sponsor miscellaneous
operations (3 amateur radio island expeditions, totalling £250).
On this page:
GMDX or IOSA statements and excerpts from correspondence, which are reproduced verbatim,
are shown in blue italics.
Any questions/comments/statements by myself, which are reproduced verbatim, are
shown in red.
Any 'opinions' GM3VLB may express, as distinct from verbatim statements, will be
shown in teal
N.B. All verbatim statements will be available for inspection and
verification, by prior arrangement, at the home QTH of GM3VLB, and in the presence of an
independent witness.
The IOSA award programme will no
longer be supported via this site
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