CQ DX Hall of Fame member Baldur Drobnica, DJ6SI, has
endured a bizarre series of events that started when he tried to operate his
portable ham radio while on vacation in Greece. According to reports on
Newsline and other sources, a police officer suspicious of the "strange
noises" coming from Baldur's computer placed him under arrest. Initial
reports were that he was charged with espionage, but Baldur said that did not
happen.
He was, however, charged with making radio transmissions
without permission from the Greek government (both Greece and Germany are
signatories to the CEPT treaty which permits amateurs from any one member
country to operate in any other member country without special permission),
operating a radio that covered more spectrum than only the Greek amateur bands,
and refusing to turn over his equipment to the arresting officer.
According to Baldur's attorney, the first two charges were
dropped by the court after determining that Baldur was a properly licensed
radio amateur. However, he was convicted on the third charge, which the
attorney said would be appealed. Meanwhile, if you're visiting Greece, it might
be best to leave your ham gear at home.
