Military Collector Group Post (Oct.19/2001)
ANNOUNCEMENTS;
Be Very Careful What You Export & To Whom!
In the last year, I suppose as a result of my name being found on various
web sites all over the Internet, I've received some very odd
request(sometimes demands) from some very dubious sources(Middle Eastern,
East African, & Asian). Some of these messages I've posted in the MCGP
just for general interest, and have always delete any real contact
information(e-mail addresses, phone numbers, etc). All have represented
themselves as a bonified government purchasing agents(often times with a
high military rank), and payment methods included the use of Visa or
Master Charge. Here are some examples:
Kurdistan demanded Racal crypto equipment, and support items, for use
with the Syncal 30 system.They offered to pay for said equipment via
credit card. There is no such country as Kurdistan! There are Kurds, they
nomadically inhabit an imaginary country that includes territory in Iraq,
Iran, & Turkey. They are most famous for their apposition to the current
government in Iraq(Kurdish Rebels). But for this reason alone one might
think it a noble endeavor to help them, but as things turn out, they are
closely allied with the Taliban, definitely NOT GOOD!
Another Purchasing Agent, this time a retired General, wanted large
quantities of Encrypted UHF radio equipment. It was found that he was
located in Sudan.
Two months ago a request was received from Malaysia for quantities of
radios & support parts for the PRC-77 & PRC-1077.
This summer a Middle Eastern gent wanted support parts for Motorola MX
series HT's. When questioned, all e-mail traffic abruptly stopped!
Last year the government interceeded in a large order for new Motorola MX
series batteries. This order, placed by an agent in Italy, was destined
for Iran.
1625 PRC-74's urgently wanted by Mongolia. The email address was Middle
Eastern!
I was asked to provide equipment by Mohannad Al Majali of the HASHEMIA
PALACE(whatever that is?) that would allow underwater divers to
communicate with overhead air craft. Some weeks later this same guy
wanted encrypted UHF hand held radios.
How about this order suposidly from Bangladesh?
Recently, one of the military organizations in Bangladesh has floated a
tender for procurement of the following items:
(1) VHF Radio Set. Qty-200.
(2) UHF Walki Talki Set.Qty-50.
(3) UHF Base Station. Qty-10.
(4) HF Radio Set. Qty-10.
Lt.Col.M.Mohiuddin AHMED (Retd),
These are only a few examples, the "Ebay Addict" can sight you many more
examples where the BIG money on the later model exotic communications
equipment has been produced by some very dubious over seas sources. One
Ebay vendor, and friend, has found it necessary to disqualify all over
seas bids, and place a notice with each offering to that effect.
I find it rather strange that persons, representing themselves as a
authorized government purchasing agents, & the like, do not contact those
parent companies directly for their needs, but prefer to instead
circumvent them. Perhaps this is because they also seek to circumvent our
country's export restrictions, & in light of recent events they may have
good reason to.
I do not agree with many of our governement's export restrictions as they
apply to communications equipment, and especialy their extremely
antiquated means of descerning *what is* from *what isn't*. But I can
certainly see why these laws exist. I'm not advocating isolationism, I'm
just asking that everybody just use some common sense.
If you have received any such request for support or equipment, please
forward them to me.
Thanks
Dennis Starks; Collector/Historian
Midwest Military Communications Museum
Box 95, Cross Timbers Mo. 65634 USA
Editor & Sponsor of the "Military Collector Group Post"
email: military-radio-guy@juno.com
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Dec 07 2001 - 00:36:59 PST