Privacy invasion more important than witch hunt
To the editor:
I read your viewpoint article from the Nov. 17 issue of RCR. I thought that your cavalier attitude about this crime was outrageous. Anyone in our industry should be very concerned about this invasion of our privacy. I know that this particular incident sparked a large number of questions from our subscriber base regarding the privacy of their conversations.
I personally heard subscribers question the validity in any law that a sitting Congressman would blatantly violate. I for one am far more concerned about the actual violation of the telecom privacy act than about a partisan witch hunt that will stop at nothing, including breaking the law, to accomplish its goal.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.
Joe Banaszek
Citizens concerned about RF effects
Dear Editor:
I must take umbrage at Jeffrey Silva’s characterization in the story, “Groups challenge RF exposure standard,” (RCR Nov. 17, page 1) of those seeking judicial review of the Federal Communications Commission’s radio-frequency standard as “environmentalists, soccer moms and organized labor.” Why not complete the minimizing of this effort-a la Rush Limbaugh-by attributing the effort to environmental wackos and union thugs, too?
I am one of the petitioners, deeply concerned about the health risks of RF exposure. I am also an experienced and respected RF engineer with more than 30 years experience, who has advised municipal planning/zoning bodies and citizens groups. I am not “anti-industry”-my most recent effort won local approval of a cellular base station for U.S. Cellular in southern New Hampshire-but I insist that we must provide the benefits of technology in the least obtrusive and safest manner.
Only one petitioner that I know, Mary Beth Freeman of Citizens for the Appropriate Placement of Telecommunications Facilities, has any connection with soccer. Coach Freeman’s team plays near a Vermont communications tower that shows to have RF levels almost 350 percent of the general-public standard-in spite of a “safety” study provided by the cellular company promising levels 200 times below the limit.
Perhaps Mr. Silva meant “skeptical” moms?
Mark F. Hutchins
Telecom consultant and
RF/broadcast engineer
Brattleboro, Vt.
SMR special report balanced and clear
Dear Editor
I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the excellent and balanced coverage you provided us in the recent “SMR issue” of RCR. Reporters Debra Wayne, Lynnette Luna and Kristen Beckman have an excellent way of writing and blending different thoughts that are complementary and clear and easy to understand.
Congratulations on a great issue and for your collective style, synthesis and writing!
Alan R. Shark
President & CEO,
American Mobile
Telecommunications Association
