Ah, yes, what a great rcvr! I still have mine (the one that was "deported" back to the USA) and keep it ready to use whenever I need / want to. I also bought an R-7000 at the same
time and it is also ready to use. I wonder how many other HFUndergrounders still have and use an R-70. While I was overseas, the R-70 and an AEA PK-232 made for a fine poor
man's NSA style listening post.
When reading my story, remember that it was originally written in the mid-1980s and updated in 2000...
Publishing disclaimer: The original version of this story was published in the "AM / Press Exchange" in the mid-1980s
The Episode of the R-70A few months ago I became tired of the lack of availability of good
communications receivers in the middle eastern country where I am
currently working. I decided that the best solution was to bring my
own receiver back with me after a short trip to the U.S. I had been
told several years ago that receivers such as this were not permitted
there , however I had previously bought a Panasonic RF-3100 at a
downtown electronic souq and since it has almost
the same frequency coverage and modes as my ICOM R-70 I
assumed that the restriction against such receivers had been relaxed.
As I prepared to leave the U.S. I carefully packed the R-70 in my
suitcase with plenty of clothes , etc , around it ; not to hide it but
to cushion it.
All was well until I started through customs upon entering the kingdom.
At this point I encountered a very thorough customs official who carefully
examined the receiver and then told me that I was not permitted to bring
this into the country. The reason given that it appeared to be capable
of tuning certain channels that are used by the police and government'. I
assured him that I had very limited understanding of the language.
He smiled and replied that I 'might have friends who are very good with'
the language and with that he motioned me into the airport customs
office and gave me a receipt for the receiver and told me to inquire at the
Ministry of Communications after 10 days.
The next day I took the receipt our translator in my office and asked
him to read it. He said that it stated that I must claim the 'contraband'
within 10 days. Thereafter followed two weeks of trips into town to look for
the Ministry of Communications - which I never found - and many checks with
other offices. I finally went to the main customs office with our
translator and there we eventually found the R-70 ; none the worse for
the travels it had made. We were allowed to see and touch it while it
was carried to various officials who examined it , asked questions about
it and each wrote something on my receipt. Ah,ha,I thought, they are
going to let me keep it! Unfortunately that was not the case.
After several more visits I was told that I could not keep it in
the country but that I would be permitted to send it back to
the U.S. I made the necessary arrangements and it was
returned - all the time under the watchful eye of a customs official to
make sure it really went out of the country - to the U.S. where it now
awaits my eventual return.
I was always very well treated and no one ever mentioned sending
me to jail! In fact I was usually offered tea while we visited the various
officials involved. The standard answer was given with a polite smile
and ' I'm sorry sir, but you cannot use this device in our country'.
I was pleased with the outcome; at least I didn't lose the receiver
and/or go to jail. I later bought another RF-3100 here and am presently
using it. I doubt that I could take it out of the country and then bring it back
even though I have paperwork to prove that it was purchased here. I don't
understand that but the customs people had a LARGE collection of much
less sophisticated radios that had been confiscated.
I think the main lesson to be learned from this is that it could happen
in the U.S. if the 'Spectrum Giveaway Act' er, I mean the 'Electronic
Communications Privacy Act' is passed. Think about it and then be sure
to write to your Representatives and Congresspersons giving them GOOD,
LOGICAL reasons why this bill should NOT be passed.
Paul Spurlock WA4FHY
Epilogue, June 2000:
The above was written in 1985 or 86 before passage of the E.C.P.A. was
*purchased* by the C.T.I.A. and others.
What did I learn from that experience? I learned to be more careful! On
a later visit to the U.S., I bought a used R-70, partially disassembled it
(love that modular construction!), carefully wrapped the circuit boards,
removed the main board from a C-64 (remember those?) and packed the
front panel in its place, used a Macintosh to make a fake shipping document,
and brought it into the kingdom as "spare computer system parts". Back
at my living quarters, I had it put back together and running in about 2 hours
and got many hours of listening enjoyment from it! I sold it to another
expat when I left and I sometimes wonder where it is today. I guess that the
PC controlled receivers of today would be easier to bring in.
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