Los Angles Times - In Iraq Amateur Radio's Voice is Muted

An article in Monday's Los Angeles Times highlights the problems of Amateur Radio operators in Iraq.

BAGHDAD -- Whenever he gets a spare moment away from his electronics repair shop, Abdul Karim Hadi sneaks off to what he calls the "radio shack" in the corner of his bedroom, flips a switch and escapes to the outside world.
....
"With ham radio, you can meet people around the world," said Hadi, 48, who has been "hamming" since 1978. "It's also a hobby you can do on your own. And once you have your own equipment, it's free."
...
Under Saddam Hussein's rule, ham radio enthusiasts had to report to government-sanctioned clubs, where minders listened in on their conversations. Since the dictator's ouster, they have faced suspicion from both U.S. troops
and the Iraqi government that their transmissions are a tool of the insurgency.

Read the full Los Angles Times Story at
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-radio14jan14,0,7991101.story?coll=la-home-center