Story could harm image of radio operators

A recent story in the Daily Herald said Raymond Kelly of Waukegan, who pleaded guilty to broadcasting racial slurs over the portable radio system used by the Lake County jail, was an amateur radio operator. That term describes a licensed operator. A similar story in the Chicago Tribune said (in a lower paragraph) that he was not licensed.

I searched the Federal Communications Commission database and found no match. The Herald appears to have edited that clarification out. Real amateur operators rarely commit crimes such as this and much more often help public safety, not a hinder it. For example, I know that hundreds of hams worked both the Chicago and Boston marathons, not to mention our local flood issues.

We do make mistakes, but please don't attribute crimes to groups who are not involved.

Mark Muehlhausen

Schaumburg