UPDATE III – Published on QRZ.com by AA7BQ
The 24-hour restriction on our database has ended. It was done in protest to raise awareness of the situation in Ukraine and it wasn’t without controversy. Good arguments were made on both sides of the issue and now it’s time to reconcile, think about what was said, and try and find a way to move forward with dignity.
QRZ most certainly isn’t going to end the war or even make a dent in it. I let my feelings and sympathy for the victims speak from the heart in the hope that something good could come from it. I’m sorry for causing such an uproar and you can be certain that it won’t happen again, to any country or region for as long as QRZ lives. We said what our hearts needed to say and now we have to get back to our jobs and families and loved ones. Peace be with all.
UPDATE II – It would appear QRZ.com owners have had a rethink as Russian and Belarussian callsigns are again searchable and on display. [Time: 16:30z]
This post should now be titled: “QRZ.com Had Removed Russian Callsigns”
UPDATE I – Belarus callsigns have had also been removed from the QRZ.com database.
[PREVIOUSLY]
We were alerted that all Russian amateur radio callsigns have been removed from the huge QRZ.com database. We checked for ourselves and sure enough they are.
Here’s the reason according to AA7BQ, the founder and publisher of QRZ.com [UPDATE – url now deleted]
Do you agree on QRZ.com's decision to wipe out all Russian callsigns from their database?
- OTHER (2%, 11 Votes)
- NO (80%, 555 Votes)
- YES (18%, 127 Votes)
Total Voters: 693
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I agree, Paul.
They know that they screwed up big time and when cancelling the Russian amateurs turned out to be an own goal and QRZ.com was being cancelled itself by the radio community, they backpaddled. People complained, the membership money started dropping they decided to “rethink” it. It’s nothing but the damage control.
There was no 24 hours trial, it a pure BS from QRZ, their ego took the better of them and they went all cocky to teach “themrussians” a lesson.
It’s a shame they have resorted to it, but good that the AR community stood together and cancelled the canceller. Brand damage done, though.
Another bunch of retards that needs to be put in their place is RSGB, I have emailed them, so far no response, although I included the President and the Secretary. Just an automated response that the email had been received. I hope their members respond. For me their contests and IOTA are a thing of the past.
Royal Society Good Bye
Reversal of the decision makes no difference to me. It only confirms that there was never any true conviction behind the decision and that the plight of the Ukrainian people was simply used as a 24 hour viral marketing campaign to promote QRZ.
Read the original AA7BQ email on the Ukraine issue and it is dripping with compassion for Ukraine and hate for the Russian people – yet all this just shrivels up in less than 24 hours once a few subscribers were lost.
This is what virtue signalling is all about – it is a case of using other people’s tragedy to say “look at me, look at me” – I care more about Ukraine than you. And you then proceed to hurt other innocent people (cancelling Russian friends) just so you can give your own pathetic ego ( and hip pocket) a boost.
Now for the RSGB………
Бути росіянином не означає погодитися з Володимиром Путіним. Є багато братів росіян, які проти цього диктаторського режиму і заслуговують на повагу, увагу і, звичайно, не повинні бути дискриміновані таким чином. Ми не повинні забувати, скільки бруду схвалили американці, які тепер є чемпіонами світу. Сполучені Штати Америки – рак світу.
both Fred AA7BQ (founder) and Jaime KF7VIS (CEO) responded to my e-mail. I appreciate their reconsideration. Citation from the Jaime’s message:
Jiri,
We apologize for this decision. We have reconsidered and reversed the
action. We are very sorry for any inconvenience or breach in trust it
may have caused. We allowed emotion to interfere with intellect and it
will not happen again.
73
Jaime Jeffries
CEO, QRZ.com
it is time to re-think to whom you gave personal data , photos, location, life stories …
AA7BQ и компания больше не рабиолюбители? Это пираты?
Всем 73! Василий RW0AR
Идиоты. Не надо мешать радио и политику. Тем более, вы предвзяты. Это плохо. Вы плохие.
The Idiots. No need to disturb radio and politician. More so, you preconceived.
Politics has no place in amateur radio.I am ashamed of you.
I also disagree with Fred’s decision. But I also agree with his removal of two call signs. Fred started this as a way of looking a call signs when the call sign books were being discontinued. Fred owns QRZ.com and he can make changes to it if wants too. It takes a lot of work to keep this data base up to date. I hope he will put the call signs back soon. But only time will tell.
73
Jim AF6PK
AA7BQ the same
jackasswho promised to keep Politics out of ham radio and his QRZ.com site back in 2021 !‘Today I am announcing that from this day forward, QRZ will be a non-political place. We will no longer entertain any mention of politics, political parties, politicians, social causes, or virtue signaling. This means everything written in the Forums including personal signatures and avatars. In short, nothing is allowed in the forums that presents a political viewpoint or affiliation of any kind’. AA7BK
The link is here should you wish to read it, his pledge to keep politics out of amateur radio !!!
https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/a-message-to-our-members-about-politics.758779/
Ban away, if this results in revenue loss, its your own damn fault Fred, personally i will never use your site or anyone who advertises on there again.
Its HamQTH .com from now on for me…………
Also banned on dx clusters?
What a stupid political decision , we are all friends ,qso heard yesterday again on 18 mhz cw .. world gone crazy
Guy VA2IG
🏳️🌈 I’m Italian I’m American I’m Russian I’m Ukraine I’m Japanise I’m Korea I’m Jordan, I m all countries, i’m world citizen because i’m HAM Operator🏳️🌈
Yes, stupid decision. And I am thinking that decision was made not by AA7BQ&team.
It’s too sad that politics went into our hobby. Sorry guys.
73’s from Moscow.
From LZ1JY…
The only remain is,
Amateur radio operators worldwide to request nuclear power strike over me and Russians…
C’mon man!
We are in 2022…and this is just a hobby….
It was decided by the QRZ.RU Team NOT TO remove any Amateur Radio stations from it, including AA7BQ’s data. Evil should not begets evil, it should stop at some point. Let it be Russia.
Just moving away from qrz.com because you do not agree with the ban I think is not a good solution.
Rather write something like “I do not agree with banning of Russian amateurs from qrz.com.” on your qrz.com entry.
What nonsense! Is the operator thinking about business, or is it just lacking in intellectual vision? In protest I will delete my QRZ.com entry until further notice! DK6AO.
I wrote this Open letter to founder and CEO of the QRZ.com:
Fred, Jaime,
This morning, I learned that QRZ.com had removed the Russian stations from its search results. It struck me deeply that QRZ was pulling dirty politics and war into our amateur radio hobby. In my opinion, this is a direct attack on the idea of the hamspirit and friendship between radio amateurs around the world.
You are lucky having not historical experience vith living in unfree, undemocratic regime. But we, people from recent “soviet zone of interest” still know and remember, that there was not easy to do anything against the totalitar government. Todays Russia reverts to tight totality. Government and parliament are not result of free election. The ordinary people are partialy uninformed, partialy under heavy propagandistic massage from government controlled or directly owned media. Last few free trustworthy media was baned at last days. The russian parliament today agreed Act, that people can be jailed for 15 years just for “denigration of russian army”. The brave russian people who directly attends protests or sign petition against the Putin’s war are often arrested and penalized.
The ordinary russian people are not war criminals, they are victims of the Putin’s dirty games. Ordinary russian people will bloodly pay account for this war.
Taking restrictions against our Russian ham radio fellows is as stupid and unfair, as war in the Ukraine is. Moreover, in fact it does nothing against Putin, nothing against war. If you want to help win the unfair war, send few bucks to any of organisation helping Ukrainian people instead. More than one million inocent people left their mother country yet, they need a help.
If you intend to continue with this restrictions, I strictly ask you to wipe all my data from QRZ.com. I don’t want to be associated in any way with such stupidity.
Sincerelly
Jiri OK2WY, near Brno, Czech Republic, Europe, only 400 km from the Ukrainian border, 1000 km from Kyiv.
If I want to look up a Russian call I will go to QRZdot RU
An stupid decision.
Ham radio have been over politics since forever.
If you disagree with qrz.com decision, this weekend is arrl dx contest.
Do not call or reply to W stations.
BRAVO Mr. Paul. Absolutely right thinking and the right attitude of a real radio amateur. According to that principle, why didn’t Mr. AA7BK delete from the database of amateur radio of all countries in 1999, contrary to the UN Charter, they attacked one sovereign state – Yugoslavia. Why didn’t he erase himself and all the Americans from the base. G. Fred, you should be ashamed. You are a disgrace to amateur radio.
Sorry but ham radio is suppose to stay out of politics. It looks like QRZ became a political tool against my fellow ham radio friends. I do not wish to use QRZ anymore and I will close my account immediately and look for non political QRZ equivalent. Good bye!
some more info regarding this decision from qrz.com:
[N4LSJ commented:] “I would rather see their calls “frozen” from QRZ so that they can be reinstated easily after the conflict is over. Not sure outright deletion is a solution for anything. Some day you will want to have a way to restore them.”
[qrz.com answered:] “Editor note: Nothing has been deleted. Everything is still intact and ready for future restoration.”
Here is my email to QRZ Support should any other ham wish to use it as a template for their own refund request – I submitted my refund request this evening and will no longer use QRZ services once my refund is received. Clearly this is a show of support for my Russian ham friends but frankly, what is the use of a lookup service that precludes one of the largest and most active ham populations in the world.
“I hereby request a refund of my annual QRZ subscription. When I purchased this subscription it was on the basis that your service provided address details for ham radio operators worldwide. Your decision to preclude Russian ham radio operators from registering their addresses with your site has rendered your product unusable to me. I will use the alternatives that are available. If I do not hear from you within 48 hours I will escalate the matter to my payment provider with a request to charge back. 73s”
Cheers
Paul – vk4ma
I will be seeking a refund of my QRZ subscription and I would suggest any ham looking to support our Russian ham radio friends do likewise. If qrz are not forthcoming with a refund I suggest you contact PayPal or your credit card provider and request a charge back.
I note that the author of the popular PSTRotator software has taken a similar stand against our Russian ham friends.
I thought ham radio was free of virtue signalling and cancel culture – but apparently not – seems there is no escape from this bullshit anywhere.
Paul – vk4ma