The National Radio Quiet Zone

Entrenched in the state West Virginia lies Pendleton County. As of 2000, the population was 8,196. The county has a total area of 698 square miles.

Pendleton County was pro-Confederate during the American Civil War. The county became  part of West Virginia even though the residents didn’t want it forced upon them.

In 1758, near 60 settlers were massacred by Shawnee and Delaware native Americans. It was the attack of Fort Seybert, which is located in Pendleton County.

There is a remote sight in Pendleton County that is located near a small, quaint town of Franklin. It’s called Sugar Grove, or commonly called “the Grove”. The cost of living is low and the place is very laid back. The Grove is about an hour and a half drive from Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Hidden in the mountains of Sugar Grove there is the largest “eye” or “ear” if you prefer, on the east coast, where the NSA has set up shop. It is operated by the U.S. Navy and the US Air Force.

The location is part of an area called the  U.S. National Radio Quiet Zone [NRQZ].

The task of the station in 1991 became “to maintain and operate an ECHELON site” [Cyber-rights.org].

On December 29, 2005, Navy Security Group Activity Command was disestablished. Navy Information Operations Command, Sugar Grove was established as part of the integration of NAVSECGRU functions into Naval Network Warfare Command. The SECGRU Service Cryptologic element responsibilities have been performed by the Information Operations Directorate of NETWARCOM ever since [Source: NIOC].

The NSA has the capability to scan e-mails, faxes, instant messages, web searches, text messaging, and  phone calls, including cell phones and landlines. Originally designed to spy on other countries during the Cold War, it is believed that the U.S. government is now spying, or has the option to do it, on all American citizens.

The USA PATRIOT Act was enacted into legislation by George W. Bush during his presidency on October 26, 2001. This controversial act reduced restrictions on law enforcement agencies’ ability to search telephone, e-mail communications, medical, financial, and other records.

Just before the midnight deadline on May 26, 2011, President Barack Obama signed a 4-year extension of three key provisions in the USA Patriot Act. Opponents argue that this act is unconstitutional.

NATIONAL RADIO QUIET ZONE COORDINATION REQUIREMENT

* Amateur Radio — NRQZ coordination is required for all new or modifed, permanent, fixed, licensed transmitters inside the NRQZ, as specified for federal transmitters by NTIA manual section 8.3.9 and for non-federal transmitters by the FCC in 47 CFR section 1.924. [NRAO]