Contrary to erroneous reports making the rounds on various Internet sites, no Amateur Radio licenses were suspended or revoked in Turkey in the wake of the failed July 15 coup.

“There is no ham radio license revoked in Turkey, and ham radio operators are operating normally,” said Aziz Sasa, TA1E, the president of Turkey’s International Amateur Radio Union member society TRAC. “The reports on ham radio licenses being revoked by the Supreme Council of Radio and Television (RTUK) are unconfirmed and speculative. RTUK is not a regulatory body of ham radio,” Sasa added. His entire statement has been posted to the TRAC website.

The erroneous reports cite a release from RTUK, which oversees broadcasting. Amateur Radio and other wireless industries are regulated by BTK, a separate agency. Three stations in Turkey were reported heard on 10 meters during an opening to Central Europe on July 21 — TA1BM, TA1PB, and YM7TEN/B.

The erroneous story said the revocation information had come from TRAC, but gave a URL belonging to an altogether unrelated organization with a similar URL. The same false story included a concocted “warning” to radio amateurs attributed to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

TRAC the IARU member society has not been closed, nor has its website been blocked or shut down.