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Swatch Protest of 1999

In early 1999 Swatch set out to publicize its new “Swatch .beat Internet Time” by launching Beatnik, a grapefruit‑size “mini‑Sputnik” satellite from the Mir space station. The plan was to replay user‑submitted voice clips (each had to include the word beat) on the ham radio frequencies between 145.8 and 146 MHz. Because ITU rules forbid any commercial traffic on ham frequencies, the idea threatened to turn protected radio spectrum into a marketing platform.

The hardware itself came from AMSAT‑France, which had supplied the RF boards under a contract that explicitly barred advertising. Only after parts were delivered did AMSAT‑France learn that the Russian Space Flight Control Center had inked a side deal with Swatch. With its legal options limited, the French team finished its work, then issued public statements distancing itself from the mission and urging hams not to publish Keplerian elements or listen for the satellite.

In February of 1999, I stumbled onto the scheme while browsing Swatch’s website. I confirmed the frequency claim and posted the first public alert. That single e‑mail snowballed into the pages below that aggregated press releases, contract excerpts, ITU citations, and template letters to regulators. The archive helped the ARRL, multiple AMSAT groups, and hundreds of individual operators coordinate a unified protest that reached the FCC, the Swiss and Russian telecom authorities, and the ITU’s Radiocommunication Bureau.

The pressure paid off. Beatnik was hand‑launched from Mir on 16 April 1999, but its transmitter stayed off; Swatch later claimed its batteries were “donated” to the cosmonauts instead. No commercial messages ever hit the airwaves, and the incident now stands as an example of 1) how a loosely connected volunteer community could safeguard their shared resource, and 2) how quickly a marketing gimmick can unravel when it collides with international radio law.

note

This page was originally posted on wmbc.umbc.edu and later epistolary.org in its original HTML in 1999. It is reproduced here for historical reference and research purposes. Any text updates including spelling correction and web links broken since the original are noted in footnotes.

📄️ Please notify ITU of SWATCH violations

Pete was first licensed in 1970, although his love for radio goes back to 1950, whe he first heard short wave radio at the age of 5. Pete studied morse code in the boy scouts and earned his merit badge. Pete also was a Radioman in the US Navy during the Cuban Crisis. Pete is a sorter at the 3rd Call Bureau and handles the 3X and 3Y calls. Pete sends a QSL to every DX contact he makes on the first QSO on every band. Pete has logged over 5,000 QSO\'s in just the last 5 months, and averages 12,000 QSO\'s a year. He has just printed 15,000 new cards of which over 5,000 have already been sent! Pete\'s station consists of a Yaesu FT-1000MP with the MD-100 microphone (uses the heil boom mike for contests only), a Henry 3K-A Amplifier (usually running 1000 watts output), a Force 12, 8 element C4 yagi at 65\' on Rohn 25G tower for the 10-40 meter and WARC bands, and a 45\' Gap Voyager Vertical for 80 & 160 Meters. He says the TL in his call stands for \"TOO LOUD!\". Pete says \"LOUD is GOOD!\".

📄️ No Code International response to Swatch

Carl R. Stevenson, WA6VSE, of No Code International sent me the following is a protest message sent to Swatch by his organization. As this protest message to Swatch states, they have lodged formal protests with the appropriate government agencies, both US and in the countries involved, Switzerland and Russia, as well as contacting other amateur organizations and asking them to join in. Take a look at the articles and links on the NCI web site, including the contact information which I\'ve referenced in the ITU Contact Information page on this site.

📄️ Thanks

Thanks to Ed Mitchell, KF7VY of the Ham Radio Online news web site for reposting my article and a link to this page. Thanks to the Amateur Radio Caravan Club of New Mexico for helping to spread the word. Thanks to the NASA Watch portal site in Reston, VA for their link to this site, which has already brought in several non-amateur astrophiles. Thanks to the STENSAT PICOSATELLITE site and Hank Heidt, N4AFL for their link. Please link to this site from your own pages in order to help spread the word. If you do link here, please e-mail me at rcarls2@umbc.edu so that I can return the favor.

📄️ Swatch allows launch, downplays financial interest

Update, April 8, 1999: Dear Readers, this will be the last major update for this site until this issue is resolved one way or another. I've taken too much time away from my studies in maintaining this page, and I have a number of important papers due next week. However, this shouldn't be a problem. As I see it, there are only two distinct paths that can be taken from here. Which one is chosen by Swatch depends entirely on whether or not the satellite begins to transmit on amateur frequencies on or around April 16, 1999.

Last updated on by Rob Carlson