On April 27, 1986, American electrical engineer and business owner John R. MacDougall (using the pseudonym "Captain Midnight") jammed the Home Box Office (HBO) satellite signal on Galaxy 1 during a showing of the film The Falcon and the Snowman. The message, broadcast for 4.5 minutes, was seen by the eastern half of the United States (accounting for more than half of HBO's 14.6 million subscribers at the time) protesting HBO's rates for satellite dish owners, which he considered too expensive. MacDougall was working at his second job as an operations engineer at the Central Florida Teleport uplink station in Ocala, Florida, and vied with a technician at HBO's communications center in Hauppauge, New York, for control of the transmission.
Captain Midnight (John R MacDougall) hacks into and interrupts HBO
On April 27, 1986, American electrical engineer and business owner John R. MacDougall (using the pseudonym "Captain Midnight") jammed the Home Box Office (HBO) satellite signal on Galaxy 1 during a...
Historical Significance
On April 27, 1986, American electrical engineer and business owner John R.
Events Before
'Nordu.net' is registered as the world's first domain name on the internet
This is a list of the oldest extant registered generic top-level domains used in the Domain Name System of the Internet. Until 1986, Domain Registration was limited to organizations with access to…
Israel's government confirms the resettlement of 10,000 Ethiopian Jews
Israel's government confirms the resettlement of 10,000 Ethiopian Jews
Baseball player Darryl Strawberry (22) weds Lisa Andrews
Baseball player Darryl Strawberry (22) weds Lisa Andrews
Charity single "We Are the World" recorded by supergroup USA for Africa (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, B
Charity single "We Are the World" recorded by supergroup USA for Africa (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and other pop stars)
South African President P. W. Botha offers to free Nelson Mandela if he denounces violence
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid activist and statesman who was the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.
Events After
60 bodies are recovered from the Dupont Plaza Hotel fire in Puerto Rico
60 bodies are recovered from the Dupont Plaza Hotel fire in Puerto Rico
Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Aretha Louise Franklin ( ə-REE-thə; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist.
Astronomers at the University of California witness the first observation of the birth of a galaxy
Astronomers at the University of California witness the first observation of the birth of a galaxy
Opera impresario Sir Rudolf Bing (85) weds Carroll Douglass (45); annulled in September, 1989
Opera impresario Sir Rudolf Bing (85) weds Carroll Douglass (45); annulled in September, 1989
Pennsylvania politician R. Budd Dwyer shoots and kills himself at a press conference on live national television, sparki
Pennsylvania politician R. Budd Dwyer shoots and kills himself at a press conference on live national television, sparking debate about the boundaries of journalism
More from the 1980s
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall falls as East Germany opens its borders, symbolizing the end of the Cold War and the beginning of German reunification.
politics governmentwars conflicts
Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster
The Space Shuttle Challenger breaks apart 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members in one of the most devastating disasters in space exploration history.
space explorationscience technology
The "Epic in Miami," played in 85°F heat, sees the San Diego Chargers defeat the Miami Dolphins 41-38 in overtime in the
The "Epic in Miami," played in 85°F heat, sees the San Diego Chargers defeat the Miami Dolphins 41-38 in overtime in the AFC Divisional Playoff, setting numerous playoff scoring records
death
Bill Veeck dies
Bill Veeck baseball executive, known for american baseball executive, died on 1986-01-02. William Louis Veeck Jr.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on April 27, 1986?
- On April 27, 1986, American electrical engineer and business owner John R. MacDougall (using the pseudonym "Captain Midnight") jammed the Home Box Office (HBO) satellite signal on Galaxy 1 during a showing of the film The Falcon and the Snowman. The message, broadcast for 4.5 minutes, was seen by the eastern half of the United States (accounting for more than half of HBO's 14.6 million subscribers at the time) protesting HBO's rates for satellite dish owners, which he considered too expensive.
- Why is Captain Midnight (John R MacDougall) hacks into and interrupts HBO significant?
- On April 27, 1986, American electrical engineer and business owner John R.