A Fort Davis ham radio operator has been linked to an anonymous website impersonating Big Bend Times, though why he became so fixated on the publication remains unexplained.
The website, BigBendTimes.org, is not affiliated with Big Bend Times despite its nearly identical name. Instead, it has functioned as an anonymous smear site, publishing rambling posts attacking Big Bend Times, its reporting, and people associated with its work.
Records and communications reviewed by Big Bend Times link the site to Jason G. “Jake” Knobloch of Fort Davis, a licensed amateur radio operator and Republican political candidate.
Why Knobloch chose to devote his time to anonymously attacking a local newsroom—rather than engaging openly or disputing the reporting on the record—remains a mystery.
The Website Is Anonymous — the Outreach Was Not
The registration for BigBendTimes.org itself is anonymized.
Knobloch’s identity did not emerge through domain records or technical tracing. It emerged through his own outreach.
According to communications reviewed by Big Bend Times, the individual operating the anonymous site contacted people who work with Big Bend Times and with businesses associated with the publication, seeking negative statements and offering anonymity.
The emails used in that outreach came from an email domain that appears repeatedly in public amateur radio postings made under Jason Knobloch’s own name.
Those ham radio postings, preserved by Big Bend Times, list Knobloch by name and include the same email domain used to solicit criticism of the publication. That overlap—between the outreach emails and Knobloch’s publicly documented ham radio activity—was a key factor in confirming his identity.
The anonymous site remained anonymous only until its operator began sending emails that were not.
Ham Radio License and Fort Davis Records
Federal Communications Commission records list Knobloch as the holder of amateur radio license KG5DRT, issued in 2024, with a registrant address in Fort Davis, Texas.
Campaign finance filings on file with Jeff Davis County also list Jason G. Knobloch of Fort Davis as:
- A Republican candidate for party leadership, and
- A campaign treasurer for another local Republican candidate
Those filings list a Fort Davis address consistent with the address associated with Knobloch’s FCC license and the outreach communications.
No Prior Relationship, No Clear Motive
There is no known prior relationship between Knobloch and Big Bend Times.
There were no meetings, no professional interactions, and no disputes preceding the creation of the anonymous site. The first known contact occurred only after the site began publishing attacks and outreach emails were sent seeking negative statements.
Why a recent arrival to Fort Davis, with no documented connection to the publication, would choose impersonation, anonymity, and fixation remains unexplained.
What is apparent is that the effort appears poorly thought through.
Legal Responses Issued
After Knobloch’s identity was confirmed through the outreach described above, formal legal demands were issued seeking, among other things:
- Removal of false and defamatory statements
- Removal of copyrighted material
- Cessation of use of a domain name confusingly similar to a legitimate news outlet
Additional legal demands addressed the unauthorized use of copyrighted images and false statements involving a large Austin-based company associated with individuals targeted by the site.
As of publication, no written confirmation of compliance has been received.
Not Journalism
The anonymous site does not operate as a news outlet.
Its posts are unsigned, repetitive, and largely focused on personal attacks rather than factual rebuttal. They include speculation about mental health, fixation on irrelevant details, and attacks on third parties unrelated to any public issue.
In one instance, the site exploited a family tragedy unrelated to any matter of public concern—conduct widely viewed as crossing an ethical line.
A Growing Audience, a Shrinking Mystery
While the anonymous site devotes its energy to attacks that generate little engagement, Big Bend Times continues doing what it was created to do: report openly and build a sustainable independent media outlet.
In the most recent month, Big Bend Times reached nearly 7 million people across its platforms—remarkable reach for a region with roughly 50,000 full-time residents, amplified by a global diaspora, seasonal visitors, and tourists with deep ties to Far West Texas.
The contrast is difficult to miss.
One side publishes under its own name, answers questions, and builds something real.
The other hides behind anonymity, sends sloppy outreach emails, and fixates on a newsroom that continues to grow.
The Mystery Remains
Jason Knobloch of Fort Davis has not explained why he became so focused on Big Bend Times, nor why he chose impersonation and anonymity rather than open engagement.
The obsession remains unexplained.
The public record does not.
Continuing Coverage
Big Bend Times will continue reporting on:
- Retaliation against journalists
- Anonymous political activity aimed at silencing scrutiny
- Misuse of access or influence
Screenshots and excerpts from BigBendTimes.org are published under fair use for commentary, criticism, and public accountability.
Big Bend Times is busy building.
Others appear busy doing something else.
