ACMA cancels Amateur Radio licence

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has canceled an amateur radio station licence following an investigation that uncovered continuing breaches by the licensee.

Under the Radiocommunications Act 1992, the ACMA can suspend or cancel an amateur licence if the licensee contravenes a condition of the licence. In the case of the recent cancellation, crucial information was provided by other radio amateurs that alerted the ACMA to the ongoing non-compliance and assisted the investigation.

In this case, the breaches included causing interference to other stations, failing to use a call sign and transmitting an unmodulated carrier.

The ACMA made the decision to cancel the amateur licence when other compliance and enforcement measures had failed. The ACMA say in their reporting that every effort had been made to assist, encourage and educate the licensee to understand the importance of compliance with licence conditions. Despite repeated warnings to the licensee, the ACMA found that non-compliance continued over an extended period of time.

The WIA has welcomed the action taken by the ACMA. "While it is extremely unusual for amateurs to ignore their obligation to comply with the law, the fact is that there have been instances of extreme behaviour that requires enforcement action. This action by the ACMA should remind us all that it will act when necessary" said WIA President, Michael Owen VK3KI.

It is good to see the Australian regulator acting to enforce Amateur Radio regulations. In the UK, it would appear that in recent years, not a single Radio Amateur has been prosecuted, fined or had their licence withdrawn.

OFCOM Radio Prosecution Statistics
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/may2010/
ofcom_prosecutions.htm