FCC goes after illegal CB and unwanted ham radio repeater users

Since the beginning of the year the FCC's enforcement effort in the private radio area seems concentrated in two areas. These are violations of the Part 95 rules governing the 11 meter Citizens Radio Service and ridding repeaters of unwanted users in the Amateur Radio Service.

A quick count of enforcement letters issued since January 1st shows nine warning notices sent to individuals for violations of Part 95. Most of these were for running overpowered transmitters on 11 meters that were causing interference to their neighbors home electronics.
In each case the C-B operator in question was given 10 days to respond to the FCC and to outline the specific steps taken to bring that 11 meter CB station into compliance with the Commission's rules.

In the area of ham radio, four hams have received warning letters ordering them to stay off of various repeaters. In each case the FCC notes that the letter's recipient was requested by the repeater owner or control operator to refrain from using the system but either refused or failed to do so. So the Commission is now backing the system licensees and control stations by ordering the unwanted users to cease using the repeaters. If they fail to heed the agency's enforcement warning they could face such penalties as a license modification proceeding to restrict the frequencies upon which a given ham may operate, a fine or even revocation of their Amateur Service licenses.

In going through the various warning letters we found none dealing with the situations on various frequencies on 75 and 20 meters that seem to be the talk of the amateur radio community. Nor was there anything mentioned in regard to collecting any fines previously issued to those the agency
determined to be in violation of the Part 97 rules. The only non-repeater issue we found went to a ham accused of operating with a call other than the one assigned to him.

All of these letters are available to the general public on the FCC's Enforcement Web page. It can be found at
http://www.fcc.gov/eb/AmateurActions/

Source: ARNewsline