http://www.radioworld.com/article/o%E2%80%99rielly-puts-forth-a-pirate-radio-policy-draft/277168
FCC commish O’Rielly Puts Forth a 'Pirate Radio Policy Draft'
WASHINGTON—Commissioner Michael O’Rielly wants to keep the issue of pirate radio on the front burner at the FCC, so he has put forth his own draft of a “pirate radio policy and enforcement statement.”
The commissioner said that when the FCC decided to cut back field agents and offices, “assurances were made that a sleeker, streamlined Enforcement Bureau would be able to perform all of its duties with even greater efficiency.” When further concerns were raised, he wrote, “new language was even added to the eventual order promising a revitalized enforcement effort against illegal broadcasters via development of a ‘comprehensive policy and enforcement approach.’”
O’Rielly said he asked the Enforcement Bureau chief whether this could be done by the end of the summer, “but no timetable was provided in our friendly exchange. To my knowledge, nothing further has emerged since the adoption of the field reorganization order.”
So O’Rielly, who has spoken several times this year about the pirate radio problem, has written his own draft, “in the interest of furthering the discussion and getting the ball rolling on our unanimously-approved promise of a policy and enforcement approach for pirate radio.” The text is below. He emphasized that it’s just a starting point but said, “Given the stakes, this issue shouldn’t wait any longer.”
The text:
The commission reiterates our firm position, as articulated in the Communications Act and Commission rules, that unauthorized broadcast operations within the FM and AM radio broadcast bands — often referred to as pirate radio broadcasting — is strictly prohibited and subject to enforcement measures. Violations are not to be taken lightly, as the harmful interference caused by pirate operations sabotages licensed broadcasters serving their communities and puts the valuable public safety contributions of these stations in jeopardy to the detriment of the American people who count on them, including diverse and underserved populations.
Further, the Commission makes clear that it intends to enact a vigorous campaign of enforcement activities to disrupt and permanently terminate all pirate radio stations that are in operation today and prevent those that may attempt to come online in the future. We will collaborate with federal and state law enforcement authorities, as needed, to enhance and complement our enforcement operations. Our effort will include an education component for those entities that may knowingly or unknowingly assist pirate radio operations in any capacity, including building owners and managers, national and local campaigns for political office, media advertisers, radio programming suppliers, concert promoters and venue operators, and equipment manufacturers and importers. All interested parties should be on notice that facilitating pirate radio broadcasting will not be tolerated, and may be subject to enforcement or legal actions, as permitted under law. Accordingly, we seek full cooperation by anyone who may have relevant information to help identify, locate, and take action against the operators and owners of pirate radio stations.
macdev had posted a link to this article in this thread entitled: The FCC has lost their marbles
http://www.part15.us/forum/part15-forums/regulations-law/fcc-has-lost-their-marbles
Bruce.
Has any new activity hapened since then Atrain? Has any part 15 operators been cited for long ground leads on AM or has any new part 15 operators been cited for going slightly over 250 uV/M @ meters? I'm talking maybe 400-1000 uV/M @ 3 meters? I'm just trying to figure how this may hurt part 15 operators who may unknowingly be past the complient point.
It makes me wonder where part15 stations fall on the list of things for the FCC to monitor. In what I mean is obviously you would think that the FCC would be more interested in catching blatant offenders and not as much interested in catching these super small and compliant stations.
But, this world does not always make sense so I'm not sure what their agenda is.
I know of a person who posted on virtual engineer which mostly pertains to broadcast stations. This person talked about how their station could be heard 800 Ft and the folks on that site tore him an new ass hole. They were so anti part 15 they stated “If you interfere with one of my clients Radio Stations you won't last long as we will hunt you down and destroy you!” This is something I'm fearing as more and more of this type of attitude prevails from the NAB and member stations. You talk about part 15 and see where that gets you over on some of these sites. Imagine a poorly trained law officer and he hears your station and checks to see if your in the call book or some database. They see Oh nope The Legacy is not in the book and before I know it I have 100 police cars in my driveway and guns drawn. There needs to be more room and talk about part 15 Radio. Plus maybe a set of frequencies on AM and FM that should be put aside or made well known to law officials that these are non licensed needed operators. Even back in the CB days I remember the channel 14 walkie talkie's and some FCC agents were actually citing some of those for over the limit. We had an agent show up at the Michigan School For The Blind because my friends Midland Walkie Talkie was slightly over 100mW and could be heard over 1 mile. He was on the 3rd floor of the main building. After that incident Walkie talkie's were banned from MSB for about 1 yr. Finally the Dean of the school got an all clear from an FCC field inspector as the students could operate as stations under his license and that the walkie talkie's that were 100mW didn't need a license. Still we all operated as mobile units 1,2,3 ect and the call sign (I can't remember off the top of my head). Probably should not have happened anyways because Thunderfoot which was Wally's handle was not running intentually over 100mW and he was 16-17 at the time. The Midland did sound mighty nice for 100mW on the 3rd floor and on the stock antenna it was on. He did get it back though but didn't take any chances and did operate under the call and followed the rules. The moral however is that apparently that agent was not trained and why worry about that when you had Cbers in Lansing running 5K linear amps all around the area. So why did a part 15 walkie talkie fall under that agents radar? Who knows the reason. Maybe it was his handle of Thunder Foot and the fact he never gave a call sign. Someone must had snitched to make this happen. It could have been a Ham in the area who just hated CB.
All you can do is to attempt to comply with the rules, and educate those whom you come into contact with about those rules.
I assume that theLegacy is talking about 800 feet for a Part 15 FM transmitter - while highly unlikely with a legal transmitter, it is possible. That transmitter would have to be mounted at an elevation of 10 meters (+/-, i.e., high up), and be line of sight to the receiving antenna (which would have to be connected to an extremely sensitive receiver).
We as Part 15 operators have to know this. I don't blame the NAB or any licensed station for being suspicious about such a claim of 800 feet range, until the complete picture was described. The poster really brought it on himself/herself by either 1) not recognizing that they weren't legal or 2) being vague on the details that would demonstrate that they knew what they were doing and that they were legal. If you're going to go 'out there' and brag about a certain range, particularly on FM, you'd better be awfully sure that you're legal, or you will get pushback.
Whether or not a licensed station or a large organization such as the NAB really needs to be concerned about a teeny radio station that goes 800 feet is another matter outside of the legal concerns.
FWIW CB radio allows 4 watts of power. 1 mile of coverage at 4 watts is very doable and legal.
Also local law enforcement do not monitor or otherwise concern themselves with unlicensed radio stations. The averago joe blow person doesn't understand nor care about the difference. The only people that do are us and other radio geeks.
So the notion that your local law enforcement officers would show up to your house guns drawn is a bit far fetched.
I get that CB's are allowed 4 Watts, but this was 1975-1976 when you had to have a license for CB and those channel 11,14 Walkie Talkie's sold at stores like Ross didn't require a license becase they were 100mW and at that time it was called part 15. Kids could get those cheaper versions where as the whole CB band was heard with a loud hiss of static. But the better Walkie Talkie's had a crystal controlled transmit and receive. In fact reverse the transmit and receive crystals and you were broadcasting at 26.670 instead of 27.125 Mhz (Channel 14). Midland had put out a part 15 Walkie Talkie at the time that seemed to transmit further than most part 15 Walkie Talkie's at the time. It went further than the Realistic, GE and the other ones the other kids had at the time. My friend Wally AKA Thunderfoot was talked to by an FCC agent at the time and he wanted to see his Walkie Talkie because it was in his words more powerful than allowed for unlicensed CB operation. The Dean of the school was also involved for the school was contacted when the agent came to the school because he was on the 3rd floor of the school and talking to others around campus. His transmitter was much more prestine sounding than any other students poorly built walkie talkie (Maybe not the Cobra) but still seemed far stronger. Why the agent went after him was beyond me or the Dean of the school who was on duty at night after school around 4PM-8PM. The ban on walkie talkie's happened for about a year because of the incident. Students were upset and could not understand why one person's Walkie talkie was so much a concern of the FCC back then. I still to this day don't see the problem. Yes it went out a mile or two but we were kids for God's sake and we didn't know anything about wattage we just used them.
So this again could happen to someone who bought a certified AM or FM transmitter and to their surprise get a visit from an agent. I'm sure FM the agent would be far more strict than AM.