[SMCARA] Some peoples children...

[Tom Shelton]

>From http://www.arrl.org/news/

The FCC has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-14-204A1.pdf> NAL) to
James R. Winstead, KD5OZY, of Coleman, Texas, after determining that
Winstead "apparently willfully violated" FCC rules by interfering with
Amateur Radio communications. The Commission proposed a $7000 fine. The
action was in response to complaints from other radio amateurs of
intentional interference on 7.195 MHz.

According to the NAL, released February 19, an agent from the Commission's
Dallas Office on January 21 used direction-finding techniques to positively
identify the source of the interfering transmissions as Winstead's address.
After monitoring the transmissions from the station for about a half-hour,
the agent heard Winstead, an Amateur Extra class licensee, "replay multiple
times short sentences or conversations that had just been transmitted, and
occasionally speak the word 'George.'"

"Mr Winstead replayed recorded conversations so frequently that other
licensees were unable to complete their conversations," the NAL stated. The
agent estimated that Winstead disrupted approximately 20 minutes of
conversation over a 30 minute period by making up to 15 minutes of short
transmissions. The agent subsequently inspected Winstead's station,
observing that his radio equipment was tuned to 7.195 Mhz.

"During the inspection, Mr Winstead showed the agent how he recorded and
retransmitted other amateur licensees' communications," the FCC said. "He
also admitted that he intentionally interfered with amateur communications
on 7.195 MHz and had an ongoing disagreement with another amateur licensee
named George."

The FCC said the evidence in the case was sufficient to establish that
Winstead had violated Section 333 of the Communications Act of 1934 and
Section 97.101(d) of the FCC Amateur Service rules. Both sections prohibit
willful and malicious interference to radio communications. Citing its
Forfeiture Policy Statement and Section 1.80 of the rules, the FCC
determined that Winstead was liable for a $7000 forfeiture. "We caution Mr
Winstead, however, that future violations of this kind may result in
significantly higher forfeitures," the FCC stressed. Winstead has 30 days to
pay or contest the fine.

 

 

Tom Shelton, ND3N (ex-AB3IC)

Ham Radio, Motorcycling, and a Loving Wife who lets me play with both

What more could a man need