Does anyone here have a link to a case where a ham or even business was punished by the FCC for freebanding or such.

I know there are a few cases of CBers getting nailed but that’s not what I’m looking for exactly.

ETA let me add I’m not going rouge, just have to do a presentation for a class I’m in.

curiously enough I was told a story just yesterday:

Seems someone had stolen a /\/\ keylogger and was set to open /\/\ radios for a few hundred $ each at Hamvention 2016.

There was apparently discussion about said keylogger and availability to the public on the p25dotCA forum before Hamvention?

The feds (multi agencies) arrested the bloggers from.ca at Laguardia and the 'vendor' at Hamvention/Hara (in the flea mkt).

I was there, on the grounds, and until yesterday had never heard this yarn.... FWIW, YMMV.

If this is more than just diabetic ramblings I would love to see the case on this. However something tells me black helicopters and teams doing dynamic entries on hara doesn’t seem too likely

It's been years, but it seemed like the FCC would list violations and the results.

Seems like I would see a newsletter the shop got in the mail as well as trade magazines would list cases.

If you listen to, read, or watch Amateur Radio Newsline, they often report stories of people who were fined by the FCC for various radio related infractions. Sorry, but you will have to find the specific stories.

I know of no such cases. If there are any it is a rare thing. The FCC has neither the time, energy or resources to go after anyone that not a) big business (e.g. major cellular or other common carrier type stuff) or b) grossly interfering with services.

https://www.fcc.gov/enforcement

https://www.fcc.gov/eb-enf-act#block-menu-block-4

https://www.fcc.gov/enforcement/orders

They have the wherewithal to hand-slap maybe 10 hams a year, all of which would have not had their hands slapped if it were not for other hams complaining.

https://www.fcc.gov/general/amateur-radio-service-enforcement-actions

If the FCC had the resources there could easily be hundreds of such enforcement actions a year against hams.

In short, people can modify and even use modified radios to their heart's content and never have to worry about an enforcement action. Hell, there are probably 100,000 Baofeng radios being used on FRS right now. The only people who get caught are those who are messing with government revenue, or those who are causing interference, either radio interference or business interference (costing other businesses money).

@gcw, sound familiar?

I concur aa!

Most of the enforcement actions I have heard of were people running pirate broadcast stations, people intentionally interfering with public safety radio traffic, or once in awhile someone causing interference on a ham radio repeater.

I have never seen anything where someone was running excessive power or something like that. Or using non-type accepted radios for FRS or whatever. As was said, they don't really have the time or manpower to investigate things like that.

FWIW: It is fairly common in this area for people to use UV5R radios for EMS or Fire Service applications. They arn't issued by the department, but individual guys who want their own radio and the department doesn't issue them one, buy one themselves and there are guys who have a code plug for them. Obviously this is with departments that are still using analog FM on UHF.  I see this as a major safety issue, but I guess if the department doesn't have the money to issue everyone a radio, it might save your life if it works when you need it.

https://www.fcc.gov/enforcement/orders

Under EDOCS Document Types, select NAL, then click Apply

 

TWIT

After skimming through 16 or so pages from this link (more than just the NALs), they issue more warning letters to amateurs than I would have imagined.  Much of them seem to be written based only on complaints from other amateurs (i.e. continuing to use a repeater when told not to by the trustee, a few for not IDing, etc).

Still, though, sparse enforcement engagement on violations in the amateur bands.  Lots of pirate radio stations...

I dunno, listening to all the Lids drink and drive on their radios on a Saturday night  makes me think they don’t do nearly enough enforcement.

Oh, I completely agree...  they're doing a bit more than I realized, but not nearly enough.