The Enforcement Bureau of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a financial penalty of $8000 for an Ohio amateur radio operator for intentionally causing interference to other operators and for failing to transmit his assigned call sign during radio broadcasts.
According to a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture issued in August 2015, an agent from the Detroit office of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau monitored transmissions from a station operated by Daniel R. Hicks of Cincinnati, Ohio following multiple complaints of interference. During the course of an hour, the agent heard the station transmit several prerecorded messages which prevented use of the amateur frequencies by other operators. The agent also noted that Hicks did not transmit his assigned call sign, but instead used the call sign of another licensee.
Under its rules, the FCC can assess a forfeiture penalty of up to $16,000 for each violation or for each day of a continuing violation, up to a maximum of $122,500 for a single act or failure to act.
