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.
Let’s see if I have this right…I can commit a crime, but escape a monetary penalty because I can’t pay the fine??? What gives here?? The case records show these transmissions were intentional and malicious, and the Ham used someone else’s call letters. If you can’t do the time (or pay the fine), then don’t do the crime. Maybe the FCC should have simply siezed this guy’s equipment and sold it off to pay the penalty.
Am I too judgemental, or are there mitigating factors left out of the story?