The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reminding amateur radio operators not to use radios or radio equipment to commit or facilitate criminal acts.
The FCC’s Enforcement Advisory reiterates the Commission’s prior messaging on this issue that licensees of amateur and personal radio services are prohibited from using radios “in connection with any activity which is against Federal, State or local law.” Further, the Advisory states that licensees cannot transmit “communications intended to facilitate a criminal act” or “messages encoded for the purposes of obscuring their meaning.”
Under FCC regulations, those found using amateur or personal radio services to commit or facilitate criminal acts are potentially subject to penalties, ranging from fines, seizure of their radio equipment, and even criminal prosecution.
