The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ordered the operator of a Citizen Band (CB) radio station to pay a penalty of $3000 for his refusal to allow an inspection of his installation.
According to a Forfeiture Order issued by the Commission in February 2015, the operator, Tommie Salter of Jacksonville, FL, refused to allow agents from the FCC Enforcement Bureau’s Tampa (FL) office to inspect his CB station. Salter continue to refuse the agents’ request to inspect his equipment even after being informed by the agents that his refusal to allow an inspection constituted a violation of FCC rules.
In his response to a Notice of Apparent Liability issued by the Commission, Salter did not deny that he refused access to his equipment, but claimed that he was not able to permit the inspection since he had to leave for a doctor’s appointment. However, neither of the Enforcement Bureau agents who visited Salter recalled his having mentioned the appointment, and Salter was unable to produce any tangible evidence of having such an appointment.
The Commission did reduce the amount of the proposed penalty from $14,000 to $3000 in light of tax returns submitted by Salter that supported his claim of financial hardship.
Read the complete text of the Commission’s Forfeiture Order.
