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FCC inspects and fines translators breaking the rules

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nd2023

Banned
The FCC made a surprise visit to Houston today. Several translators were caught operating out of compliance. Running several times the licensed power, originating programming, using non directional antennas, and broadcasting from the wrong site.

As these translators were operating so far outside the licensed parameters, they were considered to be pirate stations. As such, the owners were fined $2 million for each translator, the maximum allowed under the PIRATE act. The translators were ordered to shut down until the fine is paid in full and the stations are brought into compliance with the license. If they are unable to do so within a year, the stations will forfeit their licenses due to being silent for a year.

The FCC is counting on the fines to support its operating budget for the rest of the year
 
NickD said:
The FCC made a surprise visit to Houston today. Several translators were caught operating out of compliance. Running several times the licensed power, originating programming, using non directional antennas, and broadcasting from the wrong site.

As these translators were operating so far outside the licensed parameters, they were considered to be pirate stations. As such, the owners were fined $2 million for each translator, the maximum allowed under the PIRATE act. The translators were ordered to shut down until the fine is paid in full and the stations are brought into compliance with the license. If they are unable to do so within a year, the stations will forfeit their licenses due to being silent for a year.

The FCC is counting on the fines to support its operating budget for the rest of the year
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April Fooooollsss!! :)
 
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NickD said:
The FCC made a surprise visit to Houston today. Several translators were caught operating out of compliance. Running several times the licensed power, originating programming, using non directional antennas, and broadcasting from the wrong site.

As these translators were operating so far outside the licensed parameters, they were considered to be pirate stations. As such, the owners were fined $2 million for each translator, the maximum allowed under the PIRATE act. The translators were ordered to shut down until the fine is paid in full and the stations are brought into compliance with the license. If they are unable to do so within a year, the stations will forfeit their licenses due to being silent for a year.

The FCC is counting on the fines to support its operating budget for the rest of the year
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April fools joke. Fines are not determined by field inspectors, and an inspection on a Saturday would be very rare as there is nearly never access to any station on weekends.
 
DavidEduardo said:
April fools joke. Fines are not determined by field inspectors, and an inspection on a Saturday would be very rare as there is nearly never access to any station on weekends.
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It’s sad that the FCC doing its job can be considered a joke
 
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Echo4Thirty said:
Steve Lee WAS the FCC in Houston. Houston has become the wild west RF wise post his retirement.
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I went to high school with Steve. One day during his tenure back in the '90s he called me in Conroe. Ask me if I was still involved with the ham radio coordination group. I said yes some what. He asked me if anybody was using 431 megahertz in Houston.. after a couple of seconds I replied not really. Single sideband at 432 And there was some packet at 430.55 but I didn't know of anything at 431... So I asked him what about it and he said can't tell you! He did mention if anybody heard anything that weekend it would be gone by Monday. Friday afternoon Air Force One landed at IAH.. A couple of weeks later we got together for lunch and I jokingly asked him if I had coordinated the secret service. Steve kind of grinned and looked from side to side and said I'm not supposed to tell you but yeah you did.. we still laughed about that several years later.. I could always call him about a broadcast or other issue over in Beaumont and he would be over here the next day or that weekend. His mom was a sales lady at 1340 KOLE in Port Arthur in it's top 40 hay days.. his older brother and sister-in-law are friends of mine.. hope he's enjoying his retirement.. I told him before he left, that Houston radio was going to be headed for the toilet.. And I was right..sad
Of course Johnny Le at the Dallas office has become a good friend of mine as well. One of his agents called me a while back about a translator over here in Beaumont that was licensed in a tree but never built.. I supplied them with photos of the licensed site showing the tree with no antenna in it.. still awaiting to see what happens with that
 
Did you tell him about your station that has been off the air for a few years? I think stations should respect the rules and everyone should keep up, but from that to going and helping the fcc to hurt other stations yeah that's not my cup of tea.
 
radioislife2020 said:
Did you tell him about your station that has been off the air for a few years? I think stations should respect the rules and everyone should keep up, but from that to going and helping the fcc to hurt other stations yeah that's not my cup of tea.
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Reporting unlicensed or problem broadcasting is different than being a keyboard warrior like yourself and spreading incorrect things on here, isn’t it.
 
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I think this thread should be locked. It’s not April 1st anymore
 
radioislife2020 said:
Did you tell him about your station that has been off the air for a few years? I think stations should respect the rules and everyone should keep up, but from that to going and helping the fcc to hurt other stations yeah that's not my cup of tea.
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His station was legally silent and involved in a buyer dispute.
 
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