H
hangbush
Guest
In response to the Part 15 transmitter thread.
The reality of what happens when the FCC visits varies, depending on where you live. Yes, I have been visited and I know others who have as well.
Here's how it usually goes down:
FCC arrives in your neighborhood responding to a complaint by a neighbor or broadcaster. They use their direction finding gear to determine, as best they can, where the signal is coming from. Despite what they would like you to believe, this isn't an exact science. They can figure out within a house or two, where the signal is coming from. A lot depends on power level and how far your antenna is from a public road or alley.
But they will do their best to identify the transmit antenna by visual verification. Quite often, there is no effort to disguise the antenna, and that makes it quite simple for the FCC to find once they know it's within a couple of hundred feet.
If your antenna is indoors or disguised as a vent pipe or tree branch or whatever, then they're probably stuck. They need probable cause to come rapping on your door and demanding that you turn it off. If they're knocking on the wrong door, it's a problem for them on a lot of levels. What they're likely to do is say "We're looking for an unauthorized transmitter in the neighborhood. What can you tell us?" If you voice sounds a lot like the one on the unauthorized transmitter, you're already done.
Best course, unless you're a hard-core pirate, is to come clean. You can try asking them to help you decrease the range so you're legal. If they're feeling friendly, they might just tell you how much you need to turn it down. More likely, they'll just tell you to turn it off and not broadcast again at the illegal level they just measured. But if you feel brave, ask them how many dB your signal was over the limit. They might tell you, but they don't have to.
Also, at the Oregon Field Office, they use a Field Intensity Meter with a Horizontally polarized antenna. They look for the 250 mV contour 3 meters from the outside wall of the building, rather than 3 meters from the antenna. It's more generous, and it means they don't need a search warrant to monitor you. Also, it's much more likely to stand up in court because the real value is always going to be higher than their readings. I'm willing to bet this technique is SOP at all offices just so the FCC attorneys can use the same training from case to case.
If you're caught red-handed and you're really not trying to be a pirate, just cooperate with them. First time is a warning unless you've really managed to get somebody's goat at the local radio station. Just turn it off and you'll probably be okay.
But it's possible that you'll get a notice of inquiry from the agents that visited you. That's most likely if you were really running way too much power, or you didn't cooperate with them very well. If you get a letter from the FCC after they have visited, always reply. Give your side of the story in writing and ask them to cut you some slack. DO NOT IGNORE AN FCC NOTICE.
They don't have a lot of resources, so they really love to pursue cases where there was an actual violation and the perp didn't bother to reply. Those are a slam dunk, and an easy $11,000 fine.
But unless you've been visited already and told to shut the transmitter off, it's highly unlikely you're going to face the full wrath of the FCC. They just don't have the time to bust everybody, and they really don't want to.
So the ground rules here are:
Don't interfere with anybody, no matter what your power level.
Be polite with the FCC. If you're not pirating, just turn it off and tell them you're sorry, you didn't know you were causing a problem.
Reply to any written notices promptly. Give your side of the story.
If you cooperate, there's very little chance of punishment. If you want to fight the FCC, then you need more information than you're going to get here.
As a side note, at least in Portland they use Horizontal polarization. So if you transmit only Vertical, you're going to be able to run more power without having the sniffer call you a pirate. And because of the way they measure, a higher antenna with a higher power and less downward radiation could still meet the FCC 250 uV at 3 meters test, as measured on the ground, which is where they're measuring.
The real world lesson is to put your rooftop antenna in the middle of your house, as high as it can be mounted. The 250 uV measurement will be made 3 meters from the outside wall with the strongest signal. They're not about to climb out on your roof with an FM FIM, I can almost guarantee that. Those who try that stunt generally don't survive the fall. (And certainly not the winter.)
The reality of what happens when the FCC visits varies, depending on where you live. Yes, I have been visited and I know others who have as well.
Here's how it usually goes down:
FCC arrives in your neighborhood responding to a complaint by a neighbor or broadcaster. They use their direction finding gear to determine, as best they can, where the signal is coming from. Despite what they would like you to believe, this isn't an exact science. They can figure out within a house or two, where the signal is coming from. A lot depends on power level and how far your antenna is from a public road or alley.
But they will do their best to identify the transmit antenna by visual verification. Quite often, there is no effort to disguise the antenna, and that makes it quite simple for the FCC to find once they know it's within a couple of hundred feet.
If your antenna is indoors or disguised as a vent pipe or tree branch or whatever, then they're probably stuck. They need probable cause to come rapping on your door and demanding that you turn it off. If they're knocking on the wrong door, it's a problem for them on a lot of levels. What they're likely to do is say "We're looking for an unauthorized transmitter in the neighborhood. What can you tell us?" If you voice sounds a lot like the one on the unauthorized transmitter, you're already done.
Best course, unless you're a hard-core pirate, is to come clean. You can try asking them to help you decrease the range so you're legal. If they're feeling friendly, they might just tell you how much you need to turn it down. More likely, they'll just tell you to turn it off and not broadcast again at the illegal level they just measured. But if you feel brave, ask them how many dB your signal was over the limit. They might tell you, but they don't have to.
Also, at the Oregon Field Office, they use a Field Intensity Meter with a Horizontally polarized antenna. They look for the 250 mV contour 3 meters from the outside wall of the building, rather than 3 meters from the antenna. It's more generous, and it means they don't need a search warrant to monitor you. Also, it's much more likely to stand up in court because the real value is always going to be higher than their readings. I'm willing to bet this technique is SOP at all offices just so the FCC attorneys can use the same training from case to case.
If you're caught red-handed and you're really not trying to be a pirate, just cooperate with them. First time is a warning unless you've really managed to get somebody's goat at the local radio station. Just turn it off and you'll probably be okay.
But it's possible that you'll get a notice of inquiry from the agents that visited you. That's most likely if you were really running way too much power, or you didn't cooperate with them very well. If you get a letter from the FCC after they have visited, always reply. Give your side of the story in writing and ask them to cut you some slack. DO NOT IGNORE AN FCC NOTICE.
They don't have a lot of resources, so they really love to pursue cases where there was an actual violation and the perp didn't bother to reply. Those are a slam dunk, and an easy $11,000 fine.
But unless you've been visited already and told to shut the transmitter off, it's highly unlikely you're going to face the full wrath of the FCC. They just don't have the time to bust everybody, and they really don't want to.
So the ground rules here are:
Don't interfere with anybody, no matter what your power level.
Be polite with the FCC. If you're not pirating, just turn it off and tell them you're sorry, you didn't know you were causing a problem.
Reply to any written notices promptly. Give your side of the story.
If you cooperate, there's very little chance of punishment. If you want to fight the FCC, then you need more information than you're going to get here.
As a side note, at least in Portland they use Horizontal polarization. So if you transmit only Vertical, you're going to be able to run more power without having the sniffer call you a pirate. And because of the way they measure, a higher antenna with a higher power and less downward radiation could still meet the FCC 250 uV at 3 meters test, as measured on the ground, which is where they're measuring.
The real world lesson is to put your rooftop antenna in the middle of your house, as high as it can be mounted. The 250 uV measurement will be made 3 meters from the outside wall with the strongest signal. They're not about to climb out on your roof with an FM FIM, I can almost guarantee that. Those who try that stunt generally don't survive the fall. (And certainly not the winter.)