[Mldxcc] Diamond Springs ham hit with HUGE fine - ARRL letter

[Rick WA6NHC]

FCC Proposes to Penalize California Licensee $25,000 for Causing 
Intentional Interference

The FCC Enforcement Bureau has proposed fining William F. Crowell, W6WBJ 
(ex-N6AYJ), of Diamond Springs, California, $25,000 for intentionally 
interfering with other Amateur Radio operators and transmitting 
prohibited communications, including music. FCC San Francisco District 
Director David K. Hartshorn released a /Notice of Apparent Liability for 
Forfeiture/ (/NALF/ 
<https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-1438A1.pdf>) on 
December 18, detailing the allegations.

"Deliberate interference undermines the utility of the Amateur Radio 
Service by preventing communications among licensed users that comply 
with the Commission's rules," the FCC said in its /NALF/. "Mr Crowell's 
deliberate interference to other users, using voice, noises, and music, 
directly contravenes the Amateur Radio service's fundamental purpose as 
a voluntary noncommercial communications service..."

An Advanced class licensee, Crowell is no stranger to the Enforcement 
Bureau, which warned him as far back as 2000 about intentional 
interference. In 2008 the FCC designated his current license renewal 
application for hearing 
<https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-08-361A1.pdf>, 
alleging that he had caused intentional interference, interrupted 
others' communications, transmitted music, and made one-way 
transmissions, including some containing "indecent language," the FCC 
said. His license, which expired in 2007, has not been renewed, but 
Crowell may continue to operate while his application is pending. 
Prompting the December 18 /NALF/ were complaints earlier this year by 
members of the Western Amateur Radio Friendship Association (WARFA), 
which conducts nets three times a week on 75 meters.

The Enforcement Bureau recounted that its agents and the High Frequency 
Direction Finding (HFDF) Center monitored Crowell's transmissions during 
the WARFA Net on 3908 kHz on August 25 and August 27. As the agents and 
the HFDF Center listened, Crowell "repeatedly interrupted other amateurs 
using noises, recordings, and music, in addition to talking over 
amateurs affiliated with the WARFA Net, so as no not allow them to 
transmit on the frequency," the FCC said in its /NALF/. "His 
transmissions and recordings included racial, ethnic, and sexual slurs 
and epithets." According to the /NALF/, the interference continued until 
the net shut down. Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-proposes-to-penalize-california-licensee-25-000-for-causing-intentional-interference>.