[RFI] ARRL to FCC..

[Ward Silver]

 > I really don't care too much how the FCC accomplishes it's job, as 
long as it is accomplishing it's jobs correctly.

At the FCC Forum at Pacificon a couple of years ago (2012, I think) FCC 
Enforcement Counsel Laura Smith was asked directly and specifically 
about problems caused by RFI from consumer devices.  In a nutshell, she 
replied that the FCC would take enforcement action when Congress 
directed the FCC to do so and not before.  In the language of the 
Executive Branch, that means when Congress creates spending authority 
for them to do so. That responsibility lies in House of Representatives 
and they are not asking the FCC to impede commerce (i.e. inconvenience 
their campaign donors) in order to respond to complaints from ham radio 
operators.

It is possible that if the broadcasters and mobile networking companies 
turn up the heat on *both* the FCC and the House, with support from the 
hams, there might be some action taken.  Until then, or there is some 
tragedy or security problem caused by RFI from a non-compliant device, 
petitioning (or blaming) the White House is pretty much pointless.  You 
need to patiently explain to your Congressional Representative (not your 
senator) what the problem is and hope they hear the same message from 
the AM broadcasters and local mobile phone provider lobbyists cutting 
them checks.

Until then, I think it behooves us to document, document, document so 
that when we have an opportunity to influence the political process we 
have the facts, if not the money, to do so.

73, Ward N0AX