Topband: Fishing Boat Intruders

[Bill Tippett]

Hi All!

        I just noticed the following on the packetcluster:

K1GUN      1825.0 FISHERMEN   on 1.825???                   2232 02 Nov

and the following from FCC enforcement letters of October 6:
http://www.arrl.org/news/enforcement_logs/2001/1006.html 

"In addition to the above items, Riley Hollingsworth reports the following
enforcement-related items for which specific correspondence was not provided: 

     Six of nine Alaska residents contacted recently about using Amateur Radio
units on commercial fishing vessels have contacted the FCC to express 
assurances that they have stopped using amateur equipment."

This was apparenty in response to a September 5 letter from Hollingsworth:
http://www.arrl.org/news/enforcement_logs/2001/0908.html

September 5, 2001
Mr. Warren Chappel
P. O. Box 1905
Cordova, AK 99574 

                    SUBJECT: Warning Notice--UNLICENSED RADIO OPERATION
                      ON COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS Eyak and Phoenix 

Dear Mr. Chappel: 

The Commission has information that you may be operating Amateur radio Service
equipment on 147 MHz on commercial fishing vessels without a license. 

Operation of radio transmitting equipment without a license is a violation of
Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. Section
301; and will subject you to fine or imprisonment, as well as an in rem seizure
of radio transmitting equipment, in cooperation with the United States Attorney
for your jurisdiction. Fines normally range from $7,500 to $10,000. 

You are requested to contact me at 717-338-2502 to discuss this matter. 
(...Similar Warning Notice letters were sent to 8 additional persons.)

        The bottom line of all this is to try to get identification of the
vessel if you can.  If it is of US registry, the FCC can clear it up.
Unfortunately many of the fishing boats I've heard using 160 and the low end
of 80 CW seem to be Japanese, Russian, and others which may be difficult to
do anything about for numerous reasons...understanding their language, 
foreign registry and international waters to name a few.

        Thank you again Riley Hollingsworth for sweeping the garbage from our
bands!  If 160 is slow, read through some of the enforcement letters at the
ARRL site and you will see what I mean.

                                                73,  Bill  W4ZV 

P.S.  Riley's E-mail address is RHOLLING@fcc.gov