PUSH TO IDENTIFY UNLICENSED 10-METER OPERATORS CONTINUES

A concerted effort begun last spring to monitor for and possibly
identify
unlicensed operators on 10 meters will continue through October. The
FCC already has asked the ARRL Amateur Auxiliary/Official Observers
for assistance. Now, FCC Special Counsel Riley Hollingsworth is
inviting hard information on suspected interlopers from all amateurs.

"If I don't receive reports, we'll have to conclude that unlicensed
operation on 10 meters no longer is a problem," Hollingsworth said
this
week. Hollingsworth's initial request to beef up monitoring came in
the
wake of complaints from the amateur community that rose to the level
of a
major enforcement headache. He's expressed some disappointment,
however, that the number of solid reports received so far has been
few, although he's aware that a problem exists.

Hollingsworth asks amateurs to be specific in what they report.
"Everybody should police their own neighborhood," he suggested. "Turn
on the radio, and take a listen on the band. If you hear a loud signal
that's obviously an unlicensed interloper, see if you can track it
down."

Hollingsworth said that in the case of a suspected unlicensed trucker
on
the highway, amateurs should try to get the license plate number of
the
tractor--not the trailer--or at least the company name and, if
possible,
the DOT number.

The FCC does not require direction-finding data but would appreciate,
where possible, names and addresses of alleged or suspected operators.

Audio recordings of apparently illegal transmissions also can prove
helpful.

Individual amateurs with solid information on alleged unlicensed
operation on 10 or even 12 meters should report it to the FCC via
e-mail
Official Observers should file their reports through normal ARRL
channels.

ARRL Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, says the
FCC wants to pin down specific areas where unlicensed operation is
prevalent in the US. He and Hollingsworth concede, however, that not
all illegal 10-meter operation is of domestic origin.

The FCC's initial request last May request was made in accordance with
the Communications Act and a longstanding agreement between ARRL and
the FCC regarding the use of Amateur Radio volunteers to assist in
enforcement.

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