I contacted Luis Roman at the FCC this morning and asked for an update on the golf dooshes. He emailed the following reply:
Following our investigation on the interference to marine channel 72 by local golf courses nearby the Haverstraw Bay in New York the NY Office has released yesterday Monday August 08, 2011 Warning Letters to the Hudson and Trump National Golf Clubs.
Please keep us informed of other Golf courses that may be using marine radios.
So it looks like the FCC has taken official action with the golf course. I know some of you have also sought to stop this activity through various channels, so this piece of info should help.
When looking into the golf course, I found that they have a license for a permitted radio frequency. They can use Motorola equipment and legally transmit on this frequency, yet they use marine radios.
http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp;JSESSIONID_APPSEARCH=MwvXTB2NjgTyLtPpK1nFsyNVbZHNBT8S7J0k1Zy1Tyq84hQRk5hk!1758290242!973295876?licKey=2636635
I got a hit on the site recently from someone searching about "marine radios on a golf course?"
ReplyDeleteIt is illegal to use marine radios on land. You need a special license and even then you can only use the radios to communicate with ships.
Only in the area on occasion passing through or participating in a HRYRA event but I gotta say, if it works, THANK YOU and those others you mention for perusing this matter for so long. Would be nice to see this come to an end (will be listening during the Leukemia Cup Regatta). Maybe you could suggest to the offending golf club they could donate the marine radios to a youth sailing program or the Coast Guard Aux. ;)
ReplyDeleteI have other ideas about where they could put those radios.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya but they would do more good in the "end" if they could help a youth program or water safety (is there still a SEAS group out of Osining?) vs. as a substitute for a proctologists hand. And really, the radios would probably have to compete for room w/the sticks that are already up their @$$e$ ;)
ReplyDeleteAny chance of you getting a copy of (and posting) the warning letter? Or would one have to FOIL http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/foil2.html
ReplyDeleteor FOIA http://www.foia.gov/index.html
it??
Wonder if it reads something like this?
ReplyDeleteFEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
ENFORCEMENT BUREAU
NORTHEAST REGION
New York Office
201 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014
July 29, 2011
County of Middlesex
Plainsboro, New Jersey
NOTICE OF UNLICENSED OPERATION
Case Number: EB-11-NY-0211
Document Number: W201132380005
On July 23, 2011, in connection with an investigation, an agent from the New York Office
observed staff persons at "The Meadows at Middlesex" golf course using handheld marine
radios, Standard Horizon HX280s on the frequency 156.425 MHz (channel 68). The
Commission’s records show that no license was issued for operation on 156.425 MHz at this
location in Plainsboro, New Jersey.
Radio stations must be licensed by the FCC pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 301. You are hereby warned
that operation of radio transmitting equipment without a valid radio station authorization or
providing services and facilities incidental to the operation of an unlicensed radio transmitter
constitutes a violation of the Federal laws cited above and could subject the operator to severe
penalties, including, but not limited to, substantial monetary fines, in rem arrest action against the
offending radio equipment, and criminal sanctions including imprisonment. (see 47 U.S.C. §§
401, 501, 503 and 510).
UNLICENSED OPERATION OF THIS RADIO STATION MUST BE DISCONTINUED
IMMEDIATELY.
You have ten (10) days from the date of this notice to respond with any evidence that you have
authority to operate granted by the FCC. Your response should be sent to the address in the
letterhead and reference the listed case and document number. Under the Privacy Act of 1974, 5
U.S.C. § 552a(e)(3), we are informing you that the Commission’s staff will use all relevant
material information before it to determine what, if any, enforcement action is required to ensure
your compliance with FCC Rules. This will include any information that you disclose in your
reply.
You may contact this office if you have any questions.
Daniel W. Noel
District Director
New York Office
Attachments:
Excerpts from the Communications Act of 1934, As Amended
Enforcement Bureau, "Inspection Fact Sheet", March 2005
I will not follow up further unless I hear traffic on 72 again.
ReplyDelete