The FCC doesn't do much enforcement on the amateur bands, but it has been cracking down heavily on unlicensed, or "pirate," broadcasters in the commercial AM and FM bands. Now, a new law authorizes higher fines and swifter action against unlicensed broadcasters.
The "Preventing
Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement," or PIRATE, Act, was signed into
law in late January. According to the ARRL
Letter, the new law increases maximum fines to $100,000 per day of
violation, up to a maximum of $2 million. It also allows the FCC to skip
issuing a Notice of Unlicensed Operation and go directly to a Notice of
Apparent Liability, in which the specifics of a proposed fine are detailed. Authorized
unlicensed low-power broadcasting under Part 15 rules (e.g., carrier current)
is exempted from the new law.
