Congressman Intercedes with FCC Chairman on Amateur Radio Interference Concerns:

New York Congressman Peter King has asked FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler toput some Enforcement Bureau heat on those interfering with variousradio communication services, including Amateur Radio, in the New YorkCity Metropolitan Area. While visiting Capitol Hill recently to promotethe Amateur Radio Parity Act http://www.arrl.org/amateur-radio-parity-act, ARRL Hudson DivisionDirector Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, and General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD,met with King, a Republican representing New York's 2nd District, todiscuss the interference issue. King is among the original of the 118cosponsors of the Amateur Radio Parity Act (H.R. 1301) in the US House.

"Rep King, a long-time supporter of Amateur Radio who is also veryconcerned about malicious interference with licensed services, offeredto send a letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler on our behalf," Lisencosaid. "Like many areas of the country, the Hudson Division has beenplagued with malicious interference on our VHF and UHF repeaters foryears. There has been no relief from the FCC, despite repeated pleasfor remedy made by ARRL. All requests for help have consistently fallenon deaf ears."

In his January 15 letter http://hudson.arrl.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ARRL-Radio-Interference-Letter-Wheeler.pdf to Wheeler, King pointed out that while multiple perpetrators have beeninvolved, the identity of the "ringleader" is well known to theEnforcement Bureau. He reiterated that the malicious interference had"been allowed to continue for too long," and he called for "timely andvisible enforcement" to deter others.

"The Amateur Radio repeaters on Long Island that are rendered uselessby this individual are used for emergency preparedness exercises andwere used extensively in Hurricane Sandy disaster relief efforts," Kingtold Wheeler. "This individual has been allowed to proceed without anyapparent Commission enforcement for well over 2 years, despite repeatedcomplaints from ARRL, NBC engineering staff, and at least two LongIsland Amateur Radio clubs. NBC remote pickup units and public safetyradio systems also have been troubled by malicious interference.

King said he realizes that FCC Enforcement Bureau resources are limitedand that he appreciates the attention the Commission has paid to suchissues as pirate radio investigations, but he asked for a tougherstance.

"[D]eliberate interference with public safety, broadcast programproduction, and Amateur Radio public service communications...must beswiftly and visibly addressed," King concluded. Read more http://www.arrl.org/news/congressman-intercedes-with-fcc-chairman-on-amateur-radio-interference-concerns.

Source:

The ARRL Letter