Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (A)
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Dec 25 2020 12:45:10

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2252, for Friday, December 25, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2252, with a release date of 
Friday, December 25, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The FCC goes after landlords with tenants 
running pirate radio stations. Ham-Com calls it quits for good in Texas 
-- and hams report new distance records for meteor scatter and 
sporadic-E. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 
2252, comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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FCC HOLDS LANDLORDS ACCOUNTABLE FOR RADIO PIRATES

SKEETER: In our top story this week, the Federal Communications 
Commission has a new crackdown in the U.S. but this time it's not aimed 
at illegal radio operators - it targets their landlords. Jack Parker,
W8ISH, explains.

JACK: Using expanded powers recently granted by Congress, the U.S. 
Federal Communications Commission has put property owners on notice, 
telling them that they face stiff financial sanctions if they permit 
pirate broadcasting on their premises. The agency sent out its first 
so-called Notices of Illegal Pirate Radio Broadcasting to property 
owners in New York City on December 17th, giving them 10 days to 
respond.

Rosemary Harold, chief of the FCC's enforcement bureau, issued a 
statement saying: [quote] "Pirate radio is illegal, and can interfere 
with not only legitimate broadcast stations' business activities, but 
also those stations' ability to inform the public about emergency 
information." [endquote] She noted that the PIRATE Act does not permit 
property owners to look the other way or ignore pirate operations. They 
will be served with Notices of Illegal Pirate Radio Broadcasting which 
will grant them time to eradicate the problem before enforcement action 
goes forward.

Congress' recent enactment of the so-called PIRATE Act grants the FCC 
tougher authority and the ability to order fines of as much as $2 
million for property owners who knowingly violate the law and permit 
illegal broacasting on their premises. Congress passed the measure 
earlier this year after previous FCC warnings to landlords produced 
little or no results.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(QRZ.COM, FCC)

**

TEXAS' HAM-COM CALLING IT QUITS

SKEETER: Hams in Texas have suffered a big loss with the announcement 
that Ham-Com, which grew to become the state's biggest hamfest, is 
calling it quits. After more than four decades, it has become yet 
another casualty of COVID-19. the Ham-Com president Bill Nelson, AB5QZ,
posted on Ham-Com's Facebook page that pandemic restrictions, coupled 
with the rising costs of producing the event, made it unsustainable. He 
wrote: [quote] "The decision was not made lightly, but the safety and 
wellness of our volunteers, vendors, clubs, presenters, and attendees 
is our paramount concern." [endquote]

(HAM-COM)
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