FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
ENFORCEMENT BUREAU
REGION TWO

Atlanta Regional Office
P.O. Box 1493
Powder Springs, GA 30127
field@fcc.gov
(678) 293-3194

October 3, 2019


BY UPS AND FIRST CLASS MAIL
Charles Michael Goodwin
Lake Worth, Florida

NOTICE OF UNLICENSED OPERATION

	Case Number: EB-FIELDSCR-19-00029844
	
The Miami Office of the Federal Communications Commission’s (Commission’s) Enforcement Bureau has received a complaint of an unlicensed FM station on frequency 88.7 MHz which had been causing harmful interference to AT&T’s licensed wireless service in the 700 MHz Lower Band.  On September 17, 2019, Agents from the Miami Office confirmed by direction finding techniques that radio signals on frequency 88.7 MHz were emanating from your residence in Lake Worth, Florida.  Agents confirmed, through investigation, that you are the operator of the unlicensed radio station.  During the Agents’ inspection, you admitted to owning and operating the station and you turned off the transmitter.  The Commission’s records show that no license was issued for operation of a radio station on 88.7 MHz at this location.

Radio stations operating on a range of frequencies, 47 CFR § 73.201.
 including 88.7 MHz, must be licensed by the Commission pursuant to section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Act). 47 U.S.C. § 301.  
  The only exception to this licensing requirement is for certain transmitters using or operating at a power level or mode of operation that complies with the standards established in part 15 of the Commission’s rules. 47 CFR §§ 15.1 et seq.
  On September 17, 2019, the Agents found that the station at your residence was operating at a power level that exceeds the level permitted by part 15.  The field strength of the signal on frequency 88.7 MHz was measured at levels exceeding the maximum permitted level of 250 microvolts per meter (µV/m) at 3 meters for non-licensed devices.  Therefore, this station was operating in violation of section 301. 47 U.S.C. § 301.


You are hereby warned that operation of radio transmitting equipment without a valid radio station authorization 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 seizure of 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 NOT RESUME.

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 Commission.  Your response should be sent to the address in the letterhead and reference the listed case 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 the Commission’s rules.  This will include any information that you disclose in your reply.

You may contact this office if you have any questions.




Ronald D. Ramage
Acting Field Director
Enforcement Bureau
Federal Communications Commission 





Attachments:
	Excerpts from the Communications Act of 1934, As Amended
	Enforcement Bureau, “Inspection Fact Sheet”