HFU HF Underground
General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: Fansome on March 12, 2015, 0320 UTC
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http://www.arrl.org/news/view/fcc-enforcement-bureau-field-resources-poised-to-shrink
FCC Enforcement Bureau Field Resources Poised to Shrink
TAGS: ARRL CEO David, FCC Enforcement Bureau, FCC’s Enforcement, New York City, primary focus, salt lake city, tiger team
03/11/2015
According to an internal FCC Enforcement Bureau (EB) memorandum, the Bureau plans to ask the full Commission to cut two-thirds of its field offices and eliminate nearly one-half of its field agents. At the same time, the Bureau would develop a so-called “Tiger Team” of field agents as a flexible strike force it could deploy as needed. In the March 10 memorandum to Enforcement Bureau field staff — obtained by ARRL and others — EB Chief Travis LeBlanc and FCC Managing Director Jon Wilkins cited the need to take “a fresh look” at the Bureau’s 20-year-old operating model in light of technology changes and tighter budgets. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, expressed dismay at the proposals.
“The ARRL is concerned that there is already no sense of urgency in the FCC’s enforcement activities targeting spectrum polluters, such as utilities with noisy power lines, or the few violators in our own ranks,” Sumner said. “It is troubling to see recommendations for such drastic reductions in the Commission’s geographic footprint and the number of field agents at a time when the Field staff is facing ever-increasing challenges.”
The EB and the Office of the Managing Director initiated an effort last fall to modernize the Bureau’s field operations, the memorandum said.
“This project sought to ensure that the Field’s structure, operations, expenses, and equipment were properly aligned with the Commission’s overall mission and resources,” LeBlanc and Wilkins said. The Commission hired outside consultants to analyze the EB’s current “operating model,” gathering input from employees, outside experts, and internal and external stakeholders.
Under its “Phase I” field modernization scheme, the Bureau will recommend to the full Commission that it adjust the primary focus of its reduced field office complement to RF spectrum enforcement. The EB also will recommend “adjusting” the number of field agents from 63 to 33. To compensate, part of that field staff complement would include what the EB called a “Tiger Team” of agents “flexible enough to support other high-priority initiatives.” Under the plan, all field agents would have to have electrical engineering backgrounds “to support the primary focus on RF spectrum enforcement.” The Bureau also will propose standardizing its investigatory and sanctioning processes.
Management would not be spared. Under the recommendations, the EB field organization chart would shrink from 21 to 5 director positions, and from 10 to 3 administrative support positions.
Under the proposals, the field office would reduce its “geographic footprint,” from 24 sites to 8 sites and would “pre-position” equipment in several other strategic locations. Offices slated to stay under the plan would be New York City; Columbia, Maryland — the site of the Bureau’s HF Direction-Finding Center; Chicago; Atlanta; Miami; Dallas; Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The EB would deploy equipment in or near several other cities, initially to include Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Seattle, San Juan, Anchorage, Honolulu, and Billings, Montana.
Part of the plan calls for the EB to establish “beneficial partnerships between the Field and other organizations that may support increasing our effectiveness.”
During a March 4 US House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Committee hearing on the FCC’s FY2016 budget, Rep Michael Pompeo (R-KS) pressed Wilkins on whether the FCC intended to close any field offices and eliminate any personnel. Wilkins attempted to dodge offering a direct answer and hedged on whether any cuts were planned. He also said the Bureau had not yet received a final report from the outside consultant it had worked with. US Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI (R-OR), chairs the subcommittee.
A copy of the memorandum was sent to National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) Local 209 President Ana Curtis. The NTEU represents many FCC staff members.
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It looks as if Billo will be moving back to Montana soon if he wants to keep his job.
I know he's got a poncho and a pygmy, but I'm not sure about a pony and some dental floss.
Yippie yiyo kiyay......
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A Tiger Team as a flexible strike force?
Imagine the poor schmuck merrily blasting his 75 watt Johnson Viking with cutting edge punk music - getting "The Knock" or would it be smoke grenades, flash bangs and AR15's aimed at your head? :o
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Johnson Viking modulates 200 watts average peak if it's done right.
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http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id=2905302
3-13-2015
Following a rumor that has been widely reported regarding the FCC's intentions to downsize its field office, Radio Ink has confirmed that the Commission is considering the downsizing from an FCC spokesperson. With the Commission taking fewer and fewer actions against pirates, this news will be troublesome for many broadcasters, especially those in markets where pirate signals are still a major issue.
In a very governmental sounding response, an FCC spokesperson responded to Radio Ink's inquires regarding the rumor of downsizing in the field office, "The Commission recently completed a thorough, data-driven review of our field programs with an eye toward improving efficiency while meeting our responsibilities both today and in the future. The commissioners are considering a proposal that meets these goals."
Radio Ink reported last month that actions against AM/FM and shortwave pirate stations last year were at their lowest level since 2000. In 2014 there were fewer than 200 actions against pirates. Markets including New York, New Jersey, Florida and Boston are still hot spots for pirate broadcast activity.
When pressed by the attendee's at the Radio Ink Hispanic Radio Conference regarding pirate enforcement, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn commented that the reduction in actions on pirate signals was in part attributable to ensuring safety to the field officers. Clyburn said, "Some of the challenges include security for our men and women out in the field. The challenge is manpower and security [for our teams]. It's like Whack-a-Mole. When we shut them down, they pop up again. We need to figure out what makes them popular and profitable and to fulfill those needs in different ways."
Considering the very real issue regarding the safety of field officers, the data showing that the FCC has taken fewer actions against pirates in recent years, and now the conformation of the FCC considering downsizing of the field office personnel, the worry for licensed broadcasters has to be that this "perfect storm" may lead to even more problems, and fewer actions against pirates.
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"Some of the challenges include security for our men and women out in the field. The challenge is manpower and security [for our teams]. It's like Whack-a-Mole. When we shut them down, they pop up again. We need to figure out what makes them popular and profitable and to fulfill those needs in different ways."
Well, you could try playing more Belinda Carlisle...
"Profitable"? Where do they come up with these fairy tales?
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Radio Ink reported last month that actions against AM/FM and shortwave pirate stations last year were at their lowest level since 2000. In 2014 there were fewer than 200 actions against pirates. Markets including New York, New Jersey, Florida and Boston are still hot spots for pirate broadcast activity.
I wonder how many of those were against FM pirates vs HF?
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If you don't count hams, Yahweh was the only one on HF I've heard about in the last year. Anybody know of any others?
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From what I've read, the profitable pirates tend to reside in parts of the country with large minority (or majority depending on how you look at it) populations. The people can't seem to accomplish through legal channels what they want, so they resort to piracy. They run big signals on tall buildings, sell advertising, et al. Any time you screw with a licensed radio station's bottom line, they will whine. Domestically, I haven't heard of an HF dudes charging for airtime or advertising, so I doubt there will be much of a focus here. The EB's focus, as before, will likely be big FM's in major markets with large percentages of minorities. Of course, they will say "drugs" were involved somehow, thus necessitating the bust, and to their credit there does seem to be a fair amount of that, particularly in Miami. As the old saying goes, follow the buck...
Also to be fair, a lot of these FM's are not run by broadcast-competent people, thus a lot of them do not meet basic spectral and deviation limits, something quite a few commercial FM's these days also have trouble with. My guess is that we will see more of the same old, same old; focusing on complaints.
Keep it clean gents, that your best defence.
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If anyone ever thought the EB was there to ensure QRM was under control.....god help you.
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Does this now mean no hope of enforcing Part 15 rules on all of the electronic gizmos which are creating hell on LW-SW?
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Does this now mean no hope of enforcing Part 15 rules on all of the electronic gizmos which are creating hell on LW-SW?
:Glares over his glasses like a librarian:
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Well I have no p15er's around me, so I have no problem with that. Have they been creating hell on LW-SW?
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I do not mean Part 15 broadcasters, I mean the cheap electronics that spew forth vast quantities of RFI when they should not (e.g. TVs, computers, routers, powerlines, air conditions, microwaves, dishwashers, electric blankets, grow lights, CFL bulbs, so on & so forth).
rh - I know the answer. It was a rhetorical statement. We're screwed in this respect and it will only get worse.
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I know, I was just giving you hell ;)
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I do not mean Part 15 broadcasters, I mean the cheap electronics that spew forth vast quantities of RFI when they should not (e.g. TVs, computers, routers, powerlines, air conditions, microwaves, dishwashers, electric blankets, grow lights, CFL bulbs, so on & so forth).
rh - I know the answer. It was a rhetorical statement. We're screwed in this respect and it will only get worse.
Perhaps the answer is vigilante enforcement......
We could even print up some official-looking fill-in-the-blank forms....
"Please respond within 10 business days with proof that you are licensed to operate that dishwasher while TCS is on the air." Heh.
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Midwood/Flatbush, Brooklyn, where things are indeed wild and woolly. One of every three signals on the FM dial here is a pirate. Say what you will about their programming, but they indeed are providing information/entertainment and local service every other broadcaster will not.
I was recently thinking about ways to manage the dial more along the lines of harm reduction (http://diymedia.net/nyc-pirates-need-a-needle-exchange/7413) than whack-a-mole. With this latest news, I'm also worried about the vigilante angle (http://diymedia.net/massive-cuts-planned-to-fcc-field-enforcement/7459) getting out of hand. Especially in states like NY, NJ, and FL, where calling the cops to stop a righteous ham from borking your gear is effectively self-incrimination. FL also has a stand-your-ground law....
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I was snarking on the non-broadcast type interference on shortwave..... taking out your neighbor's microwave oven, that kind of thing...