In its regulatory enforcement action the Australian Communications and Media Authority has cancelled an amateur station licence following an investigation that uncovered continuing breaches by the licensee.
The ACMA began acting decisively in mid-2008 in response to numerous complaints about a few yet persistent offenders who not only breached regulatory requirements, but considered by the amateur radio community to be engaging in anti-social behaviour.
Under the Radiocommunications Act 1992, the ACMA can suspend or cancel an amateur licence if the licensee contravenes a condition of the licence. In the case of the recent cancellation, crucial information was provided by other radio amateurs that alerted the ACMA to the ongoing non-compliance and assisted the investigation.
In the case announced by the ACMA (on Friday 28 May), it said the breaches included causing interference to other stations, failing to use a call sign and transmitting an unmodulated carrier.
The ACMA said it made the decision to cancel the amateur licence when other compliance and enforcement measures had failed.
The ACMA said that every effort had been made to assist, encourage and educate the licensee to understand the importance of compliance with licence conditions.
Despite repeated warnings to the licensee, the ACMA found that non-compliance continued over an extended period of time.
The severe action of licence cancellation followed earlier incidents involving other radio amateurs who had been subject to ACMA enforcement action or official warnings or cautions.
The WIA has welcomed the action taken by the ACMA. "While it is extremely unusual for radio amateurs to ignore their obligation to comply with the law, the fact is that there have been instances of extreme behaviour that requires enforcement action.
"This action by the ACMA should remind us all that it will act when necessary" said WIA President, Michael Owen VK3KI.
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ACMA
