SB QST @ ARL $ARLB013
ARLB013 FCC shuts down troublesome Bay Area repeater

ZCZC AG13
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 13  ARLB013
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  February 26, 1999
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB013
ARLB013 FCC shuts down troublesome Bay Area repeater

The FCC has shut down for 120 days the K7IJ repeater facility on
Grizzly Peak in the San Francisco Bay area. The FCC also told the
licensee, Bruce Wachtell of Carson City, Nevada, that his ham ticket
could be in jeopardy. The FCC took the action by modifying K7IJ's
license to prohibit repeater operation starting midnight February
28, 1999. The repeater operates on 145.29, 223.78, 440.175, and
441.175 MHz.

In related actions, the FCC also set aside recent license grants of
four individuals accused of unlicensed operation on the repeater
prior to obtaining their amateur tickets and other behavior. The
cases, the first major VHF/UHF enforcement actions the FCC has taken
in recent months, were brought to the Commission's attention by the
Amateur Auxiliary.

The FCC's Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, said that for almost a year,
the repeater's control operator, identified as Blake B. Jenkins,
N6YSA, of Berkeley, California, ''has apparently not only allowed,
but encouraged, use of the repeater by unlicensed operators,
rebroadcast of cordless telephone calls, playing of music, and
profanity and obscenity.'' He said extended QSOs have taken place
between the control operator and unlicensed stations.

Hollingsworth said the situation was brought to Wachtell's
attention, but nothing was done. He said Jenkins' ''actions and
omissions'' while control operator were under separate FCC review,
along with those of the secondary control op, Steven R. Rossi,
KE6LNH, of Novato, California. The FCC set aside the recent license
grants or upgrades of James C. Walker, KF6VAA; Gordon B. Reese III,
KF6QKA; Michael J. Nichols, KF6UAS; and Eric B. Shuler, KF6BMG
(ex-KF6UJU) pending further investigation. The FCC has permitted
Reese, who just upgraded to Tech Plus, to retain his Technician
operating privileges while its investigation continues.

The FCC also issued warnings to two other individuals in the case.
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