Ofcom asked about PMR 446 prosecutions

[M3PIE]

Ofcom asked about PMR 446 prosecutions
In a reply to a Freedom of Information request Ofcom acknowledged they have never prosecuted a user of PMR 446

Ofcom were asked:

I was wondering if itspossible to give me figures as to how many prosecutions have been made against person or persons for the specific offence relating to using equipment on the PMR 446 band (446Mhz) against the licencing conditions. I appreciate this is a licence exempt band, but for example can you tell me if anyone has ever been prosecuted for using equipment above the permitted .5 Watts or for using an external antenna.

Ofcom replied:

We are not aware of any prosecutions against any person(s) for specific offence relating to using equipment on the PMR 446 band (446Mhz) against the licencing conditions.

See Ofcom's full reply at
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/ ... utions.pdf

[Mototrbo2020]

As we expected.

[Metradio]

Was not expecting a straight answer....

Mike

[Otter]

Isn't that a bit like poking a hornets' nest with a stick?

[grafter]

Isn't that a bit like poking a hornets' nest with a stick?

Why would it be, Ofcom have neither the budget or manpower to police any aspect of mundane radio licencing as I found out recently when dealing with a pirate station sprogging on to marine Channel 0. Unless something is severe enough to cause imminent danger to life Ofcom will not act, merely record the details for intelligence and close the case. As spectrum police they aren't not fit for purpose.

[Mikel]

I asked OFCOM about PMR446 prosecutions a couple of years back when the use exploded around here and the answer then was ZERO, so I didn't expect much to change since then.

As long as you don't interfere with the emergency services, or air traffic control, it appears you can do whatever you want.

Until that is the frequency you are pirating has the potential to be sold off for many millions of pounds to someone.

The original UHF 934 Mhz CB band that was legal in the UK until 1998 was sold off to phone companies for many millions of pounds and they pay a license fee of £1.093m a year on top.

OFCOM has just become a money making enterprise for the treasury and enforcement is obviously way down their list of priorities.

It is a bit of a double edged sword mind you and makes you wonder if it is worth anyone's time and effort to get an amateur radio license, it is not just 446 that is being used in this way it is everywhere, HF included.

One strange fact is that there has been one prosecution for illegal use of 11 meters in recent years, so watch out you guys on the triple 5, you may not be as safe as you thought

[paulears]

what answer did you expect? They've been honest - they haven't prosecuted anyone!

[LeakyFeeder]

So its 'official'...do as you please cos nobody is bothered

[paulears]

The entire point is it is a band that is licence exempt, where there is no regulation. The idea is so simple. A band with a purpose, equipment available, and internationally coordinated. Of course there will be people who use it with higher power bigger antenna, or running digital signals in the analogue section - but the users are not users who require complex, ultra-reliable comms or need clever infrastructures to give extra facilities. It's exactly the same as the 830-865 radio mic band, where users should now be squeezed into the very top bit, but as many bits of equipment are used by non-technical people and there is a scan button - and wherever it stops, people use. Many other services apart from computers are popped into the 2.4GHz band - and some really mess it up. I've lost count of people who use 2.4GHz radio microphones - they're really great and solidly reliable. However, they totally wreck the wi-fi for people with pads, phones and laptops - they keep dropping their links. OFCOM don't want to know about this either. Some shift up to 5GHz to get free space.

This is how it works nowadays. If you want better - get a licence. If it's free, we really cannot expect anything very much, can we?

Since they retired the vans with the rotating roof racks, radio users fall into three categories. Emergency and safety, business and leisure. With dwindling resources, why do we expect more?

[Werthers]

So those people who have talked about getting busted or others getting busted by ofcom for the illegal use of PMR446 where talking s***e.

Right then lets have some fun on PMR446

[paulears]

They probably got a warning letter - a don't do it communication.

[Mudslinger]

So 446 is now a de-facto UHF CB band?

[26mb04]

So 446 is now a de-facto UHF CB band?

Yes, and has been since external antennas were decriminalised.

[LeakyFeeder]

For years its been a free for all on 446.. the fact Ofcum admit they havnt busted anyone gives the green light to many to pump up the power n invest in better antennas

[Werthers]

There was an old thread on here somewhere about ofcom having a crackdown on illegal PMR446 users but can't find it.