Official Citation for Marketing Unauthorized Jamming Equipment
On April 12, 2007, the Federal Communications Commission's Spectrum Enforcement Division within the Enforcement Bureau issued an Official Citation (DA 07-1675) to Jeffrey Selby of Audio Discounters, located in Lewis Center, Ohio. The citation was issued under File No. EB-07-SE-078 pursuant to Section 503(b)(5) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
The citation alleges that Audio Discounters marketed unauthorized police radar jamming devices manufactured by Rocky Mountain Radar (RMR), specifically models RMR-S201 and RMR-C450. The Commission determined that offering these devices violates Section 302(b) of the Act and Sections 2.803, 15.205, and 15.209 of the Commission's Rules.
Investigation and Laboratory Findings
The Enforcement Bureau received a complaint on February 22, 2007, indicating that Audio Discounters was marketing the RMR-S201 and RMR-C450 devices. Staff confirmed through an inspection of the company's website, www.audiodiscounters.com, on March 28, 2007, that both models were actively being offered for sale.
The action follows prior findings documented in a January 31, 2007 Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture against Rocky Mountain Radar. Testing conducted by the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) Laboratory revealed critical non-compliance issues with the hardware:
- Both the RMR-S201 and RMR-C450 were determined to be intentional radiators designed to emit radio frequency signals to intentionally interfere with licensed police radar services, violating Section 333 of the Act.
- The RMR-C450 model produced radiated emissions at 11.23 GHz, which falls within a restricted frequency band specified in 47 C.F.R. § 15.205.
- The 11.23 GHz emissions generated by the RMR-C450 substantially exceeded the radiated emission limits established for intentional radiators under 47 C.F.R. § 15.209.
- The RMR-C450 was improperly certified under FCC ID QKK-C03 after being submitted to a Telecommunications Certification Body as an unintentional radiator radar detector, despite being marketed and operating as an intentional radar scrambler.
Regulatory Obligations and Potential Penalties
Under 47 C.F.R. § 2.803, radio frequency devices that cannot legally operate under Commission rules may not be advertised, offered for sale, or marketed in the United States. Because jamming devices are intended to cause harmful interference to licensed radio communications, they are ineligible for FCC equipment authorization.
The FCC warned Audio Discounters that subsequent violations of the Communications Act or Commission rules following receipt of the citation could result in monetary forfeitures of up to $11,000 per violation or per day for continuing violations. Audio Discounters was granted 30 days to respond through a written statement detailing corrective compliance measures or by requesting an interview with the FCC Detroit District Office in Farmington Hills, Michigan.