WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Regional Director for Region One of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau has handed a Notice of Violation to the licensee of a low-powered radio station and aural studio transmitter link serving a far-suburban Illinois community to the north of Chicago.
It’s a warning, and directive to resolve the matter ahead of a possible Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture.
David C. Dombrowski issued the Notice of Violation to Rondaradio Inc., licensee of WRLR-LPFM in Round Lake Beach, Ill., and STL facility WQKA896.
What happened? Rondaradio’s facilities were visited on January 12 by a FCC Enforcement Bureau agent and noticed a discrepancy with its authorized power and WRLR’s actual output.
According to WRLR’s license, the LPFM station is authorized to operate with a SWR FM1 2 Bay Antenna and a transmitter output power of 26 Watts.
However, the agent noted that WRLR-LPFM was operating with a SWR FM1 3 Bay antenna.
In a conversation with the agent on that date, Rondaradio’s President confirmed he’d replaced the two bay antenna with a three bay antenna without authorization, increasing the transmitter output power to 40 Watts.
There’s more: the STL station was operating 0.8 miles from its authorized location.
Rondaradio now has 20 days to respond in writing regarding the matter and corrective actions it will take, if it has not already done so.
