This is *WHY* one must not "Blend" Amateur Radio with "CB"

Have you ever noticed that Pilot Travel Centers no longer sell the "export" radios? THEY did settle an NAL for $125,000 for $90,000 on '06. So some of the dealers HAVE paid fines over it. That's why you don't find 'em at Pilot anymore. This comes from ARRL's website and was widely published at the time of the settlement on FCC's website and on the 'web.
********************************************************

NEWINGTON, CT, May 11, 2006--A consent decree has finally ended an enforcement action against Pilot Travel Centers LLC that could have cost the company $125,000 in fines. In November 2004 the FCC issued a NoticeofApparentLiability (NAL) asserting that Pilot, despite multiple citations and warnings, continued to market CB transceivers labeled as Amateur Radio gear but intended for use on both Citizens Band and amateur frequencies. An FCC Order released May 11 adopts the attached consent decree between the agency and Pilot and terminates the forfeiture action. While Pilot agrees to make "a voluntary contribution" of $90,000 to the US Treasury "without further protest or recourse," the company does not admit any wrongdoing.
"The parties further agree that this consent decree is for settlement purposes only and that by agreeing to the consent decree, Pilot does not admit or deny any liability for violating the [Communications] Act or the rules in connection with the matters that are the subject of this consent decree," the agreement stipulates.
Under the terms of the consent decree, Pilot must refrain in the future from marketing as "Amateur Radio" gear any transmitting devices with built-in features to facilitate CB operation. The company must determine in advance that any CB transmitting gear it offers for sale is FCC certificated. CB transmitters must receive FCC certification--formerly called "type acceptance." Amateur Radio transmitting equipment does not require FCC certification.
Should Pilot plan to sell legitimate Amateur Radio transceivers, it must ensure before marketing or selling them that the ARRL Lab has reviewed the equipment in question and determined that it transmits only in the Amateur Radio bands. The ARRL Lab tests equipment both for QST "Product Review" articles as well as for compliance with QST advertising policy, which requires that items offered for sale meet FCC rules.
Further, the consent decree requires Pilot to remove from sale certain Galaxy brand transceivers (models DX33HML, DX66V and DX99V) and any other "Amateur Radio" transceivers that have not passed ARRL Lab muster in the course of product review or advertising compliance testing. Pilot also will have to ensure that any CB transceivers on sale by entities leasing space on its premises are FCC certificated.
Pilot's director of marketing will be responsible for making sure the company complies with the consent decree. The company also must make the agreement's terms available to its employees and, if applicable, review its requirements with employees at least semi-annually for the next two years. Pilot further must obtain a copy of the ARRL Lab review of a particular product--if one is available--before purchasing any Amateur Radio transmitting equipment for sale. The consent decree terminates an enforcement action dating back more than six years. In its 2004 NAL, the FCC had alleged that between 2002 and 2004, Pilot "in 47 separate instances" offered for sale various models of non-certificated Galaxy CB transceivers labeled as "amateur radios" that easily could be modified for CB operation. The FCC said that in some instances, Pilot employees referred to the units as "CBs."

Again, hams don't CARE what CBers do ON 11 Meters so long as they stay OUT of the ham bands without license. But they WON'T do that. The popular myth and legend seems to be "we have a 'right' to talk on them channels, we don't care that others respected the law and our country enough to FOLLOW the law to obtain their privileges as well as OBEY them, and we're gonna talk on there cuz FCC won't enforce their own rules!. AND they expect respect from hams and other users, wonder WHY they get upset and cuss and scream when they DO get disrespected or chided on the 'web. If they'd just STAY where they belong, you'd not hear about shops getting nailed, there'd be no argument.

But Pilot DID pay a fine and agreed to remove the "fake 10 Meter" radios. They used to be a heavy seller of these things, but now they only sell legal CB sets.

J