ILLEGAL CB TRANSCEIVER LIST<br>
<br>
The FCC’s Office of Engineer and Technology (OET) has evaluated the
devices listed below and has concluded that these devices are not only
amateur transceivers but can easily be altered for use as Citizens Band
(CB) transceivers as well. As such, OET has further concluded that these
devices cannot legally be imported or marketed within the United States
for the reasons discussed below. Further, the FCC General Council has
issued a decision in a specific case involving one manufacturer and has
concluded that dual use CB and amateur radios of the kind at issue may
not be approved under the Commission’s rules and are in violation of
several rules including the RF power level limits of 47 CFR 95.639.
(letter from Christopher J. Wright, FCC-OGC to John F. Atwood, US
Customs Service, dated May 17, 1999).<br>
<br>
Transceivers used in the Amateur Radio Service below 30 MHz do not
require FCC authorization prior to being imported into or marketed
within the United States, but transceivers for other services, including
the CB Radio Service (CB), do require Commission approval. The
transceivers listed herein and other similar models operate in the
amateur “10-meter band” and are often referred to as “10-meter” radios
or "export" radios. The amateur 10-meter band uses
frequencies that are very close to the channels set aside for use in the
CB service. Some of the transceivers that manufacturers call “10-meter”
radios either operate on CB frequencies as manufactured and imported or
are designed such that internal circuits can readily be activated by a
user, a service technician or a dealer to operate on CB frequencies.
According to Section 95.603© of the Commission’s rules, a CB
transmitter is a transmitter that operates or is intended to operate at a
station authorized for the CB service. 47C.F.R. § 95.603©. The
Commission’s equipment authorization experts in the FCC Laboratory have
determined that the transceivers listed herein and other similar models
at issue here are intended for use on the CB frequencies as well as
those in the amateur service because they have built-in capability to
operate on CB frequencies. This capability can be readily activated by
moving or removing a jumper plug, cutting or splicing a wire, plugging
in a connector, or other simple means. Thus, all the transceivers listed
herein and similar models fall within the definition of a CB
transmitter. See 47C.F.R. § 95.603©. A CB transmitter must be
certificated by the FCC prior to marketing or importation. 47 C.F.R. §§
95.603©; 2.803.<br>
<br>
Moreover, the dual use CB and amateur radios of the kind at issue here
may not be certified under the Commission’s rules. Section 95.655(a)
states: “….([CB] Transmitters with frequency capability for the Amateur
Radio Services … will not be certificated.)” See also Amendment of Part
95, Subpart E, Technical Regulations in the Personal Radio Services
Rules, FCC 88-256, 1888 WL 488084 (August 17, 1988). This clarification
was added to explicitly foreclose the possibility of certification of
dual use CB and amateur radios, see id, and thereby deter use by CB
operators of frequencies allocated for amateur radio use.<br>
<br>
In addition, the Commission’s equipment authorization experts have
determined that these devices violate or appear to violate a number of
the rules governing CB devices. For example, they may use emission types
not permitted, or emit RF power at a level in excess of the levels
permitted in the CB radio service. See 47 C.F.R. § 95.639.<br>
<br>
In view of the foregoing, the following “10-meter” transceivers are not
acceptable for importation or marketing into/within the United States.
Importation and marketing of these units is illegal pursuant to Section
302(b) of the Communications Act and Section 2.803 of the rules. Willful
violations of the Rules and the Act may subject the violator to a
monetary forfeiture of not more than $11,000 for each violation
or each day of a continuing violation. The Commission continues to
review this type of equipment, and additional makes and models may be
added to this list in the future. <br>
<br>
LIST OF TRANSCEIVERS ILLEGAL TO IMPORT OR MARKET<br>
<br>
GALAXY - models: DX33HML, DX 44V, DX55V, DX66V, DX 73V, DX 77HML, DX 88HL, DX99V and Saturn Turbo<br>
<br>
CONNEX - models: 3300, 3300HP-ZX, 3300 PLUS and CX-3800<br>
<br>
MIRAGE - models: 44, Galaxy 88, 9900 and 2950EX<br>
<br>
NORTH STAR - models: NS-3000 and NS-9000<br>
<br>
PRESIDENT - models: Grant, J.F.K., Jackson, Lincoln, HR-2510 and HR-2600<br>
<br>
PRO STAR - model: 240<br>
<br>
RANGER - models: AR-3500, RCI-2950 and RCI-2970<br>
<br>
TEK - model: HR-3950<br>
<br>
UNIDEN - models: HR-2510 and HR-2600<br>
<br>
SUPER STAR - model: 121<br>
<br>
For further information concerning the listed transceivers or similar
models, contact Ray LaForge or Gary Hendrickson at the FCC Laboratory,
7435 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, MD 21046, (301) 362-3041 or (301)
362-3043 respectively, or E-mail: <a href="mailto:rlaforge@fcc.gov">rlaforge@fcc.gov</a> and <a href="mailto:ghendric@fcc.gov">ghendric@fcc.gov</a>