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DaDawgs
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join:2010-08-02
Deltaville, VA

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Re: FCC Cites WISP for Illegal UBNT Rocket 5 Operation

said by WHT:

»www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releas ··· 97A1.txt

Edited to include the PDF version:
»www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releas ··· 97A1.pdf

Snipped:

On June 9, 2010, in response to a complaint from the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”), agents from the Enforcement Bureau’s Miami Office confirmed by direction finding techniques that radio emissions on frequency 5.650 GHz were emanating from a radio transmitter device located on antenna structure #1028046 in Miami, Florida.

1 According to its equipment authorization, FCC ID SWX-M5, the Ubiquiti Rocket M5 device is authorized pursuant to Section 15.247 of the FCC’s Rules to operate only in the 5745 to 5825 MHz band. See 47 C.F.R. § 15.247.

2 On June 11, 2010, your CTO (Managing Partner) admitted that the dynamic frequency selection (“DFS”) functionality on your Ubiquiti Rocket M5 device was disabled.
Oops ... So the device was being operated illegally because the DFS functionality was disabled? So the operator was deliberately operating the device in a way that was not authorized in the US. Well one can't fault Ubiquiti for that. That can be done with a number of radios.

Never-the-less the admission by the CTO that DFS was disabled makes that company liable for the maximum fine for every day of illegal operation. If the FCC wants to push it they will have to pay a big fine.

Let that be a lesson to us... just because the hardware can do it does not mean that we should push our luck. In times back we were careful in this forum and indeed in most of the forums associated with the WISP community to ensure that new players coming into the fold were properly encouraged to understand the law and the ramifications of illegal operation. Sadly that is not always the case these days.

Anyone reading this forum or any other, where the posters sound like a bunch of angry children seeking revenge against one or another "boogie man" vendor, would do well to remember that the professional vendor will encourage you to operate legally within your locality... He may provide you with hardware which requires careful configuration but he won't encourage you, or allow others to encourage you to "fudge" or "cheat a little", not in any venue he controls.

The fine for illegal operation is $10,000.00 per day per radio if the FCC decides that they want to do more than slap your hands.

Keep that in mind when you are configuring that latest "whoopty whoop" AP that can do 45 dBm.

WHT
join:2010-03-26
Rosston, TX

1 edit

WHT

Member

said by DaDawgs:

Oops ... So the device was being operated illegally because the DFS functionality was disabled?
They were also operating radios that did not have FCC certification.

Added...
said by DaDawgs:

Keep that in mind when you are configuring that latest "whoopty whoop" AP that can do 45 dBm.
The UBNT AirBeam will legally operate around 43 dBm or so for a PtP AP.
cmaenginsb1
Premium Member
join:2001-03-19
Palmdale, CA

cmaenginsb1 to DaDawgs

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to DaDawgs
said by DaDawgs:

said by WHT:

»www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releas ··· 97A1.txt

Edited to include the PDF version:
»www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releas ··· 97A1.pdf

Snipped:

On June 9, 2010, in response to a complaint from the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”), agents from the Enforcement Bureau’s Miami Office confirmed by direction finding techniques that radio emissions on frequency 5.650 GHz were emanating from a radio transmitter device located on antenna structure #1028046 in Miami, Florida.

1 According to its equipment authorization, FCC ID SWX-M5, the Ubiquiti Rocket M5 device is authorized pursuant to Section 15.247 of the FCC’s Rules to operate only in the 5745 to 5825 MHz band. See 47 C.F.R. § 15.247.

2 On June 11, 2010, your CTO (Managing Partner) admitted that the dynamic frequency selection (“DFS”) functionality on your Ubiquiti Rocket M5 device was disabled.
Oops ... So the device was being operated illegally because the DFS functionality was disabled? So the operator was deliberately operating the device in a way that was not authorized in the US. Well one can't fault Ubiquiti for that. That can be done with a number of radios.

Never-the-less the admission by the CTO that DFS was disabled makes that company liable for the maximum fine for every day of illegal operation. If the FCC wants to push it they will have to pay a big fine.

Let that be a lesson to us... just because the hardware can do it does not mean that we should push our luck. In times back we were careful in this forum and indeed in most of the forums associated with the WISP community to ensure that new players coming into the fold were properly encouraged to understand the law and the ramifications of illegal operation. Sadly that is not always the case these days.

Anyone reading this forum or any other, where the posters sound like a bunch of angry children seeking revenge against one or another "boogie man" vendor, would do well to remember that the professional vendor will encourage you to operate legally within your locality... He may provide you with hardware which requires careful configuration but he won't encourage you, or allow others to encourage you to "fudge" or "cheat a little", not in any venue he controls.

The fine for illegal operation is $10,000.00 per day per radio if the FCC decides that they want to do more than slap your hands.

Keep that in mind when you are configuring that latest "whoopty whoop" AP that can do 45 dBm.
Actually it goes beyond that, the device was also not certified for the frequency they were operating at.

DaDawgs
Premium Member
join:2010-08-02
Deltaville, VA

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said by WHT:

Added...
said by DaDawgs:

Keep that in mind when you are configuring that latest "whoopty whoop" AP that can do 45 dBm.
The UBNT AirBeam will legally operate around 43 dBm or so for a PtP AP.
Yeah, that's not really the point and I am vendor neutral in this issue. If it is illegal it is illegal. One can cause the same problem with a Mikrotik, or a Tranzeo...
vaden9
Premium Member
join:2009-10-11

vaden9

Premium Member

said by DaDawgs:

Yeah, that's not really the point and I am vendor neutral in this issue. If it is illegal it is illegal. One can cause the same problem with a Mikrotik, or a Tranzeo...
Does anyone know which equipment (if any) has been certified by the FCC for operation in the subject band?
aeronet
join:2002-04-05
San Juan, PR

aeronet

Member

PTP or PTMP?

GNca George
GorillaNET Wireless Broadband
Premium Member
join:2008-07-12
Minden, ON

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No certification, no DFS, no attention to the power limits in the band, and specifically operating between 5600-5650 GHz which will give US DWR fits.

Pretty hard to work out a better way to annoy the FCC and the airport guys.

The inmates were definitely running the asylum on that one...
vaden9
Premium Member
join:2009-10-11

vaden9 to aeronet

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said by aeronet:

PTP or PTMP?
PTP.

Since we are rural, we haven't had to use 5 GHz for PTMP yet.

Off-topic: do the senoritas/senoras still wear flowers positioned to indicate their marital status?
aeronet
join:2002-04-05
San Juan, PR

aeronet

Member

PTP options in 5.4 ghz:

Radwin 1000 & 2000
Proxim QB Series
Motorola PTP 200, 400, 500 and 600
Redline AN80

Others I might left out
vaden9
Premium Member
join:2009-10-11

vaden9

Premium Member

said by aeronet:

PTP options in 5.4 ghz:

Radwin 1000 & 2000
Proxim QB Series
Motorola PTP 200, 400, 500 and 600
Redline AN80

Others I might left out
THANKS for your reply, aeronet.

superdog
I Need A Drink
MVM
join:2001-07-13
Lebanon, PA

superdog to DaDawgs

MVM

to DaDawgs
said by DaDawgs:

Let that be a lesson to us... just because the hardware can do it does not mean that we should push our luck. In times back we were careful in this forum and indeed in most of the forums associated with the WISP community to ensure that new players coming into the fold were properly encouraged to understand the law and the ramifications of illegal operation. Sadly that is not always the case these days.
I can remember when I made my first phone call to Jaime at Hyperlink Tech. in 2001. When I called, I asked to purchase an omni antenna, 50ft of LMR400, a pigtail and an amp (young and dumb).

Anyway, once I asked for those items, the first response I got was "What radio are you going to use with this?". The next one was, "What experience do you have with RF?". Being me, I gave an honest answer and told him none. He wouldn't sell it to me!!!!, especially after I told him what radio I was using.

I finally got my gear, but only AFTER insuring him I had help with what I was doing and Ken DiPietro at NewISP was my helper, he shipped it.

Those days are over!. ANYONE can call and get whatever you want and no one asks any questions. I know where to get 4 watt amps right now. Some of the items on ebay are most definitely illegal. I have complained numerous times to ebay management with zero results.

IMHO, this is where some of this could be stopped without a lot of hassle or burden on anyone. I know this will never happen and we will forever have to deal with idiots and their 15dBi omnis on Linksys AP's with 1 watt amps. Times have changed, BIGTIME!
aeronet
join:2002-04-05
San Juan, PR

aeronet

Member

that reminds me when i purchased my first Raylink BAtwing AP @ YDI, IIRC I spoke with Michael Young
vaden9
Premium Member
join:2009-10-11

vaden9

Premium Member

said by aeronet:

that reminds me when i purchased my first Raylink BAtwing AP @ YDI, IIRC I spoke with Michael Young
That reminds me of 1997 and our first 2.4 GHz PTP link between a local community college and our tower in downtown Sherman (which sits in a bowl). We got P&Z permission for only 100' whereas AT&T had a tower within throwing distance of 200.'

At any rate, the installer from the manufacturer had to trim a tree after midnight to achieve the link. For this, he charged us $400 above the regular install price.