Westin Kierland Hotel & Villas Fined $16,000 by FCC

[nodge]

Hi Gang,

Not much SVO news popping up via Google searches lately. Either SVO has learned to mask its actions better, or SVO simply isn’t doing much lately.

The most interesting new thing I can find is this story about how the Westin Kierland Hotel and Villas was fined $16,000 earlier this month by the FCC for radio broadcasts on authorized frequencies. These broadcasts were apparently used by resort employees to dispatch shuttle vans throughout the resort.

Very strange. WKV in Arizona inadvertently broadcasts employee communications on an authorized radio frequency and is fully investigated by the government and tagged with a $16,000 fine, while Vistana Resort in the ARDA fully-schmoozed legislative state of Florida pulls tricks like this, and no one from any state or federal government agency bats an eye.

I’m guessing that the FCC investigator took his family with him to Scottsdale when he conducted his “investigation," which apparently could have been accomplished with a phone call that would have sounded something like this:

FCC Guy: "Do you have a on-site radio transmitter for communicating with your shuttle vans?"

WKV Guy: "Yes. Where would you like us to pick you up?"

FCC Guy: "Great. Would you please tell me what frequency it's tuned to. It should be the number displayed on the screen on the front of the device."

WKV Guy: "O.K. Here it is . . . So . . . you don't want a ride? Would you like me to change the frequency? Are we doing something wrong!?!"

FCC Guy: (Click).

-nodge

 

[nodge]

OK. I just read the “Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture” more thoroughly, and I should add a few more facts to the mix:

The total number of complaints received by the FCC on this issue: 1
(From what would appear to either be a former (or current) FCC guy familiar with the FCC’s obscure rules, or a grumpy ol’ fart with nothing better to do.)

The total number of FCC agents (. . .and their families) from San Diego that did an on-site “investigation” at WKV: at least 2
(“The agentS returned to the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa . . . ..”)

Total number of trips to WKV by these agents to “investigate” the situation: 2

Allowed uses of Frequency 467.6125 MHz (the frequency improperly used by the Westin): “Individuals and their immediate families”

That frequency ISN’T reserved for emergencies, aircraft, public safety, national defense, doctors to get tee times, or anything else that’s important. It appears that anyone can broadcast just about anything over it, including belching the alphabet non-stop if an “individual and immediate family member” were so inclined. The Westin’s only “crime” was not being an “individual or an immediate family member.”

This is just a wild guess, but how much does it cost for two families from San Diego to each take two vacations to Scottsdale, including meals, golf, spa visits, etc.? I’m guessing that the $16,000 “fine” was arrived at after doing that math.

I wonder how many “Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture” has the FCC issued against Minneapolis hotels operating free airport shuttles in January?

Geez
-nodge

 

[clsmit]

Or some FCC guy was there with his kids and was using a walkie talkie to see where the kids were in the lazy river while he was out golfing, but kept getting interrupted by the shuttle bus taking the wife shopping at Kierland Commons.