MIAMI, FLA.: WFUN-LD is going to have more than high power bills to pay. The station was fined $12,000 by the FCC for violations that included running the transmitter above its allowed power levels.
WFUN, licensed by Caribevision in Miami, was caught by FCC field agents transmitting at 3.565 kW for an effective radiated power output of 41 kW. Under FCC rules, LPTVs, translators and TV booster stations are not to exceed 15 kW in UHF Chs. 14-69. WFUN is at Ch. 48. The FCC Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture said field agents had the station’s transmitter technician turn down the power while they were there to confirm there was no equipment malfunction responsible.
The station was also cited for not having operational Emergency Alert System equipment.
“The agents observed during the course of this inspection that station WFUN-LD did not have an EAS decoder. The chief engineer stated that the station had not installed an EAS decoder since its main studio moved to the current facility in November 2009,” the NAL stated
The censure for the power violation was $4,000. Not having an EAS decoder was levied at $8,000. Caribevision has 30 days to either pay the fine or file a written statement seeking reduction or cancellation.
-- Deborah D. McAdams
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