FCC Cites CB Operator, Tracks GMRS Interference to Vehicle in Southern California
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued two new enforcement notices involving violations of Citizens Band (CB) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) regulations. Both notices were released on November 4, 2026, and involve unauthorized radio operations. One concerns excessive transmitter power on the CB band, while the other involves deliberate interference to GMRS repeaters in Southern California.
The notices are part of several enforcement actions taken by the FCC this year against operators who have failed to comply with the regulations governing personal radio services.
Southern California GMRS Interference Investigation
In one case, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued a Notice of Unauthorized Operation and Notification of Harmful Interference to Jerry Lee Seehaas of Oceanside, California.
The investigation began after a Southern California GMRS repeater club reported interference affecting its operations on 462.700 MHz and 462.675 MHz.
On July 27, 2026, agents from the FCC’s Los Angeles field office investigated the complaints and traced the interference to a moving vehicle. According to the FCC, the interfering transmissions consisted of repeated siren sounds approximately six seconds in duration.
The transmissions were occurring on 467.700 MHz and 467.675 MHz, the input frequencies of the affected GMRS repeaters.
Using radio direction-finding equipment, FCC agents located the source of the transmissions in El Segundo, California. The signals were traced to handheld radios inside a vehicle operated by Seehaas.
After the agents identified themselves, Seehaas returned to his vehicle. The agents subsequently verified that the interfering transmissions had stopped.
An examination of FCC licensing records revealed that Seehaas held an amateur radio license and had previously held two GMRS licenses, both of which had expired. He did not have a valid GMRS license authorizing operation on the frequencies involved at the time of the incident.
The FCC cited violations of Section 301 of the Communications Act, which requires appropriate authorization to operate radio transmitting equipment, and Section 333, which prohibits willful or malicious interference with authorized radio communications.
The notice directs Seehaas to cease the unauthorized operations immediately and prevent further interference. He was given ten days to respond to the FCC, describing the measures he would take to prevent future violations.
The FCC warned that continued violations could result in substantial monetary penalties, confiscation of transmitting equipment, or criminal prosecution.
The case is particularly relevant to GMRS repeater owners in Southern California, where many systems share a relatively small number of available repeater frequencies.
FCC Document: DA 26-1192, November 4, 2026.
Georgia CB Operator Cited for Excessive Transmitter Power
In a separate enforcement action released the same day, the FCC issued a Notice of Unlicensed Operation to Roy Grant of Marietta, Georgia.
According to the FCC’s published notice summary, Grant was cited for operating a Citizens Band radio station with transmitter power exceeding the limits authorized for the service.
Although CB operators do not need individual FCC licenses, their stations must comply with Part 95 of the Commission’s regulations.
Under Section 95.967, CB transmitter power is limited to:
- AM and FM: 4 watts carrier power.
- Single Sideband (SSB): 12 watts peak envelope power (PEP).
FCC regulations also prohibit the use of external RF power amplifiers to increase the transmitting power of CB stations.
These limitations apply regardless of whether an operator is using a mobile or base station.
Operating a CB transmitter outside the permitted technical limits can invalidate the operator’s authorization to operate under the FCC’s license-by-rule provisions.
The November 4 notice identifies excessive transmitter power as the reason for the enforcement action. The FCC’s published summary does not specify the measured transmitter output.
FCC Document: DA 26-1193, November 4, 2026.
FCC Also Targets Internet-Linked GMRS Repeaters
The November enforcement notices follow another significant GMRS enforcement action earlier this year.
On August 5, 2026, the FCC issued a Notice of Violation to Gary M. Beckstedt, Sr., licensee of GMRS station WQYU407 in Newnan, Georgia.
Beckstedt operates multiple GMRS repeaters associated with the North Georgia GMRS Network, which has advertised coverage extending over more than 41,000 square miles.
During an investigation conducted on February 11, FCC agents determined that several repeaters were interconnected through the Internet. These connections allowed communications received by one repeater to be retransmitted simultaneously by other repeaters in the network.
The FCC determined that this arrangement violated Section 95.1749 of its regulations.
That rule permits GMRS repeaters to be connected to telephone systems or other networks for remote-control purposes. It does not authorize using those connections to distribute communications for retransmission through multiple repeaters.
In explaining its position, the FCC emphasized that GMRS has only eight nationwide repeater frequency pairs. The Commission expressed concern that linking repeaters across extensive geographic areas reduces local access to those frequencies and increases the potential for interference.
Internet-linked repeaters are common in amateur radio, where such connections are permitted under the applicable regulations. GMRS, however, operates under a different set of rules.
Beckstedt was directed to provide a written explanation of the violations and describe the corrective actions taken to prevent their recurrence.
FCC Document: DA 26-821, August 5, 2026.
Enforcement Notices Are Not Necessarily Fines
It is important to distinguish between an FCC warning or Notice of Violation and a monetary forfeiture.
The notices discussed here do not, by themselves, establish that the operators have been fined.
An enforcement notice generally informs an operator of a violation identified by FCC personnel and may require the operator to discontinue the activity, provide additional information, or take corrective action.
Depending on the circumstances, the FCC may subsequently issue a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture proposing a monetary penalty.
Failure to comply with an enforcement notice can result in additional action.
What This Means for Radio Operators
CB and GMRS are popular communications services, particularly among hobbyists, travelers, and individuals interested in emergency communications.
However, neither service permits unrestricted operation.
CB operators must observe the technical and operating limitations established under Part 95, even though individual licenses are not required.
GMRS operators must maintain valid licenses, comply with authorized equipment and operating requirements, and avoid causing harmful interference to other users.
Repeater owners should also familiarize themselves with the specific restrictions governing remote control and network interconnections.
The recent enforcement actions demonstrate that the FCC continues to investigate complaints involving personal radio services, including interference to GMRS repeaters.
For Southern California radio enthusiasts, the El Segundo investigation is especially noteworthy. It illustrates that interference complaints can lead to field investigations and that FCC agents can identify the source of unauthorized transmissions through radio direction-finding techniques.
FCC Documents and Additional Information
The following FCC documents provide details about these enforcement actions:
November 4, 2026 — GMRS Interference, Southern California
Jerry Lee Seehaas, Oceanside, California
FCC Document DA 26-1192
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1192A1.pdf
November 4, 2026 — Excessive CB Transmitter Power
Roy Grant, Marietta, Georgia
FCC Document DA 26-1193
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-1193A1.pdf
August 5, 2026 — Unauthorized GMRS Repeater Linking
Gary M. Beckstedt, Sr., Newnan, Georgia
FCC Document DA 26-821
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-821A1.pdf
Information compiled from FCC Enforcement Bureau notices and publicly available FCC records. SCMA will continue to follow developments affecting radio monitoring and communications in Southern California.
